Hilton Hotels Near Universal Orlando: 8 Picks, Shuttles, Fees

1. DoubleTree by Hilton at the Entrance to Universal Orlando

This 742-room DoubleTree on Major Boulevard is the Hilton to pick if you want to walk. Our route to the middle of CityWalk is about 0.9 mile, roughly 20 minutes on sidewalks along Major and Universal Boulevards, and about a mile to the Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure entrances. Hilton’s own figure, 0.5 mile, is shorter than any walking route.

It’s a full-service hotel with a heated junior Olympic-size pool, a kids’ pool and a splash pad, plus casual food that runs late: American Grill for dinner, a courtyard cafe from 6 a.m., the Double Locos food truck and a gelato shop open until 1 a.m. (Hilton, June 2026 capture).

• Why stay: a walk to CityWalk that saves Universal’s parking charge, and a two-bedroom suite for up to six.
• Getting there / to the parks: as a Universal Partner Hotel it runs scheduled transportation to the Universal theme parks, reserved in person at the lobby’s Universal desk from a day ahead until 30 minutes before departure. Hilton doesn’t state a charge or whether Epic Universe is served. By road it’s about 1.3 miles to Universal’s garages and about 4 miles to Epic Universe’s parking (Hilton lists 3).
• Good to know: no resort fee on Hilton’s pages or in Booking.com’s sample price. Self-parking is $34 a day plus tax; valet is $44 plus tax per Hilton but $38 plus tax in the Booking.com fine print. Breakfast costs extra, you must be 21 to check in, and pets up to 60 pounds pay a $75 fee.

Best for: Universal-focused couples and families who are happy to walk and want a full-service hotel without a resort fee.

Check your dates for DoubleTree by Hilton at the Entrance to Universal Orlando, or read our full DoubleTree at the Entrance to Universal review.

2. Hampton Inn Closest to Universal Orlando

This Hampton by Hilton on Windhover Drive, off Kirkman Road north of the DoubleTree, is the budget pick with the basics included. Hilton lists a free hot breakfast, free parking (one space per room) and a free scheduled shuttle to Universal, with an outdoor pool and a fitness center. It’s an older building, with a 1992 opening date in Hilton’s listing, and Hilton lists no restaurant beyond breakfast.

• Why stay: some of the lowest add-on costs near the gates: breakfast, parking and a Universal shuttle, with no resort fee shown.
• Getting there / to the parks: Hilton’s June 2026 page describes a complimentary scheduled shuttle to “Universal Orlando and Islands of Adventure,” with times from the front desk, and says it doesn’t serve Epic Universe. CityWalk is about 1.3 to 1.6 miles on foot (roughly 30 minutes), depending on the route; by road it’s about 1.6 miles to the garages and 4.6 to Epic.
• Good to know: Hilton’s booking engine takes up to four guests per room, and the lot has no space for oversized vehicles. Up to two dogs or cats (75 pounds max) cost $75 for 1 to 4 nights or $125 for longer, and the minimum check-in age is 18.

Best for: couples and families of four who want breakfast, parking and a park shuttle on a budget.

See prices and availability at Hampton Inn Closest to Universal Orlando

3. Homewood Suites by Hilton Orlando-Nearest to Universal Studios

Homewood Suites sits on American Way, a short street between Universal Boulevard and International Drive that it shares with the Home2 Suites and Hilton Garden Inn below. Every suite has a full kitchen, and Hilton lists a free hot breakfast, free parking and an outdoor pool with a hot tub, a sports court, a fire pit and grills.

On Wednesdays there’s an evening social. Hilton describes small plates and snacks with drinks from a pay-by-the-ounce self-pour system, while the Booking.com fine print calls it a complimentary social with light fare, beer and wine from 5:30 to 7 p.m., so ask what’s included.

• Why stay: a kitchen, a hot breakfast and free parking, about 1.4 road miles from Universal’s garages.
• Getting there / to the parks: Hilton’s page (February 2026 capture) offers “free shuttle passes to the park,” and its Universal Partner terms describe scheduled rides to the Universal parks, SeaWorld and Aquatica, booked in person in the lobby from a day ahead until 30 minutes before departure. Epic Universe’s parking is about 3.5 road miles away, and CityWalk about 1.5 miles on foot.
• Good to know: one-bedroom suites have a king or two queens plus a sofa bed, for up to six in Hilton’s booking engine. EV charging costs $0.50 per kWh, pets (two dogs or cats, 75 pounds max) cost $75 to $125 a stay, and Hilton lists a minimum check-in age of 21, while Booking.com says 18, so confirm.

Best for: families who want to cook some meals and park for free.

Check your dates for Homewood Suites by Hilton Orlando-Nearest to Universal Studios

4. Home2 Suites by Hilton Orlando Near Universal

Across American Way, this all-suite Home2 is the newest hotel in the cluster (Hilton gives a 2019 opening date). Studio suites with a king or two queens add a sofa bed and an in-suite kitchen, the hot breakfast and parking are free, and Hilton describes the outdoor pool as saline. Universal’s vacation site also lists a Spin2Cycle room that combines the fitness area with guest laundry.

• Why stay: newer suites with a kitchen, free breakfast and free parking, and the shortest drive to the garages here, about 1.2 miles.
• Getting there / to the parks: Hilton says a free scheduled shuttle “stops just across the street,” and its Universal Partner terms describe rides to the Universal parks, SeaWorld and Aquatica, booked in person in the lobby a day ahead. Epic Universe is about 3.5 road miles away.
• Good to know: suites take up to six guests in Hilton’s booking engine, and Hilton lists no restaurant beyond breakfast. Late check-out until 2 p.m. costs $50, pets (two, 75 pounds max) cost $75 to $125 a stay, and you can check in from age 18.

Best for: families of five or six on a budget who want a kitchen and newer rooms.

See available suites at Home2 Suites by Hilton Orlando Near Universal

5. Hilton Garden Inn Orlando International Drive North

The third American Way hotel trades the kitchen for a livelier pool deck: an outdoor pool and whirlpool, a fire pit and a thatched Tiki Bar serving pub food and frozen drinks from 5 to 10 p.m. The Garden Grille & Bar cooks breakfast to order, omelets included, but Hilton notes that additional charges apply.

• Why stay: a free shuttle that Hilton says covers Epic Universe as well as the original parks, plus free parking and a bar on site.
• Getting there / to the parks: Hilton’s June 2026 page describes a complimentary scheduled shuttle to Universal Orlando, which it puts at two miles, and Epic Universe, at four; the Booking.com listing says the free Universal shuttle stops at the hotel. Our routes give about 1.3 miles to Universal’s garages and 3.4 to Epic’s lot.
• Good to know: rooms take up to four guests in Hilton’s booking engine. There’s EV charging on site, pets (two, 75 pounds max) cost $75 to $125 a stay, and both Hilton and the Booking.com fine print put the minimum check-in age at 18.

Best for: couples and families of four who don’t mind paying for breakfast in exchange for a poolside bar.

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6. Embassy Suites by Hilton Orlando International Drive ICON Park

This freshly renovated all-suite hotel on Jamaican Court is about a 0.5-mile walk from ICON Park. Every suite has a bedroom with a door and a separate living room with a sofa bed and a wet bar. A made-to-order breakfast and an evening reception with drinks and snacks are included, and the heated pool runs from an outdoor deck into a glass-roofed indoor section.

• Why stay: a door between parents and kids, a cooked breakfast and an evening reception included, and ICON Park’s restaurants on foot.
• Getting there / to the parks: the hotel’s Booking.com listing (October 2026) calls its theme park shuttle free to Walt Disney World, Universal and Epic Universe, but not SeaWorld, while Hilton’s hotel information page still says paid (October 2026), as its main page did in June 2026. Platinum Transportation’s schedule (effective October 5, 2026) lists 8:55 a.m. runs to Universal and Epic Universe and a 9:55 a.m. EPCOT run, but no fare, so confirm the cost in writing. By road it’s about 2.5 miles to Universal’s garages and 3.3 to Epic.
• Good to know: self-parking is $24.50 a day including tax on Hilton’s page (US$23 a day on Booking.com), and Booking.com’s sample price showed no resort fee. Its room list puts two-queen and two-double suites at up to six guests, and you must be 21 to check in.

Best for: families of four to six who want a suite and a free breakfast near I-Drive’s restaurants.

See prices and availability at Embassy Suites by Hilton Orlando International Drive ICON Park, or read our Embassy Suites Orlando International Drive review for the full shuttle story.

7. Hilton Orlando

The 1,424-room Hilton Orlando on Destination Parkway is the resort pick. The hotel lists an 892-foot lazy river with free tubes, a zero-entry main pool kept temperature-controlled year-round, a waterslide (48-inch minimum), a splash pad and an enclosed pool for adults 18 and over. It sits beside the Orange County Convention Center, and the hotel says it’s less than a mile from Epic Universe; our route to Epic’s parking toll plaza is about 2 miles.

• Why stay: a lazy-river resort near Epic Universe, with free Universal rides and a Magic Kingdom and EPCOT shuttle in the resort charge.
• Getting there / to the parks: the hotel’s Universal page describes complimentary transportation to all four Universal theme parks from the front drive, reserved in person at the Universal Vacation Planning Desk in the lobby; its transportation page says “all three” parks, so confirm Epic runs at the desk. The resort charge also covers a daily scheduled round trip to Magic Kingdom and EPCOT and two I-Ride Trolley passes. Universal’s garages are about 5.5 road miles away.
• Good to know: a $47-plus-tax daily resort charge, and self-parking at $38 or valet at $50 a night plus tax; the policy page also lists a $2.25 destination marketing tax on top of 12.5% room taxes. Breakfast isn’t included, pets aren’t allowed (service animals are), and the minimum check-in age is 18.

Best for: families mixing Epic Universe, Universal and pool days, with a Disney day or two.

Check availability at Hilton Orlando, or see our Hilton Orlando review for the rooms and restaurants.

8. DoubleTree by Hilton Orlando Theme Park Resort

The former DoubleTree at SeaWorld is a 1,042-room resort on 28 acres on International Drive next to SeaWorld, with a tower, low-rise villa buildings around garden courtyards, two outdoor pools and a mini golf course. SeaWorld’s entrance is about a mile away on foot, and Epic Universe’s parking toll plaza about 2.7 road miles.

• Why stay: a resort base between SeaWorld and Epic Universe, with a Universal shuttle covered by the resort fee.
• Getting there / to the parks: the Booking.com fine print (October 2026) says complimentary transportation runs only to the Universal parks, Epic Universe included, and rides to SeaWorld and Walt Disney World cost “a modest fee”; Hilton says you book the scheduled shuttle through the concierge. Universal’s garages are about 5.6 road miles away.
• Good to know: Booking.com lists a daily resort fee of $25 plus tax (Hilton lists what it covers but no amount): a $10 daily food and beverage credit, mini golf, two bottled waters, the Universal shuttle and two I-Drive trolley tickets a day. Self-parking is $38 a night plus tax, check-in starts at 4 p.m. and the minimum age is 18.

Best for: trips that pair SeaWorld with Epic Universe and want a resort pool to come back to.

See available rooms at DoubleTree by Hilton Orlando Theme Park Resort, or read our DoubleTree at SeaWorld review.