Are you looking for a value resort for your Universal vacation? Our Universal’s Surfside Inn and Suites Orlando review will give you all the details to help decide if it is a good choice for your Universal Orlando vacation.
If you are planning a vacation to Universal Orlando one the most most important decisions is where should you stay. Universal Orlando has two Endless Summer value resorts and this is our review of Surfside Inn and Suites resort.
We really loved this resort because it is a budget friendly resort at Universal Orlando that is a great choice for families of any size. The location close to the parks is great and we find it to be a great choice when we visit Universal.
Surfside Inn and Suites Universal Orlando
Surfside Inn and Suites Orlando is located at the Universal Orlando resort. It offers on-site transportation to guests visiting Universal Studios Florida, Universal’s Islands of Adventure, Universal’s Volcano Bay, and Universal’s CityWalk.
When Surfside resort first opened I was so excited to learn it would be a value resort with two-bedroom suites. This is huge for a family of five!
We couldn’t wait for our stay at Surfside Inn and Suites Orlando because of the on-site perks, the price point, and the size of the rooms. I was really excited to check out the family suites that would comfortably fit our family of five.
Read on for our full review of Endless Summer Resort Surfside Inn and Suites Orlando for your Universal Orlando vacation.
Endless Summer Resort Surfside Inn and Suites Universal Overview
Surfside Inn has a beach vibe with surfboards decorating the lobby and throughout the resort. It is colorful and bright and gives guests a relaxing place to end their evenings after a busy day at the theme parks. It is located about a 10 minute bus ride from the parks and has a Starbucks, dining area, gift shop, and arcade.
Surfside is part of the Universal’s Endless Summer resorts. They are the two most recent value resorts added to the Universal hotel line up. It is a Universal Orlando hotel and does offer exclusive theme park benefits to its guests.
The sister hotel to Surfside Inn and Suites is Dockside Inn and Suites. They are their own resorts and are located across the street from each other. Dockside opened in 2021 and Surfside opened in June of 2019. Since first writing this post we have stayed at Dockside too. Read our review: Universal Endless Summer Resort Dockside Review
The cost for the resort fluctuates widely depending on the time of your visit. It can range from $95.00 a night up to $300.00+ a night. During the low season you will find much lower nightly prices.
As we walked into the lobby of Endless Summer: Universal’s Surfside Inn we couldn’t help but notice the bright colored surfboards, the streaming light from the windows, and the aqua colors welcoming us into the resort. The cool surf vibe theme is really cute and we loved staying at this family-oriented value hotel.
There are two towers at the resort and both offer easy access to the pool and lobby. We stayed on the first floor of Tower 2. Tower 1 is a bit closer to the bus transportation to the theme parks but we didn’t notice it being a big issue.
The gift shop and dining options are located within the lobby that is centrally located between the towers. There is also a parking garage near tower 2 if you have a car. Expect to pay a nightly parking fee that will be added to your bill.
Surfside also has a very small arcade. It is not very large and we only stopped in once to check it out.
Surfside Inn and Suites Room- 2-Bedroom Suite Review
The reason we decided to stay at Surfside Inn and Suites because of the affordable price for a spacious 2-bedroom suite. The guest rooms have 3 queen beds!
If you travel with a family of more than 4 you will understand how exciting it is to have a room that has 3 actual beds in it. No one had to sleep on a pull-out and there was space to spread out after a long day at the parks. It was the perfect spot for our family!
The rooms consist of an open area that has 2 queen beds, a picnic table(that fit the five of us), refrigerator, coffee maker, and microwave. A bathroom area and a separate bedroom with another queen size bed. It was spacious and offered plenty of room for our family of five.
The only con was there was not a lot of drawer space for clothes. This wasn’t a big issue for us, and there was enough shelves and space for us to make it work. The theme continues into the suites with more surf style decor and bright colorful rooms.
One of the value components of the resort is the housekeeping. Housekeeping will refresh your towels and change your garbage daily but they will not do deep cleaning unless you stay for longer than 7 nights. This was not an issue for us and our rooms felt clean during our week long stay.
Amenities at Universal’s Endless Summer Resort Surfside Inn and Suites
Surfside Inn is a value resort and it does offer less on-site amenities than some of the other on-site resorts like Hard Rock Hotel or other premium resorts.
Hard Rock Hotel includes unlimited express pass with your stay, this is a huge perk and worth pricing out if you plan on purchasing Universal’s Express Pass as an add-on. (Read my review of Is Universal Studios Express Pass Worth It? to learn more about how it works.
There are also other on-site amenities that Surfside does not have. For example Cabana Bay Beach Resort has an on-site bowling alley, lazy river, and water slide. Surfside does not offer these but the price is more budget friendly and we preferred the rooms at Surfside.
The resort is located 1.6 miles from the theme parks but is not really within walking distance. I have seen people walk it but after a long day at the parks I suggest the 10 minute bus ride. If you decide to walk expect it to take around 35-45 minutes.
What Perks Do you Get Staying at Surfside Inn and Suites Orlando
- Complimentary transportation to and from the theme parks.
- Early Entry into the Parks. This changes but one park is always offering early entry. Early park admission usually offers guests access to The Wizarding World of Harry Potter and select attractions at the parks.
- Character Meetings in the Lobby
- On-site dining food court, pool, fitness center, game room
Dining Options at Endless Summer Resort Surfside
Beach Break Café is Surfside’s dining area. You can order breakfast, lunch, and dinner. It is a counter service cafeteria style setting that you order your food and carry it to your table or room.
We ordered twice from there for lunch one day and dinner another. You can get a variety of food from rice bowls to salads and hot dogs to pizza. I found there was something for everyone.
There is also a Starbucks in the lobby that serves Starbucks coffee and treats. We also took advantage of the in house pizza delivery service offered after 4:00pm and delivered right to your room.
Surfside Inn and Suites Pool Area
I was a bit concerned about the size of the pool when I was doing my online research. The pool is in the shape of a surf board and it looked a bit small in the online pictures. Thankfully my worry was not necessary because the pool area was great.
We never had an issue finding chairs and the kids loved it. It doesn’t have a lot of extras but my kids love to swim so they didn’t miss the water slide or other amenities. The pool also had music playing under water and that was a fun little surprise.
When the kids wanted a break from the pool they could play table tennis or Connect 4 in the pool area. There is also a pool side bar called the Sand Bar that serves beverages and smoothies.
I wanted to also mention the Fitness Center. It looked very nice. We didn’t use it but I thought I would mention it is there if you are interested.
Review of Surfside Inn and Suites Orlando
If you are looking for extra affordability during your Universal vacation you want to consider a stay at Surfside Inn. The standard rooms and the family suites are great value. The resort is part of Universal hotel, so you still get great perks without going over budget.
Prices have changed over the years and the cost of staying at Surfside can fluctuate greatly. I recommend checking our affiliate partner for the best Surfside Inn Orlando deals and if you are flexible with dates find the best deals.
Overall we loved Endless Summer Surfside Inn and Suites. It was perfect for our family and I can’t say enough good things about the suites. It has become our go-to resort for our next Universal Orlando vacation.
Read Next: Endless Summer Resort: Universal Surfside vs Dockside
Leah has been traveling with her family of 5 since 2012 and sharing her expertise on planning family vacations and visiting theme parks since 2016. Leah has been featured in Visit Rochester, Undercover Tourist, and Home Publications. She has worked with brands like Walt Disney World, Universal Orlando, Hersheypark, Toyota, and various Tourism boards and destinations. Leah creates family travel itineraries based on real trip experiences with her family. Her guides and tips help others plan great family vacations. Learn more about Leah and Five for the Road.
I came across the article at the perfect time as we are getting ready to plan a Universal vacation for Spring Break. Thanks for the in-depth review and the honest recommendation!
Thank you so much for reading! Happy you found it! Universal is so much fun!
Great review! We have stayed in other Universal hotels, and are looking forward to a potential stay at Surfside or Dockside in the near future!
Thank you for reading! Definitely add it to your list!