Pros
- Quick and easy access from East Colonial Drive, near the University of Central Florida
- Spacious rooms with mini-fridge, microwave, coffeemaker, and flat-screen TV
- Lots of nice freebies including breakfast, Wi-Fi, and parking
- On-site fitness center and outdoor swimming pool with lounge chairs
- Facilities include a laundry room, business center, and meeting rooms
- Five-minute drive to restaurants, shops, and a cinema at Waterford Lakes Town Center
- On-site mini market sells snacks
- Fresh, contemporary, and colorful decor throughout
Bottom Line
The 91-room Holiday Inn Express Hotel & Suites Orlando East - UCF Area is a two-and-a-half-pearl property near Central Florida Research Park and the University of Central Florida, but about a 30-minute drive from Disney World. Nice amenities include free substantial breakfast, a fitness center, outdoor pool with lounge chairs, and a laundry room. Corporate travelers might appreciate the business center and meeting room. Guest rooms are spacious and include a coffeemaker and flat-screen TV. For those that want to pay more to be closer to the theme parks, check rates at the Rosen Inn at Pointe Orlando.
Hotel & Amenities Photos
Amenities
- Cribs
- Fitness Center
- Internet
- Pool
Scene
Smart and modern chain hotel, with an attractive breakfast area
The exterior of this Holiday Inn doesn’t look like anything special, but inside it’s well-designed and a breath of fresh air compared to other blander chain hotels. The lighting, seating, floor and wall tiles are all well-chosen in a modern style and funky colors like lime green and electric blue that feel right at home in Florida. The breakfast area is especially nice, with a choice of seating and a contemporary fireplace set into the wall. It’s a fairly quiet hotel, and tends to attract more business guests than tourists. For this price point, the atmosphere is surprisingly polished and modern.
Location
Just off the expressway, but little to see and do in the surrounding area
This Holiday Inn Express is set just off a busy expressway, but the surrounding area is pretty sparse. It's set back enough from the road so that there isn't any traffic noise in the rooms. The Central Florida Research Park and the University of Central Florida are just a few minutes from the hotel, so many guests here are visiting one of those two spots. The Orlando Citrus Bowl Stadium and Amway Arena are both a 15-minute drive away. The nearest amenities are a five-minute drive away at the Waterford Lakes Town Center where there are restaurants, shops, and a cinema. Those here for Orlando’s theme parks can drive to Disney World, Universal, and SeaWorld in 30 minutes. The beautiful Cocoa Beach is a 45-minute drive.
Rooms
Spacious, contemporary rooms with colorful decor, mini-fridges, microwaves, and coffeemakers
The 91 rooms at the Holiday Inn Express Orlando East have identical smart and modern decor in bright and spacious rooms. They have contemporary, striped carpets and a fresh turquoise and beige color scheme. There's dark wood furniture and modern artwork on the walls to add a further splash of color. Every room has free Wi-Fi, air-conditioning, a desk with comfortable work chair, and a flat-screen TV with satellite channels. There's also the bonus of a small kitchen area which has a fridge, microwave, and coffeemaker. The bathrooms are unremarkable, but are clean and a fair size.
Features
Free breakfast, Wi-Fi, and parking -- plus an outdoor pool
There's no restaurant or bar here, but there are some good amenities that add to the convenience of the hotel, such as a laundry room and small convenience store that sells snacks. Past guests have raved about the free breakfast, which has a great variety of hot and cold foods, including cereal, fruit, eggs, and pastries. There's a good business center for corporate guests, and a smart meeting room that seats up to 90 people. The 24-hour fitness center is small but has some good, modern equipment, and other items like yoga mats can be borrowed from the front desk. There's a small outdoor pool, which is a nice touch. It's usually quiet and there are plenty of comfortable sun loungers. Wi-Fi is free throughout the hotel, and there's free car parking on-site too.
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Scene
Smart and modern chain hotel, with an attractive breakfast area
The exterior of this Holiday Inn doesn’t look like anything special, but inside it’s well-designed and a breath of fresh air compared to other blander chain hotels. The lighting, seating, floor and wall tiles are all well-chosen in a modern style and funky colors like lime green and electric blue that feel right at home in Florida. The breakfast area is especially nice, with a choice of seating and a contemporary fireplace set into the wall. It’s a fairly quiet hotel, and tends to attract more business guests than tourists. For this price point, the atmosphere is surprisingly polished and modern.
Location
Just off the expressway, but little to see and do in the surrounding area
This Holiday Inn Express is set just off a busy expressway, but the surrounding area is pretty sparse. It's set back enough from the road so that there isn't any traffic noise in the rooms. The Central Florida Research Park and the University of Central Florida are just a few minutes from the hotel, so many guests here are visiting one of those two spots. The Orlando Citrus Bowl Stadium and Amway Arena are both a 15-minute drive away. The nearest amenities are a five-minute drive away at the Waterford Lakes Town Center where there are restaurants, shops, and a cinema. Those here for Orlando’s theme parks can drive to Disney World, Universal, and SeaWorld in 30 minutes. The beautiful Cocoa Beach is a 45-minute drive.
Rooms
Spacious, contemporary rooms with colorful decor, mini-fridges, microwaves, and coffeemakers
The 91 rooms at the Holiday Inn Express Orlando East have identical smart and modern decor in bright and spacious rooms. They have contemporary, striped carpets and a fresh turquoise and beige color scheme. There's dark wood furniture and modern artwork on the walls to add a further splash of color. Every room has free Wi-Fi, air-conditioning, a desk with comfortable work chair, and a flat-screen TV with satellite channels. There's also the bonus of a small kitchen area which has a fridge, microwave, and coffeemaker. The bathrooms are unremarkable, but are clean and a fair size.
Features
Free breakfast, Wi-Fi, and parking -- plus an outdoor pool
There's no restaurant or bar here, but there are some good amenities that add to the convenience of the hotel, such as a laundry room and small convenience store that sells snacks. Past guests have raved about the free breakfast, which has a great variety of hot and cold foods, including cereal, fruit, eggs, and pastries. There's a good business center for corporate guests, and a smart meeting room that seats up to 90 people. The 24-hour fitness center is small but has some good, modern equipment, and other items like yoga mats can be borrowed from the front desk. There's a small outdoor pool, which is a nice touch. It's usually quiet and there are plenty of comfortable sun loungers. Wi-Fi is free throughout the hotel, and there's free car parking on-site too.
Hotel & Amenities Photos
Best Rates
Amenities
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Air Conditioner
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Basic Television
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Business Center
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Cabanas
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Cable
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Cribs
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Dry Cleaning
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Fitness Center
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Free Breakfast
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Internet
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Kids Allowed
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Laundry
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Meeting / Conference Rooms
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Pool
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Poolside Drink Service
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Room Service
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Swim-Up Bar
Disclaimer: This content was accurate at the time the hotel was reviewed. Please check our partner sites when booking to verify that details are still correct.