where to stay in orlando?

[stevenM]

hey folks

oddly i've been to orlando loads but this time my requirements are a bit different. will be in orlando for 3 days (before driving south) with 5 mates, all 25ish. so, we'll be going to universal etc but where to stay? probably a hotel on i-drive but nightlife is important so specific recomendations would be great!

cheers

steven

[Rollin]

I stayed one night at the Embassy Suites which was OK. Nightlife on International Drive is crap. Apparently "City Walk" is where its at....but I doubt it. Maybe I missed something. I also stayed at the Marriott the previous year for one night. OK as well.
In fact the only reason I went back to International drive was because it was convenient to collect the car and to show my disbelieving girlfriend how shoddy the place is. Not the place for 25 year old lads.

ETA Hard Rock Hotel looked OK as we drove past.

Edited by Rollin on Saturday 23 August 18:17

[stevenM]

yeah, heard i-drive is downhill as of late. problem i think with the stuff inside disney is that it all wrapped up pretty early but i've always been as part of a family holiday before so need a new perspective

[Rollin]

Perhaps Downtown Orlando itself would be better? Supposedly some good bars/clubs around Orange Avenue(Street?) according to my mate who used to live there.

[Matt Harper]

Avoid I Drive. In fact, avoid everywhere the "white-legs" go - so that rules-out Downtown Disney, Citywalk at Universal or anywhere in Kissimmee.
Downtown Orlando is an unknown to 99.9999% of visitors here. There are some great bars/clubs all within walking distance of each other, centered on Orange Avenue/Church St and around Lake Eola.
Embassy Suites downtown is fine and not to pricey either.
Be careful not to stray west of I-4 however. For instance, 200 yards the wrong way on Washington, Central, Gore streets will put you in Parramore district, which is a very bad place for a fresh-faced unarmed tourist to be.

[stevenM]

thanks matt - just struck me, i've been to orlando maybe a dozen times, but never downtown!

have a house down in bradenton and love it :-)

[Matt Harper]

Most welcome - Orlando is a good night out, lots of bars, lots of decent flange and relatively safe.
I agree that Bradenton is nice - I have a few friends on the gulf coast (Hillsborough and Pasco) and get over there quite frequently with work.
You might also want to consider Ybor City (Tampa) particularly if you are here over a weekend. Ybor has a very, 'Bourbon St, New Orleans' feel to it. They close the streets to traffic Fri/Sat nights and it gets very busy, with a good party atmosphere.