Located near the more conservative Hilton, this property abuts a large public park and Cocoa's famous, long white strand.
This is the largest and liveliest of the area's beachside resorts. Well-designed and blessed with inexpensive dining and a long list of recreational activities, this is hands-down the best choice for families in all price ranges.
The hotel sustained substantial hurricane damage in 2004, but management made lemonade out of lemons by reinvesting the insurance money right back into the hotel. As a result, the hotel has prospered over the last four years.
This low-rise hotel complex sprawls over nearly 15 acres dotted with palms and flowering hedges. The lobby's new contemporary decor
and stylish seating add a surprisingly sophisticated tropical bent to this Holiday Inn. The lobby is undersized, but it only shows at check-out time when lines can snake out the front door. Still, the staff is well-trained and professional.
The Captain's Grill overlooks the appropriately themed Pirate Ship Pool and serves drinks and familiar fare, while Mambo's provides refreshment near the beach. The Commander's Club serves cocktails in an attractive kid-free zone savored by couples.
Active guests have lots of fun at their fingertips, with a large pool and a shallow children's plunge with a half-sunken ship (the Pirate Ship Pool), shuffleboard, two lighted tennis courts, a playground, high-tech game room and comprehensive children's programs.
Many guests never leave the property, but for those that do, the beach is a fine stretch of white sand that goes for miles in both directions. Beach towels are available, and a sundries shop sells sunscreen and nose plugs. Two ballrooms attract weekday gatherings of up to 450 and 600 each, and parking is free. Parking is free.
Vibrant, tropical-styled accommodations are generally smaller and more commercial-looking than those at either the Hilton or Radisson in Cape Canaveral. Coordinated spreads, plush carpeting, drapes and ceiling borders contrast nicely with the brightly painted walls in orange and sunflower yellow hues. TVs, phones with data ports, coffeemakers, bedside controls and modest combination baths with hair dryers are standard.
Kidsuites are novel digs for youngsters, providing muraled partitions, behind which 
reside bunk beds, second TVs equipped with video games, CD players, whimsical phones and gnome-size chairs.
Room service operates until 10 pm. Pets are prohibited.
Couples looking for privacy and a romantic aerie beside the beach will find The Inn at Cocoa Beach better suited to their tastes, while the Radisson operates almost exclusively with cruise-ship layovers and conventioneers in mind.
This great midrange hotel is proof of what can happen to a motley, dated hotel when management and owners pay attention to the details.