Sanford Hotels: Where to Stay in Florida

Sanford sits on the south shore of Lake Monroe in Seminole County, Florida. The city has a brick-lined historic downtown, a lakefront RiverWalk, and a short list of lodging. Most hotels in Sanford, Florida stand along State Road 46, Interstate 4 and the airport corridor, not in the old downtown. This guide lists every Sanford hotel and motel we could confirm from at least two sources. We flag gaps, name closed landmarks, and skip prices because rates change daily. Confirm details by phone before you book.

Compare Sanford, Florida hotels on Expedia

Where to Stay in Sanford, Florida

SpringHill Suites Orlando North/Sanford

SpringHill Suites by Marriott sits at 201 North Towne Road, Sanford, FL 32771. The phone number is 407-995-1000. Marriott lists check-in at 3:00 PM and check-out at 12:00 PM. The minimum check-in age is 21, and pets are not allowed.

A meetings directory lists 105 suites over five floors. Marriott lists a free hot breakfast buffet, an outdoor pool, a fitness center, a business center, free parking, free Wi-Fi, on-site laundry and a small convenience store. The same directory places Orlando Sanford International Airport about 6 miles away, roughly 10 minutes by car.

Tripadvisor puts this hotel 4.3 miles from Historic Downtown Sanford. Families and business travelers who want a suite with a kitchenette will find a good fit here. Guests without a car will want a ride from downtown.

Home2 Suites by Hilton Sanford Orlando North

Home2 Suites sits at 4764 State Road 46, Sanford, FL 32771. Hilton lists the phone as 321-363-1119, check-in at 4 PM and check-out at 11 AM.

Hilton lists a free hot breakfast, free Wi-Fi, free parking, an outdoor pool, a fitness center, an on-site restaurant and in-room kitchens. Connecting rooms and extended-stay options are available. Hilton says dogs and cats are welcome with a pet fee, with a weight limit and a size limit. Call the hotel for the current fee and rules.

Hilton gives the distance to Orlando Sanford International Airport as 11 miles and says the hotel has no airport shuttle. Tripadvisor puts the hotel 4.3 miles from Historic Downtown Sanford. This is a strong pick for guests who travel with a pet or stay a week or more.

Holiday Inn Express and Suites Sanford, Lake Mary

This Holiday Inn Express sits at 4750 West State Road 46, Sanford, FL 32771, on the same road as the Home2 Suites. A booking site lists check-in from 4:00 PM and check-out before 11:00 AM. The minimum check-in age is 21. Pets are not allowed, but service animals are welcome.

The listing shows a free buffet breakfast, an outdoor pool, a 24-hour fitness center, free Wi-Fi, free parking with room for RVs and buses, a business center, laundry and an elevator. The pool has a lift for guests who use a wheelchair. Tripadvisor lists the hotel 4.3 miles from Historic Downtown Sanford. We found no phone number on the pages we read, so use the number on your booking confirmation.

Comfort Inn and Suites Orlando North

This Comfort Inn sits at 590 Ava Court, Sanford, FL 32771. A booking site lists check-in from 3 PM and check-out before 11 AM, with a minimum check-in age of 21. Pets are not allowed, but service animals are welcome.

The listing shows a free daily breakfast buffet, an outdoor pool, a gym, free Wi-Fi, free parking, laundry and a microwave and refrigerator in rooms. Quiet hours run from 10 PM to 8 AM. Tripadvisor places the hotel 4.3 miles from Historic Downtown Sanford. A travel wiki also names this Comfort Inn among the Sanford lodging options. Do not mix this hotel up with the Comfort Inn and Suites Orlando Sanford Airport at 3043 East Lake Mary Boulevard, a separate property.

Budget Inn Sanford (motel near the airport)

Budget Inn Sanford is the motel on our list. The address is 3200 South Orlando Drive, Sanford, FL 32773, and the phone is 407-321-0690. The reservation page lists check-in from 3:00 PM, check-out by 11:00 AM and a minimum check-in age of 21. Pets are not allowed.

The page lists king, double and family rooms, free Wi-Fi, free parking, an outdoor pool, barbecue facilities and a 24-hour front desk. Some rooms have a microwave and refrigerator. The motel offers accessible rooms, and the page says to call to confirm availability. The same page puts the airport about 2.8 miles away and says the motel has no airport shuttle.

A travel wiki also names Budget Inn as a budget option near the airport, south of downtown. The details above come mainly from a third-party reservation page, so treat amenities as unconfirmed until you call. Of all motels in Sanford, this is the one we could verify best.

Park Place Inn and Cottages

Park Place Inn and Cottages sits at 1301 South Park Avenue, Sanford, FL 32771, and the phone is 407-549-9131. A downtown marina guide describes the property as part of the Sanford historic district, built in the early 1930s in Craftsman and Colonial styles. The guide says guests can book one night or longer.

Tripadvisor puts the inn only 0.7 miles from Historic Downtown Sanford, the closest verified stay to First Street on our list. We could not confirm room counts, amenities, check-in times or a pet policy. Call the property for those details. The inn may suit guests who want a quiet, historic setting instead of a chain hotel.

Hotels in Sanford, Florida We Could Not Confirm

Monroe’s On The Lake Hotel and Banquet Hall, at 530 North Palmetto Avenue, appears on several booking and map sites. One listing calls the building a renovated hotel on the shore of Lake Monroe with 90 rooms. A Tripadvisor reviewer says the business has closed and the buildings are gutted. We could not settle this, so do not book Monroe’s until you reach the property by phone and hear a confirmation.

Hotel Magnolia, a 19th-century building south of downtown, appears in a travel wiki with long-term rentals. We found no second source, so we do not recommend booking without a call.

The Comfort Inn and Suites Orlando Sanford Airport, WoodSpring Suites Sanford North I-4 and Extended Stay America Orlando Sanford also appear on Tripadvisor with Sanford addresses. We did not verify their amenities, so we list them only as names to check on a booking site.

The Historic Mayfair Hotel Is Not a Hotel Today

Many visitors ask about a grand hotel on East First Street. Hotel Forrest Lake opened in the 1920s, later took the name Mayfair, and hosted guests such as Al Capone, according to the Orlando Sentinel. The New York Giants trained there in the early 1960s.

The building is not open to guests. New Tribes Mission, later Ethnos360, used the site from the 1970s until the group moved out in 2016. A 2017 approval to bring back a hotel did not move ahead, and the site sold again in 2022. In November 2025 the Sanford City Commission approved a rezoning for a missionary training center with office space and apartments. Reports estimate construction will start in January 2027. City conditions call for public lobby access to a museum, bookstore or gift shop after the work. Do not plan a stay here.

Where to Stay in Sanford Near the RiverWalk and Downtown

The city visitor page describes First Street as the center of downtown, with independent shops, restaurants, galleries, a historic theater and a growing craft brewery scene. The Wayne Densch Performing Arts Center hosts shows. A farmers market runs on Saturday mornings, and the Alive After 5 street party runs monthly.

The Sanford RiverWalk follows Lake Monroe for several miles, with gazebos and swinging benches. Stops include Veterans Memorial Park, Marina Island, Fort Mellon Park and the Sanford Museum. Free day slips at the downtown marina let boaters tie up and walk into town.

Among the hotels we verified, Park Place Inn and Cottages stands closest to this area. Every chain hotel on our list needs a short drive. Tripadvisor lists the chains 4 to 5 miles from the historic core.

Motels and Budget Stays in Sanford

Budget Inn Sanford is the only motel we verified in town. Chain hotels with free breakfast, such as Comfort Inn and Suites Orlando North and Holiday Inn Express, often give strong value for travelers who want to save money. Check the breakfast hours and the parking rules before you book.

Tripadvisor also lists motels in nearby towns, including Orange City Motel and Lu-Rae Motel in Casselberry, both nine miles or more from downtown Sanford. Those fall outside Sanford, so we did not research them further.

Getting to Sanford and Getting Around

Orlando Sanford International Airport serves the city. A travel wiki says Allegiant, Flair and charter flights use the airport. Orlando International Airport lies about 34 miles to the south, according to the same wiki.

Sanford is the southern end of the Amtrak Auto Train, which carries passengers and their cars between Florida and Virginia. The station sits at 600 South Persimmon Avenue. Amtrak advises passengers to arrive at least 120 minutes before departure. The station offers no parking.

A SunRail station sits at 2720 West State Road 46, and the travel wiki says trains generally run on weekdays only. Hilton and Budget Inn both say they run no airport shuttle, so plan for a taxi, Uber or Lyft.

Things to Do in Sanford Near Your Hotel

The Central Florida Zoo and Botanical Gardens is the best known attraction in Sanford. The Sanford Museum and the Museum of Seminole County History tell the local story. Lake Jesup Wilderness Area offers trails with views of bald eagles and alligators. Lower Wekiva River Preserve State Park lies nearby.

On the water, a travel wiki lists airboat tours, riverboat cruises on the St. Johns River and boat rentals. Mayfair Country Club runs a public 18-hole golf course. Check hours and booking rules with each operator.

How to Choose a Sanford Hotel

Pick Park Place Inn and Cottages if you want a historic setting close to First Street and can accept a few unconfirmed details. Pick SpringHill Suites for a suite with a hot breakfast. Pick Home2 Suites if you bring a pet or need a kitchen for a long stay. Pick Holiday Inn Express or Comfort Inn and Suites for a simple chain stay. Pick Budget Inn for a motel near the airport.

Book early for holiday weeks, since the list of verified stays is short. Ask each property about parking, breakfast hours and cancellation rules.

What We Checked and What We Could Not

We read the official Marriott and Hilton pages, the City of Sanford visitor page, a downtown marina guide, a Tripadvisor hotel list, booking site listings, a travel wiki, an Amtrak station page and news reports on the Mayfair Hotel. We counted a hotel as verified only when two sources agreed on the name and address.

We dropped three hotels from the older version of this page. We found no Sanford listing for The Lakeside Inn or for Historic Sanford Manor Inn. We also found no Aloft hotel at the Sanford airport. We left out all prices and all drive times we could not source.

Still unconfirmed are the amenities at Park Place Inn and Cottages, the status of Monroe’s On The Lake, and the Budget Inn details beyond one reservation page.

Frequently Asked Questions

Conclusion

Hotels in Sanford, Florida cluster along State Road 46 and near the airport, with Park Place Inn and Cottages as the verified stay nearest to downtown. Choose by travel style, call ahead to confirm amenities and policies, and skip the Mayfair Hotel, which no longer takes guests. Where to stay in Sanford comes down to a car, a pet and how close you want to be to the RiverWalk.

Where else to stay in Florida. Every guide we have for the region.