I just returned from a 3 night stay in Orlando for my husband's birthday. I'm so happy we chose Drury! Our flight arrived almost an hour early (thanks Southwest!), so we got to the hotel early - no problem! The front desk clerk didn't even blink an eye at the early check-in. She gave us all the info on the hotel and sent us off to our room. We booked a standard king, and there was nothing "standard" about this room - very large, beautiful bathroom, comfortable bed, nice linens, plenty of pillows, good size closet, large flat screen tv, microwave and small refrigerator, desk with the plugs on top (no crawling under to plug in your cell phone charger, laptop, etc) plenty of lamps, and overall, very nicely appointed. We were given a room on the 8th floor at the back of the building, so we had a view of the lakes and were able to see the Disney fireworks at night. King rooms have a large, walk-in shower (which I loved!), but if you need a bathtub you should ask specifically when booking. The bathroom had granite counter tops and tile, ample vanity counterspace, very new and modern, great water pressure, soft towels - not the usual small, thin, scratchy ones you find in most moderate priced hotels (and plently are provided), shampoo, conditioner and body wash are in dispensers on the shower wall (no stupid, little bottles to contend with!), blow dryer provided and the lighting was great (you ladies know how important that is!)
Each floor has a soda vending machine and ice maker located near the elevators (no room has the noise from the machines or elevators) and the elevators (3 of them) are very fast - no waiting around (those with kids really appreciate that!). There is also 2 washers and 2 dryers on the 7th floor (again, near the elevators - no noise), which were very convenient after getting soaked on a water ride at Universal! It was great to not have to pack wet clothes to take home. They are coin-op, but very inexpensive ($1.50 for a wash and $1.25 for a dry). The front desk is more than happy to make change.
Included are breakfast and the 5:30 Manager's Kick-back - Breakfast was excellent! Each day there were scrambled eggs, sausage patties, homefries, biscuts and gravy, make your own waffles, hot and cold cereals, toast, bagels, muffins, donuts, fresh fruit and yogurt. There are stations with coffee, hot water for tea, orange and apple juice. The hot items were hot and the cold items were cold and everything was fresh. The staff was very attentive and replaced and refilled items quickly. The tables were cleaned quickly once vacated and the Manager on duty was always visable in the dining area, speaking to guests and even clearing tables as he moved along. The 5:30 Kick-back was also very nice - hot dogs, mac & cheese, chicken tenders, salad and/or carrot and celery sticks with dressing, chilli or soup, or just have some chips, nachos or pretzels with your free cocktail (wine, beer or a choice of margaritas, bloody mary, martini or mai tai). Each adult gets 3 free cocktails per night! The only suggestion I would make (not a complaint, just a suggestion) is to change up the sausage for bacon at breakfast and maybe add a little variety to the food in the evening to keep it interesting. Also, they only offer Bud Light for beer, so maybe add another brand to give a choice. There is popcorn and soda available in the lobby every afternoon to early evening (I found that the soda fountain is always available).
The computer room has 6 computers (unheard of!), the pool facility has a good size, heated indoor/outdoor pool and hot tub (which I found particularly nice after a long day at Universal) ample towel supply and lots of tables and lounge chairs, the gym has 6 or so machines and was very clean.
The hotel is very conveniently located - 5 minutes ride to Univeral Studios, about 15 minutes to Disney. It's located on what is known as "Restaurant Road". There are many dining options all within a 5 minute ride. There is a 7-11 just across the parking lot (very convenient for purchasing beer/wine and snacks to keep in your room), a Wendy's within walking distance and a K-Mart in the next plaza on the same side of the street (forget to pack something - here is your solution). We didn't rent a car, so having these things so close was perfect for us. Taxi rides were no more than $5 or $10 dollars to anyplace we went (you just go to the front desk and they call the taxi for you - no stress!). And, since Drury is a Universal Partner Hotel, they provide a free shuttle to the park. Shuttles leave 3 times each morning and pick up at the park 3 times each afternoon/evening. There is a desk in the lobby to arrange your shuttle (and they were right on time!) If you do rent a car or drive in - parking at the Drury is free and there were plenty of spaces.
We were so happy with Drury! It is so rare to not have any complaints after staying at a moderately priced hotel. Most times, because they are not charging high nightly rates, the service reflects the price - that is not the case with Drury. What an incredible value!!! If you are planning a trip to Universal Studios, don't look any further. You will not be disappointed.