The 5 Best Marriott Properties In Orlando For Your Next Stay, According To Reviews

Since Orlando is considered America's "happiest holiday destination," it's not surprising that it's also one of the biggest tourist cities in the United States. On average, about 75 million people travel to the city annually, thanks to its abundance of activities and amenities, including theme parks, world-class cuisine, and warm weather year-round.

One challenge when planning an Orlando vacation is deciding where to stay. The city has more than 130,000 hotel rooms, and travelers can sort through them in different ways — such as choosing the most budget-friendly options or hotels closest to theme parks. For this list, though, we looked at the five best Marriott properties in Orlando that can elevate your next Florida vacation. To keep things objective, we ranked the hotels largely based on review volume and ratings, while also including properties that offer different types of experiences.

Ideally, to take full advantage of these hotels and resorts, you'll want to be a member of Marriott Bonvoy, one of the five hotel loyalty programs that are actually worth it. Even without membership perks, these properties offer memorable accommodations no matter how long your visit lasts.

As far as luxury hotel brands go, The Ritz-Carlton is one of the best-known and most respected. Fortunately, it's also part of the greater Marriott brand and has stellar reviews, making The Ritz-Carlton Orlando, Grande Lakes, the natural choice for the top spot. At the time of this writing, it holds a 4.6-star rating and over 6,000 reviews on Google. The Grande Lakes resort complex actually includes two major Marriott properties: the Ritz-Carlton and the JW Marriott. Because both sit on the same resort grounds, we selected the Ritz-Carlton for this list due to its larger number of reviews.

As you might imagine, this hotel is ideal if you're searching for a luxurious and exclusive Orlando getaway. The resort has earned the AAA Five Diamond designation, and the Grande Lakes campus offers a wide range of amenities, including a water park, spa, golf course, and multiple restaurants. Guests can also book residence-style accommodations with features such as full kitchens and private patios.

According to the reviews, the Ritz-Carlton's Five Diamond Award status is on full display from check-in to check-out. Visitors comment that the rooms are spacious and well-maintained, and that the staff goes the extra mile to make you feel comfortable. According to one reviewer, something that stood out was that the employees remembered their name, making the experience feel personal and welcoming. "I come here every year, and the consistency in service is one of the reasons I keep returning," they wrote. "It's a beautiful property with excellent service, and I'm already looking forward to my next visit."

When planning your vacation, you may want to incorporate some of the absolute best water parks in Orlando. Or, if you're looking to stick to a more modest budget, you can book a hotel room that includes water park access. Orlando World Center Marriott offers exactly that, with the River Falls Water Park included in the resort experience. At the time of writing, the property holds a 4.4-star Google rating with more than 11,000 reviews. The resort sits near several Marriott Vacation Club properties, including Sabal Palms, Royal Palms, and Imperial Palms. While those are technically higher-rated, they have much fewer reviews, which is why we chose World Center for our number-two pick. It also happens to be the largest Marriott in the world, so it's something of a bucket list item.

River Falls Water Park is almost as impressive as anything you could find at Universal Studios or Walt Disney World. It features seven slides, a 400,000-gallon lagoon, a lazy river, and a kids' splash zone. The resort even puts on a laser light show every night, which you can view from your suite if it overlooks the park. Other amenities include on-site restaurants, a golf course, and daily shuttles to and from Walt Disney World, helping you save on parking fees.

Many reviews describe the property and its rooms as massive. However, some guests say the resort's size means longer walks between amenities, and others note that parts of the decor feel dated. Still, most reviewers praise the service, views, and overall atmosphere. "The place is so family friendly," a reviewer wrote. "The valet, bell and front desk is absolutely 5 star [sic] We had great service all around. The bar in the lobby area was a hit ... Pool and water park absolutely stunning views and great for the kids. Stunning golf course views. The greens are immaculate."

Although Walt Disney World Resort and Universal Orlando Resort attract much of the attention, SeaWorld Orlando is another major theme park destination. Travelers planning a visit there may want to consider Renaissance Orlando at SeaWorld, which sits directly across the street from the park. The hotel is also close to the Aquatica Water Park, just in case you needed another reason to book a room. As of this writing, the property maintains around a 4.4-star Google rating with more than 5,800 reviews.

Unlike some of Orlando's larger resorts, this hotel doesn't have any major attractions on-site, unless you count the luxurious pool and water features, including a slide and a splash zone. Instead, the biggest advantages are location and price. Rooms are often more affordable than luxury resorts in the area, and the hotel offers shuttle service to major theme parks and nearby shopping areas, including the Orlando Vineland Premium Outlets. While shopping isn't necessarily a top reason to visit Orlando, I've been to these shops myself, and it's one of the best outdoor outlet malls I've experienced.

According to most reviews, this hotel is ideal if you're planning to visit SeaWorld, since you don't even need to take a shuttle or have a car; you can simply walk over. Visitors comment that the interior atrium is gorgeous, although some mention it can be loud during peak season. Also, while breakfast is included with your room rate, you might need reservations when it gets busy. "Renaissance is a great place to stay if you are heading across the street to SeaWorld," one reviewer penned. "It's convenient, the atrium is beautifully maintained, and the front desk staff are exceptionally friendly and helpful."

When looking at a map of Orlando, you'll notice that the major theme parks are south, starting with Universal Studios, then SeaWorld, and then Walt Disney World. But the city offers more than theme parks, and travelers interested in exploring downtown may prefer staying closer to the city center. Grand Bohemian Orlando, part of Marriott's Autograph Collection, sits in downtown Orlando near the underrated Lake Eola area, one of Florida's most walkable neighborhoods.

One of the perks of staying at the Grand Bohemian is that it offers luxury-style accommodations without the high-end price tag. The hotel is a AAA Four Diamond Award winner, putting it on par with The Ritz-Carlton. However, while rooms at the Ritz can cost upwards of $1,000 per night, nightly stays at Grand Bohemian can cost less than $400 as of this writing. The hotel currently has a 4.4-star rating with over 3,100 reviews.

Guests note that staying at the Grand Bohemian is just as fabulous as any other luxury resort. Many highlight the professionalism and care shown by the staff, as well as the spacious, clean rooms. "To say our stay was fantastic was an understatement. Immediately upon arrival, from valet to the front desk you are greeted with genuine smiles, professionalism, and exceptional hospitality," a reviewer noted. Perhaps the only downsides mentioned are that the walls are not quite soundproof and that parking is kind of a hassle. Many guests seem to valet, but that might not be a budget-friendly option for some visitors. Since it is also a "boutique" hotel, it doesn't have large parking decks like places like the Orlando World Center. 

If you've ever driven around EPCOT at Walt Disney World, you've likely noticed the dual pyramid structures of the Walt Disney World Dolphin and its sister property, the Swan. These epic hotels are a marvel to look at from the road, but they're even more impressive up close. Despite their Disney-themed names and location on Disney property, both hotels are actually operated by Marriott International, meaning you can book stays using Marriott Bonvoy points. Both also maintain about a 4.3-star rating, but the Dolphin has far more reviews on Google — more than 15,000 compared with roughly 1,400 for the Swan — which is why it earned the final spot on this list.

The main advantage of staying here is the location. The Dolphin sits within the Walt Disney World resort area, near EPCOT and Disney's Hollywood Studios, and guests can access transportation to the other parks. If you're planning the ultimate Disney World vacation but don't want to pay premium Disney resort prices, it is one of the best options. Best of all, guests still receive select Disney resort benefits, such as early theme park entry and extended evening hours, meaning you can do more and save time with parking.

Reviews of the Dolphin are generally positive, with many guests praising the proximity to the parks, large rooms, and helpful staff. "The rooms are spacious, modern, and impeccably clean, providing a relaxing retreat after a fun-filled day at the parks. The staff are professional, friendly, and incredibly attentive, always going above and beyond," one reviewer mused. It's worth noting, however, that some reviews mention inconsistent room cleanliness or dated interiors. Others also point out the additional resort fees — a common practice at many Orlando resorts — so make sure to factor those costs into your budget.

Since rounding up the five best hotels in Orlando is practically an impossible task, it makes sense to focus on one hotel chain instead. Even then, Marriott has quite a few properties within the city limits, so we relied on online reviews to curate the top five and rank them.

That said, you may find a few other Marriott properties in Orlando with slightly higher ratings, including hotels close to the ones we picked. For this list, we aimed to include hotels across different parts of the city.

For example, there are two Marriotts next to the Orlando World Center,but significantly fewer reviews. In cases where multiple hotels sit near each other, we selected the property with the stronger combination of review volume, amenities, and overall guest feedback. This way, when looking for a room, you can base your selection on the location, reviews, and room rates.