The Riding Academy Hotel at World Equestrian Center Ocala
The second hotel on the WEC campus: 390 studios and suites, room for the dog, a pool with a splash pad for the kids and The Tack Room downstairs for coffee. This guide sets out what the hotel's own policies say.
The Riding Academy Hotel is a 390-room hotel of studios and suites at 1615 NW 81st Terrace Road, Ocala, FL 34482, on the World Equestrian Center campus. It opened on March 15, 2024. Check-in is 4:00 PM, check-out is 11:00 AM, guests must be 21 to check in, and dogs are welcome: up to two per room, 75 pounds or less, for $150 per dog per stay.
By the Only In Ocala team. Written from World Equestrian Center's own hotel, room and policy pages and its April 2026 front desk fact sheet; see our editorial guidelines.
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The Riding Academy Hotel at a Glance
Address
1615 NW 81st Terrace Road, Ocala, FL 34482. For driving directions WEC uses the campus address, 1750 NW 80th Ave., Ocala, FL 34482.
Phone
Front desk 352-414-7900. Reservations 866-478-9267, per the hotel page.
Check-in and check-out
Check-in 4:00 PM, check-out 11:00 AM. Guests must be 21 or older to check in.
Dogs
Up to two dogs per room, 75 lb or less each. $150 per dog, plus tax, per stay, non-refundable. Dog park on site.
Pool
Outdoor pool with a walk-up bar and a splash pad. Open seasonally 8:00 AM to 10:00 PM, hours subject to change; room key required.
Food on site
The Tack Room, a first-floor marketplace for breakfast, coffee and light lunch and dinner fare.
Fitness
Two fitness centers on the east and west wings of the first floor, open 24/7 with a room key.
Parking and carts
General parking is complimentary. Golf carts rent through wecgolfcarts.com, with pickup arranged at the front desk.
Fees to know
Non-smoking hotel with a $500 cleaning fee for violations. A $39 nightly resort fee applies to stays from January 1, 2027.
Is The Riding Academy Hotel part of World Equestrian Center?
Yes. The Riding Academy Hotel is one of two hotels that World Equestrian Center owns and runs on its Ocala campus, alongside The Equestrian Hotel. It opened on March 15, 2024 with 390 studios and suites, and it sits near the main entrance on NW 80th Avenue, next to The Equestrian Manor.
WEC announced the opening the week before the Longines League of Nations qualifier in March 2024. "We are all celebrating this opening as a major milestone for the property," Justin Garner, WEC's senior director of hospitality operations, said in the announcement. The hotel's first floor holds The Tack Room, a reading room and the two fitness centers, and the courtyard has the pool, a sundeck and a stone fireplace.
WEC lists The Riding Academy Hotel as one of TIME's 2024 World's Greatest Places. The rest of the campus, including the arenas, the restaurants and the shops covered in our World Equestrian Center guide, is reachable by golf cart, as WEC's opening announcement describes. WEC says The Shoppes Off 80th, a shopping district next to the hotel, is set to open in 2026.
Rooms and Suites
Every room is a studio or a suite with separate sleeping and living areas. WEC lists premium bedding, blackout curtains, soundproofing, a 65-inch TV, free Wi-Fi, daily housekeeping, a coffee maker, bottled water, a safe and a Sub-Zero refrigerator in the rooms, plus pull-out sleeper sofas. WEC describes the two-bedroom suite as having a king bed with an en-suite bathroom plus two queen beds, a sleeper sofa and a second bathroom. The hotel's rooms page lists these types:
Studios
- King Studio
- King Studio Deluxe
- Pool View King Studio
- Pool View King Studio Deluxe
Suites
- Double Queen Suite
- Double Queen Suite with Balcony
- Pool View Double Queen Suite
- Pool View Double Queen Suite with Balcony
- One Bedroom King Suite
- One Bedroom King Suite Deluxe
Accessible rooms
- Accessible King Studio
- Accessible Double Queen Suite
- Accessible One Bedroom King Suite
- Accessible Two Bedroom Suite
WEC does not post nightly rates on the rooms page; prices show only in the booking engine for specific dates.
The Riding Academy Hotel vs. The Equestrian Hotel
Both hotels are on the same campus. The Equestrian Hotel has many rooms overlooking the Grand Arena; The Riding Academy Hotel is the larger one by the main entrance, which WEC describes as an upscale, family- and pet-friendly stay. This table uses only what WEC publishes for each.
| The Riding Academy Hotel | The Equestrian Hotel | |
|---|---|---|
| Rooms | 390 studios and suites | 248 rooms and suites |
| Room layout | Separate sleeping and living areas, Sub-Zero refrigerators, pull-out sleeper sofas | Many rooms overlook the open-air Grand Arena |
| Dogs | Up to 2 dogs, 75 lb or less each, $150 per dog per stay | No dogs in rooms, per WEC's lodging page |
| Food inside | The Tack Room marketplace | WEC lists three dining options inside the hotel |
| Pool | Outdoor pool with walk-up bar and splash pad | Zero-entry pool |
| Spa | Calluna Spa is at The Equestrian Hotel, per the front desk fact sheet | Calluna Spa & Salon, second floor |
| WEC description | Upscale, family- and pet-friendly stay | Ocala's only AAA Four Diamond resort |
Guests at either hotel can book Calluna Spa (352-414-7862, per the fact sheet) and eat at any of the WEC restaurants.
Dog Policy and Other House Rules
The Riding Academy Hotel is the WEC hotel built for travelers with dogs. The hotel policies (updated September 4, 2026) set these rules:
- Up to two dogs per room, each 75 pounds or less.
- $150 per dog, plus tax, per stay. The fee is non-refundable. Service animals are excluded.
- Dogs cannot be left unattended in the room and must be on a leash outside it.
- Dogs are not allowed in The Tack Room or on the outdoor pool and sundeck, per the front desk fact sheet.
- The whole hotel is non-smoking. A violation carries a $500 cleaning fee, plus charges if the room cannot be sold.
- An advance deposit of one night of room and tax is required on individual reservations. Cancel by 4:00 PM Eastern at least 72 hours before arrival for a refund; later cancellations and no-shows forfeit the deposit.
- Leaving early costs one night of room rate and tax.
For other dog-friendly options, our WEC hotels guide lists the pet policies at the chain hotels off I-75, and WEC's RV park has its own dog parks.
Guest Services During a Stay
The Tack Room
Gourmet marketplace on the first floor serving breakfast, coffee and light fare for lunch and dinner. The 2024 opening announcement says it serves Starbucks coffee.
Movement classes
Complimentary classes for hotel guests Thursday through Sunday; WEC posts the times on its events calendar.
Dry cleaning and laundry
Dry cleaning handed to the front desk by 9:00 AM comes back the next day by 5:00 PM. A 24/7 laundromat is at the General Store near the RV campground.
Wi-Fi
Free Wi-Fi on the "Academy Guest" network, with faster internet available for a charge billed to the room.
Getting around
Golf carts rent through wecgolfcarts.com; our WEC golf cart rental guide covers how it works. WEC's interactive campus map is at map.wec.net, and our WEC map page shows where the hotels sit.
Pool day passes
The pool deck requires a room key. Ask the front desk whether outside day access is offered on your date; WEC does not list a day-pass price on the hotel pages.
How to Book The Riding Academy Hotel
- Check the WEC show and event calendar for your dates; big shows and holiday events fill the campus hotels first.
- Open the hotel's reservation page (ridingacademyhotel.com) and pick a room type: a studio, a suite, a pool view room or an accessible room.
- Review WEC's specials and packages page before paying; WEC lists offers such as an AAA member rate, a military and first responder rate, a Florida and Georgia resident rate, a senior AARP rate and event stay packages.
- Pay the advance deposit of one night of room and tax with a valid credit card.
- If you are bringing a dog, budget the $150 per-dog fee and remember the two-dog, 75-pound limit.
- Reserve a golf cart through wecgolfcarts.com if you plan to get around the campus by cart, and pick it up at the front desk.
Planning around a show? See the WEC show schedule. Visiting for the holidays? WEC lists a Masquerade Ball Stay Package for its New Year's Eve masquerade ball among its hotel offers, and our Winter Wonderland guide covers the campus holiday event.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is The Riding Academy Hotel?
The Riding Academy Hotel is at 1615 NW 81st Terrace Road, Ocala, FL 34482, on the World Equestrian Center campus. WEC gives 1750 NW 80th Ave., Ocala, FL 34482 as the campus address for driving directions. WEC says the hotel sits at the edge of the property near the main entrance on 80th Avenue, next to The Equestrian Manor.
Does The Riding Academy Hotel allow dogs?
Yes. The hotel policies allow up to two dogs per room, each 75 pounds or less, for a non-refundable fee of $150 per dog, plus tax, per stay. Service animals are excluded from the fee. Dogs cannot be left alone in the room, must be leashed outside it, and are not allowed in The Tack Room or on the outdoor pool and sundeck. The hotel has a dog park with dedicated play areas.
What are check-in and check-out times at The Riding Academy Hotel?
Check-in is 4:00 PM and check-out is 11:00 AM. Early check-in and late check-out depend on availability and are not guaranteed. Guests must be 21 or older to check in, and an advance deposit of one night of room and tax is required for individual reservations.
Does The Riding Academy Hotel charge a resort fee?
Yes, starting in 2027. The hotel policies, as posted in October 2026, list a resort fee of $39 per room, per night, plus tax, for stays on or after January 1, 2027. Group reservations may differ. The policies list taxes of 6% state, 1.5% county and 4% tourist development tax.
Is there a restaurant at The Riding Academy Hotel?
The hotel has The Tack Room, a gourmet marketplace on the first floor that WEC says serves breakfast, coffee and light fare for lunch and dinner. Full-service restaurants such as Genievieve's, The White Willow and The Polo Pony are elsewhere on the WEC campus, including at The Equestrian Manor next door.
What is the difference between The Riding Academy Hotel and The Equestrian Hotel?
Both are World Equestrian Center hotels on the Ocala campus. The Equestrian Hotel has 248 rooms and suites, many overlooking the Grand Arena, and WEC calls it Ocala's only AAA Four Diamond resort; Calluna Spa is on its second floor. The Riding Academy Hotel is larger, with 390 studios and suites that have separate sleeping and living areas, and it is the one WEC lists as pet-friendly.
How do I book The Riding Academy Hotel?
Book online through the hotel's reservation page at ridingacademyhotel.com, linked from the WEC website, or by phone. The hotel page lists reservations at 866-478-9267 and the front desk at 352-414-7900. Cancel an individual reservation by 4:00 PM Eastern at least 72 hours before arrival to have the deposit refunded.
The Riding Academy Hotel en World Equestrian Center, Ocala
The Riding Academy Hotel es un hotel de 390 estudios y suites en 1615 NW 81st Terrace Road, Ocala, FL 34482, dentro del campus de World Equestrian Center, y abrió el 15 de marzo de 2024. La hora de entrada es a las 4:00 PM y la de salida a las 11:00 AM, y los huéspedes deben tener 21 años o más para registrarse. Se admiten hasta dos perros por habitación, de 75 libras o menos cada uno, con una tarifa no reembolsable de $150 por perro, más impuestos, por estadía. El hotel tiene piscina al aire libre con área de chapoteo, dos gimnasios abiertos las 24 horas y The Tack Room, un mercado con café, desayuno y comidas ligeras. Las reservaciones se hacen en ridingacademyhotel.com o por teléfono; la recepción atiende en el 352-414-7900.