Amazing Superior service at many levels Incredible bedding and pillows World class horse facility on site. Tried Polo sport club read more

1000% YES - this place is awesome! SO much better than every other hotel we've stayed at in Florida. This hotel felt like and treated their guests like a true 5 star hotel. First....the grounds are beautiful, well maintained and vast. Upon arrival there's a choice of valet or self-park just out front. Before you can even get to the door someone has rushed to open it and greet you warmly. In fact, 1 guy was there at noon when we arrived and still there at 9pm. Even at 9pm he was still hustling, smiling and putting in just as much effort as he was many hrs earlier. The excellence of staff continued beyond the doormen. Every single staff member we encountered was equally engaged, acknowledged guests, was friendly and was genuinely competent at their job. SO refreshing!! We never saw any of the staff on their phones or busy talking with each other. The work ethic & polish this hotel expects from staff is obvious, appreciated & makes an impact on how we felt as guests. Upon entry, the lobby is gorgeous! Pristine, classy yet inviting. Loved the player piano & large fireplace. There were even some really lovely olive wood crosses available at the front desk, which was an especially nice touch over Easter. Often when a lobby is beautiful, the rooms are a let down. Not here! I didn't see any areas that were in need of attention. Our room felt incredibly clean - no missed corners, grimy spots, etc. It was immaculate and so welcoming...oh, and the room was really really big...and so comfortable. There was a large 2 door closet as well as a smaller closet for our child to use and appreciated having 3 suitcase holders that could fit into the closets so we didn't have to look at them in the room. The chairs in the room were actually comfortable to sit in and made sense with their location. Beds were wonderful and I might have to get 1 of their pillows as it was the first night in awhile that my neck hasn't hurt. Winning! The chocolates by the bedside were a fun treat, particularly the lemon truffle. The next key takeaway from this hotel is how clean it is everywhere. Already mentioned the lobby & rooms, but were out by the arena after the candy shop had closed and the person cleaning had all chairs completely off the floor, rug rolled up and outside and was cleaning like they wanted it to shine. My husband immediately noted that's a sign that someone actually taught the person how they wanted it cleaned rather than just asking them to clean. Big difference. Seriously - I could write a novel about this hotel/property and how great it was. Dog portraits line the walls and halls. There's a small patisserie (large one in the Manor, which you also need to explore), toy shop, bar, restaurant and shops to explore. You MUST stop at the patisserie - fresh, beautiful. We grabbed some items in a lovely box to take home as a gift. We also had breakfast at Stirrups and fully recommend dining here. It was wonderful and blew away all the "best" restaurants in Ocala. Our fruit platter was customizable, came with pink pineapple slices (!) and dragon fruit bits. The 3 egg omelet was the size of a 6 egg omelet and had more beautifully cooked bacon than one could hope. While filling our water glasses the pitcher dripped a couple times. Love that our server was right there with her towel to notice every detail. Beyond the really delicious food and outstanding service, we loved watching the horses warming up in the arena outside, looking around at the many dog portraits in the room and relaxing in the large leather chairs. HUGE shout out to the management staff! It's obvious the leadership here has expectations, does comprehensive training with staff and is actively engaged in ensuring the quality of the hotel. Is The Equestrian Hotel more expensive than the other hotel on site or hotels closer to town - yes, but it's so worth it and we would happily pay a higher price to stay here. Thank you for the wonderful weekend retreat!! We can't wait to return! read more

See all

Clean Apparently a lot of 'Unhomed' people stay here. Not an issue except for the increased risk of bedbugs. Definitely a third tier hotel. read more

Wow. Gorgeous hotel on property at the World Equestrian center in Ocala. The staff is so friendly, beds are very comfortable. The shower and water pressure were wonderful. They have everything you would need including onsite restaurants. I love all the equestrian theme throughout the hotel including the carpet in the hallways. Great place to stay for an event at the World equestrian center. read more

See all

Absolutely beautiful hotel and the property is amazing. All of the restaurants were top notch. We don't make it to Ocala much. But we will stay at the Equestrian every time. read more

The Equestrian Hotel - Hotel view - Hotels Near Me - Ocala, Florida

This place is characterized as being a 5-star hotel so I decided to check it out. Long story short- yes, it's 5 star! As soon as we arrived, you could smell that hotel fragrance. It's pumped throughout the whole hotel. It's nice. Check in was easy, parking is free. Interestingly, there are signs posted throughout the lobby that say no photography, which is a shame because it's truly gorgeous inside. It also says no food or drink. What a waste of a lobby- no wonder no one was hanging out in those plush chairs. They even have a fireplace and automatic piano playing. I did abide by their rules, so I have no pics of the lobby. There is a doorman at times, who will open the door for you. He was there 1/4 times for me. We parked, unloaded and headed to our room. Elevators and hallways are spacious. The room was huge! Interestingly not a great door lock and only one, but this place should be safe. The bathroom was great. Lots of lighting, plush towels, walk in shower that got too hot and had great water pressure and capacity to use the handheld simultaneous or one at a time. Complimentary soaps etc smelled nice. I like how they have the toilet in a separate little room with its own door. There's a blow dryer in the drawer fyi. The bedroom was spacious with a desk and two nightstands and a chair with ottoman. Plenty of places to charge your devices. There was even a three cord apparatus on one nightstand for all types: A, B and USB C. The other nightstand had some chocolates on it! The closet was big enough for all our belongings. In the entry way there was a large piece of furniture where I put my daily needs. There is also another closet with robes and sandals (we did not try but looked awesome). There's a mini fridge with bottled water that you can drink or use for the coffee maker, complimentary. The bed was nice and had multiple styles of pillows. The AC made a lot of noises and switched on and off often, but ultimately got the job done. The black out curtains were nice. The hotel was very quiet. It's not too busy during the week. On weekends it tends to get busy;there was an RV show for the weekend, free to attend. They had emailed me regarding concierge services and planning a few times in anticipation of our stay. We also received a private text line with the hotel staff services for use if we needed anything at all during our stay. My husband perused the shops. Walked the property, went to the RV show, the gym, the coffee shop and enjoyed the pool. We both enjoyed the Yellow Pony Pub for drinks (no happy hour) and Stirrups restaurant for a fancy dinner. Separate reviews for those. We stayed two nights. We got a discount for being Florida residents on their website. We paid $75 for late checkout at 3pm, which was a nice option. I would stay again. It's very nice. It's a bit out in the middle of nowhere so you will need a car if you wanna get to rainbow river etc. There really aren't any hotels that compare to this place, in the area. read more

See all

Gorgeous hotel. This hotel is easily a destination itself. Staff is very professional, knowledgeable and kind, interior is.. well definitely equestrian but high end, gorgeous design, not overdone, just perfect. Hotel pool area looks very pretty, didn't use it, but noticed families with kids having lots of fun. Plenty of parking in the back of hotel, the whole area is still being developed, as part of the large equestrian center, so it was very serene the weekend of our visit. Absolutely loved it! read more

See all

Boom! A super hotel in the middle of one of the world's most unique properties. Yes, world, hence the name World Equestrian Center. If you own a horse or ride, you must visit. If you don't, come anyway and enjoy dining at Stirrups! Our room was super clean comfortable and updated - the entire hotel is gorgeous. The Patisserie offers coffee and delicious pastries! The fitness center was great, parking is easy and dinner and breakfast at Stirrups was great. While we didn't get a chance to visit the outdoor pool, there's not much else I can do as I am allergic to horses! The staff was great, esp. the restaurant folks. It's worth the splurge versus the chain hotels in town. A short drive to all that's happening in Ocala. Plus a second 400 room hotel is under construction on the other side of the property, that will be part of shopping and at least two more restaurants. This place is happening read more

See all

Wow! Feels like 5 stars hotel! Super clean n spacious. I felt like I was at a filing of life styles of rich n famous. The lobby floor has various beautiful dog portraits, fancy zebra chairs. I was hesitant to take the room upgrade for extra $$ to a view of the arena. But the view is amazing. I'm sure the other side is beautiful too. The grounds are impeccably kept. The hotel must have a tremendous amount of workers. Everyone I met wondered the same. I went to The restaurants in the hotel Stir up n Yellow Pony. Amazing service. Great drinks. The pillows are extra fluffy, the spacious n room is clean, the room cleaning service always super friendly. Always helpful. The pool is huge, hardly anyone uses it. I guess they are busy w the horse showing. I totally splurged. YOLO read more

See all

Top notch hotel with a view of the Equestrian competion arena from some rooms. Excellent food options both a casual pub and upscale restaurant on site and various casual counter service eateries on the greater premise. This is a place for people that want the best and can afford to pay a premium. Only odd thing is there is no Jacuzzi available anywhere and the gorgeous pool is across the driveway adjacent to the parking lot but also with a sand volleyball court. Also note the pub can fill up fast and does not take reservations so there can be a wait of 30 or more minutes during prime hours when the hotel is busy. read more

See all

We did not stay here, just walked around and enjoyed a pastry at the pastry shop. I loved the white floors and white decor. Modern, yet warm. Loved the framed pictures of dogs, horses and other animals. We enjoyed visiting the toy store. The hotel currently has two restaurants and a pastry shop. I had the raspberry mousse brownie which was yummy. read more

See all

Just returned from my second stay at The Equestrian Hotel, and I'm already talking about going back again! I'm not a "horse person," so when my husband first booked a trip to stay here, I wasn't sure if it would be for me. I'm so glad to be proven wrong, however! The rooms are spacious and luxurious, and I loved having a view of the outdoor arena to watch people practicing or competing. The entire hotel and property is gorgeous! What really makes the difference here, however, is the staff. From the folks greeting you at the front door to front desk staff and those working in the restaurants and stores, everyone here is incredibly friendly and knowledgeable. They'll make you feel like the most important guest there! Then there's the restaurants...they're ALL so amazing. I've now eaten at all of them except Ralph's (burgers), and they are all so good that there's hardly a reason to leave the property. Stirrups (steakhouse) is my favorite, but Viola & Dot's (Italian/pizza) is a great lower-cost option for lunch. Truly can't wait to go back again! read more

See all

yaaaass!!!! i almost dont want to share. Gorgeous! the ritz doesnt compare. Stunning every corner is exquisite! read more

The Equestrian Hotel - horses ride by, golf carts to cruise, excellent service... am i dead? omg i made it to heaven! yaaas!! - Hotels Near Me - Ocala, Florida

See all

Love love love it. Rivals any top establishment anywhere. Drink in the fantastic lobby decor and all the oohs and aahs at every turn. It's a bummer they don't allow poochs in the rooms which prevents me from staying but they are building a brand new hotel on campus that will. Such a special spot. And close to the highway for weary travelers. read more

This place is out in horse farm land well west of Ocala! It's impressive, perfectly manicured, complete with doormen and valet or self parking, includes shops and restaurants, decked out with 100's of horse art works and is simply pretty freaking epic. I visited to check out the bakery on a Sunday afternoon. It was happening! Tons of people around enjoying equestrian resort life! If you are in to horses and can afford it, I think this is a must visit spot! Ocala is already the Mecca of horse farms but this hidden resort takes it up a notch! Life is good on a beautiful day in a perfectly maintained and staffed resort! read more

This hotel is an exceptional property in the midst of an amazing equestrian center in the middle of Florida! Ocala is known for being horse country, but the vision and the resources committed to the world equestrian center and The Equestrian Hotel are stunning. We spent a lovely weekend there recently for my wife's birthday and were blown away by the entire experience. Thanks to the general manager Becky, who gave us a lot of the history and background of the property and kept an eye us throughout our stay. Well done to the entire staff! We will be back! read more

See all

Lots of beautiful horses on the grounds. The Hotel is comfortable, not impressive. Service is meh... And Not to much to offer as far as dinning. The one restaurant was empty and the one bar was extremely loud with chatter not music. You could not hear yourself think. Very unpleasant. Our room was spacious, and clean with a view to a ring where you could see them train, my fav part. BUT BE WARNED THE ROOMS DO NOT HAVE A COFFEE POTS IN THE ROOM! Saving money? Saving the planet??!! Unacceptable!!' No coffee pots or coffee available in your room was a surprise for this Hotel and a low mark read more

Phenomenal place! From front desk ( Rachel) to the rooms to food and drinks- what a great experience! Comfortable room with elegant vouches; seriously impressive grounds and facilities. Our weekend had the Grand Prix equestrian event highlighting Saturday night and the "Festivals of Speed" car show on Sunday with over 200 great cars and vendors. From classic beetles and VW bus' to modern Mercedes, Ferraris and everything in between. This sprawling complex has been Beautifully executed. Bravo and hope to be back for Kentucky Derby week! read more

See all

It is a very luxurious hotel but you can't get any one to answer the phone for guest service or front desk. We had to physically go to the front desk to ask for a humidifier and they never even let us know if they could find one. read more

Stayed to get away from hurricane Milton. Obviously a crazy time for everybody around here... And I could go on about how beautiful the accommodations are, the spacious room, and how comfortable it was. All TRUE. But what stood out above all of that was the hospitality. It was quite easy to forget the weather outside... NO shortcuts by the hotel. In fact, instead of making excuses, (taking advantage of using the weather as an "out" for shortcutting the guests)... they actually went above and beyond for the guests _demonstrating_ genuine care. (!) _That_ made the stressful, uncertain time much easier to handle and much less stressful. To me, that ranks higher than any aesthetic or material value. That is a well managed hotel that is obviously well prepped to handle a full house of guests dealing with highly stressful circumstances. I give more than 5 stars. Highly recommend. read more

Beautiful. Great service, great view. We stay here often and will come back again and again. Bathrooms are beautiful. Very nice robes. The only thing I would change would be TVs that allow Netflix or other streaming services, as this is pretty standard nowadays. We stay for long periods of time, and so we probably utilize the tv more often than the average person staying, as there is a lot to do outside of the room. read more

See all

The Equestrian Hotel was grand, luxurious, and simply phenomenal. Locating the hotel in the maze of stables, arenas, and shops was slightly difficult, but eventually we where able to find it. There were many horses and riders crossing the roads so be careful and please don't bring a loud car. The lobby of the hotel was beautifully decorated, with marble floors, paintings of dogs and a few horses (that ratio was a bit puzzling) adorning the walls, and an amazing fragrance from the reed diffuser greeting you with the smell of concord grape. When we checked in the front desk attendant asked us if we would like to upgrade to a room with a view of the arena, we declined the offer but regretted it as we got a rather disappointing parking lot view. Like the lobby the room had elegant decor, nearly indescribable, with a bathroom that seemed to be made almost entirely of marble, and a stately entry hall, I also loved the leather saddle pillows on the beds. The rest of the hotel was great as well. The gym was a great place to work out at as there was only one other person using it. Emma's Patisserie had great croissants, very light and fluffy. Next to the bakery there was a toy store with an immense selection of Breyers. There were also various stores in the hotel such as a jewelry store, a store selling the same kind of reed diffusers as in the lobby, a home store, and a couple of clothes stores. There were also two restaurants, Stirrups, and The Yellow Pony. We had dinner at The Yellow Pony and a new years day brunch at Stirrups. The brunch was great, we were able to find some healthy food, such as brussel sprouts (which were amazing), and fruit, even though the majority was unhealthy (but tasty). At the brunch they played some excellent French pop music, the outdoor seating also had a lovely view of the arena where there was show jumping. The brunch at Stirrups checks all the boxes for us, great food, great music, good service, and as a bonus, great entertainment. Surrounding the arena there were many equestrian shops, as an equestrian this was a nice shopping experience. Overall I loved the World Equestrian Centre and would recommend it to any equestrian both English or Western. read more

$$$ But the food was elegant and good. Stirrups was not open, so we tried this restaurant. Excellent.

The hotel offered a wonderful blend of style and comfort. I thoroughly enjoyed my stay, from the tastefully decorated lobby to the spacious room with its equestrian touches. The quality of the food was impressive, and the staff were exceptionally approachable and helpful. I'm not a 'horse person,' but I loved having a view of the outdoor arena from my room! I hope to return one day. read more

The entire staff is welcoming and helpful. The decor is posh and pleasant. My room was large with an ultra comfortable bed and the most perfect shower ever. Each morning I sipped delicious coffee while waking up and enjoying a breathtaking view of the sunrise. I was impressed with the surrounding precisely trimmed hedges and lovely flowers. (Bring your best camera!) The Equestrian Hotel is a place to be appreciated and embraced. read more

I was treated like royalty when I walked through the doors held open for me with a warm greeting. The piano plays in the corner, and the fireplace next to it is inviting. Beautiful flower arrangements and sculptures are perfectly placed throughout the hotel. Every detail is well maintained in this luxurious labor of love. The decor and artwork are magnificent. Stepping off the elevator and heading to my room, the desk drew me to sit down and write about my experience. Everyone needs to spend time at the extraordinary Equestrian Hotel whether or not you're a horse lover. read more

Hotel is great to stay in. But the stirrups restaurant in hotel is as overpriced as can be, with mediocre food . I don't remember the last time I've seen a $200 bill on a dinner for one . And this was for room service ordering a burger and a couple sides ! Ridiculous!! Need to lower prices to what the quality of the food actually is. read more

We called to book a room for a horse show, whoever we spoke to went to book the room and then said they needed the manager, the manger came on and booked the room. We get a call 6 hours later saying they couldn't honor the room and rate given earlier and our reservation was cancelled. They were insensitive and rude and especially so for a hotel that boasts a 5 star hotel rating. Super disappointed. They should have honored the rate that was originally given read more

Everything was immaculate. The rooms, the restaurants. the food, the staff. Everything was top notch. I can only imagine what it would be like during the Gran Prix. i highly recommend. it. You won't be disappointed. read more