Marriott's Imperial Palms Villas

[caterina25]

I am thinking of renting for May 2012.Has anyone stayed there recently,any thoughts?

 

[vacationlover2]

I stayed there a little over a year ago. It was great. The units are huge and all 3 bedroom. There is a shuttle to the Marriott Orlando World Center which has an AWESOME pool.

 

[BocaBoy]

All three of the Palms resorts at the Orlando World Center are great. They are real sleepers that do not get a lot of attention. We owned at Sabal Palms from 1987 until we sold it back to Marriott earlier this year. We loved it but we bought three weeks in Hawaii a few years ago and it just did not make financial sense to own a non-lockoff any longer.

 

[jaym]

All three of the Palms resorts at the Orlando World Center are great. They are real sleepers that do not get a lot of attention. We owned at Sabal Palms from 1987 until we sold it back to Marriott earlier this year. We loved it but we bought three weeks in Hawaii a few years ago and it just did not make financial sense to own a non-lockoff any longer.

If anyone has stayed recently at Imperial Palms, or owns there, would like to hear comments regarding age and condition of the property.
Never stayed at any of the Marriott Orlando properties but I understand that the interiors, i.e., bathrooms, appliances, soft goods, at Imperial Palms were mostly refurbished a couple of years or so ago.
Are there now only large showers only in these units, circular, tiled, with glass block wall?
Much of the negative reviews/comments I've read seem to indicate the property building exteriors, hallways, stairs, etc. are not in the best condition and look worn. Also, some seemed to not like the fact that you need to drive around the rear of the hotel to access the Imperial villas (wouldn't really bother me..) thx.

 

[Dave M]

You need not fear anything related to your expressed concerns. Yes, Imperial Palms had a recent refurbishment and more is underway (started in August). As part of the refurbishment, brighter colors are being used and the living room and 2nd and 3rd bedrooms are being upgraded with new LCD TVs. Other examples over the past 18 months (from a recent BOD letter to owners):

On the exterior of the resort building, parapet wood caps and hose bibs were replaced. In the common areas of the resort, new luggage carts were made available for use, hot water heaters were replaced, and the asphalt was repaired and resealed. In the villa, the granite kitchen counters were regrouted and sliding glass door rollers were replaced.

Also, the clubhouse, including the fitness center and the Marketplace Express, has been renovated. There have been other smaller enhancements, too numerous for me to list.

As for driving "behind the hotel", you would do that only if you were staying at Sabal Palms or parking for the hotel. When you enter the hotel/timeshare complex, you turn left for the front of the hotel, turn right for Imperial Palms and Royal Palms and go straight ahead - behind the hotel - for Sabal Palms and hotel parking.

This is an old property. So some exterior parts of the complex (e.g., the stairs) certainly don't look as though they were built within the past five years and they weren't. But as suggested above, this is a great place to stay!

 

[Big Matt]

I would also add that Imperial Palms isn't going to remind you of Grande Vista or Cypress Harbour from a resort perspective. There won't be any activities centers, huge pools, big marketplaces, etc. The insides will be very much like Cypress Harbour.

Having said that, you get the World Center with a huge pool, golf courses, fitness center, several restaurants, etc. Many think the trade off is a good one.

It is also very close to Downtown Disney.

One tip: ask for a high floor. They mow the golf course almost daily and the noise is bad on the ground floor early in the morning.