Calypso Cay Resort, Kissimmee, Florida
Before our Florida Superior Small Lodging road trip officially began at the beginning of the summer, Landon and I took an extra day off of work so that we could squeeze in a trip to one of the Disney water parks for our toddler.
Since it was such a short sidetrip, we decided not to stay on property (as we usually do) in favor of an inexpensive place that I'd found on Groupon: Calypso Cay Resort. The resort contains The Inn at Calpyso--a former Country Inn and Suites--as well as two large buildings of 1-, 2-, and 3-bedroom villas.
When we rolled up at 11 PM the night of our check-in, the lines for the front desk was three guests deep: not a welcome site when I was tired and ready to go to bed. In most places, the late evening hours are like a ghost town at the front desk, so I was worried that this mass grouping in the lobby was an indicator that the hotel was packed full of guests--which usually means lots of noise.
So, how did our stay turn out? Was our initial greeting a terrible sign of things to come?
Location
For an Orlando hotel, you can't beat where the Calypso Cay Resort is located. Only 3.9 miles from the Disney parks and 11 miles from Universal Studios, guests can quickly hop onto FL 535 or I-4 and make it to front gates in very little time.
There's also a gigantic Wal-mart just behind it that sold all sorts of Disney-themed stuff from ponchos to sweatshirts to photo books. For the cost conscious Disney visitor, a stop here for souvenirs is a good idea. Just down the road are several gas stations and plenty of quick service restaurants.
One thing that drove us crazy about the surrounding location was the fact that the Osceola Parkway runs right behind the resort. The Parkway is a toll road--but it's not well-marked at all. We got onto it once not realizing that 1) it was a toll road, and 2) the unmanned booth only took quarters (of which we had none). This ultimately led us to illegally backing down the shoulder of the toll entrance ramp so we could get back onto FL 535.
Room
We were placed in a one bedroom suites in the building that straddles the two pools (Building 5000). Building 5000 and 5002 contain the villa suites, while the traditional hotel rooms reside in the Inn at Calypso in front of the pools. The suites are all timeshares/ vacation rentals that are sublet by the Inn at Calypso management team; if you get one of these, they will vary a little in terms of decoration.
The kitchette was well equipped with glasses, plates, cups, and cleaning cloths. We liked having a full-sized refrigerator to put milk, soft drinks, and juice each morning.
The bathroom came with a jacuzzi bath/ shower combo. Britton loved the bubbles in the jacuzzi! While the bathroom was clean, the wallpaper was peeling off in several small spots, which gave it a bit of a shabby air.
The one bedroom had a queen sized bed: while it was roomy, it didn't house the most comfortable of mattresses, as one side sagged down. There was also a fold-out couch in the living room, but we didn't use it.
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| The huge screened in porch that was attached to our suite. |
We didn't have a lot of interaction with the staff since we had such a short stay, but the few times I did deal with the staff, they were organized, approachable, and friendly.
When we checked in to a full lobby, the desk clerks managed to move guests through quickly. They spoke both Spanish and English fluently which helped with the large number of guests from abroad who were also checking in at the same time as I was.
Amenities
Although the resort isn't the largest, there are several amenities that will appeal to families on a budget. Little kids will love the playground and on-site mini golf course, while older kids will enjoy the slides at the main pool.
Landon used the workout room on our second morning there and was pleased with the variety of equipment they had.
Our room came with a complimentary breakfast buffet both mornings we were there. While I always appreciate a free breakfast, this one left a lot to be desired: the eggs were straight out of a mix (yuck), the cereal selection consisted only of two options (Cheerios and something really sugary), and the breakfast potatoes were kind of cold both mornings. Usually, I can find something to eat since I'm not picky at all, but both mornings, I ended up eating a cold, tiny cinnamon roll that was straight out of a Little Debbie box. I've had far better complimentary breakfasts at places like Hampton Inn, so I know that it can be done.
I thought that the need for a breakfast attendant (who checked our names against the hotel roster) and food wristbands was redundant and clogged up the line. While I'm complaining about the breakfast, I might as well mention the fact that the breakfast room had extremely limited seating, which meant that people were always lingering around looking at us while we ate.
The resort has free parking for its guests, but (like the breakfast seating) it was limited near the building. If you arrived late, you had to park in the nearby Springhill Suites parking lot or the resort's front lot (both of which are quite a distance when you're hauling luggage).
Final Thoughts
While it was far from luxurious, the Calypso Cay Resort was clean and well-maintained. The resort is a fairly new one, as it seems it was just purchased from a large hotel chain and converted into its existing appearance, and it's trying to be a one-stop-shop for guests looking to relax away from the theme parks.
With a few changes (especially to the breakfast selection and routine), this inexpensive property has the potential to become a fun (and cheaper) option to some themed hotels like Disney's Art of Animation. Until those changes are enacted, the hotel provides the basics, but doesn't leave a lasting impression.
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