Monumental Hotel Orlando

We paid in advance with orbitz for 4 nights, but ended up only staying 3 nights. When we checked in it seemed like a nice place, the parking seemed to be a bit far from the entrance and the check-in lobby was off the beaten path from the entrance.

The first morning we woke up and went to use the iron and ironing board, there was no iron in the closet. We called the front desk and they sent someone up pretty quickly.



Our big problem came when we gave them notice 24+ hours in advance that we would not being staying the last night because of plans had changed. We explained to the person at the front desk that we would be checking out a day early and everything seemed to be ok. When we got home 2 days later I call Orbitz to inform them that we did not stay all 4 days and needed a refund. Orbitz was very nice and said that they had to check with the hotel to confirm. They called the manager at the hotel and he refused to refund the pre-paid money for one day. Orbitz had been charged and they couldn't refund because of it.

I then called the hotel and asked for the manager within a few minutes or Orbitz talking to them and he refused to answer his phone. I left a message and asked for a return call, but never received one.

If you stay here do not pre pay for your room because they will not refund any money and are not customer friendly and will not work with you.

Monumental POS Hotel

Do not waste your money here.

From the outside, you can see what used where the new owners have ripped the old sign off the exterior of the building. Black dirt smears down the side of the building; pieces of the exterior decoration have broken off and failed to be replaced. Upon arrival you park out front under the overhang and walk all the way through the hotel looking for the check in desk, all the while trying to ignore your better senses saying run away from the disgusting smell. It literally smells like you've walked into a restaurant serving spoiled goat in a third world country. Because I'm an idiot, my better judgment did not prevail and check in ensued. I give them props for the check in; it only took them a minute or two to take my money and send me on my way, floundering to locate my room. Did I fail to mention there's no concierge service or even little rolly things to put your luggage on? So we trek all the way back out front to the car and have to find the parking area, which is all the way in the back of the hotel behind the swimming pool. We park in the remote parking lot, where again my better senses are screaming for me to just go somewhere else because there are only 3 other cars in the entire lot; but I'm an idiot, as I've already said. We walk behind the hotel, dragging our luggage and enter through an unsecured back sliding door that does not lock at night and anyone can just walk right in.

Up to the room...it doesn't look bad at first...big bed, slightly outdated but appears clean. Appears being the operative word. The bathroom is missing handles on the fixtures, the fan doesn't work in there either (which makes me think there's a hidden camera or something), the wallpaper is yellowing, the towels are so rough they could sand a car, and a few little black gnat-like bugs are buzzing about. It's cheap, it's relatively clean, 10 hour drive, dear god I just want to sleep...yeah, you're not getting any sleep here. The AC is motion activated, and it's 78 degrees when we walk in. It takes 6 hours for it took cool down to 77. The AC clunks away all night long whilst the huge gap under the door lets in blinding light from the hallway and the mini fridge sounds like it's about to crap out at any moment.

So on night 2 the AC quits working. The girl working the desk is having a little party and is entertaining a group of friends. Terribly sorry to interrupt, but we need AC. The girl has the nerve to explain the motion sensor AC and ask if we left the room. Yes, we left the room in our jammies, eye crust and all at 1am…so we are given another room next door, which has less broken fixtures, no bugs, but still no fan in the bathroom, and the AC is even louder and clunks all night long.

Next Day, do not disturb sign on the door. tap tap tap housekeeping Of course I'm not answering the door, so we just yell no thank you. mumble mumble through the door So we yell again no thank you, and she finally goes away. I don't know about you, but do not disturb means leave me alone. I'm busy.

Last Day…they were so kind as to put a last minute bill under the door for an unexplained service fee of $6.75 per day minus the day we had AC problems with no explanation for the fees and no forewarning.

Overall, the hotel is very far away from everything, except for Sea World. It’s remote location and creepy isolation are not overcome by it’s shoddy, outdated décor nor it’s funk. I wouldn’t waste your money or your time here.