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    I Stayed at a Villatel Orlando Villa; Good Deal, Close to Disney

    Press RoomBy No Comments7 Mins Read

    • I stayed in a four-bedroom villa at Villatel Orlando Resort, and it felt like a great value.
    • For less than $500 a night, I had a private pool, a full kitchen, and in-suite laundry.
    • The resort has a water park and complimentary shuttles to Universal Studios and Disney World.

    My best friend and I booked a trip to Disney World and Universal Studios for March.

    While planning, we looked into hotels near the parks, such as the Hyatt Regency and Universal’s Endless Summer, where a basic room would’ve cost around $160 to $250 a night.

    Then, we realized we could have a nearly 2,000-square-foot luxury villa at the Villatel Orlando Resort for about the same price per person.

    After taxes and resort fees, the villa came to about $453 a night, or $227 each.

    The villa felt like it’d give us way more bang for its buck, especially once we factored in perks like a private pool, full kitchen, and in-unit laundry.

    My best friend ended up having to cancel on the trip, but I decided not to downsize my accommodations. The villa is a bit of a splurge for a solo traveler, but it sounded too good to miss.

    Fortunately, what could have been a sad and lonely trip turned out to be a luxurious — and not to mention freeing — solo travel reset I didn’t know I needed.

    I was impressed by the villa’s four bedrooms and three bathrooms.


    White headboard in front of blue wall with nightstands next to it

    I tried out each bed.

    Simone Paget

    The four-bedroom, three-bath villa I stayed in can sleep up to 10 guests.

    After testing out each bed Goldilocks-style, I settled into the largest main bedroom, which featured an en-suite bathroom and decor resembling a luxe hotel suite.

    One of the villa’s bedrooms was themed with dragons and featured a vintage arcade game, bunk beds, and a slide, which I shamelessly enjoyed.

    The furniture and finishes felt brand new because they were. The resort only opened earlier this year, not long before our stay.

    The private yard and pool were a nice touch.


    Author Simone Paget hitting golf club next to pool

    A water baby at heart, I’ve always dreamed of staying somewhere with a private pool all to myself.

    Simone Paget

    I’ve dreamed of staying at a resort with my own personal pool, and now that I have, it’s just as wonderful as I’d imagined.

    As much as I love the vibe of a lively resort pool, I appreciated having a space that was my own for an early morning or late-night dip.

    The pool was on the small side, but it felt like it had more than enough space for a small group. The yard also had seating for outdoor dining and a tiny golf course.

    There was a stunning chef’s kitchen where I could make meals.


    Salad with fruit and nuts in container

    I saved money by buying groceries instead of eating out every meal.

    Simone Paget

    I spent most of my days fueling myself with totchos from Woody’s Lunch Box and other theme-park bites, so I enjoyed returning to my villa and having access to a kitchen.

    It came with a full set of cookware, an oven, a large refrigerator, several small appliances, and everything I needed to cook meals. I ordered groceries through Instacart so I could make breakfast and consume some veggies in my kitchen between park trips.

    It was nice to save money by eating at my villa instead of dining out for every meal.

    The in-suite laundry made traveling with only a carry-on a breeze.


    Person taking selfie in mirror

    I was able to wash and rewear outfits as needed.

    Simone Paget

    I love the convenience of traveling with only a carry-on, but I hate the anxiety of potentially running out of clothes and having to do laundry in my hotel sink.

    Due to the villa’s in-unit laundry facilities, I never had to worry about having clean clothes during my stay.

    After a sweaty day of walking a bazillion steps, coming home and popping my clothes in the suite’s washing machine was a true luxury.

    The resort’s pool and lazy river were stunning.


    Lazy river in Villatel Orlando

    The outdoor space also had a poolside eatery.

    Simone Paget

    A highlight of Villatel Orlando’s property is its pool area, which features a pristine resort-style pool with a lazy river — and no, it wasn’t overcrowded with children when I visited.

    There’s also a poolside Aqua Bar & Grille that serves cocktails and food throughout the day, from breakfast pizzas and acai bowls to burgers and nachos. The space’s vibe is tropical chic, making it the perfect spot to enjoy a delicious strawberry margarita.

    Though I liked having a private pool in my backyard, I also enjoyed lounging by a much bigger one with a cocktail.

    I could also access the property’s water park.


    Colorful looped waterslides

    The waterpark had a few slides.

    Simone Paget

    Aqua Bay, the compact water park next to the resort pool, has four decent waterslides.

    It’s not huge, but Universal Volcano Bay — the mega water park with the unmissable faux volcano — is just a 10-minute drive from Villatel for those who want more.

    The Villatel property was gorgeous, and I felt safe walking around, even as a solo traveler.


    Row of villas at Orlando Villatel at night

    Villatel Orlando is in a gated community.

    Simone Paget

    The resort is a gated community with security, so as a solo female traveler, I felt safe wandering around the resort, even after sunset.

    The only pitfall is that the villas all look very similar from the outside, and I got lost a few times trying to make my way back from the pool.

    I found the resort’s complimentary shuttle service to Universal and Disney to be a nice perk.


    Author Simone Paget smiling in front of Kermit statue

    Going to Disney by myself felt especially liberating.

    Simone Paget

    The villa is about 10 minutes from Universal Studios and about a 25-minute drive from Disney World. I appreciated that the resort had complimentary shuttles to both parks.

    Going to Disney alone was unexpectedly freeing. I set my own schedule, ate whatever I wanted (hello, Mickey-shaped snacks), and retreated to my villa whenever I needed a break.

    The shuttle wasn’t running as late as I’d hoped during my trip, so I spent about $25 on an Uber back to my villa after a long day at Disney. It was well worth it to maximize my time at the theme park.

    Overall, the villa beat a typical hotel or rental home.


    Villatel Orlando entrance

    All in all, my stay at Villatel Orlando was lovely.

    Simone Paget

    My stay at Villatel Orlando was peaceful, and I felt insulated in my villa as I rarely saw or heard my neighbors.

    After a day of overstimulation exploring the parks, returning to a spacious, calm space that didn’t involve a busy hotel lobby and crowded elevators was the ultimate luxury.

    Prices vary throughout the year, but even during spring break (peak season), I saw a four-bedroom villa listed for as low as $450 a night.

    If you split that cost between a few friends or family members, you can get plenty of space and a private pool for as much or even less than a hotel room.

    Though staying at Villatel Orlando was the perfect solo vacation, I can’t wait to return with my girlfriends. I may even suggest they bring their kids — I call dibs on the slide.

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