When I travel to Florida for a cruise out of Port Canaveral, I typically stay in one of two places: the Hyatt Regency Orlando International Airport in MCO or one of the Disney resort hotels. Unlike some other cruise ports in Florida, Port Canaveral is a bit of a drive from the nearest airport – MCO.
However, for my most recent sailing on Royal Caribbean’s Utopia of the Seas, I decided to head to the Atlantic Coast early and spend the night at Cocoa Beach by Port Canaveral. After considering several options, I booked the Hilton Cocoa Beach Oceanfront Hotel because of its location right along the beach.
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Although I stayed at the hotel only one night, I enjoyed my stay. Next time I sail from Port Canaveral, I will try to arrive a little earlier to stay here and spend more time on the beach. If you are considering this hotel – either for a family vacation or a cruise stay, here is my Hilton Cocoa Beach Oceanfront Hotel review.
Review of the Hilton Cocoa Beach Oceanfront Hotel
Location of the Hotel
The Hilton Cocoa Beach is located on North Atlantic Avenue in Cocoa Beach. It’s about an hour from Orlando International Airport, and I’d recommend getting a ride share or car service for a cruise stay. Driving may not be worth it if you rent a car because you’ll also have to pay for parking. It’s located right along the Atlantic Coast, with easy beach access.
In addition, the hotel is about three miles from the Cocoa Beach Pier, six miles from Port Canaveral, and sixteen miles from the Space Coast Museum. While I am reviewing this hotel from a one-night cruise stay perspective, this hotel isn’t specifically for cruisers. Many of its amenities appeal to families, and it’s a nice location for a beach vacation.
Amenities at the Hilton Cocoa Beach
Although I didn’t have an extended stay at the hotel, I explored the amenities offered to guests and spent some time outside enjoying the nice weather. Here’s what’s available:
- Business center and meeting rooms (great for a small company retreat or conference)
- Outdoor pool area with a 10,000 sq. ft. pool deck and a splash area
- EV charging
- On-site surf school with lessons and rentals offered for an additional fee
- Beach volleyball courts
- Direct beach access from the hotel – just a few steps away
- Bike, cabana, umbrella, side tables, cornhole, volleyball, and beach chair rentals (additional fee – available to rent at the surf school)
- Beach butler service is offered for an additional charge and comes with a daily rental of a tent, four lounge chairs, two side tables, a surfboard, bodyboards, a cooler of ice, food and beverage service to the tent, and a wireless speaker.
- Parking (offered for an additional charge)
- Shuttle service to the port (offered by a third party and available for an additional charge)
Pets are welcome at the hotel, with specific restrictions on height and weight. An additional fee applies.
Rooms and Room Types
The Hilton Cocoa Beach Oceanfront is a traditional hotel offering the common room types you’d expect to find in a Hilton. Options include the following:
- 1 King Bed
- 2 Queen Beds
- Coastline View 1 King
- Coastline View 2 Queens
- Oceanfront Room with 1 King
- Oceanfront Room with 2 Queens
- Atlantic Junior Suite with 1 King
- Atlantic Junior Suite with 2 Queens
The difference between the Oceanfront Room and the Coastline View Room is the view. While the Oceanfront Rooms directly face the beach (but don’t walk out onto the beach), the Coastline View rooms are on the side but have a view of the beach. We had a Coastline View room with a nice view – you can see it from the photo above.
In general, I only recommend paying an upgrade for a view if you specifically feel that you’ll enjoy it. If you don’t plan to spend too much time in the room, it may not be worth the extra charge.
Our room was very nice. It had two comfortable queen beds, a good-sized bathroom, a mini-fridge, a small desk area, and a chair. While we were only there for one night, I’d be comfortable in that room for a more extended stay.
Food at the Hilton Cocoa Beach
While the Cocoa Beach area has many restaurants (you’ll need a car to get to most of them), there are some great hotel options, including casual and more upscale options.
Longboards Tiki Beach Grille and Castaways Beach Bar are for casual dining and outdoor drinks. These outdoor venues have covered areas, perfect for a tropical cocktail and/or a light meal. I had dinner at the Tiki Beach Grille during my visit and loved my fish tacos. There were plenty of options on the menu that I would have ordered, so I definitely could have eaten there more than once.
Salt Restaurant offers a la carte menu and a buffet (not included in your stay) for breakfast. We had breakfast there and opted for the buffet, which includes omelets and eggs your way, made to order. WAVES Craft Bar & Kitchen is the more upscale restaurant on the property, but we didn’t have the opportunity to dine there during this stay.
Getting There
The Hilton Cocoa Beach Oceanfront Hotel is approximately 50 miles from the Orlando International Airport and 22 miles from Melbourne Orlando International Airport. There is no hotel shuttle, so you must rent a car or book a rideshare/cab/car service. A car would be useful if you stay in the area – you’ll need it if you want to leave the hotel for shopping or dining. Keep in mind that you do have to pay for parking at the hotel.
However, if you are just visiting for an overnight before a cruise, you won’t need a car. The hotel has some great dining options, and you can use a ride service or book a shuttle to get to the port.
Click here to reserve the Hilton Cocoa Beach Oceanfront hotel.
