Disclaimer: this post is in partnership with Wyndham Orlando Resort International Drive. We were provided a complimentary room to review. All thoughts are our own.

Now that we have been Floridians for over a year we have wanted to start getting out and exploring more fun things to do in the Orlando area. Recently we were invited to explore popular I-Drive with a staycation at Wyndham Orlando Resort International Drive. Close to dining, shopping, theme parks, and attractions we were excited to see what it was like to stay in the middle of lots of fun. Read on to learn more about this resort (and check out the bottom of this article for a discount code too!)

Resort Areas

The Wyndham is situated on a fairly large piece of property right on International Drive. At first it can feel a bit disjointed as some of the resort property backs right up into other commercial areas like restaurants and a gas station. But once you step inside the resort grounds surrounded by lush landscaping and common areas it truly does feel like a little oasis in the middle of it all. The main lobby building stands alone with a conference center right next door as well. The look is fresh and modern and there is plenty of seating. We found that overall we kept finding the resort was an interesting mix of features. It is budget friendly but has really nice decor. It is in the middle of a busy area but still feels relaxing. The guest buildings are motel buildings, but have been designed that the inside feels more on par with a tower style hotel. The Wyndham truly is a unique property that can fit the needs for a lot of different folks.

The main lobby includes a coffee bar area with plenty of seating.

This outdoor area is a perfect spot to enjoy a coffee.

Our Room

We certainly felt fancy when we arrived and found out we were upgraded to an Executive Suite! While this room was huge, it still gives a great idea of the feel of all the rooms at the resort (which were all updated in a fairly recent multi-million dollar renovation project). There are a range of room options to include standard views, upgraded views, suites, family bunk rooms, and even pet friendly options. All of the rooms are equipped with certain features:

BeWell bedding, plush pillow-top mattresses, and feather pillows
40-inch flat screen TVs with on-demand movies
Spacious work desks
Coffee makers
Bumble & Bumble bath amenities
Mini refrigerators
Massaging showerheads
Laptop compatible safe

The guest rooms are in motel buildings that have been flipped around to have an interior corridor.

The executive suite features a wet bar, dining area, and living room.

The Executive Suite was crazy huge and something we probably wouldn’t necessarily book. We can see it being a great option for business travelers, if multiple families are booking rooms and want to have one area to hang out together, or if it is a special occasion. It was nice to have space to spread out and we liked the design choices throughout. The bed was comfy and we loved some small touches like the toiletries and having a mini fridge and Keurig in the room. We didn’t love the bathroom. The shower was fine but wasn’t anything special, there also was a lot of space but lack of storage (but to be fair if this was an ADA room it may look pretty different from other bathrooms on property.)

Our bathroom was ADA compliant with two showers.

There was plenty of space to hang out in the living room.

The Grounds

Our room had a view of one of the pools, you will also see there are “lagoon view” rooms available as well. While steps outside of the resort is the hub bub of I-Drive, we were surprised how peaceful the grounds of the resort felt. There are several water areas with bridges, waterfalls, and lush plants. We loved walking around and seeing these beautiful areas. We would absolutely recommend to select a room with one of the upgraded interior property views, as we could see where some outer rooms would not be as nice overlooking a parking lot near a WaWa for instance. We could see where two different room types could end up providing guests with completely different experiences.

You can see the red umbrellas from the pool area wraps around this lagoon.

We loved that there was so much landscaping and features like this fountain.

Ammenities

Pools

The Wyndham had two different pool areas. Our room was closer to the smaller pool which was nice and quiet during our stay. There were plenty of distanced chairs and umbrellas and a hot tub too. Sitting with the tropical plants and background music made for a great relaxing afternoon. We were able to pop over to the bar to order drinks as well.

Fitness Center

Right near the pool you will also find a state-of-the-art fitness center has everything you need for a great workout, accessible via key card entry 24/7. There is also a steam room and sauna (currently closed due to Covid-19).

Park Shuttles

Typically the Wyndham also offers free shuttle service to Universal Orlando Resort and SeaWorld Orlando theme parks. There are also paid shuttle options to the Walt Disney World Resort. Currently, our shuttle service to the parks is suspended.

Such a relaxing pool area — Isn’t this such a relaxing pool area?

Dining

Barista & Lobby Bar (Currently Closed)

In the main lobby you can start your day with a Starbucks coffee and breakfast sandwich or end your evening with cocktails and small plates. With plenty of seating inside and out there are plenty of spaces to sit and enjoy. We were bummed we couldn’t experience this during our visit but look forward to another time. (There is also usually room service available that is currently suspended as well.)

Gatorville

Near the pool you will find this open air bar & grill. While the menu was a little smaller than usual we were still impressed with the options. What was even more impressive were the portions! During our stay we enjoyed items like nachos, chicken fingers, and sandwiches. The staff were like a tight knit family having worked a long time together. Everyone was very friendly and would recognize us throughout our stay. Another good note is the drink menu. Gatorville offers all day happy hour! With a variety of $3 beers, $4 wines, and $5 margaritas (Julie’s fave!) there were plenty of affordable options which was refreshing compared to normal “resort drink pricing” elsewhere. In addition to the deals the menu also features signature cocktails and frozen drinks perfect for the pool.

Cooper’s Hawk Winery

Right next door you can find this upscale restaurant featuring modern dishes and signature wine perfect for a date night.

Nearby Options

While the options above are all right on property the beauty of this location is there is pretty much anything else you could want within such a close distance. So many great options are easily walkable from the hotel to include mexican, turkish, brazilian steakhouse, bbq and more.

Overall Thoughts

We both agree the Wyndham Orlando Resort International Drive is truly a unique property. It should not be labeled a luxury resort but it still offers high-end touches. We are not usually fans of motel style properties, but the way these were designed it felt less motel like. We enjoyed the landscaping and the pools were nice. We also enjoyed the plentiful food and happy hour drinks at Gatorville. Overall we think it is fair to compare the Wyndham to a moderate level resort on Disney property. But this location is better if you are looking to do more than “just Disney.” We loved being able to walk over to ICON Park attractions and restaurants. It is located in a busier part of town so it is good to keep that in mind if you are seeking a more isolated experience. Overall the Wyndham gives you bang for your buck and is a great option for visitors looking to enjoy a variety of Orlando attractions. Thank you to the team for a great weekend stay!