We review the best Marriott Bonvoy hotels near Universal Orlando & Walt Disney World, whether you are traveling as a family with kids or are just adults wanting to enjoy the parks. Which stands out? Which is rubbish?
If you want a solid hotel with an excellent comfy bed for a good night’s sleep, a nice bathroom, a free park shuttle, free breakfast, a good family pool, and an attractive location, which should you choose?
Marriott’s hotel portfolio includes The Ritz-Carlton Luxury Collection, St. Regis, Westin, W Hotels, EDITION, Sheraton, and the Four Points by Sheraton, as well as Marriotts, JW Marriotts, Courtyard by Marriott, and more.
We recommend that you book your stay at any of these hotels via our luxury travel concierge as we can offer you special benefits or deals at all these hotels, whilst you still benefit from your status and collect your usual points. It costs nothing to ask us for a quote, and we will be able to help you squeeze some extra value from your stay.
First, I outline which hotel is best for various categories, and then we look at each hotel individually and share what it offers.
- Best for pool: The Ritz-Carlton Orlando has a beautiful pool (pictured above), and the next-door JW Marriott property has a fun lazy river which you can access whether you are staying at the Ritz-Carlton or the JW, so stay at either for an awesome pool experience
- Best for families: The Ritz-Carlton Orlando because its club lounge provides food and drinks throughout the day. A lifesaver when feeding children as you are not restricted to mealtimes
- Best for club lounges: Ritz-Carlton Orlando, hands down, you won’t need to eat out
- Best for couples: Ritz-Carlton Orlando once again, it is a classy hotel
- Best for golf: Ritz-Carlton Orlando
- Best for views of the Universal fireworks: Ritz-Carlton Orlando
- Best for boutique chic: Grand Bohemian Hotel Orlando
- Best for value: Castle Hotel, Autograph Collection
- Cheapest for Bonvoy redemptions: The Westin Lake Mary, Orlando North
- Best for beach: Ritz-Carlton Naples Beach Resort – this is a fabulous hotel, but it is not convenient for the parks, so it would work out better if you two-centered Naples with Orlando to make the most of the parks and the beach
1. The Ritz-Carlton, Orlando, Grande Lakes
Located 4012 Central Florida Parkway Orlando, Florida 32837, 11 miles from Disney. This is a Marriott Category 6 property and costs upwards of 50,000 points per night.
The Ritz-Carlton in Orlando is a great luxury Golf resort with a golf course, spa, fly fishing, eco-tours & a club lounge, all convenient for Disney and Universal Parks. It is located in the Grande Lakes part of the city, within a short free shuttle ride to Disney and Universal (included with the resort fee of $35 USD per day).
The resort fee also includes Wi-Fi, phone calls, the driving range, some kids’ activities, access to and floaties at the JW Marriott lazy river, and shuttle transport to Disney and SeaWorld (reservation required at least 24 hours in advance), and a one-hour bike rental.
The hotel is next door to the JW Marriott Orlando, Grande Lakes. It’s about a 20-minute drive from Orlando Airport (MCO), and parking fees are around $40 USD per night if you have driven to the hotel.
I would choose this hotel because it offers luxury near the theme parks and an excellent club lounge. It also has three wonderful pools, a Ritz-Carlton Spa, a Greg Norman-designed golf course, and 11 dining options. You can also use the lazy river next door at the JW Marriott, which kids and the young at heart will love. The Ritz-Carlton Spa is also not to be missed, with its 40 treatment rooms, salon, private heated lap pool, and healthy spa café. Of note, the JW Marriott does not have a club lounge. Hence, you do better booking into a Club Room at the Ritz-Carlton and then taking advantage of the magnificent lazy river at the JW Marriott during your stay whilst retaining access to the RC club lounge.
The Ritz-Carlton Orlando, Grande Lakes is ideal for families, providing convenient access to nearby Walt Disney World, SeaWorld, and Universal Studios attractions; plus, the Ritz Kids program is a favorite, and special excursions like kayaking, fishing instruction, and eco-tours allow for adventures while remaining in this 500-acre resort.
The highlight for me here is the pool, both here which is a beautiful and sophisticated pooled lined by swaying palm trees and next door at the JW Marriott, with its lazy river and the incredible views of the resort holiday fireworks from the club lounge balcony.
The club lounge is on the 14th floor and is classic in design with orange and cream tones, mainly orange soft furnishings, and creamy marbles. The long, thin room is shuttered to one side with windows. The buffet here is delicious and filling. You can take a tour via the video on the Ritz-Carlton website.
2. JW Marriott Orlando Grande Lakes
Located at 4040 Central Florida Parkway Orlando, Florida 32837, 10.7 miles from Disney, JW Marriott Orlando Grande Lakes is a luxury Orlando hotel with unique venues, a lazy river outdoor pool, gym, spa, golf club, and dining. This is a Marriott Category 6 property and costs from 50,000 points per night.
JW Marriott Orlando Grande Lakes is one of our top picks in Orlando and is situated right next door to the Ritz-Carlton, which we reviewed above. This tropical landscaped Orlando resort provides transfer service to local theme parks, including Walt Disney World, Universal Studios, and SeaWorld. Guests will enjoy an onsite golf course, a lazy river, and an outdoor pool. Walt Disney World Resort is 15.9 km from the property.
A flat-screen cable TV, iPod docking station, and free bottled water are included in all guest rooms at the JW Marriott Orlando Grande Lakes. Each marble bathroom includes a separate shower and bath with bathrobes.
An extensive fitness center is onsite, as well as the Ritz-Carlton Spa, which offers massages and body scrubs. This Orlando Grande Lakes JW Marriott also offers tennis courts, volleyball, and express check-in and check-out. Guests can schedule guided fly fishing excursions, golf, or kayak eco-tours of Shingle Creek directly with the hotel.
Primo, by Melissa Kelly, is an organic Italian restaurant featuring ingredients from an onsite vegetable garden. Citron, An American Brasserie, offers Contemporary American cuisine with nightly specials and wine selections. A poolside bar is available as well.
SeaWorld Orlando is 4.8 km from the property. Marriott Orlando Grande Lakes is 19.3 km from Orlando International Airport, and the lazy river is amazing.
Contact our luxury travel concierge for a better deal.
3. Orlando World Center Marriott
Located on 8701 World Center Drive Orlando, Florida 32821, 5 miles from Disney. This is a Marriott Category 5 property and costs from 35,000 points per night.
Just a couple of miles from Walt Disney World Resort, one of the best choices for families is the Orlando World Center Marriott. This is the closest Marriott hotel to the theme park, and it offers a load of onsite supervised activities for children. The hotel is a nice resort, but there are many additional fees, and there are very few benefits for Bonvoy Platinum Elite members.
There are four pools, including one with waterfalls and three waterslides. Kids particularly enjoy the pool laser show at night and, of course, the water slides.
Platinum Bonvoy members have reported receiving upgrades from their resort view room to a pool view (both have nice balconies), but that’s pretty much it for Plat recognition. This property also charges a daily resort fee of $25 USD per day and $23.43 USD per day for parking. The “free” breakfast is continental, with an available upcharge of $7 USD for hot food. It costs $11 USD per child for their full breakfast buffet, but you could quite feasibly sneak hot items from your kid’s breakfast for yourself if you pay for it in this way.
Other facilities include an 18-hole golf course, an onsite spa, a 24-hour fitness center, five restaurants, and a supermarket.
4. Walt Disney World Dolphin
Walt Disney World Dolphin is located at 1500 Epcot Resort Boulevard Lake Buena Vista, Florida 32830, 1.8 miles from Disney. This is a Marriott Category 6 property and costs from 50,000 points per night.
The Walt Disney World Dolphin has been fairly recently renovated and is within (long!) walking distance from Epcot, it’s a pleasant walk, past the Boardwalk shops and restaurants. If you take an Uber van from the airport, expect to pay around $50 USD to get there.
There is a sister Marriott hotel at Disney called the Swan, and both are in similar locations and have similar facilities. The Swan and Dolphin have five heated pools between them, and you can access them all, whichever hotel you stay in, so these are not a dealbreaker when choosing between the Dolphin vs. the Swan. Families will particularly enjoy the large grotto pool at the Dolphin with a waterfall and a water slide, but you should avoid the Dolphin poolside rooms unless you like deep bass from the pool music all day.
All the pools are nestled in an exotic tropical environment so that you can relax in the shade or tan in the sun. The expansive pool area provides the best of both worlds: quiet alcoves for those who prefer a private place to unwind and more lively areas with seasonal disc jockeys and entertainment for those who prefer a little more excitement.
A disadvantage of the Dolphin is the convention center, so you might see many suits and conference guests, which takes Disney magic away from the stay. Plus, there is a resort fee of around $35 USD/night.
They say:
Located in the center of the Walt Disney World® Resort adjacent to Epcot® and Disney’s Hollywood Studios™, with the Magic Kingdom® Park and Disney’s Animal Kingdom® Theme Park nearby, this award-winning resort offers entertainment, activities, dining, and the luxurious Mandara Spa. Enter a world of wonder and enchantment. As our guest, you’re entitled to special Disney benefits, such as Extra Magic Hours in theme parks, complimentary transportation, onsite character dining, and advance tee times on championship golf courses. All of our 1,514 guest rooms and suites feature the Heavenly® Bed, two dual-line telephones with voicemail messaging and data port, high-speed Internet access, color/cable TV, individual climate control, and much more.”
5. Walt Disney World Swan
Both the Swan and Dolphin resorts sit on 87 acres of lakefront property in Disney’s Epcot area, adjacent to Disney’s Boardwalk. There is not much to choose between them in terms of location, and they both cost the same if you are redeeming Bonvoy points.
The Swan is smaller and feels quieter, and the character breakfasts on Saturdays and Sundays at Garden Grove feature Chip and Dale, Pluto, and Goofy, which are magical. If you are a family of 4 or under, choose the Swan. If you are a family of 5, you can all share the same room at the Dolphin, so it would be better to choose the Dolphin.
6. Renaissance Orlando at SeaWorld
Renaissance Orlando at SeaWorld is located at 6677 Sea Harbor Drive, Orlando, Florida 32821, 8.4 miles from Disney. This is a Marriott Category 5 property and costs from 35,000 points per night.
Located by SeaWorld, Renaissance Orlando at SeaWorld is walking distance from SeaWorld and close to the theme parks of Walt Disney World and Universal Orlando. Rooms here are spacious, and some have lovely balconies and feature LCD flat-panel TVs, Aveda bath products, and marble bathrooms.
Kids will have a whale of a time in the R Aqua Zone Water Park, while adults can enjoy handcrafted cocktails and the freshest sushi in town at Mist Sushi + Spirits bar.
7. Grand Bohemian Hotel Orlando, Autograph Collection
Grand Bohemian Hotel Orlando, Autograph Collection is situated at 325 South Orange Avenue, Orlando, Florida 32801, 17.9 miles from Disney.
This 4-star luxury hotel is located in downtown Orlando’s lively arts district, with an onsite spa and restaurant. The Grand Bohemian Hotel Orlando, Autograph Collection is a stylish hotel decorated in shades of purple, red, yellow, and black. Rooms feature artwork, and there’s even an art gallery onsite. The pool area is not ideal for families, so although this hotel is a rather special choice, it is better suited to couples.
Live jazz at brunch on the weekends gives this hotel a homely feel. Still, this Autograph Collection property tends to attract older guests rather than families due to the lack of an exciting pool combined with the stylish atmosphere. I would stay just for the jazz! Beds are comfy with pillow-top mattresses, and there is complimentary high-speed internet access and flat-screen TVs in the rooms. Restaurants include The Boheme and the Bosendorfer Lounge. Marriott Bonvoy members can redeem or earn points here.
8. JW Marriott Orlando Bonnet Creek Resort & Spa
JW Marriott Orlando Bonnet Creek Resort & Spa can be found at 14355 Chelonia Parkway Orlando, Florida 32821, 3.9 miles from Disney. It is a brand new hotel, and this luxury hotel is likely to be a Marriott Category 6 property costing from 50,000 points per night.
Opening in early 2020, JW Marriott Orlando Bonnet Creek Resort & Spa brings modern luxury to Central Florida. Thoughtfully designed to bring people together, facilities include a Spa by JW®, a resort pool with a splash pad, specialty restaurants, and a rooftop terrace boasting nightly views of theme park fireworks displays. From locally inspired dishes to our holistic approach to well-being, JW Marriott Orlando Bonnet Creek Resort & Spa will be one of the most interesting new Bonvoy resort hotels in the area of Orlando.
9. Castle Hotel, Autograph Collection
Castle Hotel, Autograph Collection, is located at 8629 International Drive, Orlando, Florida 32819, 9.3 miles from Disney. This is a reward Category 5 hotel and costs from 35,000 points per night.
This boutique hotel, located on Orlando’s International Drive, with stylish accommodations and onsite dining. Near both Universal Studios and Walt Disney World, the Castle Hotel, Autograph Collection is ideal for families and for business travelers attending conferences at the Orange County Convention Center. There is also a spa and fitness center, as well as an outdoor pool for the kids. Onsite restaurants include the tapas Café Tu Tu Tango, a steakhouse, Vito’s Chop House, and the Garden Bistro & Bar or Antler’s Lounge.
This is a beautiful hotel with spires at the entrance and decor inspired by a Bavarian castle. It feels like it’s out of a fairy tale, with rooms featuring castle-themed headboards and fixtures. It is also one of the cheapest, really good Bonvoy hotels near the parks. In fact, it is worth considering when the prices in points or cash are too high at Renaissance Orlando at SeaWorld. If you don’t have continental breakfast included, you can very easily eat at a nearby McDonald’s.
This is a really nice hotel, which is almost as nice, but not quite as nice as the Renaissance near Sea World. However, as the Renaissance can be really pricey, this is a viable and cheaper alternative.
10. The Westin Lake Mary, Orlando North
The Westin Lake Mary, Orlando North is a little further away from the theme parks Disney and Universal, about 19 miles north of downtown Orlando, Florida, and about 35 miles from Walt Disney World. Because of its location, this hotel is the cheapest redemption hotel featured in this “best Bonvoy hotel” article at just 25,000 and is a Rewards Category 4 hotel·
The Westin Lake Mary, Orlando North, is a typical Westin that is well maintained with nice public spaces, good Heavenly beds, a good bathroom and tub, an outdoor pool, free parking, and pleasant staff. Executive floor deluxe rooms have floor-to-ceiling windows. Dogs are accepted here and get Heavenly dog beds and food. Shula’s 347 restaurant offers prime cuts of beef.
Platinum status is recognized here with points or a movie. The club lounge will provide free breakfast but is closed on the weekend when you get breakfast vouchers for Shula’s continental buffet instead, or you can pay to upgrade to a full breakfast.
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