Located about 15 minutes from both Disney and Universal Studios on the beautiful (and massive) Grande Lakes resort grounds, the Ritz-Carlton is one of the best luxury hotels in Orlando -- swanky rooms, great pools, and a giant spa. But, since it shares all its features with the virtually identical JW Marriott, it's worth comparing rates.

Located next to the Orange County Convention Center, the Peabody's impressive array of services, beautiful interiors, and top-notch restaurants make it one of Orlando's classiest hotels. The hotel added a 32-story tower, a revamped pool complex, and a huge spa and fitness center as part of a massive expansion completed in 2010.

Catering primarily to business travelers, this 315-room Westin has spacious and well-appointed rooms with kitchenettes, a superb pool, and a small, but well-equipped gym. Located across from the Orange County Convention Center and 10 minutes from SeaWorld, this hotel stands out in an area mostly dominated by enormous, bland hotels.

This affordable, 1,218-room convention hotel a five-minute drive from the Walt Disney World theme parks is a great value for families on a budget. The overall decor is a little dowdy, but guests who don't need high-design get large suites, good dining variety, and features like an enormous pool and a two-story fitness center.

The 998-room JW Marriott is one of the most luxurious resorts in Orlando, and not just because it shares a gorgeous golf course and spa with the adjacent Ritz-Carlton. Its big rooms, streaming lazy-river pool, and acclaimed Italian restaurant are all among the best in Orlando -- a great choice, for business or a family vacation.

It might be billed as family resort, but this sprawling 1,052-room International Drive hotel is more like a mishmash of roadside motel, convention center, and a budget resort with three mediocre pools. Given the old, musty guest rooms and lack of security (no gates or apparent monitoring), both families and business travelers can do better elsewhere -- at least until the $50 million renovations are completed in 2014.

Located five minutes from Universal Studios and the Orange County Convention Center, the 400-room Crowne Plaza is a convenient and comfortable option for families and business travelers, given that its rooms and pool were both renovated in 2009 and that kids 10 and under eat for free. The nearby Westin, however, has nicer rooms and a better gym and pool.

It's primarily a business hotel -- it's next to the Orange County Convention Center and has loads of its own meeting space -- but the 832-room Rosen Plaza also includes a large pool, a notable steakhouse, and a small, windowless gym. It's adequate, but its features and lackluster service don't rise above Orlando's stiff competition.

It's primarily a business hotel -- it's across the street from the Orange County Convention Center and has loads of its own meeting space -- but the 1,334-room Rosen Centre also includes a large pool, a humdrum spa, and tennis courts. It's adequate, but its features, like its rooms, don't rise above Orlando's stiff leisure resort competition.