Holiday Inn and Suites Across from Universal Orlando

lora lynn

The only thing good about this property was it's proximity to Universal Studios. We booked this hotel 3 months in advance (June) and a couple of weeks before going we were notified the lobby was under construction. I didn't think that would be a big deal but looked for other hotels anyways. Because we were so close to our travel date at that point the prices were astronomical so we didn't have a choice. When we got to the hotel the lobby was actually the nicest cleanest part of the hotel despite it being under construction. Our room was so humid the floor and bedding were damp our whole stay. The bathroom door didn't work properly due to the humidity in the hotel. You could get stuck in there if alone. The door to the room was missing a screw on the mechanism so you had to jiggle it to close the door. It smelled very poorly in the hallways and the elevator. The only elevator that opened was the service elevator which was in very poor condition. We stay at a lot of Holiday Inns and this one does not meet their normal standards. My recommendation would be to stay somewhere else until they've renovated. We attempted to get a refund due to the conditions and was advised our "booking was nonrefundable and doesn't allow any exceptions and they're sticking with their policy and won't issue any refund, not even a partial." Zero flexibility and no apology, which is disappointing. We will think twice before booking at another Holiday Inn. Stay somewhere else.

Gabby Chandler (gc_colorguard)

As of October 18, 2025 this hotel is undergoing a huge remodel...lots of construction. The rooms are clean and comfortable, however if you're traveling with more than yourself, the bathroom is VERY small. Also the room overall lacks mirrors - just the one small one in the bathroom making getting ready for 3 people very challenging. Overall would stay here again with points. If it were out of pocket, i might choose something on universal property since the price is comparable. 18 minute walk to city walk for us and the path is lovely!

Kimmy

Rooms are nice location was great. They have a free shuttle service for unverisal which was nice. Laundry room work great. Only a few things that made this vacation stay a not great stay. House keeping came after 3:30 pm ( not sure if this is normal here but thought it was odd ) so when we got back from being out almost all day we had to catch them to ask for items needed or whatnot. Biggest thing thou was it's under construction as they do updates. The whole building not just section.... seems like it would of been eaiser to just close for updates with all the inconvenience and equipment all throughout the parking lot and buliding. We didn't know this when booking if we knew we most likely would of found another hotel. Pool closed guest convince store closed had to go to a neighboring hotel if you wanted those amenities. Construction made it hard for rideshares to pick up or drop off. Hopefully it will be a better stay once construction over but won't know. Hallways have no ac fan in bathroom stopped working 2nd day so kept the door cracked when taking showers. Overall if you don't want to deal with construction call first to make sure they are done. Parking you have to pay for.

Grayson Trogdon

If you’re coming here for the theme parks, I wouldn’t waste your time. Stay somewhere else. The hotel is undergoing HEAVY construction, which in no way was disclosed to me when I booked our stay. The main entrance is bombarded with scaffolding and heavy machinery making the front of the hotel extremely inaccessible. Once you park (paid parking is 30$ a night) we had to walk around the entire perimeter of the building with our bags to get back to the front entrance. Once you enter the lobby, it smells like construction and dirty mop water. There is cardboard, plastic sheeting and other construction materials laying around, and crews working non stop. Once we got to the rooms we found that none of the lamp lights, charging stations in the tables were plugged in. The bathroom was missing all of the “complementary” hotel soap, including hand soap. On the floor we were on, the ice vending did not work, there were no vending machines in the entire building, and when we went looking for vending machines that existed or did work, the other floors were torn apart for construction, with mattresses and boxes all over the halls. For the one room service we did receive, the housekeeper threw away a bag of my fiances bathroom products, lotions, soap, razors, etc…. When we asked the front desk if there was a way we could check with the housekeeper to see if these items were picked up by accident, they told us to check back with security between the hours of 9-5. Understandable that security can only provide access during these hours due to their work day - however we booked this reservation to attend the theme parks from 9-5… overall the experience was far from relaxing and made our experience unenjoyable. After this I’m considering building my points with another hotel chain which is more consistent with their execution.

Vantenia

I am extremely disappointed with my recent stay at the Holiday Inn across from Universal Studios in Orlando. I have always had positive experiences with Holiday Inn in the past, but this was by far the most unpleasant and disappointing experience I’ve ever had with the brand. We had absolutely no idea that the hotel was under major construction before arriving. There are “Pardon Our Dust” signs everywhere — and almost every part of the hotel is being worked on. The front desk and lobby are under heavy construction with scaffolding right at the entrance, which feels unsafe for guests entering and exiting. Wires hang from the ceiling, and exit signs are pulled out in several areas of the hallways. The elevators were dirty, looked poorly maintained, and appeared to be used for construction materials rather than guests. The entire environment felt unsafe and unhygienic. Our room was muggy and had a damp smell. We originally booked a king room, but shortly after settling in, the ceiling began leaking. When we reported the issue, the front desk informed us there were no other king rooms available and moved us to a “suite,” which actually had two full beds, not a king or queen. This is not what we paid for, nor what we expected. Additionally, the shower grout showed signs of mildew or mold, and the hallways were hot with no air conditioning. We were also unable to use hotel amenities because so many areas were closed or under renovation. What’s most disappointing is that this hotel should not be open to guests during such extensive construction. It is unfair to charge full rates when the property is clearly not operating at Holiday Inn’s usual standards. Guests are paying the same price for an experience that is unsafe, uncomfortable, and far below brand expectations. Had we not been rushing to attend a family event immediately after check-in, we would have left that same day. We chose to leave after one night and will be requesting a full refund for this unacceptable stay. Holiday Inn has always represented comfort, cleanliness, and quality, but this location completely failed to uphold those standards. The management should seriously reconsider keeping this hotel open until the renovations are complete.