Advertiser & Editorial Disclosure: The Bulkhead Seat earns an affiliate commission for anyone approved through the links below. This compensation may impact how and where links appear on this site. We work to provide the best publicly available offers to our readers. We frequently update them, but this site does not include all available offers. Opinions, reviews, analyses & recommendations are the author’s alone, and have not been reviewed, endorsed, or approved by any of these entities.
We went to see Kylie Minogue perform in Orlando and needed a nearby hotel. The Kia Center is only a five-minute walk from the Grand Bohemian Orlando, Autograph Collection and proved to be the perfect location for our overnight stay.
Anthony’s Take: The Grand Bohemian Orlando, Autograph Collection is a fun and funky hotel with comfortable rooms, a good pool, and a full-service Starbucks in the lobby. It’s proximity to the Kia Center and lots of local restaurants make it a good choice if you need to be in the area. The hotel was fully booked during our stay, which meant no upgrade.
Booking
I booked a Guest Room, 1 King on a “Redemption.” It was 37,000 Marriott Bonvoy® points per night and I used a certificate plus 2,000 points to cover the cost. Had I paid cash, the room would have been $293 per night plus taxes and fees. There is no destination fee. Marriott did away with award charts a few years ago, but redemptions for a standard room can be had for between 33,000 and 59,000 Marriott Bonvoy® points.
Transportation to/from the Hotel
We drove from our place in Tampa to the hotel. It took around one hour and 37 minutes for the 95.8-mile ride and a similar amount of time to get home. If you’re arriving from Orlando International Airport (MCO), the ride is about 25 minutes (the distance is around 12 miles).
Location
The hotel is located in downtown Orlando and near Kia Center, Camping World Stadium, and Winter Park as well as plenty of restaurants and some shopping.
A covered area allows for cars to be dropped off/picked up at the valet. This is where we entered the hotel.
Check-In
We arrived at the hotel around 4:00 PM. The check-in desk was to the left of the entrance. Our room was ready. I asked if any upgrades were available and was informed that the hotel was fully booked. The agent did not ask if I needed a late checkout, but I requested and was granted a 2:00 PM departure. I chose points as my welcome amenity for being Titanium Elite, but these never posted and I had to call Marriott to have this fixed. I had my keys printed a moment later and was off to the room.
Orchids are always a nice touch.
The design of the lobby is modern and whimsical.
There is some seating situated around the room.
The elevators line the back wall of the lobby.
The elevator lobby and hallways on our floor felt clean and fresh.
Guest Room, 1 King (714)
There are 247 rooms and suites at the hotel.
The room opened with a bathroom on the right. It held a large vanity with a single sink, toilet, and glassed-in shower.
I appreciated the amount of counter space and the lighting.
A bottle of Grand Bohemian branded hand wash (made by Kessler) was on the counter.
There was also a bottle of lotion and a small bottle of mouthwash. Bar soap was not provided.
The toilet had adequate space between the vanity and shower.
The shower was also fine with good water pressure and temperature.
More toiletries were on a shelf in the shower.
The bedroom made up the rest of the space. It held a king-sized bed with two night stands. I loved the wallpaper near the bed. It reminded me of The White Lotus.
A TV was mounted across from the bed.
A coffeemaker, coffee pods, cups, and condiments were below the TV.
There were also some items for sale here.
A refrigerator was below and filled with beverages for sale.
A desk and chair were near the window.
There was also a small living area with a couch, tables, and a chair.
A closet held a robe, iron, and ironing board.
I did not like the view of the pool and the closeness of it to this room.
Public Areas & Amenities
The hotel has a fitness center, a Starbucks (pictured above), a restaurant, a spa, and an outdoor pool.
The area around the pool was shady, but people flocked to the bar.
The outdoor pool was spacious and had a lively scene at the bar nearby.
Towels were provided.
There were some random statues near the pool.
The fitness center is on the same level as the pool. It’s open 24 hours a day.
The space offered a good amount of cardio equipment and weights.
I liked that it also had Peloton Bikes.
Towels and water were on offer.
A spa known as Poseidon was nearby.
The restaurant and lounge known as Bösendorfer Lounge and the Boheme fill a large part of the lobby level.
Overall Impression:
We had a brief stay, but enjoyed our time at the hotel. Elite treatment was rather meh. I understand that the hotel was sold out, but I should not have to go chasing my welcome amenity. That said, the design and room comfort were enough to make me want to return if I needed to be in downtown Orlando again.
User Generated Content Disclosure: The Bulkhead Seat encourages constructive discussions, comments, and questions. Responses are not provided by or commissioned by any bank advertisers. These responses have not been reviewed, approved, or endorsed by the bank advertiser. It is not the responsibility of the bank advertiser to respond to comments.
Advertiser & Editorial Disclosure: The Bulkhead Seat earns an affiliate commission for anyone approved through the links above This compensation may impact how and where links appear on this site. We work to provide the best publicly available offers to our readers. We frequently update them, but this site does not include all available offers. Opinions, reviews, analyses & recommendations are the author’s alone, and have not been reviewed, endorsed, or approved by any of these entities.
