Stayed at the Rodeway Inn for 3 weeks over Christmas and New Year with my husband and two daughters (16 and 12). It does need a bit of updating but we found it be clean and comfortable. It is basic but then it is a a budget hotel, and so were happy with the standard (we have stayed in a lot worse in the UK!). Maid service was every day with the towels changed without fail. We did get a chance to take a look at the Holiday Inn next door and although the room was slightly wider than the one at the Rodeway I didn't think the standard was any better and the layout was the same.
Two double beds in the room. The sink was outside the bathroom which although some people have commented this as strange, I liked as it meant you could have a wash or fill the coffee machine up even though someone was taking an age in the bathroom!
Staff were extremely helpful and always polite nothing seemed to be too much trouble. They are happy to call a cab for you or point you in the right direction.
Alan in the bar was great as was the young chinese waitress in the Shogun Restuarant.
Tips: Buy a phonecard from Walgreens and use that to phone the UK. Found it to be the cheapest way.
The I-Trolley and bus stops are right outside the hotel. You can buy 3 day, 5 day or 7 day passes for I-Trolley (you can get these from the universal guy in the lobby) and it goes the length of International Drive which means you can visit 3 shopping malls and Seaword on it. They run about every 10-15 mins. The Lynx bus system is also great and costs $1.75 for a single fare however far you are going on that bus. They do longer passes too. The number 42 goes to Florida Mall which has a Macy's, Sears etc. The hotel does a free shuttle to Universal and Seaword but you need to book before hand and the Universal Guest Services guy only seems to be there from 7.30am to 12.00pm. The hotel also runs a shuttle to Disney but this you have to pay for - as we had a car we didn't use it and so I can't comment on its service.
If you do get a car, I suggest Sat Nav. We didn't and got terribly lost on the way from Sanford to the hotel.
There is a lot of competition on International Drive (especially the so called "ticket and tourist info places" to get you to go to timeshares which can, if you are not interested, be annoying after a while.
We had a great stay and loved Orlando and the Rodeway.









