Family-Friendly Travel: Hilton Garden Inn Orlando at SeaWorld

Before we had children, my husband and I did some traveling. Nothing extensive, but I'm glad that we were able to see places like London, Paris and Ocho Rios simply by hopping on a plane and navigating our way around the city for sightseeing and to experience the local fare.

As parents, however, vacationing is a much different entity. Destinations must be researched, flights must be perfectly timed, days must be planned out, and accommodations must be comfortable, convenient and spacious enough that we each have a little room to ourselves. We spend time scouring photographs, reading reviews and crossing our fingers that each decision comes together to make our trip as entertaining and hassle-free as possible.

Which is why I'm thrilled to recently have had the chance to find everything we were looking for all in one place: Hilton Garden Inn Orlando at SeaWorld.

Located in the heart of Orlando's hottest attractions, Hilton Garden Inn at SeaWorld is only a hop and a skip away from Universal Studios, Walt Disney World, Discovery Cove, Aquatica... in fact, it is literally just one block from SeaWorld!

We couldn't miss realizing the convenience of the close proximity just by looking out of our window!

Along with marveling at the view, it only took one glance around our crisp, clean rooms (we stayed in two adjoining guestrooms but the Hilton Garden Inn also offers great suite options as well) to see that we had everything we needed for a warm, comforting stay.

We never take for granted that a room will include features such as a refrigerator, microwave, coffeemaker, hair dryer, iron and ironing board, work space, wired and wireless high speed internet and more, so I was already loving that these were all complimentary thanks to the Hilton Garden Inn.

Of course while I was admiring the soft beds and ease of connecting to the internet (a must for me!), Big Sister E and Little Sister B were hurriedly changing into their swimsuits to head down to the heated outdoor pool and jacuzzi.

Featuring lounge chairs and tables for relaxing or taking a break, we immediately loved the just-right temperature of the water and the shallow depth of the pool itself. The kids were able to jump in off the sides or splash around laughing without any problem!

In the next four days that we spent in Orlando, the Hilton Garden Inn at SeaWorld proved time and again to be the perfect family-friendly destination for us.

The staff were always helpful and nice, the hotel was always clean with plenty of parking, the 24-hour Pavilion Pantry was stocked with any foods or necessities we could have needed, the Great American Grill restaurant kept our bellies full and happy with delicious meals of all kinds, and the state-of-the-art fitness center was ready and waiting (for all those crazy people who exercise when they are on vacation).

There really wasn't much more that I could have asked for...

...except knowing that my girls were having a great time - which they were! Our stay was filled with their laughter, giggles, smiles and comments about loving their temporary "home." How could they not be excited about having a comfortable room, delicious food, and world-class attractions only steps away?

We even had the fun of having one of the stars of SeaWorld Orlando come right to us!

I also love that the Hilton Garden Inn at SeaWorld is not only so close to all of the best that Orlando has to offer, but that they do all they can to help you enjoy them.

Instead of renting a car or dealing with the expense of a cab, guests of the Hilton Garden Inn receive complimentary transportation to SeaWorld, Aquatica, Discovery Cove, Universal Orlando and Disney theme parks and can even take the free Busch Gardens Shuttle Express to Busch Gardens Tampa.

After all, when you're taking your family to the Happiest Place on Earth, you want to focus on the fun of the day, not on arranging a ride or paying for parking!

When visiting SeaWorld, being a guest of the Hilton Garden Inn has even more advantages, as you are able to receive complimentary Quick Queue Unlimited (front-of-the-line access) at SeaWorld and exclusive access to the "SeaWorld Rescue Tour" at SeaWorld on Early Entry dates and every Saturday all year long.

In addition to skipping lines (who wants to wait in those when you have impatient kids?) the Hilton Garden Inn allows guests to receive discounts on dining and select merchandise purchases at SeaWorld and Aquatica. Considering how quickly the cost of eating and Mommy! I MUST have it! purchases add up, I'm always happy to find a way to save money. That just makes the fun of SeaWorld Orlando even better!

Whether for a brief stay or an extended visit, we found that the Hilton Garden Inn Orlando at SeaWorld was the perfect place to come back to and unwind at the end of the day (or midday for a quick nap). Their conveniences and amenities allowed us to focus on experiencing fun-filled days exploring all that Orlando has to offer and not have any additional stresses (traveling with children already has enough of those)!

We even had the amazing fun of participating in their Magical Slumber Party Getaway fun - visit LeeAnn's post at The Life of Rylie... and Bryce, too! to see her great photos (I never seem to remember to do a better job taking pictures)!

As well as being thrilled with the property as a whole, the Hilton Garden Inn Orlando always has great offers and specials that make staying there even more affordable than their already-reasonable rates.

Who wants to pass up a package that includes two free children's movie tickets to see Disney Pixar's Brave movie? Or eating free all day at SeaWorld? Better yet, free tickets to SeaWorld and Aquatica? Or, to really see the sights, their Orlando FlexTicket package offers unlimited admissions to five of the area's parks!

I was especially moved to hear that Hilton Garden Inn is committed to making a difference in putting an end to hunger (more than 1 in 5 children in the U.S. are hungry). Simply book their "Breakfast with Heart" weekend rate on a Friday and/or Saturday and it will include a complimentary breakfast... while the Hilton Garden Inn will make a donation to Feeding America to help provide 1 million meals to families in need.

When it comes to an Orlando adventure like no other, the Hilton Garden Inn at SeaWorld will provide more than just a room to rest your head. Everything from their amenities to their affordable rates to their complimentary additions to their welcoming atmosphere will come together to make for a great family vacation.

They're so confident in their hospitality and integrity and that you will have an excellent hotel experience that they guarantee it!

To find out much more about all of Hilton Garden Inn hotels across the globe (with over 530 hotels, they're sure to be in the location of your next travel destination) visit their website and connect with them on Facebook and Twitter. You can also see even more details about the Hilton Garden Inn Orlando at SeaWorld on their own website and on Facebook.

Our trip, stay, attraction and travel expenses were provided by the Hilton Garden Inn but all thoughts and opinions are honest and my own.