Sneak peek at the first Apartments by Marriott Bonvoy Resort in the US
If you've ever wanted to skip the standard hotel room and relax in a true vacation home without sacrificing resort amenities, a perfect new option just opened in Central Florida. This new resort is like nothing I've ever seen before, and with its close proximity to Orlando's theme parks, you might actually never want to leave.
My family travels a lot, but my kids have never been more thrilled with their vacation accommodations. Just imagine walking into a four-bedroom villa with a private pool, an arcade video game machine, an Xbox and a green ogre-themed bedroom with bunk beds.
While this might sound like something out of a storybook, it's very much a reality at the Villatel Orlando Resort.
The property also features the first Apartments by Marriott Bonvoy Resort in the U.S., where you can use your Marriott Bonvoy points to stay in a multiroom villa with resort-style amenities.
What is the Villatel Orlando Resort?
Villatel Orlando Resort offers 270 villas, ranging from four to nine bedrooms.
All villas feature their own pool (the larger ones also have a hot tub), a large kitchen, a family room and a themed bunk room (or two). And while all offer a Villatel-branded arcade video game machine and Xbox, in some of the larger villas, you'll also be entertained with a game room with activities like pool, foosball, shuffleboard and your own movie theater.
With many different themed bunk rooms, your child's favorite fantasy comes to life. They might be sleeping in a castle with their favorite princess or feel like they are in a real-life video game. My family and I visited a surprisingly luxurious green Ogre's swamp. These rooms also serve as a playground with slides, ladders and opportunities for an epic game of hide-and-seek.
Pricing is also fairly reasonable for such a large house with amazing resort amenities. In early December, a four-bedroom villa is going for about $330 per night, but there are more taxes and fees added than you'll find with a regular hotel room. But for this particular four-night stay, you're looking at just $500 per night after all is said in done, which comes out to $125 per bedroom.
Of course, a nine-bedroom villa is more expensive, but for the same dates, it's also reasonably priced at around $800 per night. After taxes and fees, the price per bedroom is even lower at just $118 per night.
But if you don't need as large a space, you can opt for one of the 256 apartments that are part of the Apartments by Marriott Bonvoy at Villatel Orlando Resort. These apartments are all two- to three-bedroom apartments, featuring an open-concept full kitchen and family room, as well as a private balcony. These apartments are just as exciting for kids as the larger villas because they also include a themed bunk room and arcade game machine.
By booking an apartment, you receive access to all of the Villatel Orlando Resort amenities and perks. Pricing is a little more favorable per bedroom; a three-bedroom apartment is $326 per night, or about $109 per bedroom, during the same dates in December.
If you're traveling with a little one, you can request many baby essentials, such as a high chair and pack-n-play, at both the villas and the apartments.
Water park, pools, Topgolf and more
There's no shortage of amenities at the Villatel Orlando Resort. While you may never want to leave your amazing villa or apartment, within the sprawling 80 acres of space, there's also an entire amenity center featuring a water park, poolside dining, fitness center and sporting activities.
The most popular amenity among families is sure to be the water park. Here, you have access to four waterslides, a lazy river, a pool and a splash pad for kids.
Next to the pool area, there are multiple pickleball courts, a basketball court, a playground and a grassy area.
We all know there's no better way to relax than with a cold drink or good meal, which you'll receive at the poolside Aqua Bar & Grille. I opted for a strawberry-mango smoothie, which I highly recommend.
Inside the amenity center, you have access to a large fitness center and a Topgolf Swing Suite.
Where is Villatel Orlando Resort located?
While you may never want to leave Villatel Orlando Resort, the property is perfectly situated near all of the area's main attractions.
Related: 10 new rides and entertainment offerings coming to your favorite US theme parks in 2025
Of course, it's hard to plan a trip to Orlando without a visit to Universal Orlando Resort or Walt Disney World. Universal is only about seven minutes away, as is the soon-to-open Universal Epic Universe. Disney is closer to a 20-minute drive, but Villatel provides complimentary transportation to and from these parks as long as you make reservations ahead of time.
Additionally, if you have just a few hours of downtime you're looking to burn, Dezerland Park is just down the road, where all Villatel guests receive a gift card for some family fun. Here, you can enjoy arcade-style games, bumper cars, go-kart racing and more.
Using your Marriott Bonvoy points at Villatel
As this is the first Apartments by Marriott Bonvoy Resort in the U.S., this is the perfect opportunity to use your Marriott Bonvoy points. When you book one of the apartments with cash or points, you have access to the entire resort and its amenities.
Currently, only the three-bedroom apartments are available to book with points; rates range from 68,000 to 80,000 points per night, with a two-night minimum. This equates to fewer than 27,000 points per night per room — plus a resort fee of $45 per night. This is fewer points per bedroom than what you'll find at several limited-service properties in the area with fewer amenities.
There are several Marriott credit cards that make it easy to accrue points to put toward your stay.
Related: Marriott Bonvoy card offers — earn valuable points to cover your next stay
Accessibility at Villatel Orlando Resort
If you're looking to stay at one of the villas, know that they are not compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act. However, the resort will make accommodations where possible, such as installing ramps at entrances. Additionally, every villa includes a bedroom and bathroom on the ground floor.
The apartments offer more accessibility, as they are all on one floor — unlike the villas, which are two stories — and have an elevator. Here, you can book a wheelchair-accessible room with features like a 32-inch-wide door, lowered countertops, bathtub grab bars and more. Marriott has its own accessibility page to help you determine if the accommodations offered work for your needs.
However, throughout the resort, you'll also find many additional accessible features, such as accessible parking, swimming pool access, and wheelchair accessibility to the business center, fitness center, restaurant and main entrance.
Bottom line
We spent 2 1/2 days at the Villatel Orlando Resort, and it wasn't enough. My kids are already begging me to take them back, and I completely understand why. While the location provides a gateway to the many theme parks and water parks located in and around Orlando, the real attraction is the resort itself.
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