Sure, you get some extra perks if you stay at Disney World or Universal-owned hotels when you’re visiting theme parks in Orlando. But you may find that staying in a hotel on International Drive in Orlando is a better option if you want more space, lower prices, and a slightly more adult- or upscale-focused atmosphere for exploring not just theme parks, but also other things to do, like fun Orlando museums or nearby parks.
Photo: Expedia
10 Great Hotels on International Drive in Orlando Near Theme Parks
While Orlando’s hotels are some of the coolest in Florida, hotels aren’t the only option. Matador recently rounded up some of the coolest Airbnbs near the Disney World Resorts (including one with an impressive Star Wars-themed bedroom), as well as the best Airbnbs further north, closer to the Universal theme parks (some of which have private covered pools).
These are the 10 most fun hotels on International Drive in Orlando near theme parks, outlet shopping, event spaces, and great restaurants.
Traveling to Orlando? Check out Matador’s accommodation guides to Orlando:
- Orlando’s Tech-Savvy Wave Hotel Is Also Home To the Hotel World’s Coolest Art Collection
- Bookend Your Disney Trip at These Beautiful Orlando Airport Hotels
- The Best 11 Airbnbs Near Universal Studios
- 8 of the Coolest Airbnbs Near Disney World, Orlando
- On Your Visit To Orlando, You Should Actually Stay (and Eat) in Kissimmee
We hope you love the spaces and stays we recommend! Just so you know, Matador may collect a small commission from the links on this page if you decide to book a stay. Listed prices are accurate as of the time of publication.
The best hotels on International Drive in Orlando
International Drive is quite long and runs the length of the city, so pay attention to where the hotel is in relation to the parks (or other attractions) you want to visit. Orlando has major highways connecting most parts of the city, so traffic usually moves pretty fast, even when there are a lot of people in town.
Loews Royal Pacific Resort at Universal
Loews Royal Pacific Resort at Universal Orlando leans into the Pacific Island-inspired theme, with a lush, tropical atmosphere that evokes the feeling of a South Pacific island paradise. Throughout the large hotel on International Drive in Orlando, you can expect to find lush foliage, tiki torches, waterfalls, and tropical decor, along with vintage-looking maps and decor.
The hotel also has a range of Pacific Island-inspired dining options, including a traditional Polynesian restaurant and a swim-up pool bar with a sandy beach area. The hotel has both hotel rooms and suites and is walkable to the Universal Resorts and Universal water taxi. And because it’s one of the Universal-owned hotels on International Drive in Orlando, it comes with perks like early admission to the parks and free shuttle services. Rooms start around $390 a night but can go as high as $800 during peak vacation season.
Rates from: $390/night
Closest to: Universal Parks
Universal’s Cabana Bay Beach Resort
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If you’re in the market for a slightly less pricey stay but still like the idea of staying at one of the Universal-owned hotels on International Drive in Orlando, consider Cabana Bay Resort, very close to the Royal Pacific. The hotel has a fun and retro atmosphere inspired by classic beach resorts from the 1950s and ’60s. Room types range from family suites that accommodate up to six guests to standard hotel rooms. The resort also has plenty of ways to play without going to a theme park, including two large swimming pools, a waterslide, a bowling alley, and a lazy river.
Cabana Bay also has an on-site food court, which is less expensive than dining at a restaurant for every meal and a great option if you’re traveling with picky eaters since everyone can get whatever they want. Just like in the rest of the hotel, the communal areas have bright colors, vintage furnishings, and fun, beach-inspired details. It’s a fun, playful place to stay in Orlando that won’t break the bank.
Rates from: $179/night
Closest to: Universal Parks
Hyatt Regency Orlando
This is one of the best hotels on International Drive in Orlando to pick if you’re visiting both the Universal Resorts and Walt Disney World resorts as it’s roughly equidistant between the two (though, unfortunately, doesn’t offer transportation to either).
The hotel has fabulous outdoor facilities, including three outdoor pools. There’s a10,000-square-foot grotto pool with a 100-foot-long waterslide, a kid-friendly shallow wading pool, and the Terrace Pool, with lap lanes and more of an adult vibe. If you’re visiting the spa, there’s another private pool you can use before and after your treatments.
If you want a reliable hotel with high-end rooms and excellent service, the Hyatt Regency Orlando is a great pick.
Rates from: $199/night
Closest to: Universal Parks
Aloft Orlando International Drive
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The Aloft brand is owned by Marriott but has a different vibe than the brand’s more well-known properties. Aloft hotels are more modern and hip, with more unique designs (like funky wallpapers and bright colors) and tech-forward rooms. And this one is no exception.
It’s one of the livelier lobbies you’ll find of any resorts on International Drive in Orlando, with bright purple and yellow couches, a lobby bar, and a social area with a billiards table. Conveniently, there’s a 24-hour grab-and-go snack station, which will come in handy if you get back to your hotel late at night and realize you’re starving but too tired from being outside all day to wait at a restaurant. Rooms are big and bright, and since the hotel is in Orlando’s downtown area, it’s roughly equidistant to the Disney and Universal parks. Rooms start around $170 but can go into the high $500s or $600s during busy weekends.
Rates from: $170/night
Closest to: Disney World Parks
Hilton Grand Vacations Club Tuscany Village Orlando
Hilton Grand Vacations Club Tuscany Village is one of the best hotels on International Drive in Orlando if you want to stay near the Disney properties — it’s 2.3 miles from the Magic Kingdom — but don’t necessarily want to be surrounded by all-things-Disney in the evenings. As you can likely guess from the name, this is a higher-end property themed after Tuscany in Italy. But that doesn’t mean cheesy plastic grapes hanging in the lobby. Instead, you can expect an elegant lobby decked out in shades of terra cotta and a large outdoor pool surrounded by palm trees and arches.
One of the best things about this property is that the units are time-shares, which means a standard room isn’t your only option. The studios are the most like standard hotel rooms (though they do have kitchenettes), but if you opt for a one-, two-, or three-bedroom suite, you’ll get amenities like full kitchens, separate living areas, and a balcony or patio.
Rates from: $160/night
Closest to: Disney World Parks
Caribe Royale Orlando
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When you see the enormous bright-pink building of the Caribe Royale Orlando, and certainly once you walk through the palm-filled, glass-ceilinged atrium, you’ll know you’re in one of the best hotels on International Drive. Staying at the tropical-themed hotel feels like you’re someplace more exotic than Orlando, and the chinoiserie wallpaper, enormous bright-blue swimming pool, and rentable outdoor cabanas may just make you forget you’re not in the Caribbean.
All rooms are the Caribe Royale are suites, so they include separate living rooms, kitchenettes, and workstations. But if you want more space, you can book a villa, with screened-in patios, laundry in every unit, and access to a private pool.
If you’re going to the Disney parks, this is definitely one of the best hotels on International Drive in Orlando since it is a “Disney Good Neighbor” hotel. That means you can buy park tickets at the front desk and take the Caribe shuttle (the cost of which is included in the hotel’s resort fee) to all the Disney parks. Suites start in the low $300s, but villas start in the high $600s.
Rates from: $300(ish)/night
Closest to: Disney World Parks
Rosen Centre Hotel Orlando Convention Center
Photo: Expedia
Going to Orlando for a convention may not be as fun as going for a vacation, but fortunately, you can combine the two if you stay at the Rosen Centre Hotel Orlando Convention Center. Sure, it’s convenient to the convention center, but it’s also pretty close to the Disney parks, so you can add an extra day or two to your stay (or leave your convention a bit early to spend an evening at EPCOT).
The guest rooms are calm and relaxing, in shades of blue and grey with modern finishes and mini-fridges. But if you opt for a suite, you’ll get a space that feels more like a home, with warm colors and oversized armchairs. The hotel is very close to some of Orlando’s best theaters and venues and is only about five miles from the Universal Parks. It’s also a good pick if you want to stay near the Orlando airport as it’s only a 10-15-minute drive. Rooms start at $191, but note that it can book months in advance if there are large conventions in town.
Rates from: $191(ish)/night
Closest to: Disney World Parks (but just barely)
The Ritz-Carlton Orlando, Grande Lakes
Photo: Expedia
Okay — the Ritz-Carlton Orlando doesn’t technically count as being one the best hotels on International Drive in Orlando, but that’s only because it’s technically not on International Drive. It’s about two miles away on the Central Florida Parkway. But that shouldn’t matter if you’re going to the various theme parks as the hotel offers shuttle transportation to Universal and Disney World parks, so you don’t have to drive, anyway.
But that’s not all the hotel offers. It also has complimentary mountain bike rentals for pedaling around nearby lakes and parks, guided fishing and eco-tours on a nearby river that feeds into the Everglades, and a massive spa. Guests also get access to two pools (the resort pool and a lap pool at the spa), plus the Grand Lakes Waterpark at the hotel next door.
This is a Ritz-Carlton, so it’s not cheap. But considering you’ll get luxurious rooms with private balconies, access to poolside cabanas, and 11 options for eating and drinking on-site, it may be worth the steep price tag.
Rates from: $509/night
Closest to: Disney World Parks
Hip two-bedroom condo
If you decide a resort isn’t your thing but still want to be on international drive, check out this stylish two-bedroom Airbnb rental on International Drive in Orlando. While it’s a home rental, it’s as stylish as any hotel room, with a greenery wall, neon lighting, and cozy linens and comforters that’ll make it hard not to fall asleep in 30 seconds. It’s five miles from the Disney resorts and has free parking plus access to a shared hot tub and pool.
One of the best things about this rental is that no one has to sleep in a tiny twin bed. One bedroom has a king and the other has two doubles, so everyone will have a little extra room to spread out. But the best best part is probably the price: it starts at under $100 a night.
Rates from: $98/night
Closest to: Disney World Parks (but just barely)
Are there buses to Disney from International Drive?
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Unfortunately, the Disney resorts do not offer free transportation to the parks from hotels other than the Disney-owned ones. Your best option for how to get to Disney from International Drive is to drive or use a rideshare. If you want to make your rideshare trip a little shorter, you can have the driver take you to Disney’s Transportation and Ticket Center, from where you can take the monorail to the Magic Kingdom or EPCOT.
A few hotels on International Drive in Orlando are Disney “Good Neighbor” resorts, a requirement of which is offering transportation to the parks. However, the details of that transportation (such as the cost and schedule) can vary from resort to resort, so check with the hotel before booking if that’s a priority for your trip.
Can you walk from Universal to International Drive?
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You can walk to the Universal Theme parks from some hotels on International Drive — some. International Drive is 11 miles long, which means what is or isn’t walkable depends mostly on where you’re staying. If you book a resort toward the northern portion of International Drive, like the Royal Pacific or Cabana Bay, it’s easy to walk to the Universal Resorts. There’s a paved footpath along the water that connects Universals Aventura, Sapphire Falls, and Royal Pacific resorts with Universal CityWalk Orlando (the gateway to Islands of Adventure and Universal Studios). There’s also a free water taxi that shuttles guests between Sapphire Falls Resort and the Universal City walk. The boat shuttle is about a five-minute ride, while walking the footpath back to the resorts will be more like 25-30 minutes.
How much does an Uber cost from International Drive to Disney?
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Again, the cost of an Uber between Disney and hotels on International Drive will depend on where you’re staying. If you’re at the southern end of International Drive, an Uber or Lyft will be relatively quick without traffic as the southern part of the road is less than three miles from the Disney parks. So it should be around $10 without any traffic, but Uber surge pricing could drive the price as high as $25.
If you’re staying at a resort further north on International Drive, the base fare on an Uber should still be no more than $16-$17. Keep in mind, of course, that surge pricing can drastically impact rideshare prices. Fortunately, however, there are almost always dozens of Uber and Lyft drivers around Orlando, which means the city is more protected from the abnormally high surge pricing rates you’d find in smaller destinations when the companies need to encourage more drivers by raising the rates.