Hyatt Regency Orlando [In-depth Review]

Booking a hotel for a family trip to Orlando can be overwhelming. There are so many options for essentially every budget that it can also be quite time-consuming. When I was researching hotels for my family’s vacation, I started with Hyatt because I had some free night certificates to use up.

Even though there were not a ton of options in the area (compared to Marriott and Hilton), there were 3 Hyatt Regency properties to choose from. Despite being the same brand, the hotels are quite different. So after listing the pros and cons of each (and quickly eliminating the airport option) I decided to stay at both of the remaining 2 — in the name of research!

My family and I started our trip at the awesome Hyatt Regency Grand Cypress, and you can see from my review that we really enjoyed our stay and will be back.

Despite not having as much of a resort vibe, the Hyatt Regency Orlando was also really enjoyable — so much so that we ended up extending our stay.

The convenient location, nice pool, and solid World of Hyatt Globalist benefits definitely persuaded me to consider this location again on a future trip.

For now, let’s take a look at how our 4-night stay went.

Hotel Location

The 1,641-room property makes no secret that it is a massive convention hotel. Connected directly to the Orange County Convention Center, this Hyatt Regency caters far more to business travelers than its sister property down the road.

That said, the hotel is located right on International Drive just over 5 miles from Walt Disney World and other theme parks. Guests that want to explore “I-Drive” can ride the I-Ride Trolley for only $2 per adult and $1 per child as there is a stop right on the property (#21).

The Hyatt Regency Orlando is just about 12 miles from Orlando International Airport (MCO), which should take about 15 minutes with light traffic.

Hot Tip: If you are visiting the theme parks, don’t miss our guide on how to visit Walt Disney World for cheap by using points and miles! 

Booking

Orlando hotels, in general, can be cheap compared to their counterparts in other U.S. cities. However, for the nights that I was looking for, prices started around $180 plus tax and resort fees.

Since my wife and I had a stash of free night certificates and points from The World of Hyatt Credit Card, we looked for award nights since we would have fees and taxes waived.

World of Hyatt Points

The Hyatt Regency Orlando is a Category 3 World of Hyatt property, so standard rooms start at only 12,000 points per night, or 9,000 if you can find some off-peak nights.

Hot Tip: Since publication, this hotel has moved up to a Category 4, requiring 12,000 to 18,000 points per night.

Despite an attractive Points + Cash rate of 6,000 points + $50, we opted to continue to save our points and redeem free night certificates instead, which can be worth up to 15,000 points per night.

For the nights we stayed, the only reward night options were:

• 2 Queen Beds — 12,000 points or Free Night (what I booked)
• 1 King Bed — 6,000 points + $50 (Points + Cash)
• 2 Queen Beds — 6,000 points +$50 (Points + Cash)
• 1 Bedroom Suite, 1 King Bed — 20,000 points

Cash rates were more than double the $95 annual fee from my World of Hyatt card, so I was quite happy redeeming my free night here — especially after receiving a nice upgrade!

Checking In

The Hyatt Regency Orlando is located right on International Drive and is easily visible when arriving by car.

We pulled off I-Drive and followed the signs for the hotel to drop off our bags. Alternative options would have been to drive directly to the parking garage or convention center.

After pulling up through the busy driveway towards the front door, I was told that there was no valet option, but I could leave the car there while we checked in. I was later chased down by a different attendant who told me I couldn’t leave my car there and I need to park it immediately in the neighboring parking garage.

According to the hotel website, guests can self-park for $30 per night or valet park for $40 per night. Since I had Globalist status and was on an award stay, I was planning on valet parking because it was free. However, that wasn’t an option due to staffing issues.

The confusion continued as we made our way to the front desk for check-in. The lobby was busy with guests zig-zagging across from one side of the property to the other. There appeared to be a pretty even mix of guests staying for leisure (at least wearing pool gear) and those visiting for a conference (wearing name tags).

The lobby itself is nothing special, and rather narrow as it meanders its way from the bar to the front desk to the restaurants and conference rooms.

The front desk had a line of about 10 people, so we awkwardly made our way to the World of Hyatt check-in desk while feeling the stares of fellow guests who had already been waiting — sorry!

While I do certainly appreciate expedited check-in, I often feel uncomfortable cutting other guests. In hindsight, I should have checked the World of Hyatt app to see if digital check-in was available…

We arrived around 5:30 p.m. and were told by the front desk agent that we had been upgraded to a 1-bedroom suite — score!

After combining all of our individual reservations, the agent gave an overview of the property, explained the Globalist benefits, and sent us on our way.

Elite Benefits

Being a Hyatt Globalist member can be really rewarding, especially when traveling with family. The Globalist benefits at the Hyatt Regency Orlando did not disappoint and included:

• Free parking
• Waived resort fee
• Room upgrade
• Complimentary breakfast for 4 people at Market or B-Line Diner
• 2 bottles of water
• 4 p.m. late checkout

Breakfast for our family of 4 was over $80 each morning (more if we ate in the restaurant), so we received over $150 in tangible benefits each day, not including the upgrade to a suite. That’s $600 over the course of our 4-night stay. Those fees and expenses add up quickly — especially on a family vacation!

Hot Tip: Normally, breakfast is provided in the Regency Club, but the club was closed during our stay due to COVID-19. 

Room Upgrade

As I mentioned above, we were upgraded to a 1-bedroom suite with a king bed.

This room was selling for 20,000 points per night or $319 plus tax, so this was a huge score for us.

And it goes without saying that any extra space is welcome when sharing a room with 2 kids!

Welcome Amenity

Once in a while, I will get lucky and the hotel will send up a welcome amenity (like when the Ritz-Carlton Orlando, Grande Lakes sent up a fruit plate), but not in this case.

There wasn’t a welcome amenity offered for Hyatt Globalists.

Resort Fee

If you are going to stay at a hotel or resort, especially in Orlando, expect to pay a resort fee. However, Hyatt (and Hilton) waives resort fees for guests on award stays.

The daily resort fee at the Hyatt Regency Orlando was $30 plus tax and included:

• Premium wireless internet
• 24-hour fitness center
• Recreational activities at Grotto and Terrace pools
• Bike usage
• 2 I-Ride Trolley tickets to the International Drive area
• Tennis courts with racquets and balls
• Waterslide DJ on the weekends
• Weekend activities and games, such as tic-tac-toe, cannonball and hula hoop contests, scavenger hunts, and freeze dance
• Weekend pool snacks, such as snow cones, fruit on a stick, and smoothies
• Kids 12 and under eat free at select restaurants with adult purchase
• 25% discount on spa and salon services
• 25% discount on cabana rentals

One glaring item: no complimentary shuttle to the theme parks, which is common at resorts in the area. I suppose most of the conference attendees aren’t hitting the parks as often as the families.

Hot Tip: If you need an easy way to get around during your stay, check out our guide on how to book cheap car rentals in Orlando.

Late Checkout

Hyatt Globalists get complimentary 4 p.m. checkouts, which are subject to availability at resorts. Fortunately, it was offered as an option during check-in, which was nice.

Unfortunately, since we were heading out early on our day of departure, we didn’t get to take advantage of this valuable perk.

Amenities

Despite being a conference hotel, there is plenty to do on the property to stay busy if you are taking a day off from the theme parks, especially if you like pools.

While not as extensive as the options at the Hyatt Regency Grand Cypress, my family and I still enjoyed ourselves.

Pools

When visiting Central Florida in the summer, having a hotel with a pool is a must. Fortunately, the Hyatt Regency Orlando has 2 big pools and plenty of aqua-entertainment for the kids. The pools were open daily from 7 a.m. until 9:30 p.m.

But with a parking garage on one side and the busy International Drive buffering another, it was not a relaxing resort vibe like the Hyatt Regency Grand Cypress down the road.

Grotto Pool

The main pool, at least for families, is the Grotto Pool.

Sprawling from the side of the hotel to the neighboring parking garage is a great zero-entry pool with a waterslide and waterfall and enough chairs and cabanas that there was enough room for seemingly everyone during a very busy travel period.

As a parent, having a pool with a zero-entry option is awesome. No need to help the little ones in and out, and they can sit and play at the edge of the water without worrying about falling in. My wife and I ended up spending a lot of time just sitting on the edge of the pool with drinks while our kids played in the water fountains and shallow water. Great design.

Despite being considered 1 big Grotto Pool, you do need to get out of the pool and walk around the bridges to access the waterslide or waterfall. No option to swim under the bridge.

The 100-foot waterslide dumps riders into a pool that ranges from 3 feet 6 inches to 4 feet deep, so this was a popular spot for some of the bigger kids. My 3- and 6-year-old weren’t big fans, although their outlook on waterslides has changed since then.

Kids must be at least 48 inches tall to ride the waterslide. 

On the other side of the pool is the true grotto area with a waterfall that guests can hang out behind or jump through thanks to a small ledge.

My daughter and her friend spent quite a bit of time jumping through the water, which was a lot of fun.

Next to the waterfall area is a small hot tub tucked behind some plants. It’s a pretty small hot tub for the size of the hotel, however, there are other options which I will show below.

Kiddie Pool

Off to the side of the pool, closer to I-Drive, is the Kiddie Pool area.

This is a cute little area that has a pool with water fountains and a sandy beach.

However, in the hot, mid-day Florida sun, the shallow water quickly became uncomfortably warm, and the sand very hot.

After a few minutes of playing in both, my son decided the big pool was more enjoyable — I did too! If there was a little bit more shade, this could have been a fun spot.

Cabanas

Alongside the Grotto Pool and Terrace Pool, guests will find cabanas that can be rented for up to 6 guests.

Cabanas come with a table, chairs, and lounge seating, as well as:

• 50-inch flat-screen TV with DirectTV
• Refrigerator and storage
• $25 credit to Coconuts Poolside Bar & Grill or the Market
• 2 complimentary bottles of water

Rates start at $150 per day and can be reserved online.

Terrace Pool

On the upper deck of Tower 1 of the hotel is the Terrace Pool.

While not exclusively for adults, this 45-meter lap-style pool certainly had a more mature vibe to it.

Although I’m sure well-behaved kids would have been welcome, surely they would have more fun in the big pool downstairs.

The rooftop pool stretches along the front side of the hotel, somewhat overlooking the convention center. Besides a few trees and buildings in the distance, this fourth-floor pool didn’t offer much of a view.

In addition to the lap pool is a hot tub. This hot tub is larger and certainly quieter than the one down by the Grotto Pool.

Spa

The Spa at Hyatt Regency Orlando offers something for everyone. From facials and massages to manicures and haircuts, if you need some pampering, The Spa has you covered.

Guests who receive treatment also get to use the private hot tubs located behind the fitness center.

Due to COVID-19, the spa was operating on reduced hours during my visit, so I didn’t get to try anything out. Guests visiting the hotel can find the treatment menu online.

Fitness Center

Guest looking for a workout during their stay at the Hyatt Regency Orlando should be quite happy with the 24-hour StayFit gym.

Located in the same area as The Spa on the main level of the hotel is one of the more impressive hotel fitness centers I have seen lately.

With a locker room, steam room, and 4 separate workout areas, this gym can hold quite a few people — which I’m sure it does when a big conference is in town.

The LifeFitness equipment was all relatively new and in great condition.

There was an entire (large) room dedicated to treadmills, stationary bikes, and elliptical machines.

A separate stretching and group class studio.

And, of course, a section dedicated to the 3 Peloton bikes.

Tennis Court

One of the benefits of having a sprawling convention center hotel is there’s a lot of roof space. And the Hyatt Regency Orlando takes advantage of that space with a rooftop tennis court!

I only saw it from afar, but the fourth-floor court is probably fun for those looking to get a match in.

And don’t worry if you forgot your racquet — they are provided, along with balls.

Bike Rentals

Guests looking to explore the area on 2 wheels can borrow some of the house bikes and explore International Drive independently.

The hotel provides adult and kids bikes, as well as helmets, locks, and maps of the area.

Regency Club

Located on the 27th floor in Tower 2 is the Regency Club.

Unfortunately, the Regency Club was closed due to COVID-19 cuts during our stay, which was a bummer because it was located conveniently 2 doors down from our suite.

Under normal circumstances, the Regency Club serves breakfast in the morning and light snacks throughout the day with a complimentary happy hour in the evenings. Hopefully, that will return soon.

Pet Policy

If you are traveling with your dog, they will be welcome here as the Hyatt Regency Orlando is pet-friendly!

Guests bringing a dog are requested to inform the hotel at least 3 days before arrival. A $150 cleaning fee will be added to the reservation.

The weight limit is 50 pounds or 2 dogs with a combined weight of 75 pounds or less.

Wireless Internet

Wi-Fi was free (well, part of the waived resort fee) and easy to connect to in the room and throughout the property.

While nothing crazy, I was able to get around 14 Mbps during our stay — which is not bad for a hotel this size. The speed was more than enough for some social media scrolling by the pool.

Business Center

In the lobby, near the front desk, is the “11th Hour Business Center,” which consisted of 2 computers and a printer.

Prices for the business center were:

• Print airline boarding pass: Free
• Computer/internet use: $0.50 per minute
• Black and white printing: $1 per page
• Color printing: $1.50 per page

Park Shuttle

Unfortunately, and surprisingly, the Hyatt Regency Orlando does not offer shuttle service to the local theme parks such as Walt Disney World, Universal Orlando, and SeaWorld.

Guests will instead receive 2 vouchers for a single ride on the I-Ride Trolley which goes up and down International Drive.

Valet Parking

Due to staffing issues, valet parking was not available during my stay. However, valet parking is normally $40 per night.

Guests have the option of self-parking in the nearby, public, garage for $30 per night.

World of Hyatt Globalist members on award stays do not pay for parking.

COVID-19 Protocols

COVID-19 precautions were on the light side, but better than our experience at the nearby Hyatt Regency Grand Cypress.

We spent most of our time by the pool, so we didn’t need masks there. Inside, most guests and staff wore masks, and hand sanitizing stations were filled.

The Room

The room, well, suite, is the reason we extended our stay at the Hyatt Regency Orlando.

I had booked a standard 2-queen room as that was the only option available for using my free night certificate. However, at check-in, the agent told me that my room had been upgraded to a 1-bedroom suite with a king bed and a pullout sofa.

The agent asked if this was ok due to the kids having to sleep on the couch. It was more than fine!

I was assigned room 2702 in Tower 2, which is a corner suite at the end of the hall near the (closed) Regency Club. This was an excellent location as it was overlooking the pool area. Had we been assigned a room in Tower 1, we would have had to trek through the lobby with our pool gear each day.

On the hotel website, 1-bedroom suites are listed as having between 780 and 906 square feet (72 to 84 square meters). I’m not particularly good and estimating room sizes, so I won’t venture a guess at exactly how big it was, but it was quite spacious and comfortable.

Upon walking into the suite, there is a full-sized closet, as well as a small refrigerator, coffee makers, and a large shelf/countertop on the right-hand side.

On the left-hand side is the bathroom.

Living Room

The biggest part of the suite is, obviously, the living room. There is even a connecting room, so if you wanted to, you could book 2 rooms and really spread out.

The living room has floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the pool and International Drive, which really opened up the space with the curtains opened. However, with Florida’s summer sun blasting into our 27th-floor room, we kept them mostly closed.

The living room had a pullout sofa with 2 side tables, a coffee table, a sitting chair, and a desk with its own chair.

Across from the sofa was a 65-inch TV with a set of drawers and desk for some extra flat surfaces, which is always welcome.

Bedroom

To the left of the living room sofa was the doorway to the bedroom.

The bedroom is good-sized and easily accommodated the king-size bed with 2 bedside tables and a bench.

The bedroom had an additional 65-inch TV, as well as floor-to-ceiling windows on 2 of the walls.

With all of the curtains in the room open, you can get some really nice views of the area and even see some fireworks from the parks at night.

Bathroom

The bathroom was nice and had some decent counter space — which is important with 4 people sharing a room for 4 days.

The kids particularly liked the mirror with a TV in it!

On the counter were some basic amenities waiting for us, including soap, body lotion, a toothbrush, toothpaste, and mouthwash.

There was a hairdryer, extra towels, and toilet paper on the shelves, with a scale on the floor.

The shower and bathtub area was pretty standard. Fortunately, there were no shared amenities, only individual shampoos, conditioners, and body wash.

Amenities were by Pharmacopia, which you will find at most Hyatt Regency locations.

Food and Beverage

Over the course of our stay, we were able to try out almost all of the dining options — the swanky lobby bar didn’t feel like a great option for kids after a day at the theme parks!

From cocktails by the pool to a nice Italian dinner, here is what you can expect at the Hyatt Regency Orlando.

B-Line Diner

The B-Line Diner is a classic diner-style restaurant with made-to-order breakfast and meals available all day.

Since the Regency Club was closed, we had the option to eat here for free each morning as Globalists.

Breakfast included a choice of 1 entree, fresh juice, and coffee. The breakfast menu was really quite good (and filling).

After walking by the open kitchen, I couldn’t resist the hash browns, so I ordered the All American Breakfast.

My wife ordered the avocado toast with poached eggs.

And both of my kids ordered pancakes and bacon from the kid’s menu. Everything we ordered was delicious.

During the rest of the day and into the evening, the all-day menu consisted of mostly salads, sandwiches, and burgers.

B-Line Diner was open daily from 7 a.m. until 10 p.m., and digital menus are available online.

Coconuts Poolside Bar & Grill

Any good pool should have a poolside bar, and at the Hyatt Regency Orlando that is Coconuts Poolside Bar & Grill.

Located just a few steps from the main pool, this is the best option to get something to eat or drink with minimal effort.

We ordered some chips for snacks and chicken tenders for the kids, but the real highlights were the frozen drinks.

Coconuts Poolside Bar & Grill was open daily from 11 a.m. until sunset, and a digital menu is available online.

Fiorenzo

If you are looking for a quality meal, Fiorzeno has you covered. We had dinner at this Italian steakhouse inside the hotel and had a great experience.

The chic design and open kitchen made for a nice atmosphere that was somewhat fancy, yet still family-friendly.

We all shared a few dishes, including Nonna’s meatballs (try them!), the cioppino, and a pizza for the kids. All were very good, but we could have ordered less!

Fiorenzo was open daily from 6 p.m. until 10 p.m., and a digital menu is available online.

Market

Without a doubt, the most popular and most versatile dining option was the 24-hour Market.

No matter the time of day, this bright and busy little market/cafe had something for everyone. From fresh baked goods and fruits to salads, pizzas, and sandwiches, having the market available after a long day was awesome.

Plus, they sold ice cream, beer, and wine — oh, and Starbucks coffee!

Globalist members who didn’t want to sit down in the B-Line Diner could also grab their breakfast here.

Breakfast included a Starbucks drink, juice, 1 breakfast entree, and a fruit cup. Since the kids don’t drink coffee, we were allowed to swap those for bottled water, which turned into quite the haul.

We often ended up with extra fruit salads, which made great snacks by the pool in the afternoon.

Market was open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and a digital menu is available online.

Rocks

I love a good hotel lobby bar, so I was disappointed that I didn’t have time to check out Rocks.

Located to the left of the lobby, overlooking the pool area, is a raised room with a big wrap-around bar in the middle of it.

With big TVs, local craft beer, and a nice cocktail and food menu, Rocks looks like a nice spot to hang out. Maybe next time!

Rocks was open daily from 4 p.m. until 12 a.m., and a digital menu is available online.

Room Service

Room service at the Hyatt Regency Orland was available, although we didn’t test it out as we already knew the hotel was short-staffed.

The food comes from the Market and uses the same menu. The only difference is a $5 delivery fee and an 18% service charge.

Room service was available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and a digital menu is available online.

Service

Despite being visibly understaffed, all of the staff that we dealt with were fantastic.

From the front desk agent who had to piece together our multiple reservations (and then extend us) to the waiters by the pool making sure our kids had enough water… even the pre-arrival email was fantastic.

Housekeeping has been hit or miss on our travels lately, but we were pleasantly surprised with the on-demand housekeeping at the Hyatt Regency Orlando. Whenever we headed out, we just texted housekeeping anything we needed (water, towels, etc.) and it was taken care of while we were out.

In fact, we were finishing dinner on our first night and realized that the sofa bed needed to be made up for the kids to sleep, so I texted the hotel and they had everything set up before we got back.

Overall, the service was excellent and made a big impact on the experience.

Final Thoughts

Despite not being our first choice of Hyatt Regency properties in Orlando, we really enjoyed our stay at the Hyatt Regency Orlando — so much so that we even extended our stay.

I was looking for a nice hotel with a pool, near the parks, where I could redeem my World of Hyatt points and free night certificates. This hotel checked all of those boxes and then some.

The Globalist benefits were awesome, my family and I really enjoyed having 2 options for breakfast (sit down and grab-and-go), and saving money on resort fees and parking is always a plus.

Add in an upgrade to a suite, and we were 1 happy family.

If I am back in Orlando under similar circumstances, I would not hesitate to stay at the Hyatt Regency Orlando again.