Park Plaza Hotel — Hotel in Winter Park

Short Version: DO NOT STAY HERE!!!

You’d be better off at a Days Inn or sleeping in your car. Overpriced even if it was a Youth Hostel.

NOTHING like the website! Once you get past the lobby-complete with historical cabinets of cleaning supplies they don’t use enough—it’s a nightmare! Hasn’t been kept up or properly renovated since the Coolidge Administration.

1. OLD, SMELLY, MOLDY!!!!
2. Indifferent service. No “dress for success” here. No breakfast.
3. Valet your own car someplace in a secure parking garage —they left my keys in my car in their lot overnight. Thank God it is a nice area. Then, “Saturday night, we don’t have valet. Just get your key and go get it yourself.”
4. Paper thin walls. Had to tell the guy next door to be quiet so I could get sleep before my mom’s funeral 6/28. It was like he was sitting in the bed with me. Could hear his texting sounds also. Thank God he was cooperative. You’ll hear all your neighbors’ toilets flush. Sounds like a flash flood in the Lincoln Tunnel.
5. The uncomfortable old bed must be the original 1922 spring mattress. God help you if you don’t have your tetanus shot. Your bad back will be worse for the wear.
6. The Amtrak runs all hours. It shakes the building. The provided ear plugs don’t help. Wear noise cancelling earbuds to bed.
7. The furniture is beat to hell like it was borrowed from Animal House and used in a WWE skit. This furniture was rejected by the Goodwill down the street.
8. Rinky-dink tv with AM Radio quality sound.
9. Bathroom is basically clean but the tile work is messy and it’s grungy. Drain was slow to drain.
10. Someone was using a power washer on the sidewalk outside at 3am.
11. Cheap toiletries—I’ve found better stuff at Dollar Tree. Tiny disc of soap about the size of a pepperoni Lunchable.
12. The pretentious bougie Bovine Restaurant downstairs has thumping bass all night. God help you if you’re on that side of the hotel.

This once-posh historic hotel is way past its prime and should be put out to pasture. There’s nothing “boutique” or “quaint” about it.

Like I said, I had a funeral to go to on 6/28 down the block and so I booked here thinking it was going to be fine. My dumb self did not read the Google Reviews.

I grew up here. Park Avenue was always in my mind associated with quality and sophistication. I used to walk Park Avenue after church with my parents. I used to ride my bike through Rollins College and all over.

I had no idea this property had taken a nosedive into an abysmal One Star property. This property is an unseen bedsore and people unawares are Trojan horsed out of their hard earned money.

I paid WAY TOO MUCH for THREE DAYS. $700 something.

If you MUST stay in the area, there are Hiltons, Holiday...

Pros: Very nice front office staff, couldn't be more gracious or helpful. Dog friendly but nothing smells bad, which is a huge plus. Nice lobby sitting area, on the "main drag", two lock-up rooms for luggage (one for short periods one for long). And my favorite thing about the hotel, an old-fashioned elevator which would probably drive most people crazy but makes me happy. I love closing the metal door by hand! There's a large park right next door, good for children who need run around time, or just a quiet walk. It's a wonderful location, the mattresses in all our rooms were nice and solid, both mattresses and pillows had hypoallergenic covers, too, unusual and very welcome. As in any elderly hotel, bathrooms were small, but very usable, with several nice plumbing upgrades. Wifi, television, cable all worked, windows opened nicely, and rooms were scrupulously clean. (Except, don't look behind the televisions at the wiring piled on the floor. Really dusty.) Cons: If you are bothered by noise, however slightly, the railroad is nearby and very very loud. Not as bad on weekends, but weekdays it started about 5 am and continued through the day, keeping commuter hours. The park has music speakers in the trees - really, in an already-too-noisy world, the last thing I wanted during my evening walk was piped in canned music! The hotel is dog-friendly, the restaurants all have outdoor dog-friendly seating - but no dogs are allowed in the park. We assumed this was because people can be idiots about picking up after their dogs, and there are a lot of weddings held there, but still. (Not that the signs deterred people, who still seemed to walk their animals at the far end anyway.) Be forewarned, there's construction going on. They're building a new attached restaurant, so despite the wonderful location, loads of noise and some dust. We really wished the closet had a light, even a battery operated light that would only go on when the door was opened. Our only other complaint was that bell service depended entirely on which bellman you got. Our first day, the bellman (I think it was Quinn?) was marvelous - quick, smiling, attentive. It went downhill from there. On our last day, trying to check out all our parties, the bellman had to be asked again and again to get our bags, then to bring them down, and finally, to move them outside. (We ended up doing that ourselves.) In fairness, he was also trying to hand-deliver all the breakfast trays, but with the hotel as full as it was, perhaps two people on staff to do that would have been safer. All in all a pleasant experience, but slightly expensive for...

Five stars. The low ratings on this boutique European-style 1920’s hotel is a shame. I’ve stayed here twice recently and absolutely loved it. Staying here is a full experience, very similar to boutique hotels and inns I’ve stayed at in Paris. In fact, a stay at Park Plaza in Downtown Winter Park is by far the closest to a European experience you can get in Florida. From the rich woodworking, to the turn-of-the-century style elevator with gate, the wrap-around balcony with ferns and flower boxes, the low drone sounds of the outdoor cafes below, the warm croissants delivered to you each morning, you’d think you were in the 6th arrondissement of Paris. If you have traveled abroad and/or appreciate old world charm, you will love it. If you are expecting modern, go pay more for Alfond Inn or a chain hotel out by the interstate. But in my opinion by doing that you are missing the point and full experience of visiting a charming village like Winter Park. To address the complaints ... twice I’ve stayed here with my daughter who is a very light sleeper and not once have we had an issue with the train. We’ve always stayed on the street side instead of the park side, which faces the station, and not once have we been woken up or bothered by it. The front desk and bellboy staff has always been friendly, helpful and accommodating. The rooms are extremely clean and well furnished. Both times we’ve been in a king suite and they are spacious and inviting. Beds are comfortable. Yes the bathrooms are relatively small, but see above about old world charm and European-esque accommodations. Yes the TV is small - but why are you watching TV? The walls are thin but they do a good job spreading their bookings out so unless you are there during an event when they are booked full you likely won’t have an issue with this. One night we had an issue with a rowdy group next door and the front desk staff took care of it immediately for us when we brought it to their attention. This group would have most likely would have caused an issue in any hotel however. We love Park Plaza Hotel and have so much fun with our new tradition of riding the Amtrak train down from Jacksonville right into the heart of Winter Park, and enjoying a car-free weekend of shopping, dining, strolling, and culture and entertainment based out of Park Plaza. Looking forward to...