TripAdvisor Traveler Rating

We found the 2 bedroom suite to be well worth the price even though there were only 2 of us in that suite. We stayed for 2 weeks so the extra space was appreciated. We stayed at dockside and other family members were at surfside. We loved the heated outdoor pool and enjoyed the bar at poolside. We did find there was a lot of walking, and our room was located quite far from the main lobby, bar, buses and food court. We loved the fact that there were always towels available and the room was kept clean and well supplied. We did find the choices in the food court to be quite limited. However, we enjoyed every meal we had at the many restaurants we visited on the Universal property. The bar area in the main lobby was often too crowded to find a seat, and there are not many seats at the bar itself., but there was adequate seating at tables in front of the food court. The bus service to City Walk and the parks was wonderful. We never had a long wait.

Myself and my partner stayed at Surfside for two weeks, the staff were welcoming and friendly, the room clean we received house keeping daily and new towels. We utilised the cafe, beach bar and Starbucks in the hotel all providing good service. We were staying during Hurricane Milton, we were kept updated and informed and felt very safe. We utilised the early entry to Universal Parks and the shuttle buses were very useful running every 15 minutes or so. We utilised the Itrolley to go along international drive where there were plenty restaurants and a stop right outside the hotel. Would recommend this hotel, good value for money and we had a lovely stay.

First impressions were good - we checked in quite late due to a delayed flight and asked for a top floor room but were told none were available. We were given a room in tower 2 floor 6. On entering our room the door handle was broken - we reported this and it was fixed the next day. The room was bright and breezy, nice furnishings, generally clean and comfortable. However, storage space was very limited - 3 small drawers and a small hanging rail with 8 coat hangers and 4 hooks around the large mirror. Staying for 3 weeks the lack of storage was an issue - we basically lived out of our suitcases and packing cubes. Weirdly they had some missed options in terms of space - the stool which was built to look like an ottoman stool had a fixed lid which was a shame - it could have been made into a storage cube. Also the bedside table between the beds was a stylised trunk - this could have had some drawers and been converted into a cupboard. As well as the lack of storage there was limited sockets near the bed - 1 usb A and 1 usb C - further sockets were available on the large tv uni but much less than I would expect. The room was very very loud - we could hear the people above and below us as well as either side of us. They werent purposely being loud it was normal family noise you would expect but made louder due to the thin walls and the fact the floors are laminate. Over the next few nights the noise made sleeping an issue so we did need to switch rooms 5 days in. Our 2nd room was in tower 1 and on the 9th (top floor) this was quieter than the previous room as no over head noise but could still hear the neighbours. Housekeeping was disappointing - we switched room on day 5 - we did not get any bedding change for the rest of our 15 day stay! They also skipped us a few times and came at random times making it awkward as we would see them next door an head out come back 2 hours later and they hadnt done our room. I dont believe they vacuumed the room either as the floor was quite dirty and walking bare foot led to dirty feet. We did have to empty our own bins and leave them by the communal bin as well as they just didnt come to empty them. Amenities in the room were replenished and towels were replaced on the occasions they came in - when we ran out of towels a few days we ended up using pool towels. Speaking of amenities you get shampoo, conditioner and a soap bar in the bathroom, tea and coffee plus a coffee machine in the main room. TV, safe, drinks cooler (kept switching off). The pool was large and had plenty of sun shade and beds available but very shallow so it wasnt great for actually swimming but okay to sit and drink cocktails in. The bar was quite expensive but thats standard. The refill mug was great but the pool refill station was always out of syrup so the drinks tastes bad. The refill station in the cafe was mostly good but several times it ran out of syrup or ice but we the mug did feel like great value $30+tax for unlimied drinks for 21 days and we got at least 2-3 drinks a day. The cafe food was decent and plenty of seating. Best thing about the resort was the buses - we never waited more than 5 mins for a bus to Citywalk, 10mins for a bus to Volcano Bay and similar return times. Buses were never over full and we always got a seat. The resort also provides easy access to international drive between 7am-9pm after that the gate is locked and you have to walk the longer way round which takes about 10 mins more - it was a bit irksome that they literally chaind the gate - would have been so much better if they had a lock pad which was opened with your room key which i think they might have had at one point but didnt when we were there. Laundry facilities good and worked well - reasonable priced $3 per wash and $3 per dry - we brought our own dtergent. Overall its probably a good resort if you are staying a couple of days I think for ease of access to the Universal parks but if you are staying longer its better to stay elsewhere as the lack of storage plus noise levels are not great.

This is our second visit to Surfside. We couldn’t wish for a perfect hotel, great for couples and families. Our children (age 8 and 10) felt safe walking around alone, refilling their cups etc. We had a free upgrade to a family room which was a little added bonus and the kitchenette was ideal to all sit and eat. Shuttles to city walk and volcano bay are frequent and reliable. Location is perfect for International drive. The pool area has a great vibe, pool is safe and not too deep for children. Food is top quality, the pizzas and enchiladas are our favourite. Also, the pasta is made from scratch in front of you where you can choose your ingredients. Staff are extremely helpful and friendly. We have previously stayed at Sapphire falls, and in all honesty, I prefer staying at Surfside! Can’t wait to return! One little bit of feedback is we didn’t have our sheets changed or floors swept/ mopped in our 10 day stay. I’m sure if we had asked for this it wouldn’t have been a problem.

I rarely write a hotel review as I had to deal with complaints for a living before retirement from Hilton management. This one however, is a pleasure to write. Overall the hotel did not disappoint, from the cafe team the fabulous lady chef who made me the most delicious gluten free chicken sandwich meal and the waitress who was amazed by my toaster bags to the housekeeping team who left the suite spotless. Without doubt the star of the show was Stephanie on reception who checked my family in. There was a problem with my prior email to the hotel which I had sent due to medical needs and also arrangements for my 6 month old grandson. She not only rectified the issues but went over and above for us and it meant our holiday really was special due to her attention to detail. She is an outstanding member of staff and my family will definitely return to the hotel. Last but not least every coach driver running the shuttle buses were pleasant and welcoming. Absolutely loved staying here.