16 of the best hotels in Orlando

Orlando has more hotels than you can shake a pair of Mickey Mouse ears at, with an almost overwhelming choice of places to stay. Most visitors want to be within striking distance of the big-name theme parks — principally the Walt Disney World Resort — and there are plenty of hotels close by. Choose a Disney hotel, located in the resort itself, and you’ll benefit from free transfers to and from the parks and early entry.
A few miles away, International Drive is the heart of Orlando and close to some of the city’s major attractions including Universal Orlando Resort and SeaWorld, with plenty of budget and mid-range places to stay. More motels, budget and chain hotels can be found in Kissimmee, Lake Buena Vista and Celebration — all within a few miles’ drive of Walt Disney World Resort.
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££ | SPA | POOL | Best for a beach break
The Conrad Orlando benefits from a unique location, at one end of the huge Evermore lagoon, where perfect white sand has been imported from Pensacola to create a beach resort feel in the heart of Orlando. Between theme park visits (there’s a complimentary coach service to Disney World), you can build sandcastles on the lagoon’s beach or take a dip in the (separate) heated swimming pool. There’s also an opulent spa, offering a full range of treatments and a garden with thermal pools. Sophia’s Trattoria is an enticing spot for dinner, serving delicious, authentic Italian dishes in a waterside setting.

£££ | SPA | POOL | Best for doing Disney in style
The most luxurious hotel at Walt Disney World is the long-standing Grand Floridian, decked out in lavish turn-of-the-century style. You’ll find two pools, a spa and several elegant dining options here (one inspired by Mary Poppins Returns, another by Beauty and the Beast), but it’s the location you’ll really appreciate as you smugly skip the bus and monorail queues to stroll back to the hotel after a day at the Magic Kingdom. You can also take a water taxi to the Magic Kingdom from here and will see Disney’s beguiling Electrical Water Pageant cruise past in the evenings (weather permitting). The property is currently undergoing some refurbishments, so keep that in mind when choosing dates.

££ | SPA | POOL | Best for families seeking luxury
Want to combine an elegant hotel stay with the fun of the theme parks? The Waldorf Astoria gives you the perks of an official Disney hotel (free transport to the parks, early entry) but also has sophisticated bedrooms, serene pools with private cabanas and one of the city’s best spas. There’s an 18-hole golf course here too, as well as a kids’ club that operates on Friday and Saturday evenings, meaning parents can slope off for a child-free dinner at one of the hotel’s top-notch restaurants.

£££ | SPA | POOL | Best for golfers
Genteel and elegantly old-fashioned, this handsome resort is a throwback to the luxuries of yesteryear but with thoroughly updated facilities and mod cons. It’s the surrounding, Palmer-designed golf course that makes this place famous; in March it’s one of the key stops on the PGA Tour calendar. As a result, most guests are here to practise their swing, but there are plenty of amenities to distract you if golf isn’t your thing.

£££ | SPA | POOL | Best for food and drink
This five-star hotel located inside the Walt Disney World Resort has all the elegant hallmarks that you’d associate with a typically luxurious Four Seasons property. Beyond the Spanish Revival exterior is a chic, contemporary hotel with amazing service and a huge choice of restaurants, including a Michelin-starred rooftop steakhouse. There’s plenty to keep you entertained with two pools, tennis courts, kids’ clubs, a waterpark with a lazy river, and a fabulous spa.

£££ | SPA | POOL | Best for entertaining all the family
Roughly halfway between Walt Disney World and Universal Orlando is the Ritz-Carlton Orlando, Grande Lakes — one of the plushest pads in central Florida. All 582 rooms are well appointed and children can splash about in what’s arguably the best lazy river in all of Orlando. Expect world-class amenities and a superb spa, excellent kids’ clubs and a huge selection of dining options. Happily, the hotel shares its grounds and amenities with JW Marriott next door.

£ | POOL | Best for groups of friends
This colour-popping pad is one of Universal Orlando’s most popular places to stay and mimics a 1950s hotel in Miami Beach. Huge standard rooms come with two queen beds, while the suites have a fold-out sofa, a kitchenette and a sliding privacy partition. Most of the action takes place around the outdoor pools and there’s also a lazy river, bowling alley, games arcade and fitness studio. Tuck in at the self-service Bayliner diner or order poolside.

££ | POOL | Best for a relaxing time
Tucked into a corner of Walt Disney World’s vast nature preserve, this full-service resort comes loaded with top-quality amenities, including a three-acre lagoon pool with lazy river. Rooms are decorated in muted tones (a calming contrast to the cartoon colours you’ll find in many Disney hotels), the three signature restaurants provide a choice of Italian, Asian and reimagined steakhouse fare, and while the hotel doesn’t have a spa, guests can access one at the Waldorf Astoria, connected to the hotel via a convention hall. The same goes for the 18-hole golf course.
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££ | SPA | POOL | Best for an activity holiday
Three decades ago, the Hyatt Regency Grand Cypress Resort was the luxury hotel in Orlando, and while it has since been surpassed for opulence, it holds its own as a great value option — but with fabulous amenities. Amid 1,500 acres of palm-tree-fringed gardens, you’ll find golf courses, multiple pools (with winding slides, waterfalls and whirlpools) and a 21-acre lake to sail on. There’s also a fully equipped gym, a decent spa and a fine choice of restaurants. You’ll hardly spend any time in the large, contemporary rooms.

£££ | POOL | Best for under-eights
The brightly coloured Lego blocks on the exterior should give you a clue as to what lies inside this wonderful hotel next to Legoland Florida. As family-friendly resorts go, this one is hard to beat: 150-odd rooms are all decorated with little ones in mind, including the door peepholes set at the height of a child’s eyes. The Lego theme is ever-present throughout, with blocks everywhere, including the key drop (the hotel also hosts master model-builder workshops). There are fun dining and drinking options on site, too.

££ | SPA | POOL | Best for a quiet retreat
This chic spot in Winter Park is a contender for the slickest hotel in Greater Orlando. The low-key, designer style has a relaxing, intimate feel and a constantly changing display from the nearby Rollins Museum of Art. Rooms come with gorgeous fabrics, large bathrooms and fancy toiletries. There’s a lovely rooftop pool and the restaurant is known as a star that lights up the local dining scene.

£££ | POOL | Best for a romantic weekend
This lakeside resort evokes the mid-century seaside charm of the Atlantic City boardwalk. There are lots of little touches to bring the period to life, from candy-striped awnings and tandem bicycles to vintage seating and hardwood floors. Rooms are divided between the Inn (subdued, with picket-fenced suites and quiet pools) and the Villas (think upscale apartments). Dining options range from seafood and a trattoria to a deli and ice-cream parlour, while the three pools include the main Luna Park pool, inspired by an early 20th-century amusement park.

£ | POOL | Best for slick stays
Just across the street from the Dr Phillips Center for the Performing Arts is the Aloft Orlando Downtown, also known as one of the most stylish sleeps in town. The sleek decor is a wonderful mix of colour (think Paul Smith palette) and minimalist chic; its 118 rooms are basic but beautifully designed and come with fancy Bliss toiletries. Its location makes it ideal for the Kia (formerly Amway) Center and the bars and restaurants of the area, but not so much for the Disney parks, which are around half an hour away.

££ | SPA | POOL | Best for Disney lovers
In the heart of Walt Disney World, the twin luxury high-rise towers that make up the Swan and Dolphin Resorts are one of the most popular options for an in-park hotel. The elegant, Michael Graves-designed hotels — one a Westin, the other a Sheraton — share amenities and bring a distinctly toned-down version of Disney but with all the perks of staying in a Disney hotel. In 2021, the 14-storey Swan Reserve added 349 rooms to the 2,200-plus already on site, plus four restaurants and lounges, a fitness centre and a 90-foot-long pool.

££ | SPA | POOL | Best for business travellers
If you’re looking for elegance downtown, the Grand Bohemian ticks the boxes, having recently undergone an £14-million transformation. It has a top-class spa, a heated outdoor pool and the popular Bösendorfer lounge, with excellent live jazz most nights. The hotel caters to a business crowd but you’ll also find visiting NBA players bedding down here when the Orlando Magic are on the court at the nearby Kia Center.

££ | POOL | Best for families in Disney
This huge, southwestern-themed Disney hotel is halfway between Disney’s Animal Kingdom and Hollywood Studios. The low-key tone sets it apart from other Disney pads: the rooms in the Gran Destino tower are elegant and very contemporary, while those in casitas spread about the enormous property are ideally suited to families and bigger groups. The main pool has a big slide that runs through a Mayan-esque pyramid, as well as quieter pools (and hammocks) spread throughout. There are around ten lounges, bars and restaurants, with a strong Spanish and southwestern accent.
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