As an unabashed Disney adult and a years-long Annual Passholder to the Most Magical Place on Earth, Orlando, Florida, is familiar turf. And yet, there was always one place that eluded me. Often, as I’d drive my rental car from Orlando International Airport directly to Walt Disney World, I’d pass by a pink palace of a hotel, decked out with castle-like towers, waterfalls, and fountains. This time, though, I finally stopped.
Photo: Matt Kirouac
Minutes From Disney World, This Family-Owned Orlando Resort Brings the Magic Without the Markup
What always struck me about Caribe Royale Orlando was how it reminded me of a Disney resort. Striking in size, scope, and design, it looms like a fantastical castle that would blend right in on the outskirts of Magic Kingdom. Here, though, a mile and a half from Disney World, Caribe Royale Orlando is distinctly its own, offering Disney-worthy amenities, all-suite rooms, and restaurants — all at a fraction of the cost.
It’s rare to find a hotel this ornate and this proximal to Disney that’s independent and family-owned, as it has been since its opening nearly 30 years ago. Having driven by Caribe Royale Orlando countless times, I can attest that it’s Orlando’s hidden secret.
Over the course of my three days at Caribe Royale Orlando, which recently capped off a $160 million renovation, I discovered a hotel that feels wholly Floridian, from the tropical color palette and shimmering lakes to the flamingos dotted throughout the resort. I discovered a hotel that offered easy access to Disney World, with free shuttle service and tickets for purchase at the concierge desk. I discovered a hotel putting concerted efforts into sustainability, earning a Three Palms designation from the Florida Green Lodging Program for its recycling and water usage efforts. Ultimately, I discovered a hotel that feels like an Orlando destination in its own right.
An independent resort that’s minutes from the parks and the airport
Photos: Matt Kirouac
Arriving after sunset, and mid-week rush hour, it only took my husband and me about 20 minutes to drive our rental car the 16 miles from the airport to the resort. As someone who’s clocked endless hours at Disney World — and in Disney hotels — I felt right at home. The soaring, palm-draped lobby had many of the trappings that make Orlando so magical — from a refreshing scent, floral and crisp, to a Floridian color scheme blending jungle greens and flamingo pinks with turquoise blues and pearly whites. A light projection from the ceiling depicted fish “swimming” across the floor as I made my way to the front desk. It’s worth noting that Ubers and Lyfts are readily available, but from my experience, they tend to be expensive and in demand. The rate from the airport to the resort, for example, would have been nearly $40.
After checking in, we parked in the on-site lot and (mostly) left our car there. In addition to a resort shuttle, which whisks guests around the 53-acre property from 7 AM to 11 PM, Caribe Royale Orlando offers shuttle transport to and from Disney World’s four theme parks, plus Disney Springs. This made it easy to go back and forth, saving money on parking or ride shares, and to bop over to Disney Springs in time for dinner. After an early morning and two long flights, barrel-aged Manhattans and brisket sliders at The Polite Pig hit the spot.
Caribe Royale Orlando’s proximity to Disney World is a huge perk, especially for travelers looking for affordable alternatives. While most of Disney World’s standard rooms cost several hundred dollars per night, even at the Value Resorts, Caribe Royale Orlando is an all-suite property that starts around $189 per night and tops out around $250 per night. Just a mile and a half from Disney’s main entrance, you’re minutes from the Magic, while escaping all the costs and crowds that come with it. I hadn’t even spent my first night here, and I was already talking about how this hotel would be my new Orlando go-to.
All suites, all the time: The rooms at Caribe Royale Orlando
Photos: Matt Kirouac
Once we returned from Disney Springs, it was up to our ninth-floor room for the night. We were in one of three 10-story towers, containing 1,217 one-bedroom suites (the remaining 120 keys are two-bedroom villas in four additional five-story towers).
Halls are beautifully adorned with Floridian murals and art installations, depicting flamingos strutting amongst palm trees and monkeys frolicking in the fronds. Our Royale King Pool View Suite had one bedroom with a king bed overlooking the massive pool, along with a living room, a queen-sized sofa bed, a work station, and a spacious bathroom with a sleek granite counter and separate vanity — handy for my husband and my dueling toiletries. Clocking in at 600 square feet, it was more than comfortable for both of us.
Other suites include the 500-square-foot Caribe King Suite, the 468-square-foot Caribe Queen Suite, and the 468-square-foot Caribe Pool View Queen Suite. There are also Accessible Suites with roll-in showers, visual and audio aids, and expanded layouts for ease of mobility.
Much like the halls and common areas, suites come bedecked with lush Floridian-inspired artwork (think: palms, birds) and color palettes (think: turquoise-tinted sofa, pastel-splashed carpets). Both the bed and couch were strikingly comfy. One of my favorite touches was the contemporary day bed, perched next to the floor-to-ceiling window, with sweeping views of the resort and the pool — and a glimpse of EPCOT in the distance.
Villas are designed for larger groups and longer stays, equipped with full kitchens, in-room laundry, dining rooms, two bathrooms, soaking tubs, and screened lanais overlooking a lake. Villa guests also have access to their own private pool. In general, I was struck by the artistry and design, as well as the spaciousness and comforts of our suite and the hotel overall.
Your very own mini kingdom of fun: Amenities at Caribe Royale Orlando
Photo: Matt Kirouac
The main aspect of Caribe Royale Orlando that conjured Disney comparisons for me was how the property felt like a wholly immersive, fully realized world in and of itself. Once you step through those doors, past the fish projections and floral flamingos, you’re in a tropical Floridian oasis — and the amenities reflect that.
The star attraction is the outdoor swimming pool, in the center of the property, flanked by private cabanas and a sea of lounge chairs. A 75-foot waterslide was a hit with the kids (and me) while a waterfall cascades over a cave-like grotto, lined with its own shaded loungers. There are two hot tubs, including a quieter one tucked behind the waterslide, and a kids’ splash pool and playground.
After a day in the parks, where we clocked 10 miles across just as many hours, my husband and I were happy to relax in our cabana, watching Harry Potter movies on our TV for several hours in between plunges. Cabana rentals come with couches, mini fridges, and service from Calypso’s Pool Bar & Grille, one of eight restaurants and bars on-site (more on that later).
Behind the pool is a two-story, 3,500-square-foot fitness center, but it’s the outdoor activities that shone the most. That includes a 1.5-mile walking and running trail, free bike rentals, a sport court with basketball and pickleball, and a lake for catch-and-release fishing at Boca Pier (fishing equipment is free and rentable at the fitness center). The whole property made me feel immersed in nature, as if I were in the Everglades rather than Orlando.
Other amenities include a spa, convention center, and arcade. As a dog-owner myself, I was pleased that Caribe Royale Orlando offers pet-friendly rooms. And I just know my Finn would love it here.
From poolside bites to elegant eats: Dining at Caribe Royale Orlando
Photos: Matt Kirouac
Our first full day in Orlando was at Disney World, from the first free shuttle to Disney’s Hollywood Studios at 8:15 AM until our return at 10:45 PM — which is what made the following day, recuperating at the hotel, such a balm. We started with breakfast at Tropicale, a sunny all-American eatery with a buffet. As someone who loves to mix-and-match breakfast classics, that’s exactly what we did, recovering from our Disney marathon with plump pork sausage, fluffy scrambled eggs, crisp mini waffles, and fresh Florida orange juice.
Later, we ordered chips and dips from Calypso’s Pool Bar & Grille, the Caribbean-inspired spot mere steps from our cabana. The open-air restaurant serves a full menu for guests dining at a table and abbreviated options for poolside snacks. While I was still content from breakfast, I’m always happy to graze on tortilla chips with molten queso, zesty salsa, and fantastic guacamole, with toothsome chunks of fresh avocado adding pleasant heft. To drink, I got the Marmalade Spritz, a juicy blend of gin, Prosecco, lemon juice, simple syrup, soda, and orange marmalade.
We saved most of our appetites for dinner at The Venetian Chop House, a dark and sultry dining room lined with snug booths, warm lamps, and servers smoking Old Fashioneds tableside. At once elegant and comfy, it’s the kind of place my husband and I would frequent for date night, but it would be just as appealing for any number of occasions (we saw a solo diner with a book, groups of girlfriends, and what looked like a double date).
The emphasis is on top-tier seafood, steaks, chops, and familiar dishes reimagined in unfamiliar ways — like the velvety lobster bisque, poured tableside under a golden puff pastry dome that looks whimsically akin to the EPCOT sphere. Per the Venetian name, much of the menu is devoted to Italian specialties, and we opted to keep it light(ish) by sharing a basil-scented bowl of tagliatelle bolognese, showered in shaved Parmigiano-Reggiano and paired with broccolini with hollandaise sauce. Along with my husband’s aforementioned Old Fashioned, which comes washed in Wagyu tallow for beefy richness, I got a pitch-perfect Aviation, a floral medley of gin, lemon, Luxardo Maraschino, and Crème De Violette.
After dinner, we got nightcaps at Rum Bar. Located above The Venetian Chop House, the airy bar features an esoteric selection of artisan spirits and an extensive array of Bacardí Rum. With its bumping crowd, moody music, dominoes, and dizzying array of 70 rums, available by the flight or the pour, the lobby-adjacent lounge channeled what I envision Havana to be. I saw rums I’d never heard of — including French-style agricole rums such as Neisson Blanc Rhum and lighter-bodied Spanish-style rums like Bumbu XO — but I opted for a dessert-y cocktail. I got the Why is the Rum Gone? — a quasi-espresso martini made with Santa Teresa 1796 Aged Rum, Flor de Caña Coffee Liqueur, Arabica coffee, fresh espresso, and Demerara syrup.
Other food options include a Starbucks; a grab-and-go Market stocked with sandwiches, pizzas, and pastries; and the Stadium Club. The latter, which I initially thought was a mere sports bar, is a vast bi-level space, with 360-degree game viewing on huge TVs surrounding the central bar. Throughout the cacophonous space are eight sports simulators, featuring 13 games and a variety of sports, from football and golf to hockey and lacrosse. We only popped in to check it out, but the sleek design and state-of-the-art entertainment made for the kind of sports bar that I would happily frequent.
The resort also offers in-suite dining from 7 AM until midnight. And that’s just yet another small reason that the independently owned Caribe Royale Orlando — Orlando’s hidden secret, hiding in plain sight — is a no-brainer for any Orlando vacation, Disney-focused or not. 