Hotels
Best hotels in Orlando: where to stay for Disney, Universal and a break from both
Half past seven in the morning, and a giraffe is eating breakfast a few metres from the balcony. The children have forgotten they are due at the park in an hour. In Orlando, the hotel is not just somewhere to sleep between roller coasters. It can be the part of the trip they remember most.
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Orlando is not a city you walk around. The theme parks are spread over an area the size of a small county, and the roads between them are highways. Your choice of hotel decides how much of the holiday you spend in cars and buses, and how early you get through the gates.
We have chosen eight hotels across five areas: three inside Walt Disney World, a luxury resort in the middle of the Disney estate and two at Universal. The list ends with two quieter resorts and a small art hotel in Winter Park, for those who want to see another side of Florida. Our links go to Hotels.com, and we always choose the hotel before the link.
In short: where to stay in Orlando
If Disney is the main event, stay inside Walt Disney World, ideally on the monorail loop near Magic Kingdom. If you are mostly visiting Universal, its premier hotels include Express Passes, and if you want calm between park days, Grande Lakes or Bonnet Creek are better bets.
Our first choice: Disney's Grand Floridian Resort & Spa. Check availability and prices
Best for romance: The Alfond Inn
Best for families: Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge
Best for first-timers: Disney's Grand Floridian Resort & Spa
Best for value: Hard Rock Hotel at Universal Orlando
Best for design: Four Seasons Resort Orlando at Walt Disney World Resort
How to choose a hotel in Orlando
Disney or Universal: the two resorts are around half an hour apart by car. Stay near the one you will visit most and take a taxi for a day at the other.
On site or off site: Disney's own hotels give early park entry and free transport. Off-site hotels are often bigger and calmer, but you will need to drive.
Express Passes: Universal's premier hotels include unlimited Express access to most rides, which can save hours of queuing in peak season.
Hire car: outside the parks, a car is the easiest way to get around, and many hotels charge nightly for parking.
Heat and storms: summer is hot and humid, with thunderstorms most afternoons. A good pool to come back to is worth a lot.
Rest days: families often underestimate how tiring back-to-back park days are. Plan a pool day every two or three days, and pick a hotel where that day feels like a holiday too.
The pool
The pool at Disney's Grand Floridian.
Inside Walt Disney World: the monorail and early entry
Disney's own hotels sit within the vast resort, linked to the parks by buses, boats, the Skyliner gondola and the monorail. Guests also get early access to the parks in the morning, before the queues build.
Disney's Grand Floridian: the Victorian flagship
The Grand Floridian is Disney's most upscale hotel, built in Victorian style with white facades and red roofs on the shore of the Seven Seas Lagoon. The monorail stops in the lobby, and from many rooms you can watch the fireworks over Magic Kingdom at night.
It is made for families who want the best of Disney and a short hop to Magic Kingdom. It is expensive even by Disney standards, and the mood is more formal than relaxed. Small children will not notice the chandeliers, but the spa is a fine place to send the adult who needs a break.
Book your stay: Check availability and prices at Disney's Grand Floridian Resort & Spa
The pool
The pool at Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge.
Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge: giraffes off the balcony
Animal Kingdom Lodge is built like an African safari lodge around a savanna where giraffes, zebras and antelope roam. From many rooms you see the animals from the balcony, and in the evening the hotel's guides lead night-vision viewings.
It takes our family pick: children remember the animals as vividly as the rides. The lodge is further from Magic Kingdom than the others, so expect bus journeys. Ask for a savanna-view room or you miss the point.
Book your stay: Check availability and prices at Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge
The pool
The pool at Four Seasons Resort Orlando.
Four Seasons Resort Orlando: luxury in the middle of Disney
Four Seasons sits inside Walt Disney World but is not run by Disney. It has a lazy river, water slides and a kids' area, and the rooftop restaurant looks across to the fireworks over Magic Kingdom.
It is ideal for families who want to be close to Disney with the calm and service of a luxury hotel. It is among the most expensive places to stay in Orlando, and you rely on the hotel's shuttle or a car to reach the parks. In return you get big rooms and a pool where there is space for everyone, even at Easter.
Book your stay: Check availability and prices at Four Seasons Resort Orlando at Walt Disney World Resort
The pool
The pool at Loews Portofino Bay.
Universal Orlando: roller coasters and Express Passes
Universal has two theme parks and a water park, and its hotels are a walk or a boat ride from the gates. The premier hotels include Express access to most rides.
Loews Portofino Bay: an Italian harbour with a boat to the park
Portofino Bay recreates the Italian fishing village of Portofino, with colourful facades around an artificial harbour. A boat from the hotel takes you to the entrance of Universal, and unlimited Express Passes are included.
It is right for families and couples who want Universal by day and some calm at night. It is Universal's most expensive hotel, but the Express Passes can offset much of the cost in peak season.
Book your stay: Check availability and prices at Loews Portofino Bay Hotel at Universal Orlando
The pool
The pool at Hard Rock Hotel.
Hard Rock Hotel: closest to the gates
Hard Rock Hotel is the closest of Universal's hotels to the parks, with a rock'n'roll theme and music piped underwater in the pool. The lobby holds a collection of guitars and stage costumes. You can walk to the park in minutes, and Express Passes are included.
It earns our value pick among the hotels with Express access, and suits families with teenagers and groups of friends. The pool area is lively and the music plays all day. Rooms are modern but not large.
Book your stay: Check availability and prices at Hard Rock Hotel at Universal Orlando
The bar
The bar at Waldorf Astoria Orlando.
A break from the parks: Bonnet Creek, Grande Lakes and Winter Park
Beyond the theme park zones are resorts with golf, spas and big pools, and north of the city lies Winter Park, with lakes, oak trees and museums. This is where you stay to rest.
Waldorf Astoria Orlando: golf and spa at Bonnet Creek
Waldorf Astoria is in Bonnet Creek, a wooded enclave surrounded by Walt Disney World, with its own golf course, a large spa and a pool area with cabanas. The hotel runs a shuttle to the Disney parks.
It is a strong pick for couples and families who want Disney within reach and a calmer hotel to come back to. It is large and fairly formal, and most of the restaurants are on site. Check shuttle times before planning early park entry.
Book your stay: Check availability and prices at Waldorf Astoria Orlando
The pool
The pool at The Ritz-Carlton Orlando, Grande Lakes.
The Ritz-Carlton Orlando, Grande Lakes: lazy river and a big spa
The Ritz-Carlton is in Grande Lakes, a natural area south of the city at the headwaters of the Everglades. It shares grounds with a sister hotel and offers a lazy river, a golf course and one of the largest spas in Florida.
It appeals to travellers who want a resort holiday with a few park days. Disney and Universal are around half an hour away by car, so it is not for those who plan to be in the parks every day. Grandparents travelling with the family will appreciate the calm.
Book your stay: Check availability and prices at The Ritz-Carlton Orlando, Grande Lakes
The building
The Alfond Inn from the outside.
The Alfond Inn: an art hotel in Winter Park
The Alfond Inn is a small hotel in Winter Park, a green town north of Orlando. The town has lakes, oaks hung with Spanish moss and a main street of cafés and shops. The corridors double as a gallery for the hotel's own art collection, and the pool sits in a courtyard garden.
It is our romantic pick, for couples who want to see Florida beyond the parks. Disney and Universal are a long drive away, so it works best as the end of a trip or for adults travelling without children.
Book your stay: Check availability and prices at The Alfond Inn
When to book
School holidays: Easter, summer and Christmas are peak season in Orlando, with long queues and high prices. Book hotels and park tickets early.
Spring and autumn: March to May and October to November bring pleasant weather and slightly shorter queues outside US holidays.
Summer: June to August is hot and humid, with afternoon thunderstorms. Go to the parks early and rest by the pool in the middle of the day.
Our first choice in Orlando
Disney's Grand Floridian Resort & Spa
We recommend Disney's Grand Floridian because you get the best of Disney and a short trip to Magic Kingdom. It is built in Victorian style, with white facades and red roofs, on the Seven Seas Lagoon. The spa is one of the best in the Disney area.
Frequently asked questions about hotels in Orlando
Where should I stay in Orlando with kids?
If Disney is your focus, one of Disney's own hotels is the easiest choice. If you are visiting Universal, its premier hotels include Express Passes that save a lot of queuing. For calm between park days, the resorts at Grande Lakes are a good alternative.
Is it worth staying at a Disney hotel?
Often yes, because you get early park entry and free transport. The hotels cost more than those outside the resort, so compare the total cost first. Disney's own hotels also include free transport to the parks by bus, boat or monorail, which saves a daily parking fee.
Do I need a car in Orlando?
Not if you stay inside Disney or at Universal. If you plan to visit several areas or stay off site, a hire car is the simplest option. The parks charge a parking fee every day, so include it in your budget if you hire a car.
How far is Disney from Universal?
It takes about half an hour by car between Walt Disney World and Universal Orlando, depending on traffic. Uber and taxis are the simplest, and buses also run between the parks and the airport. Avoid the morning and afternoon rush hour on the I-4.
How many nights do you need in Orlando?
For both Disney and Universal, plan on five to seven nights with a rest day in the middle. For just one of them, three or four nights is enough. If you travel during American school holidays, book hotels and tickets early.