The Equestrian Hotel

First off, this place is huge. The rooms are enormous with more space than most 1-bedroom apartments. That said, the water everywhere is so soft, there's no way to rinse soap or shampoo away - you end up with a residue that leaves skin feeling sticky and hair feeling greasy, limp and stringy. This is not something you expect from an alleged 4-star hotel.||Second, while their main restaurant "Stirrups" is great, it was totally closed off on a busy Saturday night for a private event (and unavailable Sunday morning as well). Ok, so we tried to go to the in-house pub, the Yellow Pony which which was MASSIVELY overpacked! With a 2-3 hour wait and a line out the door into the lobby, this was rather terrible. This hotel is in the middle of nowhere and having such limited dining options on a BUSY weekend was a massive letdown. Both the grab & go place and the cafeteria tex-mex place were closed leaving no food options available and forcing us to drive 20 minutes to a fast-food drive-thru.||Third, there is no easy way to look up a detailed event list by day. It takes 20+ clicks to get to this on the website. If you want people to make WEC a "destination", it shouldn't be so hard to find out what's happening and when. I almost had to register as a competitor just to learn what classes were being held when and where. This is ridiculous! ||To sum up, for $600/night, this is completely unacceptable.

Ok I'm starting by saying that this is EASILY my favorite hotel to be at. I come to A TONNN of horse shows here and the hotel is so perfect. It's in walking distance from the barns, rings, shops, and othey property, it has room service (really good room service), amazing staff and facilities, super luxurious rooms, view of the Grand Prix arena, and so much more!! All the staff are so kind and sometimes recognize my family lol. The food and service is phenomenal and I could never get enough of it. The beds are so freaking comfortable and THEY HAVE BATH TUBS!!!!! I can never stay in a hotel without a bath lol. The views to the arena are amazing and I love watching it from our room so that we can be comfy in our pj's with room service! I love this place and I can't wait to see you guys next time I come!!!

I will start this out by saying that we have not actually stayed the night at The Equestrian Hotel, because we live very close. Although I have offered to stay the night for the experience. The Equestrian Hotel is not your average hotel. The Equestrian Center grounds are really nice. The hotel itself is no different. In my opinion, the hotel is well above average. But what I would describe as class, is probably considered a five star hotel. Absolutely beautiful. But as with anything of this stature, the prices of pretty much everything reflect that. Yes, there are much more expensive places out there. But as far as Ocala goes, I don’t think anything else can match The Equestrian Hotel experience. But again, you will pay for that experience. We like to visit and enjoy the World Equestrian Center. The hotel itself offers us a place for a cocktail, diner, or even shopping. There is a pretty unique toy store to go with other stores. All without even staying the night. Adjacent to the hotel is lots of other shopping, places to eat or get a treat like an ice cream. It’s just a wonderful place to visit. Its only down side is probably the costs involved. But it’s a nice treat. I figure that eventually, we will spend a night for the full experience. Highly recommend.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ I recently stayed at The Equestrian Hotel while horse-showing and had the best experience EVER. The property is absolutely beautiful and the rooms are huge, comfortable and spotless! But what really stood out to me was the service. Jennifer (Jen) at the front desk was amazing. So friendly, helpful, and genuinely went out of her way to make sure everything was perfect during my stay. She made the whole experience so easy and enjoyable. I can’t recommend this hotel enough. Jen is a superstar! I’ll definitely be back! Because frankly, my experience was so stellar that I can never go anywhere else!

Visited this hotel for our anniversary. The lobby is spectacular. The rooms were big but under decorated. There were only 2 pictures on the walls. The hallway was stark. No pictures again. It was very clean

This was our second visit to come watch horse shows. All staff are incredibly kind and helpful. Very clean hotel and free parking. The decorations for holidays are fantastic and delicious food. Comfortable sheets/bed and spacious rooms. Planning on visiting again!

Spent the weekend attending granddaughters jumping event and loved this hotel--everything about it is first class, luxurious without being over the top! Dined in the Yellow Pony, devoured sweets at the Patisserie, and browsed the halls and lobby which were all beautifully and tastefully decorated for the Holidays. Can't say enough positives about the Equestrian!!!

I’ve stayed here one other time and it’s just a fabulous hotel. The restaurants are great and everyone that works here is really gracious. So clean and snappy. There isn’t anything comparable in Ocala. But this second stay, I have the oddest room. The bed is shoved down to one side. The tv is centered to the right of the bed and the corner of the room looks like it is missing furniture. It’s really disappointing, and a bit uncomfortable.

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

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

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!

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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!

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.

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!

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!

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

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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.