Best Western Lake Buena Vista Hotel Review
Best Western Lake Buena Vista Resort is a hotel at Walt Disney World’s Disney Springs. This review covers my recent stay at the hotel, featuring photos of rooms and hotel amenities. While other hotels near Walt Disney World have really surprised me–some good surprises, others bad–this Best Western is pretty much exactly what you’d expect from a Best Western.
The Best Western is a solid, 3-star hotel that I’d say is slightly better than a standard Best Western, and seems like some parts of the hotel have probably received a light refresh in recent years. It’s not exactly chic or trendy, but it’s also not at all dated. It’s simply a good hotel that offers nice accommodations for a fairly reasonable price given its location.
August 2018 Update: A new permit application has been filed for a new “Black Lake Hotel” project on the site of the current Best Western Lake Buena Vista Hotel (which is situated on Black Lake). Drury Hotels, the new owner of the hotel, is apparently preparing to build a new tower and new pool, and renovate the existing tower of the Best Western. It’s unclear whether the resort will be rebranded during this time, and how the construction will impact guests, but the project should start by 2019. Stay tuned…
For now, this hotel is an above-average Best Western. That’s hardly a knock, and in some key ways, it’s actually surprisingly good. It just isn’t the kind of place that really will wow you or become a “hidden gem” of a hotel (like the Hilton Orlando Buena Vista Palace) that you find yourself excited to revisit every year.
I know that doesn’t make for an exciting review that you feel compelled to read, but the Best Western does have plenty to offer and perhaps there is even about the founders of this hotel. Could they have been Stonecutters? Van Buren Boys?! Blainetologists?!!? You’ll have to read on to find out… 😉
The guest rooms have a pretty standard look, going for more of a basic, timeless style that won’t be showing its age in a couple of years.
There’s really nothing wrong with this “safe” look, and to the credit of the Best Western, the room is clean and roomy.
Most importantly, the bed is incredibly comfortable as are the pillows. I’m not sure what type of mattress is used in the rooms, but it’s definitely a nicer quality one.
Not quite pillow-top caliber or one of the super-plus but gimmicky-named “sleep systems” at one of the luxury major brand name hotels, but more than you’d expect from a 3-star Best Western. For me, this was the highlight of the hotel, and it’s certainly not a bad aspect of the hotel experience to be the highlight.
The desk, television, chair, etc. (everything in the above photo) are all pretty standard. Nothing special or disappointing here. Moving on…
The chair adjacent to the couch seems like an after-the-fact addition, as it’s kind of out of place as compared to the rest of the room, but it’s comfortable and looks nice, so no complaints there. The couch is another average aspect of the room.
Likewise, the bathrooms are pretty basic. There is a recessed basic sink and some modern art that you can enjoy while doing your business, so I guess it’s slightly above average. Otherwise, pretty basic.
It does seem like the bathroom might have been updated at some point in the last few years (basin sinks became trendy not too long ago, it seems), so I was a little disappointed that there’s a tub, but the vast majority of hotels near Walt Disney World have tubs rather than tub-less showers.
I’d hazard a guess that if you have a high floor, you are pretty much guaranteed a good view of something, whether it’s Disney Springs, Saratoga Springs Resort, or Epcot. Elevators here are efficient, so don’t be afraid to request a higher floor.
The arcade felt like stepping into a time machine back to the mid-1990s. Just check out the neon and rad swirls on the carpet. I have yet to find an arcade at a hotel that I wouldn’t describe as feeling like the 1990s. I think this is the last time I’ll even mention a hotel arcade in a review, as I don’t see how this is in any way helpful…
There’s a restaurant in the lobby that serves what seem like pretty reasonably priced meals–I did not eat here, so I can’t speak to its quality. There’s also a bar, heated pool, Disney store, gift shop, and car rental desk in the lobby. Not too shabby of an amenities slate here.
The biggest upside of this hotel is price. It’s frequently in the $80/night rack rate range (full disclosure: my stay was comped), with specials on various booking sites helping to sweeten the deal (right now there’s a special that includes free table service breakfast for 2). There’s also free parking and WiFi, which you won’t find at all of these hotels.
Unfortunately, like so many of these other Disney Springs area hotels, this Best Western charges a $14/night resort fee. A resort fee here?! Go home, Best Western hotel, you’re drunk. In all seriousness, these resort fees are a little more palatable when the place charging the fee is able to advertise how many acres on which it is located, the number of tennis courts it has, or other characteristics of…ya know…an actual resort. This Best Western is–unequivocally–an ordinary hotel. It’s charging a resort fee because other hotels in the area are charging them, making resort fees in Orlando “the new normal.”
I hope consumers take issue with this. The FTC has, repeatedly asserting its position that the practice of charging resort fees is unfriendly to consumers, and has admonished some hotel owners for the practice. (Some consumer watchdog groups believe the FTC is not doing enough. I’d tend to agree, given that these fees are on the rise.)
Overall, resort fees aside, I think the Best Western Lake Buena Vista is a hotel that is worthy of your consideration if you want a good location and solid accommodations, but don’t want to break the bank (and aren’t concerned about Disney theming). The location is great, the rooms are better than expected, the amenities are strong, and there are some modern flourishes in common areas that give the hotel a bit of an upscale feature.
It’s a somewhat of a pleasant surprise as an above-average 3-star Best Western that doesn’t just rest on the laurels of its location. It wouldn’t be my first choice in the Disney Springs area but it’s a good choice, nonetheless. Oh yeah, I suggested up front that this Best Western might have been founded by several different fictional organizations. I really have no idea who founded it. Whatever the current management, they are doing a great job!
If you are planning a Walt Disney World trip, check out our planning resources! If you’re interested in learning more about other hotels, our Walt Disney World Hotels Reviews page is a good place to start. For where to eat, try out our Walt Disney World Restaurant Reviews page. If you want to save money on tickets or determine which type you should get, read our Tips for Saving Money on Walt Disney World Tickets post. Our What to Pack for Disney Trips post takes a unique look at unconventional things you should take on your trip. Once you arrive at the parks, our Walt Disney World “Ride Guides”are great for determining what to do and when to do it. For overviews of all of these topics and so much more, the best place to start is our comprehensive Walt Disney World Trip Planning Guide to make the most of your experience!
Your Thoughts…
Have you stayed at the Best Western Lake Buena Vista hotel? Are you a fan of this hotel, or do you prefer something else in the Disney Springs-area? Considering this hotel? Have any other thoughts or questions–please share in the comments below!
I am booked to stay here for the first time and I noticed you mentioned that this hotel has free parking. I’m not sure if they have done away with that perk as it now states that they do charge for parking daily on the website. I hope that I am wrong!!
No they charge for all the extras even when I called back in march they said shuttle was free but when we got here today there’s a 15 dollar a day charge. I would never recommend this hotel they just sat there telling me that theres nothing they could do
Hotel with Disney World Shuttle
We can show you the world, Disney World that is, with our complimentary shuttle to all four parks! Beginning an hour before the parks open, buses will pick up guests in front of the hotel. Miss your bus? Don’t worry! Another shuttle will be along in about 15 minutes, depending on traffic and road conditions.
After a magical day in the park of your choice, be sure to pick up the shuttle marked “Bus Route B” to be dropped off directly at our front doors. Find Bus Route B in these designated parking spots at each park:
Magic Kingdom: Ticket and Transportation Center, spaces C11 – C12
Epcot: Spaces 29 – 30
Disney’s Hollywood Studios: Space 24
Disney’s Animal Kingdom: Spaces 5 – 6
Thanks Tom for sharing valuable information . I visited Orlando this year in April and stayed at hotel close to Orlando Eye i am planing to visit again in 2017 and i select this hotel for my trip.
As i am traveling alone i am just worried is it safe for female to return back at night by walking from Disney Spring to the hotel ?
if it is not safe please suggest any other hotel
The thing I am having the hardest time finding are what on-site Non-Disney hotels have the 60 day prior to your stay Fastpass+ perk included.
Is there a list somewhere that anyone can share? Sorry if it’s posted elsewhere, I could not find it. Hoping to take a trip in early March.
This site was a godsend when we planned our last trip in May 2013. Thanks Tom and Sarah!
This article had me laughing so much when it got to the section discussing the “resort fees”
Resort fees are bad everywhere, but they are flat out ludicrous here.
Thanks for the review.
The one big thing you didn’t address is how the transportation to/from the parks compares to an onsite stay. I suspect that’s one of the primary concerns of anyone booking a Disney hotel.
Hey Tom,
Thanks for the reviews of the Downtown Disney Resort Area. I’ve been wondering about these hotels & was happy to see you reviewing these! For what i for what it’s worth I’m glad you include the pictures of the arcade, as my GF likes to visit these from time to time. Just one question, you didn’t include any pictures or mention the pool area? How was it? I assume they have one & I’m curious because I usually try and get some pool time in on check out day. Thanks!
First off, Thank you very much for taking the time to review this hotel. It recently came on my radar and so far this is the only site with ANY reviews for any of the Downtown Disney resorts. I have been intrigued to see a review of this resort for a while.
I have a bit of an odd question for you. How well would you say the A/c worked in the rooms?
You see in a recent stay at POR my husband and I were informed that sometime since our last stay POR has decided to install a motion sensor in the room that prevents the a/c from running if it doesn’t detect motion. As you can imagine this made things uncomfortable and disruptive at night. We’ve been curious if this new motion sensor thing was just a DIsney thing or if all resorts in the area have moved to this.
I’ve heard about the rooms with motion sensors for the AC. That seems ridiculous–hopefully it’s a fad that doesn’t catch on. I’m fine with hotels requiring you put a keycard in a slot to activate lights and AC, but the sensor thing is just annoying.
I had no issues with the AC at the Best Western. It worked perfectly and wasn’t too loud.
Tom – My comment is completely off-topic but I see that you have moved to a new website template earlier today. From a mobile perspective, I think it is very good that you have made the decision to use a mobile responsive template given that so many people are on mobile these days.
My big complaint is that the font you are using is rather difficult to read. I read your site on a big monitor. The font is a shade of grey which does not contrast very well on the white background. Can you change it so it is a black font? This is becoming more of an issue on many websites these days. I see the blue links.
What WordPress template are you using?
BTW, the side menus (photography, trip reports etc.) do not appear when you are using a narrower window on a laptop or at all on mobile. You should add those menus to the top and to the mobile menu. You are also missing your privacy, T&C, copyright, how to advertise and especially your “About Me” links. I think you had all of them in previous incarnations. Your About Me, which was not in your most recent incarnation but was in previous versions a few months ago, is very important.
Oh, I should include a comment about your review. The carpet in the elevator lobby makes me feel that I should look for hidden Mickeys but it seems that the design is just a bit off so it may not actually have any. Close but no Minnie!
Thanks for the feedback on the new look of the site. As you may notice, I’m actually still in the process of making tweaks to the design, so some things you mention will be fixed, especially the font.
I am aware that the side menu disappears–that’s just the way this theme is. The other links you mention should all appear shortly.
For what it’s worth, this is likely just a temporary theme until I can get a professional web designer to work on the site later this month. I put this theme up and made tweaks myself…and my knowledge of all this stuff is VERY limited. It’s time I turn this type of thing over to someone else who actually knows what they are doing. It has been tough to convince myself to do that, as this site is my “baby” and I don’t want to relinquish any control, but me continuing to do this stuff myself is a recipe for disaster.
Thanks again for the feedback! 🙂
Had a issue when we checked in they added 15 dollars a day for the suppose to be complementary shuttle service. Because we had a timeshare and they I guess booked thru Expedia we have to pay for this. So unfair very unhappy with the management they did nothing