Having stayed in all of the currently open Universal Orlando Resort hotels, I thought I would post a little guide to help people decide where to stay.
Universal Orlando Resort Hotels
As of 2024, UO has 8 on-site hotels. There will be two new hotels opening in January/February 2025 and a third one later in 2025. This post will focus on the first 8 until I update it after future trips in 2025 and beyond.
There are now three tiers of hotels at Universal. First up, there’s the Signature Collection: Portofino Bay, Hard Rock Hotel, Royal Pacific, Sapphire Falls, and Helios Grand Hotel (opening in 2025). They are the most expensive resorts. Select resorts (Portofino, Hard Rock, and Royal Pacific) come with skip the line privileges called Express Pass. Four of them come with boat transportation to Universal Studios Florida and Islands of Adventure: Portofino Bay, Hard Rock, Royal Pacific, and Sapphire Falls. Helios Grand will have its own dedicated park entrance to the new theme park, Epic Universe while providing bus transportation to the other parks.
Next is the Prime Values: Aventura, Stella Nova (opening January 21, 2025), and Terra Luna (opening February 25, 2025). They are considerably cheaper than the Signature Collection while being more upscale than the Values. They are more akin to moderate resorts or more middle of the road in terms of pricing and amenities.
Last but not least are the Values (a.k.a. cheapest) consisting of Cabana Bay Beach Resort, and Endless Summer – Dockside and Surfside Inns. Those three hotels are going to offer the cheapest rooms on property.
Portofino Bay
This is currently the top tier hotel at Universal. It’s themed to the lovely Italian village, complete with several restaurants and a bay. In my Portofino Bay Hotel review, I gushed over it as it’s truly a lovely place. It’s very luxurious and relaxing. It is currently the most expensive place to stay on property. However, it also comes with Universal Express Unlimited, which helps explain some of the hefty price tag. This is the ideal resort for a couple’s trip or an adults only vacation due to its relaxing vibes.
Hard Rock Hotel
Typically, the Hard Rock Hotel is the second most expensive hotel on property. It’s filled with lots of neat music memorabilia and is perfect for any music fan (I mean who doesn’t like music?). It’s the most lively of the Signature Collection hotels and is a good choice for folks with kids who want the Universal Express Unlimited. However, I prefer the Royal Pacific for the price.
Royal Pacific
Typically Universal’s Loews Royal Pacific Resort is the cheapest (not cheap though) of the three resorts that offer Universal Express Pass. Royal Pacific is my second favorite resort on-property with its nice tropical paradise. It’s a good option for folks who want that Universal Express without paying as much. The theme also makes it a great option for someone who is pining for a beach/tropical getaway.
Sapphire Falls
Sapphire Falls used to be considered a moderate, but is now part of the Signature Collection. I think it’s a good compromise for accommodations and price, depending on the season. It’s a step up from the Prime Values in terms of theme and restaurant options (it has a sit-down restaurant) but isn’t as nice as the other Signature Collection hotels. It’s in between in practically every way. Sapphire Falls is the hotel where I took the picture used for this blog post seen above. It doesn’t provide Express Pass, but it does have boat transportation to USF and IoA.
Aventura
Aventura is the Prime Value tower hotel beside Sapphire Falls. It’s a tech-centric tower with smooth lines in the design. It’s definitely meant for younger adults on a budget. Technically, you can walk over to Sapphire Falls to enjoy their restaurants and boat transportation to the parks too. I like it, but it was louder than the Signature Collection hotels.
Cabana Bay
Cabana Bay Beach Resort was previously a Prime Value, but is now considered a Value. It’s across the street from Aventura and Sapphire Falls. It’s also much bigger and spread out. There are lots of different room configuration options here making it ideal for larger families or groups. It’s also a good bit cheaper than the hotels listed above. However, it is limited in food options and has only bus transportation. Although, it is right next to Volcano Bay if you plan on visiting it.
Endless Summer – Dockside and Surfside Inn and Suites
Last but not least we have Endless Summer – Dockside Inn and Suites and Surfside Inn and Suites. Endless Summer is technically two sister resorts across the street from each other. Surfside is a good bit smaller and has fewer people. I prefer it to Dockside just because it’s less crowded and chaotic. However, they both have thin walls and attract tour groups/sports teams due to the prices. They feature a bedroom suite for larger families as well. These hotels are ideal for people on tight budgets and larger groups. They are both considered Value Resorts, along with Cabana Bay Beach Resort.
Universal Orlando Resort Hotels
Well, that’s the 8 current on-site options at Universal Orlando Resort. I think there’s probably a good fit for every situation and budget. It all really depends on what you value in a resort and what your budget is. My personal ranking is:
- Portofino Bay
- Royal Pacific
- Sapphire Falls
- Hard Rock Hotel
- Aventura
- Cabana Bay
- Surfside Inn
- Dockside Inn
So, do you agree with my rankings or not? What is your favorite hotel at Universal Orlando?
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