AreaStays
The Linton E. Allen Memorial Fountain spraying water on Lake Eola in front of the downtown Orlando skyline

Michael Rivera / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0

United States

Where to Stay in Orlando

Orlando is the most-visited destination in the United States, and almost everything about it is built around its theme parks. This guide covers the areas that actually work as a base: the endless restaurants and attractions of International Drive, the Disney Springs-adjacent hotels of Lake Buena Vista, and the on-site resorts of Universal Orlando and CityWalk. Unlike a lot of cities in this guide, Orlando isn't really one walkable place — it's a spread-out collection of resort districts, each built around a different park or corridor, connected mostly by car, shuttle, or rideshare. Don't miss the rotating globe at Universal's entrance, the free-to-wander shops and restaurants of Disney Springs, and the 400-foot Wheel at ICON Park on International Drive.

Quick facts

Best time to visit
Visit between late January and early May, or September through early November, avoiding major school holidays. Crowds and prices peak in summer and around Christmas/New Year's, and summer also brings heavy afternoon thunderstorms most days. Winter is drier and far less crowded, though early mornings can be cool by Florida standards.
Renting a car
A car (or consistent rideshare budget) makes Orlando much easier — the areas in this guide are 15-40 minutes apart by road, and public transit doesn't meaningfully connect them. If you're only doing one park cluster and its on-site or adjacent hotels, you can get by on shuttles and rideshare alone.

Where to stay

The yellow Characters in Flight tethered balloon rising over the shops and waterfront of Disney Springs

Jeff Christiansen / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0

Lake Buena Vista

Best for: Families, First-time visitors

The illuminated, rotating Universal Studios globe at the entrance to Universal Orlando, with CityWalk's restaurants lit up behind it at night

Eden, Janine and Jim / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0

Universal Orlando & CityWalk

Best for: Families, First-time visitors, Nightlife

The Wheel at ICON Park, a 400-foot observation wheel on International Drive, seen from below against a clear sky

Chad Sparkes / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0

International Drive

Best for: First-time visitors, Families, Budget travelers

Compare neighborhoods

AreaBest forAdvantageTrade-off
Lake Buena VistaFamiliesGenuinely walkable access to Disney Springs' shops, restaurants, and entertainment, plus free shuttle service to all four Disney parks.You're a 30-40 minute drive from Universal Orlando and International Drive, so seeing more than Disney means a car or rideshare.
Universal Orlando & CityWalkFamiliesOn-site hotels put you a walk or short water-taxi ride from both theme park entrances and CityWalk's restaurants and bars.Everything here revolves around the parks, so it's a resort bubble rather than a walkable slice of the wider city.
International DriveFirst-time visitorsEndless restaurants, shops, and attractions like ICON Park within a short walk or trolley ride of most hotels.The strip itself is heavy with traffic and can feel more like a commercial highway than a neighborhood.

Our picks for Orlando

A handful of editorial calls across every neighborhood above, not just the highest star rating — see each hotel's own card further down for the full case for and against it.

🏆 Our overall pickDrury Plaza Hotel Orlando – Disney Springs AreaLake Buena Vista💰 Best valueDrury Plaza Hotel Orlando – Disney Springs AreaLake Buena Vista👨‍👩‍👧 Best for familiesRenaissance Orlando at SeaWorldInternational Drive✨ Best luxuryLoews Portofino Bay HotelUniversal Orlando & CityWalk📍 Best locationHilton Orlando Buena Vista Palace – Disney Springs AreaLake Buena Vista

A couple of hotels in Lake Buena Vista

Lake Buena Vista is the top-recommended area to stay in Orlando.

Hilton Orlando Buena Vista Palace – Disney Springs Area

★★★★
  • 📍 Best location

Our take The pedestrian skybridge straight into Disney Springs is the reason to book this one — it turns a "nearby" hotel into a genuinely walkable one, which most hotels in this price range can't claim.

Good for

  • Families
  • First-time visitors

Visitors who want the closest possible walk to Disney Springs without staying inside a Disney-owned resort.

Why we like it

  • Its own pedestrian skybridge leads directly into Disney Springs, about a 5-7 minute walk
  • Two pool areas plus a full-service spa on site
  • Many upper-floor rooms have lake or Disney Springs views

What to know

  • It's a large high-rise resort, so it can feel busy at peak times
  • A resort fee applies on top of the room rate
  • Universal Orlando is about a 30-minute drive
Check availability on Booking.com

DoubleTree Suites by Hilton Orlando – Disney Springs Area

★★★★
  • 👨‍👩‍👧 Best for families

Our take Worth booking specifically for the extra space — it's the only all-suite hotel in this cluster, which matters if you're traveling with kids and need somewhere to put them to bed while adults stay up.

Good for

  • Families

Families who want more room to spread out — a separate living area and bedroom in every suite — within walking distance of Disney Springs.

Why we like it

  • Every room is a suite with a separate living area, useful for families
  • About a 10-15 minute walk to Disney Springs
  • Free shuttle service to all four Walt Disney World theme parks
  • A warm cookie on arrival, a small but genuine welcome touch

What to know

  • It's older than some neighboring hotels, so decor is a bit more dated in places
  • Universal Orlando is about a 30-minute drive
  • A self-parking fee applies
Check availability on Booking.com

Useful travel information

The US dollar is the currency. Orlando's areas are miles apart along highways, not a compact downtown, so plan on a car, hotel shuttle, or rideshare to get around — walking only gets you around within whichever area you're staying in. Hurricane season runs June through November; most visits are unaffected, but check the forecast if you're traveling then.

Tips

  • Buy park tickets and make any required ride reservations online before you go — walk-up prices and last-minute availability are both worse than booking ahead.
  • Summer afternoons bring brief, heavy thunderstorms most days, even outside hurricane season — pack a light rain jacket and expect rides to pause during lightning.

Frequently asked questions

Where should first-time visitors stay in Orlando?
Stay in Lake Buena Vista if you're mainly doing Disney, on International Drive if you want a central base near a wide mix of attractions and dining, or right at Universal Orlando if its parks are your main focus.
Is Orlando walkable?
Not as a whole — the theme parks and resort areas are miles apart and connected mainly by car, shuttle, or rideshare — but each area in this guide is easy to get around on foot once you're there.
Do I need a car in Orlando?
It helps. A car or steady rideshare budget makes it much easier to move between International Drive, Lake Buena Vista, and Universal Orlando — if you're sticking to one park cluster and its on-site or adjacent hotels, shuttles alone can work.

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