Hampton Inn & Suites Orlando-Apopka
321 S Lake Cortez Dr
Apopka, FL 32703
Pros:
- Clean
- Modern
- Friendly staff
- Hot breakfast with dietary options
Cons
- Does not enforce mask or social distancing rules
- Not much in immediate vicinity
We stayed at the Hampton Inn & Suites Orlando-Apopka in April 2021 because of its proximity to Wekiwa Springs State Park (it was about a five minute drive). The area around the hotel itself did not really have much to do, but we weren’t looking for entertainment. The park was the point of our visit and for that the hotel served nicely. The public areas are well-maintained and fairly up-to-date. The staff were friendly, though we were disappointed to see them frequently look the other way when around guests not obeying the numerous signs posted around the hotel to wear a mask, even when said guests were hovering over the breakfast buffet (which, for the record, we were happy to see return – even with options for various dietary restrictions). The issue was raised with multiple levels of management both at the hotel and within Hilton Corporation. Unfortunately, the company culture is apathetic toward the safety and well-being of its guests as there was no appetite to enforce the rules.
One COVID-era feature we did enjoy and hope they keep is the contactless check in process. Using the Hilton Honors App we checked in from our car in the parking lot and within seconds we had a room assignment and a digital key. Although it is supposed to, the digital key did not work on the exterior doors, however, and despite mentioning it to two different hotel employees during our stay, it was never fixed. Because of this, we did ultimately have to go to the front desk and get standard keys. Nevertheless, it was a handy feature to have our key in the phone instead of fumbling around our pockets to find it. It was also nice to avoid what always seems to be an unnecessarily long check in process at the front desk. Overall, we like the hotel but outside of our room we never felt safe from others so we kept our dining times minimal and avoided the elevators (where other guests frequently tried to enter along with us, often without masks as well). Until the pandemic wanes, we likely won’t be recommending this establishment or any other Hilton property, but down the road it is a solid choice for those not wanting to camp at the park.
