Universal Surfside Inn and Suites Review: Is the 2 Bedroom Suite Worth It for Families

Overview of Surfside Inn & Suites

When Surfside resort first opened I was so excited to learn it would be a value resort with two-bedroom suites. This is huge for a family of five who needs the space and wants to stay on a budget.

Surfside Inn & Suites is one of two Endless Summer Resorts. These resorts sit across the street from each other and both offer nearly identical accommodations for guests.

Surfside has a fun and bright beachy theme and is a great option for families with 5+ visiting the Universal Orlando resort.

Location and Transportation to the Parks

Surfside Inn and Suites Orlando is located at the Universal Orlando resort. The location is between Epic Universe and the original Universal parks- Universal Studios Florida and Islands of Adventure. If you are visiting all of the parks the location is perfect!

The resort is located 1.6 miles from the original theme parks and 3 miles from Epic Universe. The bus ride is about 10-15 minutes depending on traffic.

Surfside Inn and Suites 2 Bedroom Suite Review

As we walked into the lobby of Endless Summer: Universal’s Surfside Inn we couldn’t help but notice the bright colored surfboards, the streaming light from the windows, and the aqua colors welcoming us into the resort. The cool surf vibe theme is really cute and we loved staying at this family-oriented value hotel.

There are two towers at the resort and both offer easy access to the pool and lobby. We stayed on the first floor of Tower 2. Tower 1 is a bit closer to the bus transportation to the theme parks but we didn’t notice it being a big issue.

The gift shop and dining options are located within the lobby that is centrally located between the towers. There is also a parking garage near tower 2 if you have a car.

The reason we decided to stay at Surfside Inn and Suites is because of the affordable price for a spacious 2-bedroom suite. The guest rooms have 3 queen beds!

If you travel with a family of more than 4 you will understand how exciting it is to have a room that has 3 actual beds in it. No one had to sleep on a pull-out and there was space to spread out after a long day at the parks.

It was the perfect spot for our family!

Room Layout

The Surfside Inn & Suites 2-bedroom room layout consist of two spaces that include 3 queen beds, a kitchenette, and space for a large family.

You enter the room to an open area that has 2 queen beds, a picnic table(that fit the five of us), refrigerator, coffee maker, and microwave. Then there is a bathroom area and a separate bedroom with another queen size bed. It was spacious and offered plenty of room for our family of five.

The only con was there was not a lot of drawer space for clothes. Luggage fit under the beds and there was a closet in the separate bedroom. This wasn’t a big issue for us, and there was enough shelves and space for us to make it work. The theme continues into the suites with more surf style decor and bright colorful rooms.

Who the Suite Is Best For

• Families of 5-6 that do not want to book connecting rooms.
• Families wanting separate sleeping areas, great for traveling with teens or babies.
• Budget travelers- guests wanting to stay on a budget with their accommodations.

Average Nightly Cost

The cost for the resort fluctuates widely depending on the time of your visit. It can range from $95.00 a night up to $300.00+ a night. Typically expect between $150.00 to $200.00 a night. During the low season you will find much lower nightly prices.

Book Your Stay at Surfside Inn

Best Universal Orlando Hotel for Families of 5

Universal Surfside Inn & Suites is part of my best Universal hotels because of the space it offers for families and the great value.

There are other hotels that offer family suites like Dockside Inn & Suites (these are very comparable), Cabana Bay Beach Resort (great theme but smaller family suites), as well as more luxury options at the Signature collection hotels.

Pool

I was a bit concerned about the size of the pool when I was doing my online research. The pool is in the shape of a surf board and it looked a bit small in the online pictures. Thankfully my worry was not necessary because the pool area was great.

We never had an issue finding chairs and the kids loved it. It doesn’t have a lot of extras like water slides, but my kids love to swim so they didn’t feel like it was missing anything. The pool also had music playing under water and that was a fun little surprise.

When the kids wanted a break from the pool they could play table tennis or Connect 4 in the pool area. There is also a pool side bar called the Sand Bar that serves beverages and smoothies.

Dining

Beach Break Café is Surfside’s dining area. You can order breakfast, lunch, and dinner. It is a counter service cafeteria style setting that you order your food and carry it to your table or room.

We ordered twice from there for lunch one day and dinner another. You can get a variety of food from rice bowls to salads and hot dogs to pizza. I found there was something for everyone.

There is also a Starbucks in the lobby that serves Starbucks coffee and treats. We also took advantage of the in house pizza delivery service offered after 4:00pm and delivered right to your room.

Surfside vs Dockside: Which Endless Summer Hotel Is Better?

I wrote an entire blog post covering the difference between Surfside vs. Dockside and really neither are better than the other.

Surfside is larger and can have more people staying at any given time. It has bright colors and more energetic vibe.

Dockside is a bit smaller and usually is the quieter of the two. It has a more relaxed vibe and subdued lake side theme.

When I am planning our Universal trip I book the one that is less expensive. Prices can vary depending on availability and they are not always priced the same. If staying on a budget is most important, go with the resort that has the best nightly rate.

Tips for Staying at Surfside Inn and Suites

Like I mentioned earlier the biggest issue will be large crowds at the resort. My best tips are to be patient during check-in. If you can, check-in at a different time of day this may alleviate the long waits at check-in. This is not always possible so be prepared.

If noise is an issue ask for a room not close to the elevators to avoid loud crowds returning home from the park. You can also ask for a room close to the shuttle bus stop. The team members at check-in can help you with any requests you may have.

Is Surfside Inn and Suites Worth It?

If you are looking for extra affordability and space during your Universal vacation you want to consider a stay at Surfside Inn. The standard rooms and the family suites are great value. The resort is part of Universal hotel, so you still get great perks without going over budget.

Prices have changed over the years and the cost of staying at Surfside can fluctuate greatly depending on the season. Flexibility is key when looking for good deals.

Overall we loved the 2-Bedroom suites at Surfside Inn & Suites. It was perfect for our family and I can’t say enough good things about it. It has become our go-to resort for our next Universal Orlando vacation.

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