Universal Endless Summer Resort – Surfside Inn & Suites: An In-Depth Review

Universal's Endless Summer Resort includes two value resorts, Dockside Inn and Suites, and Surfside Inn and Suites. Surfside Inn & Suites, which debuted in 2019, was the first in the resort’s “value” category, preceding its larger Endless Summer sister, Dockside Inn & Suites. This review provides a comprehensive look at Surfside Inn & Suites, located at 7000 Universal Boulevard, Orlando, Florida, based on multiple stays to give you a detailed insight to help you decide if it's the right choice for your Universal Orlando vacation.

First Impressions

As you walk into the lobby of Endless Summer: Universal’s Surfside Inn, you can’t help but notice the bright colored surfboards, the streaming light from the windows, and the aqua colors welcoming you into the resort. We were blown away by our time at Surfside - all the nice little touches that really elevate the experience and atmosphere, every employee we came in contact with was helpful and friendly, and the entire resort is well-kept and just so nice.

Accommodation Options

Surfside Inn offers both standard rooms and spacious two-bedroom suites.

Standard Rooms

Standard rooms are average in size, a tad smaller than those at Cabana Bay. The standard room is 313 square feet in size, has two queen beds, and hosts a maximum of 4 guests. These rooms provide ample storage space, including a desk chair and wall table for those needing to do some remote work, though the setup isn't the most comfortable. A much-appreciated feature is the abundance of USB and outlets and, yes, there’s a coffee maker.

Two-Bedroom Suites

In addition to standard rooms, there’s spacious, two-bedroom suites, ideal for families. The 2-bedroom suites are 440 square feet and sleep up to 6. They have 2 queen beds in the main living area, a picnic-style dining table with kitchenette, and a queen bed in a separate, smaller room with its own door, closet, TV, and wall nightstand. We normally stay in the 2-bedroom suite since it has a separate, closed-off bedroom. We'll put Carson in the closed-off smaller room, so we can enjoy the rest of the hotel room after he goes to bed.

The suites consist of an open area that has 2 queen beds, a picnic table (that fit the five of us), refrigerator, coffee maker, and microwave. A bathroom area and a separate bedroom with another queen-size bed.

Room Design and Features

The room design features no elaborate theming, but can best be described as shabby chic beachy vibes. Clean lines and lots of light. Wood finishes. Light blue bedspreads, surf-related artwork, light fixtures, and throw pillows. You'll see “Eat. Sleep. Surf” distressed wall art with the sunglasses on one wall.

Notably, there is no carpet in the rooms.

Bathrooms

The bathrooms are spacious, featuring only one sink at the vanity with a large mirror above it. Even with one vanity, there’s plenty of space to store your toiletries on the counter. Some room types come with a standing shower and no tub option - something to double-check if you’ve got littles still needing a bath set up. The bathrooms do have a separate toilet room making it more convenient when getting ready for the day. The retro theming even goes down to the Alberto V05 shampoo and Zest soap!

Potential Downsides

Thin Walls: The walls are thin. If you’re a light sleeper like me- It may be too noisy for you to sleep well at night. I'd bring ear plugs or a travel sound machine.
Temperature Control: We found that it was difficult to pick a good temperature for the suites as the separate bedroom has an air vent right over the bed, which leads to it being cooler than the front room.
Noise: Noise is always an issue whenever I stay at a value resort. The walls are paper thin and the air vent in the separate bedroom allows voices to travel from other rooms.
Groups: Due to the pricing, both places are a hit with tour/sports groups. So, you will encounter them in the lobby and possibly hear them running around.
Lack of Storage: There’s only one small open closet in the separate bedroom.

Dining Options

There are no full-service restaurants, but Surfside has a Starbucks in the lobby, and there's a cafe with a wide variety of food and drinks.

Beach Break Cafe

Beach Break Cafe has a hot food counter that serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner. SoCal-focused dishes that all around $13.00 or under - which is AWESOME! There's the option to grab food from the deli, pizza, burger, or rotisserie stations. If you have picky eaters, this is the perfect place for you as the menu offers items like pizza, burgers, and sandwiches. There's a convenient grab-and-go snacks area inside the cafe as well.

While I wasn’t about to try to eat the whole menu during my stay, what I did eat at Beach Break Cafe was underwhelming. Most of the hot food for breakfast, lunch, and dinner appeared to have been sitting under heat lamps for quite a while, which may be why so many people were opting for one of the surprisingly tasty pizzas. At $12 for a whole cheese pizza, that’s probably your best option too for both quality and value.

Pizza Delivery

We also took advantage of the in-house pizza delivery service offered after 4:00 pm and delivered right to your room.

Amenities and Activities

The main draw of any theme park hotel is the pool. For Surfside, the center of attention is its spacious, supposedly surfboard-shaped pool (I say it’s more like a fish).

The Pool

The pool and outdoor area of Surfside is what truly sets this resort apart from other generalized resorts. The pool itself sits in between the two distinct towers that make up Surfside Inn and Suites. The pool is circled by tons of chairs, tables, and umbrellas for you to relax under and in. The entire pool is just 3 foot 6 inches deep (or 1.1 meters) the entire way around - so it’s not very deep, but perfect for floating, easy-swimming, and lounging in. The tail end of the fish (the end closest to the doors of the resort) doubles as a small splash pad and there are lifeguards on duty around the pool - which, as a parent, simply added another level of peace-of-mind while we were enjoying the pool. Our kids are 10 and 6 and they could easily touch the bottom of the pool (our son had to stand on his tip-toes, but he could touch!) but that doesn’t mean that I still don’t have this heightened level of awareness whenever we’re around water.

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 poolside bar called the Sand Bar that serves beverages and smoothies.

Other Amenities

Surfside also features a fitness center along with an arcade. The lobby features the Universal Studios Store.

Exclusive Theme Park Benefits

Staying at Surfside provides several exclusive benefits for Universal theme park guests:

Early Park Admission: Early Park Admission to The Wizarding World of Harry Potter in Universal Studios Florida and Universal’s Islands of Adventure. Staying on Universal property also gives you EARLY ACCESS to the theme parks - one FULL HOUR inside the parks before the regular crowd enters. This time will make a HUGE difference in your day and is the primary reason we decided to stay on property! One full extra hour?! This extra time allows you to get this massive jump on your day - you can hit up the busiest attractions and ride them with the shortest lines.
Complimentary Transportation: Complimentary transportation to and from the theme parks. We found the Universal bus system to be fantastic and to be super efficient. To get to Universal Orlando, you'll need to take the complimentary shuttle. It takes about 7-10 minutes with traffic. The shuttle buses from Surfside are really efficient.
Resort-wide Charging Privileges: Resort-wide charging privileges with your room key card. Your room-key at Surfside does double as your credit card.
Package Delivery: Package delivery service - so say you find an amazing souvenir in the parks but don’t want to buy it and have to carry it around all day long?

Location and Transportation

Surfside Inn is located across the street from its sister property, Dockside Inn. The resort is located 1.6 miles from the theme parks but is not really within walking distance. I have seen people walk it but after a long day at the parks I suggest the 10-minute bus ride. If you decide to walk expect it to take around 35-45 minutes.

Pricing and Value

As one of the newest resorts at Universal Orlando, it's by far the most affordable! Price point wise- The standard rooms at Surfside Inn are tough to beat. Believe it or not, Surfside and Dockside will often be cheaper than some of the nearby off-site hotels. Add the perks like EPA, souvenir delivery from the park to your room, and the free shuttle, its a steal! Endless Resort (Surfside and Dockside) is considered a “Value” resort. Endless Resort offers 2-bedroom suites that can sleep up to six for roughly $80.00- $140.00 a night.

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.

Value Considerations

In some cosmetic ways, the hotel does not feel like a value resort. In other areas, however, the “value” brand is evident, and not in a good way. Surfside Inn was the first Universal hotel where guests are not allowed to use other resorts’ pools. The distance from the rest of Universal Orlando Resort does make a difference.

The biggest shortcoming, however, is when the price doesn’t match the experience. Simply put, this hotel isn’t worth paying $200 per night. It’s probably not worth more than $120 for a standard room and if the rate is within $20 of Cabana Bay, pay more for the better amenities. If the choice is between this and its Dockside neighbor, pick Dockside every time.

Comparing to Walt Disney World Value Resorts

Surfside Inn's room layout is about the only similarity you'll see to Walt Disney World’s Value Resorts.

Who Should Stay at Surfside Inn?

If you've got family or children with you who may struggle during long park days- There’s SO many activities and things to do at the resort. For me, I’m the type of person who spends no time at the hotel apart from sleeping. After long days in the park, its nice having a short walk from your room to the buses, a short walk from your room to the pool or lobby. The opposite of Cabana Bay!

Families on a Budget: The 2-bedroom suites offer an affordable way for larger families to stay together comfortably.
Guests Prioritizing Park Time: If you plan to spend most of your time at the parks and are looking for a clean, comfortable place to sleep, Surfside Inn is a great option.
Those Seeking Convenience: The complimentary transportation and early park admission are significant perks.

If you're wanting a more relaxed, pampered resort-heavy vacation experience, I would splurge a little, and go with another hotel like Adventura or Cabana Bay.

tags: #Universal #Endless #Summer #Resort #review