Millions of families visit Orlando each year, making either once-in-a-lifetime visits or return trips to the theme park capital of the world. For big families who want the conveniences of a hotel or resort with the space to spread out that comes with a rental home, Villatel Orlando Resort offers a best-of-both-worlds type of stay.
I recently got the chance to visit Villatel Orlando Resort with my husband and teenage daughter during the grand opening of its amenity center. We’ve stayed at dozens of Orlando hotels over the years in standard guest rooms and family suites, and we definitely appreciated the ability we had to hang out together as a family but also enjoy a little alone time in our six-bedroom (!) villa.
And though we didn’t visit the Disney or Universal theme parks during this trip, we know from our many park days over the years that the resort would be an excellent home base for a big family or group trip. The spacious accommodations and fun amenities make it appealing to return to after a long day of riding rollercoasters, and it’s also a great place to spend a non-park day during an Orlando vacation.
Here’s everything you need to know about staying at Villatel Orlando Resort.
What is Villatel Orlando Resort?
This new 80-acre resort opened its first phase in November 2023 and then expanded its lodging offerings throughout 2024. The March 2025 opening of its amenity center is one of the final elements of the property that seems to have already been quickly embraced by families.
Villatel Orlando Resort is located just off International Drive, a major tourist strip in the area lined with hotels, restaurants, and attractions. The property’s just minutes from the new Universal Epic Universe and the rest of Universal Orlando Resort and about 20 minutes from both Walt Disney World Resort and SeaWorld Orlando.
Where you’ll stay at Villatel Orlando Resort
There are two ways to stay at Villatel Orlando Resort. Families can opt for one of the 270 villas at the resort, which feature four to nine bedrooms and can sleep up to 26 guests. The smaller ones are attached townhouse-style, while the larger ones are standalone two-story homes. We stayed in “The Sensational,” which had six bedrooms, six baths, and a private pool and spa.
The stylish villas all have open-concept living and dining areas connecting to full kitchens, private spa pools (with safety fences to keep little ones from wandering in), and game rooms and/or in-home entertainment options (think putting greens, classic and contemporary video games, and card tables). There’s lots of room for the family to gather together for meals or movies, but plenty of separation to accommodate daytime napping schedules or earlier bed times for younger kiddos (or the grandparents).
Each villa also includes one or two themed bedrooms that kids will be crazy about. Ours had four bunk beds done up in an under-the-sea theme with a ladder and a twisty slide for getting up and down from the top bunks. Other themes include princesses, superheroes, and video game characters.
For smaller families, the property is also home to Apartments by Marriott Bonvoy Resort. Villatel Orlando Resort is the first resort in the U.S. to offer Apartments by Marriott Bonvoy. The two- and three-bedroom units feature full kitchens and private balconies with views of the resort, and many also include arcade games and themed bedrooms. Plus you can accumulate and redeem Marriott Bonvoy points here. There are currently 96 Apartments by Marriott Bonvoy open at Villatel Orlando Resort, with 160 units still under construction.
Pricing, policies, and accommodation requests
Rates for villas start at $228 a night; rates for Apartments by Marriott Bonvoy Resort units start at $310 a night. Guests can request specific features, amenities, or themed rooms when making a reservation, but additional fees may apply. Complimentary pack-and-plays and highchairs can be reserved in advance.
You are allowed two vehicles per reservation, one of which can be parked in a numbered space near your home and the other of which can be parked in one of the many overflow lots throughout the property. Additional parking can be requested but not guaranteed, and parking policies could change in the future.
Where you’ll eat at Villatel Orlando Resort
There is currently one dining option at the resort, Aqua Bar & Grille. The poolside spot serves up family-friendly fare like burgers and chicken tenders as well as drinks for grownups and kids. Take note that it’s currently only open until 6 p.m., so it’s not an option for dinner unless you’re eating on the early side. The resort plans to expand the hours at some point but there’s no confirmed date yet.
You can bring in your own groceries or use a delivery service like Instacart to stock your fridge. And there are lots of fast-food and chain restaurants right outside the resort’s gates if you have a car.
A market with grab-and-go food options is scheduled to open by mid-May 2025. And you can often find “pop-up” food trucks by the pool.
Where you’ll play at Villatel Orlando Resort
The pool area at the new amenity center is definitely on-par with Orlando’s many water park resorts. There are four waterslides, including a speed slide and two racing slides complete with a time clock for seeing who’s the fastest. Little kids can have a ball at Splash Cove, which features slides that are just their size and water spraying everywhere, while the Lazy Loop lazy river and Grand Resort Pool are ideal for relaxing under the sun. And parents, take note: There are life jackets available for kids and lifeguards on duty throughout the pool area.
The amenity center also includes a shaded playground, basketball and pickleball courts, and a Top Golf Swing Suite for even more family fun. And the adults can stick to their workout schedule at the on-site fitness center.
Visiting the theme parks while staying at Villatel Orlando Resort
The resort offers complimentary shuttle service to and from Walt Disney World Resort and Universal Orlando Resort. Reservations are required and you can book up to 48 hours in advance.
There are two pickup locations at the resort, with two departures for Disney World each morning and two return shuttles in the evening; and two morning departure times for Universal and one return shuttle in the evening. Seats for each time slot are limited.
Reviews for Villatel Orlando Resort
Villatel Orlando Resort earns a rating of 5 out of 5 on Tripadvisor, 9.4 out of 10 on Kayak, and 9.3 out of 10 on Booking.com. Reviewers praise the spacious and well-outfitted accommodations and the resort’s cleanliness and convenient location.
Would I stay here again? Most definitely. After staying in smallish hotel rooms for many Orlando theme park trips and watching my daughter’s belongings start spreading all over the room as she got older, it’s definitely appealing to have space to rest and relax and a door to her room that can be closed so I don’t have to look at her clothes strewn all over the place. And multiple bathrooms are always appreciated when you’re rushing to get to the theme parks in the morning or showering after a long, hot day on the go.
And if you’re traveling in a multigenerational family group or with a bunch of friends, the villas would give you that combination of togetherness and separation that makes group trips go more smoothly. And they’d likely make it easier to enlist grandparents to do a little babysitting so the parents can squeeze in a little time for themselves.
