Spectrum Resort Townhome Rental, Orlando

Andy Mossack goes self-catering at a luxurious Spectrum Resort townhome rental in Orlando, Florida.

I’m laying my cards on the table here. I love hotel stays. I am and always will be a hotel fan. The pampering, the high thread bed linen and the sheer indulgence of it all. But there are plenty of situations when staying at a hotel might not be the preferred option, and to my mind, a holiday to central Florida’s theme parks is certainly a case in point.

Theme Park onsite hotels can be very busy, costly, and disappointing value, but there is an attractive alternative. In most cases you’ll be with your family, so why not base yourself close to the theme parks, but at the same time have some fresh air and open space away from all the Disney hullabaloo?

A Spectrum Resort townhome could be the perfect solution. It’s part of the Reunion Resort community, a high-end gated complex just a twenty-minute drive away from all the major theme parks with luxury amenities including three golf courses, resort restaurants, a water park and shared pool access for each cluster of properties. Spectrum Resort Orlando also provides free transportation to Walt Disneyworld if you need it.

The resort is actually in Kissimmee, right next door to Orlando and that’s where you gain your advantage over being based onsite a theme park. As well as having excellent road connections to all the main parks just a few minutes’ drive away, Kissimmee is also the gateway to The Everglades, so if you’re looking for an antidote to theme park fatigue, you could always take a day off and explore Florida’s famous wild wetlands.

My luxurious Spectrum Resort townhome was a really impressive space overlooking the 18th fairway of the Jack Nicklaus Signature Golf Course. The bright spacious open-plan downstairs area was equipped with garage access, a fully fitted kitchen and lounge with contemporary pastel tones and big comfy sofas. A huge flat-screen TV adorned one wall while sliding patio doors led out to a shaded patio with a large table and chairs.

A small gate led over to our shared pool just a few steps away. The kitchen included everything from dishwasher and waste disposal to a huge fridge/freezer, microwave, and even chilled running water. Upstairs, two of the three big bedrooms had a dressing room and ensuite bathroom, and in the hall was a laundry closet with a washing machine and dryer and another bathroom. The house was spacious enough to sleep eight people comfortably with the downstairs sofa doubling as a bed.

The townhome came with fast internet, a home starter kit with all the basic essentials, and a phone for free local calls and to access the 24-hour concierge for any service requests I needed. I remember having a small issue with the TV and calling across. Help arrived in the shape of a very polite technician who fixed it in no time.

The main clubhouse is close by and the hub for most things during your stay. There’s the concierge, a fitness centre, a large pool area, and a grab-and-go market for stocking up as well as a small café. However, I found a big Publix supermarket for all my groceries just a few minutes’ drive off the resort.

I tried out the onsite water park one day, just a five-minute drive away by free cart transport and free for resort guests. Most of the park was taken up by a giant lazy river snaking its way all around, but there was a fun area for very young children and a few terrifying slides for older kids. Plenty of cabanas for hire if you felt the need for privacy, and a beach bar/café offered up hot snacks and drinks all day.

Clearly, the big draw at Reunion is the three signature PGA golf courses that wind their way all around the resort designed by golfing legends Tom Watson, Jack Nicklaus and Arnold Palmer. Each one different in style and elevation, I played the Watson Independence Course and, although there were no water hazards to worry about, (unlike the other two) the number of bunkers more than made up for it. I was impressed with the organisation of the carts, all fitted with GPS, stocked with plenty of water, and lined up at the clubhouse to players’ tee times.

It’s funny how we all quickly adapt to seeing our base as a temporary home from home, and I used to look forward to coming back to my townhome after a busy day out relaxing with my feet up enjoying a sundowner out on the patio or watching a movie. That’s the beauty of self-catering, you can just switch off in your own little world.

Spectrum Resort townhome images (C) Rentyl. Water park and golf course images (C) Andy Mossack