The 12 Best Hotel Pools in the Orlando Area

When choosing a hotel in the greater Orlando area, one of the major deciding factors in where to stay should include the quality of the pool area.  Since Orlando is home Walt Disney World, The Universal Orlando Resort and SeaWorld, one can imagine the lengths that resorts will go to lure visitors to their property so having a great pool area is a huge part of the appeal.

Nowadays, a traditional resort style pool isn’t as attractive to visitors as it was just a few years ago.  Hotels now have large scale water features including lazy rivers, water slides, surf simulator attractions, multi-story water play areas and children’s splash pads.  Therefore, resort guests will not want to leave the property.

The following list is what we feel are the 12 best pools at hotels and resorts in the greater Orlando area.  This list was completed in early 2022 and at the pace new hotel development and existing hotel renovation, we anticipate having to update it on a regular basis.

If you thinking about staying any of these amazing hotels, we would appreciate if you can use our links when making the reservations. Endless Summer is an affiliate with Expedia.com, Marriott and Hilton; we receive a small commission for each stay that was referred by our website. 

The Gaylord Palms Resort & Convention Center

The Gaylord Palms Resort & Convention Center is a massive 1,824-room hotel that features more than 4.5 acres of covered atriums and is one of our favorite hotels in the greater Orlando area.  The resort is home to the Cypress Springs Water Park as well as multiple resort pools and is located just minutes from The Walt Disney World Resort.

The pool and water park features include a zero-entry resort pool, a South Beach inspired pool, an AquaDrop slide and two fully enclosed racing slides, a multi-level water playground with four racing slides, a FlowRider surfing experience and the all new Crystal River Rapids which is a fast moving lazy river.  There is something for all guests of all ages.

The Gaylord Palms is a Marriott brand hotels so rewards members can earn and use points during their stay. Marriott offers a “Best Rate Guarantee” when booking through one of their official reservation channels so if you thinking about staying at this or any of Marriott’s great hotels, we would appreciate if you can use our Marriott affiliate links when making the reservation.

Nightly hotel rates vary during the time of the year and range from around $200.00 per night to more than $500.00 per night.

Holiday Inn Resort Orlando Suites – Waterpark

Formerly known as the Nickelodeon Hotel, the Holiday Inn Resort Orlando Suites – Waterpark has one of the best hotel pools/water parks of any hotel in it’s class.  The 777-room resort features one-, two- and three-bedroom suites and is perfect for families visiting Walt Disney World and the other Orlando area theme parks.

The oversized zero-entry Lagoon Pool is the perfect spot to stay cool in the Florida heat.  Just next to the pool is a massive multi-story water playground that has multiple slides, a water 400-gallon dumping bucket and other water features that will keep guests of all ages entertained both day and night.  There is also a children’s splash pad which is the perfect spot for the younger kids.  

Other amenities at the Holiday Inn include free Disney shuttle service, a 9-hole mini golf course, a Bank heist Laser Challenge, fitness center, outdoor basketball courts and organized activities. Nightly hotel rates vary during the time of the year and range from around $130.00 per night to more than $250.00 based on room size.

Yacht Club and Beach Club Resorts at Walt Disney World 

There are currently more than 25 individual hotels that are part of the Disney Resorts Collection at Walt Disney World.  While many have very nice pool areas, the one that we feel stands out is the pool area shared by Disney’s Yacht Club Resort and Beach Club Resorts which are part of Disney’s Boardwalk area resorts.

This three-acre water playground is known as Stormalong Bay and its features include a zero-entry sand-bottom pool, a lazy river, water volleyball area and a 230-foot long waterslide that is located adjacent to the white sandy beach area.  In addition to the pool, there are multiple whirlpool spas, plenty of lounge chairs and a poolside bar & grill.

Both Yacht Club and Beach Club are located just outside the International Gateway entrance to EPCOT and are also a short walk (or a Disney Skyliner gondola ride) to Disney’s Hollywood Studios.  Hotel rates for either of these resorts can be very pricey and vary during the time of the year.  We have found rates ranging from around $300.00 per night to more than $750.00 based on room type and view.

Coco Key Hotel and Water Resort

The Coco Key Hotel and Water Resort has one of the best pools / water features of any hotel along International Drive.  This 391-room hotel offers tremendous value for the price and is just three miles to the Universal Orlando Resort.

The hotel features a highly unique 54,000 square foot canopy-covered heated outdoor pool area along with a large water park that contains 14 individual attractions and slides. There is also a multiple story interactive water play area with a huge water dumping bucket, the Coral Reef teen pool and the Minnows Lagoon Toddler pool.

Coco Key is a Universal Partner hotel and SeaWorld Partner hotel and in addition to the pool & water park, features a 6,500 square foot arcade, three restaurants and an fitness center.  Four passes to the water park are included with every room and guests staying at an outside hotel can purchase water park access for $48.95 per day.

Nightly hotel rates vary during the time of the year and range from around $120.00 per night to more than $200.00 per night.

The Orlando World Center Marriott

Another one of our favorite hotels in the Orlando area is the 2,008-room Orlando World Center Marriott and the main reason for it is their massive pool complex.  Voted one of the “World’s Coolest Hotel Pools” by Forbes, there are four heated indoor and outdoors pools that highlight the resort.

The main Falls Pool Oasis features a massive zero-entry lagoon style pool, a water slider tower that includes two 200-foot winding slides at a 90-foot speed slide, a large children’s splash pad and covered grotto with an extensive whirlpool tub.  New for March 2022 is the River Falls Water Park.  This all new area will feature a 575-foot long lazy river and three new inner-tube waterslides for up to two riders.  There is also an aqua playground with bubbling nozzles and vertical water spraying elements.  

Let’s not forget to mention that the hotel has a number of poolside activities including live music, water slide contests and a Mermaid & Shark academy for the little ones.  There is also a nightly 10-minute laser light show over the Falls Oasis pool so try and get a room with a pool view.

Nightly hotel rates at the Orlando World Center Marriott vary during the time of the year and range from around $250.00 per night to more than $500.00 per night depending on room type.

Hyatt Regency Grand Cypress

Located just outside of Disney Springs, the Hyatt Regency Grand Cypress has completed a multi-million dollar renovation and is ranked among Conde Nast Travelers 2021 Readers Choice Awards for Orlando Resorts.  This stunning hotel features 779 rooms (including 46 suites) with amazing views of The Walt Disney World Resort from the upper floors.

The Hyatt features a massive 800,000 gallon pool that features 12 waterfalls, a water slide, swim through caves and a children’s splash pad.  One of the very unique features is the cabanas which are built right into the poolside caves.  These cabanas include lounge chairs, patio tables and a television.  Another unique feature of the pool area is the rope suspension bridge which extends across one side of the pool.

In addition to the pool area, guests will enjoy a sandy beach along Lake Windsong with water activities including paddle boats and canoes.  Nightly hotel rates  at the Hyatt vary during the time of the year and range from around $250.00 per night to more than $500.00 per night depending on the type of room.  We highly recommend an upper floor room with a view of Walt Disney World – it is worth the additional cost.

JW Marriott Orlando Grande Lakes

The pool at the 1,000-room JW Marriott Orlando Grande Lakes is one of the most extensive of any hotel in the Orlando area.  Guests staying at this resort also have access to the amenities and dining options are the adjacent Ritz-Carlton Orlando which include the spa, fitness center, golf course and kids club.

The massive pool complex includes a 24,000 square foot lazy river pool with a beach entrance, extensive poolside seating and dining, a children’s splash pad and  a water obstacle course (AquaCourse 360).  If the lazy river pool gets crowded try the resort pool at the adjacent Ritz-Carlton or the pool at the Ritz-Carlton Spa.  As of early 2022, the lazy river pool was closed for refurbishment and we anticipate for it to be open by mid-spring.

The JW Marriott Orlando Grande Lakes is a Marriott brand hotels so rewards members can earn and use points during their stay.  Marriott offers a “Best Rate Guarantee” when booking through one of their official reservation channels so if you thinking about staying at this or any of Marriott’s great hotels, we would appreciate if you can use our Marriott affiliate links when making the reservation.

Nightly hotel rates vary during the time of the year and range from around $350.00 per night to more than $700.00 per night.

Omni Orlando Resort at ChampionsGate

Located approximately 20-minutes from the Walt Disney World Resort, the Omni Orlando Resort at ChampionsGate is a Four Diamond resort that includes 862-rooms, 36-holes of championship golf and a lighted 9-hole par 3 golf course.  The resort not only features traditional rooms and suites, but also two-bedroom villas.

The Omni has an extensive pool area with five separate pools which include a zero-entry family pool with 125-foot corkscrew waterslide, an 850-foot lazy river pool with shooting water cannons, water spouts, tunnels, slow moving rapids and a water fall, a kids pool with three kid-friendly water slides, an adults only pool which is limited to guests 18-years of age and older, and Orlando’s only hotel wave pool that features 131,000 gallons of wave action.

Nightly hotel rates vary during the time of the year and range from around $250.00 per night to more than $500.00 per night depending on room type.

Signia by Hilton Orlando Bonnet Creek

The Signia by Hilton is a 1