When planning a trip to the Orlando area, it’s easy to be swayed by the promise of budget-friendly accommodations close to the magic of Walt Disney World. Unfortunately, our stay at the Seralago Hotel in Kissimmee was far from the experience I had hoped for. Despite its prime location and family-oriented amenities, this hotel left much to be desired.
A Disappointing Stay at the Seralago Hotel in Kissimmee
As a budget conscious Momma, when I started planning for Elena’s birthday trip to Medieval Times, we needed to find a Hotel in Kissimmee. One of our main family beliefs is that experiences and memories are more valuable than toys and possessions. It’s because of this that we ask family and friends to contribute towards expensive experiences as a gift instead of another toy or item that will be temporary in her life. With this in mind, we were deal hunting for the best ways to save money on an Orlando vacation.
Booking A Hotel in Kissimmee
I started with Groupon and found what I thought was a great deal. The Seralago Resort in Kissimmee, which is right next to Old Town on US 192. The total price for two nights in a Kid’s Suite with bunk beds and a twin bed and
Arriving at our Hotel in Kissimmee
Thanks to the incredible location, the resort was very easy to find. However, the first thing that struck me upon arrival was how outdated the Seralago Hotel felt. The photos online showed fresh paint and bright colors but sadly, the exterior looked worn, and the lobby, while spacious, had a tired, almost forgotten feel to it.To their credit, the lobby area was fresh and clean. There was a considerable wait to check in but with spring break and
Our Hotel Room
The sense of neglect was immediately evident in the room as well. The furnishings were outdated and clearly showed signs of wear, making it feel more like a run-down budget motel than a welcoming family hotel. We had booked a family suite, which was advertised as having a queen bed and a separate children’s area with a bunk bed and a twin. However, I was extremely disappointed to discover that the bed was actually a double, not a queen. As my husband and I are both larger individuals, a queen bed is essential for us to sleep comfortably, and realizing we’d have to make do with a smaller bed made me dread the nights ahead.
To make matters worse, when I was arranging the beds, I noticed there were no fitted sheets or mattress covers—just loose sheets. This was incredibly off-putting, as I couldn’t help but think about how the sheets would likely get tangled during the night, leaving my husband sleeping directly on a bare mattress. The thought of a mattress that couldn’t possibly be fully sanitized between guests left me feeling uneasy and grossed out.
Our Room Began To Flood!
Within an hour of settling in, we noticed water pooling on the bathroom floor. To our dismay, the toilet was leaking uncontrollably, with water pouring out for no apparent reason. We immediately called the front desk, and maintenance was sent to check it out. However, after spending just a few minutes looking at the problem, the maintenance worker handed us a stack of towels to clean up the mess ourselves and left without fixing the issue. No further action was taken, leaving us to avoid using the bathroom for the rest of our stay due to the ongoing problem.
Attempting Sleep
The pillows were incredibly flat, offering no support whatsoever. It took stacking three pillows just to get the feeling of one decent pillow. In the end, I resorted to sleeping on the small twin bed, with my back against the wall and a pillow propped behind my head. These were, without a doubt, the most uncomfortable beds any of us have ever encountered. Even my daughter chose to sleep on the floor rather than endure another night in those beds.
The Next Morning: Breakfast Disappointment
Breakfast at the hotel was a buffet-style setup, where children eat free but adults are charged $9.99. It’s worth noting that this price doesn’t include beverages. The buffet featured the usual suspects you’d expect from a typical hotel continental breakfast:
- Pastries
- Apples and oranges
- Make-Your-Own Waffle Station
- Ice table with fruit toppings for the waffles and hard-boiled eggs
- Biscuits and gravy
- Hashbrown potatoes
- Scrambled eggs
- Sausage patties and links
- Fried plantains
- French toast sticks
- Various cereals
- Grits (I think? It looked more like a watery mess.)
The layout was awkward and difficult to navigate, and the offerings left much to be desired. There was no toast, no bacon, and honestly, nothing that seemed worth the over $10 price tag for an adult breakfast. To make matters worse, there wasn’t even milk available for the cereal. I found myself thinking I could have had a much better breakfast at my old haunt, the Waffle House on Seven Dwarfs Lane, just a few miles down 192, for half the cost.
Elena, usually a fan of breakfast, barely touched her food. Despite her usual favorites like waffles and biscuits and gravy being on offer, she simply looked up at me and asked if she could skip breakfast because “it didn’t taste good.”
The only bright spot in our morning was our wonderful waitress, Denise. She truly brought sunshine to what was otherwise a dreary experience. She kept my coffee topped up and her cheerful demeanor was a much-needed contrast to the disappointing meal.
Other Notes
- When I booked this hotel, I was under the impression that there would be nightly activities for families, but I never saw any sign of them during our stay. While the arcade area for the kids was a decent space with a fair variety of games, it wasn’t quite the saving grace I hoped for. The games required tokens, which could only be purchased with cash, adding another layer of inconvenience, especially since we hadn’t brought much cash with us. It felt like another missed opportunity for the hotel to deliver on the family-friendly experience they promised.
- It was unseasonably cold for Florida during our stay, so we decided to skip swimming in the main pool. However, my daughter and I ventured to the hot tub, hoping to unwind while my husband took a nap. Unfortunately, the hot tub was another letdown in a series of disappointments at this hotel. The water was barely warm—I’ve had bath water hotter than that—and the jets were weak at best. It was far from the relaxing experience we had hoped for, but by that point, it was exactly what I had come to expect from our stay at this hotel.
- The so-called “Food Court” actually turned out to be one of the few redeeming features of our stay. It offered a variety of hot and cold snacks and entrees at reasonably decent prices, which was a relief for anyone looking to grab a quick bite. While the quality was comparable to what you’d find at a fast food convenience store, it was still a nice option to have on hand, especially when other dining choices at the hotel fell short.
Final Decision
If you’re considering staying in a hotel in Kissimmee, I strongly suggest looking elsewhere.
Pros:
- Friendly Staff
- Affordable Price
- Central Location
Cons:
- Everything Else
In the unlikely event that we were to stay here again, we would definitely bring our own fitted sheets, pillows, and plan to have breakfast off the property. There simply have to be better options for a hotel in Kissimmee.
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