419 Best Hotels in Florida, USA

A classic antebellum-style hotel in the heart of town, the Clewiston Inn was built in 1938 to impress visiting businessmen and dignitaries; the cypress-paneled lobby, wood-burning fireplace, Colonial Dining Room, and Everglades Lounge with a wraparound Everglades mural are standouts. The 40 standard rooms, four suites, and eight efficiency apartments are furnished with pieces representative of the 1930s and 1940s with some more modern accents thrown in. Rates include a continental breakfast. There's a public pool across the street.

If swimming and sliding are among your family's top vacation desires, and your budget gets happy with value prices, this colorful resort with its on-property, 14-slide, three-pool water park could be the perfect destination.

This waterfront haven is tucked into a residential neighborhood beneath towering palms and native gumbo-limbos. No wonder it's a favorite of travel magazines. Each unit overlooks part of the 400-foot beach, where draping hammocks beckon you to nap. Prefer to paddleboard or kayak? Just slide one off the sand and go. Or take a dip in the pool. Less adventurous types can head for the Adirondack chairs along the shoreline or to those placed at the far end of the docks that jet into the bay. Units are comfortable and spacious and could be the backdrop for a Tommy Bahama ad with their upscale tropical decor and hand-carved furniture. Small patios give you your own slice of paradise. Breakfast is served beneath the bayfront chickee.

Not to be confused with the luxurious Colony in Palm Beach, this charming hotel in the heart of downtown Delray dates back to 1926, and although it's landlocked, it does have a cabana club 2 miles away for hotel guests only. The hotel is a member of the National Trust's Historic Hotels of America and maintains an air of the 1920s with its Mediterranean-revival architecture and retro Old Florida furnishings. The hotel's Cabaña Club, to which you are conveyed by shuttle, oversees a private stretch of beach and a heated saltwater pool. A convivial bar and live music on weekend nights make the lobby area a great place to wind down. Yoga classes are held there daily as well. Fine shops selling leather goods, body products, and stationery fill the lower-level storefronts.

If Universal's roller coasters and Harry Potter's Diagon Alley are your destinations, these homey accommodations just outside the park should fit the bill with budget-priced rooms that offer a kitchenette with microwave, refrigerator, and coffeemaker; some even have dining tables.

These four elegant suites, on the second story of the former offices of the French consul, range in size from 650 to 1,650 square feet and combine a 19th-century feel with 21st-century luxury. Antique architectural details add more than a hint of charm, and full kitchens and full-size washers and dryers make living easy. The two front units share an expansive balcony, where you can take in the constant parade of fishing vessels headed out to the Intracoastal Waterway. The homelike amenities make this a popular spot for families, larger groups, and even wedding parties, and discounts are given for stays longer than two nights. The Grady Market, a locally owned art-and-clothing boutique, occupies the building's first floor.

A combination of neighboring homes and a carriage house, this entire complex was created with Victorian flair. Seventeen fireplaces and an ornate oak staircase with leaded-glass windows on the landing lend authenticity to this restored 1905 mansion. Of the 23 rooms in the collection, no two guest rooms are alike, but all are appointed with Victorian-era settees and four-poster or sleigh king beds. A full breakfast is served in the dining room, an afternoon social includes tea and cookies, and occasionally the inn offers weekday specials. You can also stay in the villa or a renovated carriage house. Popular for weddings and receptions, these may be the most elegant homes in Apalachicola. Free tours are offered in the afternoon if the accommodations are not in use.

For families favoring home-style comforts over resort-style amenities, Cottages by the Ocean is one of five beach-area properties run by Beach Vacation Rentals. This property offers furnished, well-equipped condo-style lodging in accommodations that take shape as refurbished cottages or condos. Units are available for daily, weekly, and monthly rental.

If you're visiting Daytona Beach for something other than surf and sand (a certain iconic racing facility comes to mind), this smartly located Marriott is the perfect base. It's within walking distance to Daytona International Speedway, surrounding restaurants and shopping venues, and Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. Public spaces include a pool and barbecue picnic area with umbrella-shaded tables for outdoor dining and a chic lobby area with media pods and a mounted flat-screen (often tuned to NASCAR). The lobby Bistro serves breakfast and dinner.

As a nod to its location near the Kennedy Space Center, this hotel has space-themed decor and amenities and a rooftop Space Bar where you can take in views of the Indian River, watch launches, and enjoy flavorful food and drink. Rooms feature wall murals taken by the Hubble space telescope and, on the night stand, a toy astronaut that projects nebulas on the ceiling. The river side of the hotel's exterior features fire pits, Adirondack chairs, recreational games, and a resort-style pool with cabanas and a bar. 

Baseball fans often make this hotel their home base since spring-training and other sports parks are just a few miles away; others love the sports bar downstairs and being a stroll from the Bell Tower Shops. Expect tasteful, traditional furniture in medium-tone woods with bright accent walls in rooms that have granite bathroom vanities; mini-refrigerators; microwaves; hair dryers; flat irons; robes and slippers; and yoga mats and blocks. A rock waterfall adds a nice touch to the quiet pool deck.

History and franchises can mix, as this 1920s-vintage hotel proves with its handsome atrium lobby and sleep-conducive rooms. The place where Hemingway and Tennessee Williams both once entertained their muses is a cool, mellow respite from the Duval bustle outside its door. The second-floor pool and green courtyard provide further escape, as does the spa on the seventh floor. Cozy rooms include plush bedding, laptop safes, and mini-refrigerators.

This two-story hotel has one of the only swimming pools in the area, and it is on the rim canal that has a five-story observation tower for peeking over Lake Okeechobee's levee. Out back are a 650-foot fishing pier and The Boathouse, one of the lake area's best hangouts for shooting pool or watching TV, attracting a mix of locals and out-of-towners. You get a free drink ticket upon arrival. The best rooms are the suites, which are actually efficiency apartments with full kitchens.

Anchoring the One Daytona shopping and entertainment complex across from the speedway, this sleek Marriott hotel is to racing what Hard Rock Cafe is to music. The racing theme runs from the common areas, where historic cars are displayed, to the rooms, which have motorsports artwork (as well as cozy sofas, iPads, and refrigerators) to the Sir Malcom restaurant and Blue Flame bar. The hotel also has a resort-style pool with cabanas and a fire pit.

Wildlife, including the endangered Key deer, roams the grounds of this bed-and-breakfast, which has four guest rooms, all with ocean views, cathedral ceilings, king beds, private baths, small porches, and calming decor. On-site massage therapy is available for an additional fee, depending on availability. Innkeepers Jen DeMaria and Harry Appel were way ahead of the green-lodging game when they opened in 2004, and remain far ahead, maintaining their State of Florida 3 Palm status.

This 12-story resort sits on the beach, and many of the suites, especially those on higher floors, have stunning views. Units have rich red and orange accents, updated kitchenettes, and bathrooms. Premium units have a living room with queen-size sleeper sofa and a separate bedroom. The well-organized children's programs include everything from crafts to scavenger hunts. An on-property spa adds a measure of luxury.

Scenes and characters from favorite Disney movies dot the grounds of this large, value-priced, family resort—101 Dalmatians of all sizes scamper along railings, Mickey, in his Sorcerer's Apprentice robes commands the waters at the Fantasia pool, and a larger-than-life Woody cavorts with his Toy Story pals.

Music rules in this colorful, value-priced, family-centric resort that resembles a Florida beach hotel of the 1950s. Each section of the resort rocks to a different genre of popular music—country, jazz, rock and roll, calypso, and show tunes.

Stay here if you want the All-American, sports-mad, Disney-with-your-kids experience, or if you're a couple to whom all that pitter-pattering of little feet is a reasonable trade-off for a good deal on a room, albeit a small one.

Most of the suites here accommodate five people, though there are smaller options, too. Although it shares a bus route with the Animal Kingdom lodge and offers animal viewing (for an up charge), Kidani is a separate entity, with its own check-in, pool area, and fantastic restaurants.

This colorful, three-story resort is a kid's version of paradise as each of its four wings features images from Finding Nemo, Cars, The Lion King, or The Little Mermaid, and linens and carpeting match the theme. Suites sleep up to six and have a separate bedroom and two baths.

Each villa in this pale-turquoise-and-white waterfront property next to the Yacht and Beach Club Resort has a separate living room, kitchen, and one or two bedrooms. It offers easy access to Disney's BoardWalk, Hollywood Studios, and EPCOT. Deluxe studios include a kitchenette and a sleeper sofa for a 5th guest for similar prices as a standard room.

Evoking Atlantic City in its heyday, this red-and-white hotel has a lobby filled with potted palms overlooking a classic waterfront promenade. Ferries and water taxis tootle about the bay on their way to EPCOT and Hollywood Studios, hawkers beckon you to play arcade games, and the smell of pretzels and popcorn hangs in the air.

Consisting of five palm-studded island "villages," this charming resort with a 42-acre lake and white sand beaches is labeled with names straight from Pirates of the Caribbean. Nightly movies under the stars or bonfires on the shore can be a welcome break from the parks.

You're paying for location at this sleek, modern, luxury resort, which, despite having opened in 1971, still lives up to its name; park hopping is a breeze, as the monorail runs through the lobby. Dinner reservations at the rooftop California Grill come with 15th-floor views of Magic Kingdom fireworks.

Popular with convention goers and families, this colorful, Southwestern-style property has a lively food court, an elaborate swimming pool, and a moderate price for a Disney resort. For the best experiences, stay in the Grand Destino Tower, where rooms have great views and amenities are close at hand.

Disney is nothing if not a master of theming, and this collection of homestyle villas and studios reflective of vintage Key West homes is a shining (and pricey) example. A commonsense choice for families, the one- and two-bedroom pastel-hue rooms include flat-screen TVs with DVD players, free Wi-Fi, full kitchens, and living areas with dining tables. A theme-park shuttle offers complimentary transportation, and three outdoor pools, hot tubs, and a sandy beach are other perks. Other amenities include a casual restaurant, a snack bar, an exercise room, and tennis courts. Boats ferry resort guests to landings along the Disney Springs waterfront, which is a free and convenient service—especially at the tail end of a theme-park day and nightclub evening.

Giant jukeboxes, 65-foot-tall bowling pins, an oversize Big Wheel and Rubik's Cube, and other pop-culture memorabilia dot the grounds of this value resort. Guest rooms have recently been renovated, and a big food court serves reasonably priced fare.

Cobblestone streets, gas lamps, wrought-iron balconies, and fragrant magnolia blossoms create a Disneyfied (i.e., clean) version of the French Quarter at this property. Kids can spend hours in the elaborate pool area with its sea serpent waterslide; other activities include nightly campfires as well as pirate cruises and horse-drawn carriage rides (each for an added fee). Although a Mardi Gras–theme food court and a Southern-style jazz and cocktail bar can keep you occupied in the evening, do make use of the free shuttles and water taxis that travel to other Disney resorts and Disney Springs, located a few miles away. Genteel rooms have dark wood furnishings, free Wi-Fi, TVs, and coffeemakers.

Considered an even more family-friendly choice than its neighbor (the French Quarter resort), this lodging on the man-made Sassagoula River immerses you in a Creole setting—from the white-column mansions of Magnolia Bend to Alligator Bayou’s backwoods cottages. Highlights include Boatwrights Dining Hall, which features hearty portions of southern Louisiana cooking. Some rooms have extra pull-down bunks and river views, others are princess-themed. The six pools, waterslide, and waterfall are sure hits with all kids. Nightly campfires are pleasant, and, for a fee, there's fishing at Ol' Man Fishing Hole and carriage rides. A free water taxi ferries guests to other Disney resorts on the river and to Disney Springs, and a free shuttle is available to all Disney parks and the airport.