Orlando Travel Guide

With more than 115,000 hotel rooms, Orlando has one of the widest selections of accommodations in the country—and very competitive room rates. You can watch giraffes graze from your room's balcony at the Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge, admire the music memorabilia at Universal's Hard Rock Hotel or rest in style at the downtown Westin Grand Bohemian. Then there are the dozens of inexpensive hotels that line nearly every major highway. Budget-conscious travelers should also consider that there are another 50,000 vacation homes and rental units, and a host of all-suite and condo hotels that allow visitors to prepare their own meals.

Location and price are critical decisions for most visitors to Orlando. Most of the hotels are clustered in four main areas: downtown Orlando; southwest of the city near Walt Disney World Resort; southeast Orlando along International Drive, near the Orange County Convention Center and the Orlando International Airport; and along the long stretch of commerce on Highway 192 in Kissimmee. Make reservations well in advance, particularly at hotels near the attractions, and especially during the Christmas holiday, the two weeks around Easter and mid-June through August.

If you plan to spend most of your time at the Disney parks, consider one of the many hotels owned by Disney. You'll generally pay more, but the convenience may be worth it. Disney also offers free transportation and other incentives to stay there. Two hotels, The Swan and The Dolphin, are on Disney property but are independently owned. There's also a string of hotels north of Downtown Disney that are owned and managed by major chains.

Those who want to focus on Orlando's other attractions may want to stay closer to the city center or around International Drive for the many attractions there. Kissimmee is the nearest area to Walt Disney World and has a large choice of affordable motels.