Get away for a relaxing weekend at StaySky Suites in Orlando, Florida. I’m sharing all about my trip including some ideas for what to do!
I received a two night stay at StaySky Suites in exchange for this post. All content, pictures and opinions are my own.
Recently, Andrew and I got the opportunity to spend the weekend in Orlando at StaySky Suites. We live just two hours from Orlando, so it’s a place we visit regularly.
We had already been to Disney a couple of times in the past few months, so we decided to skip the parks and opt for a low-key, relaxing weekend instead.
Where to Stay
StaySky Suites is off of International Drive, which means it’s the perfect location for a Orlando trip. It’s close to all the parks and other fun attractions. It’s also minutes away from lots of great restaurants.
In addition to being in a great location, one of my other favorite things about this hotel is how affordable it is. You get to stay in a beautiful, clean hotel with lots of amenities, but at a price that makes an Orlando trip much more do-able.
StaySky Suites has many great amenities such as a pool and hot tub, fitness room, outdoor basketball court, free breakfast each morning and shuttles to the parks.
We stayed in a one bedroom suite which had a king bed, a living area and a kitchen. I always prefer staying in a suite instead of having everything in one room. It’s much less crowded!
Having a kitchen is always a big plus for me when I’m on vacation. I rarely do much cooking, but it’s nice to have a bigger fridge, real plates and cups and a microwave.
Where to Eat
Andrew and I both love Japanese food, especially ramen. Since we don’t have any ramen places in Sarasota, we are usually try to find one whenever we are traveling. On this trip we discovered Hanamizuki Japanese Restaurant.
We started off with the Gyoza as an appetizer. It was so good! I almost wished we had ordered more but by the time my huge bowl of ramen arrived I was glad we didn’t.
Hanamizuki only serves ramen for lunch, so keep that in mind if you decide to go. I ordered the Shoyu Ramen (bottom) and Andrew ordered the Miso Ramen (top). So far this is my favorite ramen restaurant, and I’m so glad it’s close enough to get when I’m craving it!
What to Do
We spent a lot of our weekend just relaxing at the hotel, but we spent Saturday afternoon out exploring Orlando. We wanted to find something new to do, something that wasn’t Disney-related or a typical Orlando attraction.
We ended up visiting Gatorland, which was a short drive from StaySky Suites. Since we are Florida residents, we get half off of admission!
Living in Florida my entire life, I’ve seen my fair share of alligators. But it was so cool to see so many of them at Gatorland! And some of them were HUGE! We had a lot of fun walking around and checking out all the exhibits. The shows were great, too. The people who did the shows we watched were so funny!
What are some of your favorite things to do in Orlando?
Robin Rue says
We go to Orlando every year, but we stay on Disney property. I think I Need to expand my horizons one of these years and stay here 🙂
Jenna Owens (@aSavoryFeast) says
This was a great option because it’s still super close to Disney and all the other fun attractions in Orlando, but at a much more affordable price!
Sarah Elizabeth says
I would kill for a trip to Florida. Virginia weather is killing me right now. One day it’s 30 degrees and the next it’s 72. Ridiculous. Looks like you had fun though! Lovely hotel. 🙂
Jenna Owens (@aSavoryFeast) says
Florida has been pretty bipolar too, but it’s more like 85 degrees down to 60! You should plan a trip to Florida soon!
Megan McCoig says
Great post as I’m craving some sunshine right now! I’ve never been to Orlando and I would so love to as everyone loves it – thanks for the recommendations for when I do go. Great post!
Jenna Owens (@aSavoryFeast) says
Orlando is so much fun! You should definitely plan a trip here soon.
Tonya Denmark says
I keep seeing Gatorland as a place to go and haven’t been there yet, even though I live in the area. 1 more reason to try it out!
Jenna Owens (@aSavoryFeast) says
You should check out Gatorland soon! It’s a lot of fun and since it’s half-price for Florida residents, it’s super affordable.
Heather Lawrence says
We toyed with going to Gatorland when were were there in January but we ran out of time. Orlando is such a beautiful place to visit. Can’t wait to go back.
Jenna Owens (@aSavoryFeast) says
There are so many fun things to do in Orlando! It was fun to try a few non-Disney things this time since usually that is the focus of our Orlando trips.
Laura Londergan says
what a fun little getaway! my brother lives in orlando and it’s so hard to comprehend just how much stuff there is to do in the area – it’s crazy!
Jenna Owens (@aSavoryFeast) says
It is crazy! We had a hard time choosing what we wanted to do. So many options!
Ana De Jesus says
Ramen is great did they have any good vegetarian meal options? Glad you had a good time in Orlando I have always wanted to go!
Jenna Owens (@aSavoryFeast) says
They do have one vegetarian Ramen option, as well as several noodle dishes that are vegetarian. You should give it a try if you travel to Orlando!
yanique says
Oh how I wish I could say I’ve bewn to Disney several times in the past few MONTHS !! The perks of living in Florida. My husband and I are due for a getaway and Orlando might not be a bad option!
Jenna Owens (@aSavoryFeast) says
It’s so nice living close enough for regular visits, that is for sure! Orlando is a lot of fun for a weekend getaway, whether you choose to visit the parks or just relax like we did.
Katarzyna says
What a beautiful place to spend a weekend! I seriously envy you guys, I miss sunny days a lot lately! 🙂
Jenna Owens (@aSavoryFeast) says
You should come visit Florida!
Joanna @ Everyday Made Fresh says
I am so glad to have read your review on this place! We are 8 to 9 hours from Disney, and try and go once a year. We have only been once since Kelsie was diagnosed with food allergies, and we stayed off site at a condo that belongs to a friend of ours. (they no longer have that) We NEED that room with the full kitchen like this, but prices are insane around Disney! I just looked over at some prices, and was pleased to see that the prices are great! Although I’m not entirely sure how their shuttle works, since we drove into the parks everyday we stayed offsite, and paid the $ for parking, which is high! But, it’s something that I am going to consider looking into because we haven’t been to Disney in two years, we are due this year, and this would be perfect for us!
Jenna Owens (@aSavoryFeast) says
I’m so glad to be able to tell you about this place! If you have any questions let me know. Having a kitchen is so nice on vacation, but it sure can get expensive. This is a great option for you! They do have shuttles to the parks, so if you have any questions or concerns about that I would suggest calling them. The staff was very helpful and easy to talk to, so I’m sure they will be a big help!
Skye McLain says
Weekend getaways are the BEST!!! I haven’t been to Disney since I was 9 but I can’t wait to take my son when he gets a bit older!
Jenna Owens (@aSavoryFeast) says
Disney with kids is SO much fun! You should definitely plan a trip here soon.
Positively Stacey says
Stay Sky Suites looks like an excellent choice for families! I visited Gatorland years ago – the kids loved it. So much fun!
Jenna Owens (@aSavoryFeast) says
It was a great place to stay, and super close to Gatorland!
Heather says
I love to hear about hotels outside of Disney. While it is convenient to stay on Disney property when we take a vacation, we often can get a nicer hotel and better deal staying off-site. Thanks for the recommendation
Jenna Owens (@aSavoryFeast) says
You’re welcome! Disney hotels can be fun, but they are so expensive. StaySky is still so close to everything in Orlando!
Blythe A. says
It’s really nice to see a post about Orlando that doesn’t focus on Disney, not that I don’t love mouseland. My BFF lives in Orlando so over the years I’ve been able to experience the other side of the city.
Jenna Owens (@aSavoryFeast) says
I love Disney, but it seems like that is usually the focus of my Orlando trips. It was a lot of fun to branch out and see what else the area has to offer this time.
Amy Jones says
This looks like a great place, it seems very relaxing and comfortable. I will keep it mind next time i go to Orlando
Jenna Owens (@aSavoryFeast) says
It was a great place to stay. You will enjoy it!
Ellen Edmonson says
Looks like y’all had a really fun time. I’m such a Disney fanatic, though, I think I would have to stop over if I was in Orlando. 🙂 It’s good to explore other places, too!
Jenna Owens (@aSavoryFeast) says
I love Disney too, but since I live in Florida it’s nice to see what else Orlando has to offer every now and then!
Pam says
I love that there’s a kitchen in the room! That’s such a helpful feature – especially for longer trips. I haven’t been to Disney in years but I’m hoping we can go in the next years!
Jenna Owens (@aSavoryFeast) says
I love having a kitchen in the room when I go on vacation! It’s especially nice when you are trying to stick to a budget.
Kimberly says
I love the convenience that they offer. It looks like a great option that is still close to family fun. I’ll remember for spring break!
Jenna Owens (@aSavoryFeast) says
You should definitely check it out for your next Orlando trip!
MyTeenGuide says
I would love to go! The place looks amazing and I love that the room has a kitchen.
Jenna Owens (@aSavoryFeast) says
It was a great place to stay! You should plan an Orlando trip soon.
Lesha says
That is such a gorgeous weekend getaway! I wouldn’t mind a getaway like this. 🙂 – HilLesha
Jenna Owens (@aSavoryFeast) says
It was a lot of fun! I enjoyed having a more relaxing, low-key trip seeing the non-Disney side of Orlando.
Amanda Love says
OMG I just LOVE Orlando. My brother has a condo there and we either stay there or at the Sheraton Vistana Resort. There is so much to do there and usually when we’re there, we go to Disney.
Jenna Owens (@aSavoryFeast) says
It’s crazy how much Orlando has to offer! Since I live so close I get to go to Disney pretty often. This time it was fun to see what else I could find to do.
Susannah says
Wow! Looks like such a wonderful trip!!!! It makes me beyond excited for our trip to Mexico next month!!!
Jenna Owens (@aSavoryFeast) says
Oooh, Mexico sounds like a fun trip! I went one time on a cruise and it was so much fun.
Di Hickman says
Wow what a great break you had! I admit we didn’t have the best time when we visited florida in 1999. We were there the same time as hurricane Ffloyd! Not a fun time!
Jenna Owens (@aSavoryFeast) says
Oh dear, that is definitely not a fun time to visit! Hopefully you can visit again for some nice sunny weather.