Last updated July 6, 2026

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

Orlando

Where to Stay in Universal Orlando & CityWalk, Orlando

This is Universal Orlando's own resort area — Universal Studios Florida and Islands of Adventure, tied together by CityWalk, a compact strip of restaurants, bars, and live entertainment. Universal's on-site hotels sit close enough to reach the parks and CityWalk on foot or by a short water taxi ride, without needing a car for anything inside the resort.

What it's actually like to stay here

Energetic, and livelier after dark than Disney's hotel areas — CityWalk keeps its restaurants, bars, and a live music venue going well into the evening. By day it's mostly families moving between the hotels and the parks.

Stay here if

Good for first-time visitors and families who want to be within walking distance of Universal's parks, and for anyone who wants more of an evening scene than Disney-area hotels offer.

Stay elsewhere if

Consider another area if Universal's parks aren't your main focus — everything here is built around them, rather than around any wider slice of the city.

Walkability
Compact and easy to get around without a car. Universal's on-site hotels connect to CityWalk and both park entrances by walking paths, and several also run a free water taxi.
Noise at night
CityWalk stays lively with music and diners into the evening, but hotel rooms set back from the entertainment strip are quieter, and most guests find rooms fine for sleeping despite the activity nearby.

Best Hotels in Universal Orlando & CityWalk, Orlando

Loews Portofino Bay Hotel

★★★★
  • ✨ Best luxury

Our take The most complete on-site stay Universal offers — Italian-village theming that doesn't feel gimmicky, water-taxi access to both parks, and the resort's best included perk: a free Unlimited Express Pass for every guest.

Highlights

  • Every guest gets a free Unlimited Express Pass for Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure
  • Water taxi service to CityWalk and both parks, plus a walking path
  • Three themed pools, including a hillside pool modeled on Italy's Cinque Terre

What to know

  • It's Universal's most expensive on-site hotel, priced accordingly
  • The resort is large, so rooms can be a walk from the lobby and pools
Check availability on Booking.com

Loews Sapphire Falls Resort

★★★★

Our take A solid middle ground in Universal's on-site lineup — you still get early park admission and water-taxi access, just without the Express Pass perk of the pricier resorts, at a noticeably lower rate.

Highlights

  • Resort-style pool with a water slide and waterfalls, among the better ones at Universal's hotels
  • Walking path and water taxi to CityWalk and both parks
  • Early park admission included, the same as every on-site Universal hotel

What to know

  • It doesn't include the free Unlimited Express Pass that Portofino Bay, Hard Rock, and Royal Pacific offer
  • A self-parking fee applies, as at all Universal on-site hotels
Check availability on Booking.com

Universal's Cabana Bay Beach Resort

★★★
  • 💰 Best value

Our take A retro-styled Universal on-site resort with early park admission, a walking path to CityWalk, and rates well below the Premier and Preferred hotels.

Highlights

  • Cheaper than Universal's Premier and Preferred hotels, still with early park admission
  • Two pools, a lazy-river-style water play area, and an on-site bowling alley
  • Food hall with several counter-service options, useful for quick family meals

What to know

  • CityWalk is a 15-20 minute walk along a garden path; free shuttles also run to the parks
  • It doesn't include the free Express Pass that the Premier-tier hotels offer
Check availability on Booking.com

Transportation & practical information

Walking paths and water taxis link the on-site hotels, CityWalk, and both theme park entrances. A car or rideshare is the easiest way to reach International Drive, Disney, or the airport.

A car (or consistent rideshare budget) makes Orlando much easier — International Drive, Lake Buena Vista, and Universal 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.

Related areas

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 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

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