3 Best Hotels in Universal Orlando, Florida

The charm and romance of Portofino, Italy, are conjured up at this lovely luxury resort, where part of the fun is exploring the waterfront Italian "village" from end to end; the other part is relaxing in well-appointed rooms (with deluxe beds and flat-screen TVs) and by one of the three pools that offer aquatic fun or peaceful sunning. Waterfront restaurants, entertaining singers and performers, and other perks themed to the resort are part of the appeal. As a premium resort guest, your room key serves as a Universal Express Unlimited Pass for front-of-the-line access to the theme-park attractions.

Music rules in this mission-style building, from public areas decorated with rock memorabilia—Elvis's pajamas, Lady Gaga's latex gown, and Elton John's boots—to stylishly modern rooms, with deluxe bed linens, an entertainment center with a flat-panel TV, and lots of accessible media-device plugs. Its cool "Hotel California" look, hip accent pieces, convenient location adjacent to Universal Studios—along with the perk of using your room key as a Universal Express Unlimited Pass to get you to the front of each line—can make it worth the wallet-denting room rate.

This Pacific Rim–theme hotel—amid 53 serene acres of lush shrubs, soaring bamboo, orchids, and palms—features lots of amenities, including a weekly Polynesian-style luau, a 12,000-square-foot lagoon-style pool bordered by a white-sand beach, an interactive water-play area, and kid-friendly activities.