419 Best Hotels in Florida, USA

Designed to evoke a resort along the European Riviera, this hotel offers options for every type of traveler in its array of room choices—from Tower Studios (small rooms designed for only two guests but with a kitchenette) to grand, three-bedroom villas. Although it appeals to families, its beautiful landscaping and quiet, sophisticated atmosphere also attract couples looking for a romantic spot. In addition, the property is connected to the Disney Skyliner, so you can ride over to Hollywood Studios or take a bus to Magic Kingdom or Animal Kingdom.

This sprawling property takes its inspiration from 19th-century Gilded Age spa resorts in upstate New York, where hot springs and lakes ruled the landscape. Although the rates might be steep, the advantages for families are one- and two-bedroom villas as well as three-bedroom treehouse villas equipped with kitchens, washers and dryers, dining rooms, and separate bedrooms that go beyond traditional hotel rooms. Although it's too far to walk to Disney Springs, a free water taxi can get you there.

An oceanfront, family-oriented retreat tucked away in a residential stretch of Orchid Island, this Disney property has a retro Old Florida design with understated Mickey Mouse flair; plus, it's an easy drive to Walt Disney World in Orlando (just about 90 minutes). It's part of Disney's time-share program but also rents available rooms just like any other hotel.

The artfully conceived four-story main building, separate villas, and six beach cottages are reminiscent of 19th-century Florida, and you will find hidden treasurers related to sea turtles and Florida's rich history. All rooms come equipped with wet bars, mini-refrigerators, toasters, and microwaves; upgraded rooms offer full kitchens and laundry facilities. Although there are not too many dining options in the immediate area, the resort has some great eateries of its own: Shutters serves American food and has character breakfasts on Saturday morning, and Sonya's has wood-fired steaks and creative seafood. The highest rates here are in the summer, so spring, fall, and winter (except for two weeks in March) are perfect times to find deals.

The architects designed this luxury resort to mimic the majestic, turn-of-the-20th-century lodges of the American West. Set amid old Florida woods, the resort offers serenity, but it has a kid-friendly pool and good transportation links to the Magic Kingdom.

Recalling a New England Yacht Club, this property offers Crescent Lake boating options, a sweet gazebo that's often used for weddings, and one of Disney's best steak houses. Access to the popular Stormalong Bay water park–style pool makes this a favorite with kids who love, among other things, the large slide and the lazy river. There's walking access to the back entrance of EPCOT, and the Disney Skyliner also makes getting around a breeze.

This hotel is the best of the lodgings lining the scenic Fort Pierce Inlet on Seaway Drive (and that's not saying much); it's a practical base for fishing enthusiasts, with nice touches like two pools and a waterfront restaurant. Spacious, simply furnished units on two floors have kitchens or wet bars, and the staff puts fruit and Danish in the rooms each morning. Some rooms have a waterfront porch or balcony. A small cluster of apartments is across the street, away from the water and very quiet. Overnight boat docking is available for an additional $30 per night, and there's a sports outfitter at the marina with boat charters.

The name is a mouthful, but it's an accurate description for this hotel, which caters to business-trippers and pleasure seekers alike and is so close to Universal that some of the tower rooms offer roller-coaster and Hogwarts views.

Despite being one of the newer additions to the St. Augustine lodging scene, the DoubleTree blends seamlessly into the city's Old World Spanish ethos, with wrought-iron design features, high ceilings, hardwood tile, and locally produced art reflecting the city's rich history. The rooms, overlooking the city streets or pool area, are equipped with 42-inch HDTVs and Sweet Dreams beds. The on-site Oak Tree Restaurant and Lounge serves breakfast and dinner, including in-room dining. Not to be missed are the trademark homemade DoubleTree chocolate-chip cookies, served warm on arrival.

Combining low, bungalow-style buildings and a 17-story tower, this Bali-inspired hotel creates a warm welcome and a comforting escape—lush linens, tranquil guest rooms, three pools, and tropical landscaping—from hectic I-Drive.

This trendy boutique hotel, which is right in the center of the South Beach action, merges two refurbished, archetypal, 1939 art deco buildings into a single project of eclectic modernism, with whimsically decorated interiors that are at once trippy and cool. Designer Michael Czysz dressed rooms with colored bed lighting, bold chandeliers, and glass closets. And true to the boutique style, rooms are on the small side and often cater to a younger crowd searching for fast times in the Magic City. The see-through bathroom walls are a bit of a style overfunction and create some difficulty when sharing a room with friends or even your significant other. But once you get past that, Dream is idyllic for adventures in hedonism: tanning on the beach (with quick access), making new friends (over sun-kissed libations on the roof), and late-night debauchery (crawling distance to most nightlife). Expect lots of fun on the rooftop by day or night; there's both a petite swimming pool and the 1970s-inspired pool lounge HIGHBAR, which kicks into gear at nightfall. The hotel also provides beach chairs on its very own designated section of beach just south of 11th Street.

On the National Register of Historic Places, the two original buildings of this 1935 inn were built entirely from ocean-washed timbers with no blueprints; over time more buildings were added, and all are now decorated with such artifacts as ship's bells, Spanish tiles, a cannon from a 16th-century Spanish galleon, and plenty of wrought iron, which create a quirky, utterly charming landscape. The resort operates as both a time-share and a regular hotel (the website is just for informational purposes, so you must call to book rooms), and the complex has nine buildings on the beach with both modern and historic rooms and two swimming pools. It attracts guests from around the world, who sit in wooden rockers facing the beach, and extended-length stays are available. Waldo's restaurant and bar are on property, with several other choices across the street as well. Live music on weekends draws crowds to the pool.

Focused on families and just ½ mile from Disney Springs, this high-rise property features comfortable accommodations equipped with microwaves, refrigerators, and flat-screen TVs. Other perks at the property include free, hot breakfast, a complimentary afternoon reception with food and drinks, a saltwater pool, and numerous on-site dining options including a Pizza Hut. 

"Dua" meaning love and desire in Albanian, is the theme of this new hotel in the heart of Brickell. All but 11 rooms have balconies, showcasing the Financial District with the ocean peeking through the skyscrapers. The whimsical decor with thousands of mirrors as the focal point give this hotel a confident, young, and vibrant feel. The stunning amenities include two large swimming pools, a hot and cold plunge, an extensive gym with a steam room and sauna, and large changing rooms.

From the vintage metal rockers on the street-side porch to the old neon hotel sign in the lobby, this 1920s rambling Key West mainstay hotel is high on character, low on gloss. You'll get a taste of authentic Old Key West, without sacrificing convenience or comfort. Rooms come in all shapes and sizes, from shared-bath basic to large apartments with full kitchens and private decks or porches. The spacious outdoor area is shaded by towering palms. Grab a book and plop in a hammock in the outdoor library, tucked into a sun-dappled corner with a gurgling waterfall and potted bonsai.

This grand 1950s hotel designed by Morris Lapidus is a lesson in old-school glamour meets modern-day swagger after hundreds of millions in renovations and expansions over the past decade (including the addition of the hotel-within-a-hotel concept Nobu Hotel Miami Beach). Two towers sit alongside the huge pool complex, making this one of the biggest and sleekest hotels in the city. The landmark public areas exude grand elegance, including the monumental rosewood columns that surround the social lobby space, centered by a sunken bar. The lobby holds old-world charm and it's easy to imagine glamorous evenings where the likes of Frank Sinatra strolled the premises. Rooms are decorated in dark-wood tones and white accents that serve to highlight the azure blue of the ocean beyond the balconies if you spring for an ocean view. Relax in the jaw-dropping, 22,000-square-foot, two-story oceanfront spa.

At this all-suite, beachfront property at the north end of scenic Gulf Shore Boulevard, the rooms are large and refreshing, exuding a relaxed, contemporary vibe. The units in the tower are decorated in a sleek modern style, whereas the courtyard rooms surrounding the pool have a more transitional, coastal-Florida look, with gingerbread-trimmed patios. You can enjoy light fare and libations at the oceanfront pool or dine at Coast, the on-site restaurant, which has great beach views. You'll also find a small fitness center that's open 24/7 and business facilities on the same floor.

You can sleep at least four and as many as eight in the luxurious one-, two-, and three-bedroom apartments at this high-rise resort on Panama City Beach. There are lots of on-site activities and amenities, including eleven pools; four whirlpool tubs; shuffleboard, pickleball, and tennis court; a par-3 golf course; and sunsets galore.

Guests at this beachfront inn, which resembles a Victorian-era beach cottage, can't say enough about the impeccable personal service, legendary breakfasts, and enjoyable evening social hour. Ocean-side units have great water views, albeit through small windows. The Tradewinds Suite, with an ocean view, private patio, and plantation-style shutters, is the most romantic. Start the day with dill scrambled eggs or French toast, and end it with evening hors d'oeuvres and wine in the library. A chair-lined porch lets you rock in ocean breezes, and on chilly nights you can cluster around the living-room fireplace. An adjacent cottage has additional rooms and a suite.

A short walk from a half-dozen cafés and restaurants, the Orange County History Center, and the performing arts center and sports venue, this hotel has numerous suites with views of nearby Lake Eola and its centerpiece fountain, swan boats, and jogging path.

An airy, eight-story atrium with palm trees and fountains lends an air of luxury to this all-suites lodging, which offers free breakfast and late-afternoon drinks.

This oceanfront resort, a short drive from the Historic District, offers many amenities, including on-site dining options, complimentary happy hours, and oceanfront views and kitchenettes in select rooms. From family suites to studio accommodations, the property fits the needs of both leisure and business travelers. The poolside Castaway Cantina serves Latin-inspired cuisine, while Harvest & Reel features seafood and farm-to-table options. Daily happy hours in the Rhum Bar bring guests together for libations and snacks, and the hearty, made-to-order breakfasts provide plenty of fuel for a day of exploring. The property's resort fee includes two beach chairs and towels, a two-hour bike rental, a daily yoga class, and more.

Even locals seek out the views at this harbor-front destination-within-a-destination that has luxurious accommodations, as well as amenities like a spa, marina, health club, and indoor/outdoor pools. Guest rooms, from suites to four bedrooms, have balconies with panoramic views. The HarborWalk Village, just steps away, offers oodles of activities and entertainment for the whole family, including shops, restaurants, water sports, thrill rides, fishing charter boats, pirate and dolphin-watching boat tours, and nightlife.

The Fairfield is a good value for travelers who don't require room service or a fancy spa. It's predictable Fairfield fare: rooms are comfortable; the hotel has centers for business and fitness and an outdoor pool and whirlpool; breakfast is complimentary and includes fresh fruit and pastries. The hotel sits across from Lake Worth Beach and its small retail promenade.

This two-story motel, with a waterfall pool and some of the area's lowest rates, is close to the Tropical Everglades Visitor Association. In addition to laundry facilities, amenities include an in-room safe, refrigerator, and microwave for rooms with either a king-size bed or two doubles. Free Wi-Fi runs throughout the property. Continental breakfast includes fresh fruit and make-your-own waffles.

An exclusive private island, just south of Miami Beach but accessible only by ferry, Fisher Island houses an upscale residential community that includes a small inventory of overnight accommodations, including opulent cottages, villas, and junior suites, which surround the island's original 1920s-era Vanderbilt mansion. Hotel guests enjoy Fisher Island member privileges during their stay. After the ferry crossing, you're welcomed at reception with champagne. Considering you get a private house, a golf cart, and a private courtyard with a Jacuzzi, villas are idyllic for a memorable honeymoon or some other special occasion, if not a casual weekend. Families should choose one of three former guest cottages of the former Italianate mansion of William K. Vanderbilt, which forms the resort's centerpiece.

Amenities include a 9-hole golf course, luxurious Spa Internazionale, 18 lighted tennis courts (hard, grass, and clay), and 1 mile of very private (and very quiet) beach with white sand imported from the Bahamas. On-island there are seven restaurants for hotel guests, including the alfresco waterfront Beach Club, an Italian fine-dining restaurant called Porto Cervo, and the famous Garwood Lounge & Piano Bar, which features nightly piano music and seats just 34. Remarkably, this true exclusivity and seclusion is minutes from South Beach.

Exuding true old Florida charm, this resort on the Homosassa River has a marina with boat and scuba-equipment rentals, a restaurant and bar that overlook the water, and an island where monkeys cavort in the trees (don't go near them, they bite!). Resort grounds cover 9 acres of semitropical forest along the riverfront, where ducks and other waterfowl are common.

Five miles from Orlando International Airport, and midway between it and I-Drive, this hotel is connected to the upscale Florida Mall—with major department stores, an Apple Store, hundreds of specialty shops, the Crayola Experience, and currency exchange—so stays here are a treat if you like to shop.

This charming, fully restored, late-19th-century inn—once used by guests of the Vanderbilt, DuPont, and Carnegie families, who built "cottages" nearby on Cumberland and Jekyll islands—has a rambling, two-story, clapboard main building full of character and rooms with handmade quilts, hooked rugs, king-size beds, and whirlpool tubs. The on-site restaurant, Leddy's Porch, serves biscuits and gravy, along with fried chicken and other Southern favorites, for lunch and weekend brunch. The Mermaid Bar, a lively first-floor pub, can be a blessing or a curse, depending on whether you're trying to catch up on your social skills or your sleep. Request a room in the south wing if you're attempting the latter.

This pleasant, two- and three-bedroom condo resort with full kitchens, halfway between Universal Orlando and Disney World, has six six-story buildings, two pools, a game room, gym, business center, and café with room service.