If you’re looking for a great value on a stay at Universal Orlando then you have to consider Universal’s Endless Summer Resort, this includes both Surfside Inn and Suites and its sister hotel Dockside Inn and Suites. In this review we’ll be taking a dive into Surfside Inn and Suites and see how much value this hotel offers.
Lobby
The lobby at Surfside Inn and Suites still feels new even after 4 years since its opening. It’s bright, open, and always seems lively. Of course, there is a Universal Store in the lobby just like at the other hotels onsite. There are also a couple of choices for food including the Beach Break Cafe and Starbucks.
Room
We’ve recently stayed in the 2-bedroom suite, and it was super enjoyable. It’s an awesome room that has a great relaxed Florida surf vibe throughout. The room was fairly quiet for a hotel with a lot of kids staying there during our stay. Our room was very clean upon our arrival which always sets the stay up for success. The 2 bedroom is very spacious and feels light and airy. These 2-bedroom suites have a nice little kitchenette/dining area, it’s small but does add a nice space to eat while in the room.
Pool
The Florida surf theming continues all the way to the pool with the pool being shaped like a surfboard. It doesn’t have all the bells and whistles like the pools at Cabana Bay or Sapphire Falls but it’s still a great place to spend some time with your group and enjoy the sun. There are outdoor activities for the family though such as ping pong, connect 4,
Perks
Like all the other Universal Orlando hotels this one also offers early park admission which gets you into the parks up to one hour early (with valid theme park admission). You also are given complimentary shuttle buses to get between the hotel and the parks or CityWalk. Even though Surfside offers 750 rooms there really isn’t a ton of time wasted waiting for the shuttles, we didn’t notice any longer wait than we have at any other hotel on site.
Cons
This hotel did impress us with the value that it provided but there are some tradeoffs. First, you did get shuttle buses to the parks, but you can’t very well walk to the parks, and you don’t have a water taxi which many people enjoy. Second, if you intend to purchase Universal Express Passes, this can be costly in peak times, which may make staying at a Premier hotel more cost effective. The pool area is large but for a hotel packing 750 rooms, it seemed to get congested at times.
Overall thoughts…
This hotel really is a good value for a cost-effective getaway when you want to enjoy more time at the parks than at the hotel. The hotel has a very good vibe, but it lacks the full resort features you might get from Sapphire Falls or a Premier hotel. Also, if you’re like us and don’t need to cram all the rides in on one trip then this might be a good pick without needing the Universal Express Passes. For the money, the quality of the hotel is great, it still feels new and is well maintained. Again, if budget is your top concern this one should be given your consideration for all you get from a value standpoint!
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