Holiday Inn Express & Suites Nearest Universal Orlando

After booking and reading reviews about this hotel, I was a little nervous, but let me make something clear this place was 5 stars for the deal we got. I came in and was acknowledged, taken care of quickly, and everything was explained to me by the office staff (parking, where the elevators were etc). The staff was friendly, happy, and accommodating to us the whole stay. The hotel was clean and done right, the corridors were surprisingly nice and the double queen hotel room may have been nicer than the Disney resort value hotel we stayed in! They had coin op laundry machines my wife found handy, and a nice little clean pool we just didn’t have time to get in! To top it all off a solid breakfast buffet was included in the stay. Scrambled eggs, cinnamon buns, sausage one day, bacon the other, yogurts, cereal, juices, coffee, fruit, the works. I’m not sure what other reviewers experiences were here but my stay was top notch for the price we paid. I did have a rental car, but was curious about the shuttles to universal in the morning (parking is 20 $ a day at universal) but the shuttles were booked until 1030 am, no worries universal is seriously a half mile, and 2 turns from the hotel. So my only suggestion is if you’re staying here without transportation is to get your shuttle pass squared away early. Other than that, I would definitely stay here again, pretty impressed.

This is the noisiest hotel ice stayed in. It’s 11pm and I can hear the people next door on speaker phone. I’ve got my AC cranked up and TV to down out the noise.
I’ve also heard people yelling down the hall. I have called the front. Didn’t help. I’ll be complaining to corporate in the AM.
Absolutely absurd.

We chose this hotel because like it’s title says, it is Nearest Universal Orlando. This is going to be a very thorough and long review. My apologies in advance, but picking a hotel is one of the most important things about a trip.
My partner and I were staying here the first week of 2016 with plans to visit Universal Orlando. We booked six nights here and arrived after a really late flight. We planned to rent a car and do stuff on days we didn’t visit the theme parks but our plans were ruined when we both got sick before our arrival. So we ended up spending more time in the hotel than I prefer to do!
We are in our early 30’s without any kids. We looked at the on-​site hotels but the cost to stay was a lot and the food options there were expensive. This Holiday Inn Express has a big free breakfast that even Dan (my partner) was impressed by and he’s a picky eater about quality of food.
The shuttle service to the parks was a nice perk. We picked this hotel knowing that it was within walking distance. We did make the walk one evening to the CityWalk and my fitbit measured it to be a 22 min. walk one way (and maybe a little over a mile). But after that first day, we decided to take the shuttle and save our walking for inside the parks.
You should always reserve your shuttle time the day before. The morning of can be sold out, and only on one occasion did we have to stand on the shuttle which drove me crazy because my feet really hurt (this was the day we walked 8 miles inside the park!).
Anyways, we liked the shuttle service (wished they had an airport shuttle too) and the breakfast was top notch. However, the rooms were very small. We paid average $ 104 per night, and I have stayed at Holiday Inn Express in Fort Lauderdale and Nebraska. Both of those times, the rooms were bigger and nicer.
But I should caution that this is the first time I have booked a hotel for Orlando theme parks. My last visit, I was 15 years old (so money meant nothing to me). Now I am a budget traveler and research so that I get a lot out of a hotel for little cost. So when we got here, I was disappointed with the room.
By the end of the trip though, the room size and quality did not make a huge difference. The hotel is close to restaurants, has a big hot breakfast (which can get crowded), and the staff was extremely friendly and helpful. They allowed us to move rooms our first night because of a noise problem. They were so friendly and quick to help us, that it made a huge impact. Every time we walked in and out, they smiled and said hello. I love that aspect!
In the end, great staff and customer service, good breakfast, shuttle to park, walking distance to restaurants and park, a heated pool (which we didn’t get to use because it was actually cold while we were there), and this all adds up to a good experience. The breakfast alone helped save us a lot of money!
Definitely would consider staying here again or recommending to our friends!

Comfortable bedding, friendly staff, free breakfast, free wifi, clean hotel. They also provide a complimentary shuttle to and from Universal Orlando. We checked in a 2am and Tina at the desk was so helpful in providing me with all the information I needed to enjoy my short weekend stay. Definitely will be staying here the next time we are in Florida.

We stayed here for EDC Orlando and for a «budget» hotel — well done! Our room was more cozy than what we’re used to (what living in Las Vegas does) but clean and comfortable.
Our flight arrived pretty early causing us to be at the hotel quite a few hours ahead of check in. When we asked the front desk about an early check in, they immediately began looking for an available room. I experienced GREAT customer service over my ENTIRE stay and I truly believe that the check in set the pace.
For the early check in, the only room type that was available was two queens… we had requested one king. That was pretty much the only issue, but I didn’t see an issue since they let us check in so early. Since we arrved early, we got to check out the continental breakfast that they offer… One thing, don’t ever think you’ll be hungry in the morning staying here. They have an assortment of options within a nice little dining area off the lobby.
The pool was rather small, but no smaller than any other budget hotel pool. I noticed that he location was in walking distance to Universal — sort of. We needed to got to the city walk area and it ran us $ 8 (with tip) in a Lyft. The location was also within a (much shorter) walking distance to Walgreens, Orlando/​Millers Ale House, Waffle House, Golden Corral… and many more things. Very convenient!
The room itself was pretty condensed… basic things, comfortable enough bed along with a shower + toilet bathroom (sink area was outside of the bathroom door).
Checkout was a breeze… we had a late flight and needed a late checkout which was also granted to us… fantastic guest service!

Husband and I stayed here one night as we drove through Florida. We are IHG members and decided to stop here to be close to Universal.
We arrived late and was greeted by a friendly desk clerk. She found our reservation and we were checked in swiftly.
The room and bathroom were very clean and comfortable. It was plenty spacious enough for my husband and I. The bed was comfortable and I fell asleep pretty quickly. Husband stayed up watching some movies in HBO so TV and cable worked great. The shower had very very little water pressure.
The next morning we had the free breakfast next to the lobby. It was a little busy. There was still plenty of seating and plenty of choices for breakfast.
Hot items such as eggs, biscuit and sausage, cinnamon rolls, bagel, toast, and pancakes were available. Cold items such as cereals, muffins, and some fruit were offered as well. Coffee, juices, and milk were available to drink. All condiments and utensils were available. It was a very clean and put together atmosphere.
In the lobby we decided to buy universal tickets for the day. It was a very easy process with a helpful staff and additional coupons.
There is a bus that takes you to the park of interested. The park is technically within walking distance, but in reality it is too far for most people if you are not a jogger/​runner.
Overall great and friendly service with awesome breakfast options and park purchasing options. I did not give 5 stars because of extreme lack of water pressure on shower and the hotel is not really «within walking distance to Universal» as advertised.

I usually don’t write reviews for most things that are average and I stay in a lot of average hotels, but this place is anything but. Just absolutely the worst hotel I have stayed in for many years. I don’t mind dated, but dated and dirty, poorly maintained, barely functioning is altogether a different thing. Carpeting was too disgusting to walk on with my bare feet, furniture was too stained to sit on, bathroom tiles were chipped, an air conditioner the came on with a roar every few minutes so loud that you couldn’t hear a TV at full volume and everything had the oppressive aura of a sad third world country. I don’t have high expectations when I check in at a Holiday Inn, but this was so far below any expectations at any price that I had to try to warn others.

First off I think many of the reviews with 4 or 5 stars are for the Holiday Inn across the street which is far better then this shit dump.
The rooms are dinghy. We had bugs in our room. Thank God not bedbugs. The shower was skeezy. The light didn’t work in the shower. The soda machine stole my money. The tv remote didn’t work.
The staff is great. Real friendly. But otherwise this place is a real shit hole. Thankfully it was only for one night until my room was ready at Port Orleans.

Location was good. Rooms could use some updating. Staff was nice. Breakfast in the morning was good, minimal but good. Very convenient to Universal.

This was an amazing location.
While researching for possible places to stay I had two things to consider:
1. Would I rather have a shuttle available to take me to the airport? or
2. Would I prefer to have free shuttle service to the theme park for the duration of my stay.
As you may have already guessed, I chose the latter. I believe that you save a lot of time, gas and money when you choose this option. As you won’t have to worry about parking and getting out of the park and valet, etc. I also preferred this location because it was truly very close to Universal Studios. Technically, I could have jogged there, but who wants to do that in 90+ degrees weather?
In addition to the free shuttle service, this hotel offers free continental breakfast for the duration of your stay. The food offered is delicious and the same that’s typically served at every Holiday Inn (eggs, biscuits, gravy, breakfast sausage and links, pancakes, toasts, cereal, etc.). The food is always fresh and promptly served at 6:00 A.M.-11:00 A.M. They also offered late night pancakes. Yep, you can enjoy pancakes at 10:00 P.M. if you’d like.
A standard room is a bit cozy, but my two other roommates slept comfortably on the queen sized bed. The room we had overlooked the city and so we were able to see the fireworks from Universal right from our room. This didn’t deter us from viewing it up close.
I didn’t have a chance to use the pool, but what I’ve found even more awesome is that they have laundry facilities on two floors in addition to vending machines for snacks and drinks. They are of course overpriced, but still very convenient. There are additional guest services up front across from check-​in where you will need to obtain shuttle passes for the day you wish to take the bus to the park, so be sure to get those. You can get on the bus at any time, but you will need to get a pass. Guest services can also assist with purchasing additional tickets and information about the park. They are usually there pretty late at night, so if you have any questions, be sure to ask either of them.
Lastly, the location of this Holiday Inn is within walking distance of several restaurant such as Carrabba’s, Golden Corale, Burger King, Wendy’s and so much more.
Forewarning, a cab ride from the airport to the hotel will cost $ 57.00, as it is a 20 minute drive. The cab driver also add tip to the fare automatically and unfortunately, Über is not allowed at the airport.
I highly recommend this hotel for your next vacation at Universal Orlando.

Heres the deal— its very very aged! They have tried hard to make simple upgrades, but the money would have been better spent imploding the building.
–There are 3 inch gaps under the main door, allowing for lots of noise.
–The shower door is not flush — your bathroom will be flooded.
–the shuttle operates from 0700 – 12 and you need to make reservations 24 hours in advance.

I don’t leave reviews unless I have a great or a poor experience. The hotel was prefect for our stay. Universal booked our stay here instead of the Holiday Inn (attached to the TGI Fridays) down the street. I was mad when I arrived but I’m so happy with my stay. The customer service at the front desk is so polite and friendly. They offer free breakfast every day (tastes good, decent quality, large variety), free wi-​fi, computers in the front lobby that I used to print my boarding passes. The hotel appearance is not a show stopper or anything but if you want to be treated well and you want to get the best bang for your buck, stay here. It’s walking distance from Universal too and they offer lots of free shuttle times. I know next time I visit Universal I will book this hotel on purpose.

I am wondering why this hotel is called the nearest to universal studios when it isn’t. There is another Holiday Inn directly across the street from the theme park.
The hotel is underwhelming. At check-​in the receptionist was not at the desk, she eventyally appeared from a small office three feet from the front desk only after hearing me tapping my keys on the desk. I checked in at 5:20 pm.
Breakfast is your typical free hotel breakfast. The staff managing breakfast are minimally pleasant. Nothing special or significant to mention about breakfast but I will say the coffee is very good.
I stayed in a king suite so my room size is more than adequate. The carpet is clean, the bed is comfortable (but springy). The channel lineup provided in the room does not match the channels on the TV. The room is plain and kind of drab but i am ok with the lack of style.
I would like to meet the genius who installed the full length mirror in the garment cubicle. The ac/​heater unit prevents anyone from standing in front of the mirror
I may be the problem, I was under the impression that Orlando relies so much on tourism that this hotel would try harder to show guest appreciation.

This Holiday Inn Express is bleak, dismal, crowded, and worn. It exists solely for its location, otherwise I’m certain it would have been gutted and refurnished long ago.
The parking and location was ideal for Universal Studios, but it had nothing else going for it. The hotel looked like it had seen better years. The lobby was typical and offered a shuttle bus to the park that you had to get a pass for the day before. They served breakfast off of the lobby, but I never had a chance to try it because every table was full and there were people standing around eating.
There were three small elevators off the lobby that were frequently used. Bright fluorescent lights, stainless steel walls, very sterile feeling. Fitting six people in there felt very cramped in these narrow elevator cabs.
The hotel corridor was very wide and long with faded blue carpet, an ancient ice machine and a soda machine. The ice and soda was crammed into a small dimly lit room off the corridor and the corridor itself was oddly lit with lights near the doors, none near the center, causing the space to feel gloomy.
The hotel rooms were no better. The beds were ok, if not oddly springy. The carpet worn. There was a light by the bed where one bulb was missing. There was a wall sconce by the door that gave off this terrible blueish white light. The vanity sat outside the bathroom and had the most light coming from it, but the bed was also within a foot of the vanity’s edge so no one could sleep while someone else got ready. The shower stall was actually too big for the bathroom so they built the bump out for the stall took up more space in the room.
The bathroom was super cramped with a pocket door separating it and the room. The towel rack was above the toilet. The shower stall was alright as well as the water pressure. Yellow light filled this space, except for the shower that had the blueish light.
There was no quiet in that place. I could easily hear my neighbors’ televisions, people walking up and down the corridor, the elevator dinging, and what I swear was a washing machine at night.
It was not peaceful, pleasant, or enjoyable. Had it not been for a couple of nights and the location I would have found somewhere else.

This place is great for the price.
First, the front desk staff are always friendly, helpful, and professional. The «concierge» desk lady is very helpful. The kitchen staff is the hardest working and the most courteous I’ve come across. They surely make sure every guests are well fed.
The facilities are well kept, didn’t use the outdoor pool, but everyday I saw someone enjoying it. The house cleaning staff did a good job getting our room cleaned and tidied up. Wish they would leave my used once complimentary shampoo, conditioner and soap alone… Wish I could at least use them up before they were thrown away. Anyway, whenever I run into them in the hallway, they would always greet you with a smile and enthusiasm. Love it.
The room we were at was a king-​bed room. We booked a non-​smoking double-​double, but, maybe they ran out of it, the system put us into a smoking one. If I stay in one, I will get my asthma back for sure. The lady at the reception realize the problem and «upgraded» our room quickly. I’m just thankful that they still have those available. While it maybe an upgrade, but, as anticipated, the bed was too soft… my wife felt every movement I made… That’s why we usually opt for two beds when traveling. We should be more insistent next time.
The universal Studios is nearby, but it would be a REALLY long walk. While the hotel does have free shuttle service, but it is shared by a few other hotels, and has «condition»: (1) tickets are required for each person riding; (2) tickets are limited on each scheduled bus; (3) you can only get tickets one day in advance; (4) you can only get tickets to a specific bus (I think 6 each day), and if you missed it, you can’t just get on the next one, nor earlier one; (5) this hotel is the last stop, so seating is unlikely as it is just a transit bus, not a coach, but the ride is only a few minutes… with a few sharp turns; and, (6) while you can ride whichever bus you like for the return trip, the last bus leaves at 8:10pm, so you’ll miss any night time shows or parades. Don’t worry, taxi ride back is only $ 6. If you have a small party, don’t use the hotel cab service, hail a cab using the local taxi service app or Über. Using the hotel’s is $ 10, and calling it yourself is probably $ 6 – 8. Something I discovered too late.
There is a Walgreen very near by (15 – 20 minutes walk) if you need something, and a Wendy’s right next door (same parking lot). Talking about parking lot, there’s plenty of parking spaces here, as a lot of people don’t drive here.

Compared to a lot of other HIE’s I’ve recently stayed at, the bathroom fixtures were actually intact and operated correctly. Rooms are nice and the house keeping staff does a good job.
Front desk personnel are very friendly. I was greeted every morning as I got my coffee by every member in the lobby area.
Location is great, next to Universal Studios, and offers a lot of chain restaurants nearby for anyone’s varying tastes.
I will definitely stay here again the next time I am in town for work.

Good hotel, nice staff, and a breakfast that was better than par (minus the powered eggs, which were just gross).
The room was clean, well-​maintained, and very close to a Wendy’s (can anyone say «Frosty!»?). The price was right, and I will gladly go back when I am in town next.

There are tons of hotels to stay at in Orlando, so many that it can be overwhelming but if you are looking for a place to stay near Universal Studios for a good price this is a great choice! The staff is probably the nicest of any hotel I’ve ever stayed at, the front desk remembered my name and everytime I came into the hotel or left the hotel they greeted me by name! They offer a free hot breakfast and it’s awesome! Each day it changed slightly but for the most part they had pancakes, muffins, cereal, yogurt, eggs, sausage, bacon, bagels and bananas, lots of options!!! Our room was clean and comfortable, nothing fancy but just what we needed after a long day of being at the theme parks.
PROS: Awesome extremely helpful staff, great free breakfast, free shuttles to Universal Studios and literally right next door to Wendy’s if you need a quick bite to eat. Also they have a very nice pool!
CONS: The shuttles are a little tricky, they only have a few pickup times and a few dropoff times throughout the day so you really need to pay attention to be sure you don’t miss it. Also, the shuttles don’t run very late so if you plan to hang out at City Walk plan to take a cab home, this hotel is so close it will cost less than $ 10 w/​tip.
TIPS: If you plan to use the shuttle to Universal get your tickets the day before, they have a desk in the lobby, you select a time and they will print it up for you. Be ready in the lobby at the time you have chosen because the shuttle will not wait. The shuttle stops at 2 other hotels before dropping off so they are on a tight schedule!

Since I was staying in Orlando and visiting Universal Studios Orlando, I needed a place to stay. One of my favorite movie is «Up in the Air» starring George Clooney. In that movie, George Clooney’s character Ryan Bingham is an elite on both the skymiles and hotel rewards programs. My uncle is an elite and gave me a free hotel stay at the Holiday Inn Express Nearest Universal Orlando.
Since I stayed for free, I can’t really tell you how much it cost, but my uncle did you thousands of points for me to stay for three nights. If you are a Platinum member, you’ll get special treatment from the staff. You’ll get free bottles of water and newspaper service during your stay. My Hotel Hostess was Christina. She was the person who worked with uncle on arranging my stay.
My hotel room is just perfect. It was a bigger than expected suite. I forgot what floor I was on, but the room was at the end of the hallway. A couch that turns into a bed, flat panel TV, desk, refrigerator, and coffee maker. As for the refrigerator, it was utilized a lot. I’ll tell you quite why I mentioned the refrigerator. There are plenty of towels for your use. The front desk will give you the password to access the free Wi-​Fi. You will have to re-​enter the password a bunch of times since the network always thinks you are registering the first time.
The hotel has a outdoor pool especially for those hot days. I used it one night even past the posting hours since it was hot and humid. I am sure other guests wanted to do the same thing. If you don’t want to use the pool, there is an indoor gym with two treadmills with TVs, dumbbells, stationary bike, and a elliptical machine. There are towels in the room. You don’t have to use the towels from your hotel room. Also, there is a water dispenser. The indoor gym will require a key to get in. Although, there is posted hours, just talk with the staff and they will be lenient about the hours.
The main part of Holiday Inn is the breakfast! Not just continental, but full breakfast. I didn’t want to eat in the hotel room since it was interesting were most of the people were coming from. The dining hall is pretty big. You can make your own pancakes, get some eggs, sausages, bacon, cereal, juice. There will always be plenty of food. I forget the hours, but its for 3 – 4 hours. As I mentioned about the refrigerator earlier, I got a couple yogurts and bananas to bring back to my suite in case I get hungry a little later.
Another feature that Holiday Express Inn Express offers is the free shuttle to Universal Studios Orlando. Please get your boarding tickets from the Travel Services Desk. Only limited quantity/​times are available. Please due note that pickup times are earlier than the park closes. Keep your handy because the bus drivers seem to be very strict on having the ticket when you board. The bus will not accept any money since the hotels are paying for this service. Safety is a big concern, the bus drivers will not allow kids to stand while the bus is in motion. So, make sure you save a seat for a kid.
Don’t confuse this Holiday Inn Express Hotel Across Universal Orlando. This is Nearest Universal Orlando. There is another Holiday Inn just down the street, but more packed. Glad I found this location better than the others especially with the bus route. The other Holiday Inn Express had a huge line for the bus. Overall, the staff and the amenities were good enough for me to come back and stay again. Plus, I want to say hello to my hostess, Christina :)
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This is a typical newer HIE location. Rooms are clean and decently furnished. This hotel is all suites, so the rooms are quite large.
Only weak point here was the bedding. Bed was not that comfortable and the bedding itself was just o.k. Clean, but not noteworthy.
Another strong point was breakfast. Despite a huge crowd in the morning, the hotel had plenty of staff working the free breakfast area and lots of food out.
For the money, and to be close to Universal Studios, I would stay again.