Universal Orlando Resort features two of the fastest-growing theme parks in the entire world. More importantly, it offers the most important intellectual property this side of Mickey Mouse, Harry Potter. This theme park campus is the original location for The Wizarding World of Harry Potter, a fact that explains its soaring popularity.
When you plan a trip to Universal Orlando Resort, you’ll probably want to stay at one of the official Universal hotels. They come with special theme park benefits such as extra time (and thereby rides) at the theme parks and free transportation to and from the parks. Deciding which one you prefer gets trickier each year, as Universal has recently added a pair of properties and has indicated that further growth will happen soon. Which hotel is currently the best for you? Read on to see how I rank the five official Universal Orlando Resort hotels…
5. Loews Sapphire Falls Resort
Image: UniversalYou might expect the latest addition to the Universal hotel chain to stand apart as the best. Prepare for disappointment. Sapphire Falls is technically in the Preferred tier at Universal, one step above the only Prime Value option, Universal’s Cabana Bay Beach Resort. Sapphire Falls joins Loews Royal Pacific Resort in the middle tier.
The hotel’s rates are usually about $40-$60 more than Cabana Bay Beach Resort. What do you get for the extra money? That’s hard to quantify. While Sapphire Falls is two years newer, it’s also the lowest rated Universal property according to Trip Advisor users. The theme is Caribbean-style, with a serene atmosphere permeating across the property.
Image: UniversalThe space in the rooms is nothing special. Studios at Sapphire Falls are 321 square feet, only 21 square feet larger than Cabana Bay despite the 20% difference in rack rates. While the hotel stresses that it’s family-friendly, Sapphire Falls seems to cater to an older crowd. Adult couples looking for a romantic getaway AND some time at The Wizarding World of Harry Potter can strike a nice balance here. It has the standard Universal Orlando Resort hotel benefit of early access to the theme parks an hour before each one opens to the general public. It also has water transportation to both park entrances as well as CityWalk.
Image: UniversalMy evaluation of Sapphire Falls is pretty simple. It’s a nice-quality hotel relatively close to Universal Studios Florida and Islands of Adventure. Most people will feel that it’s too far away to walk, however, and a stay here doesn’t include the best benefit at Universal: the Universal Unlimited Express Pass. All things being equal, it offers the worst value of the five Universal resorts in Orlando. If you want to stay at a newer property, it’s a reasonable option, though. Opened in 2016, it’s the newest facility of the onsite options listed here.
4. Universal’s Cabana Bay Beach Resort
Image: UniversalMad Men reminded people of how great the 1960s were. The Rat Pack’s heyday happened at the turn of that decade, as Frank Sinatra and his friends made Las Vegas seem like the coolest destination for theme park tourists. Universal’s Cabana Bay Beach Resort is the tribute to these halcyon days of yore, the 1950s and early 1960s.
The theming here is unmistakably 1960s Vegas desert cool. The colors are pastel, and the vibe is stubbornly retro. Opened in 2014, this property aims to make you feel like you’ve stepped back in time more than half a century. It’s an impressive achievement in architectural design, one that would seem right at home at Epcot.
Image: UniversalIn terms of pricing, this hotel is also a great deal. It’s the cheapest official Universal property onsite. In terms of Disney comparisons, it’s like the All-Star Resorts in that the rooms are small, generally around 300 square feet, with family suites only slightly bigger at 430 square feet. That’s not as big as All-Star Resorts, and guests here also lose out on the best feature of a Universal Orlando Resort hotel stay: the Universal Unlimited Express Pass.
The hotel is also always crowded. It holds 1,800 rooms, half of which are family suites. A LOT of people stay here each day. The result of these crowds is that the pools in particular are a mob scene. You may have a vision of Sinatra and Dean Martin lounging poolside near a bevy of beauties, but the reality is that you’ll struggle to find a spot to sit here. Staying at this particular hotel may seem like a celebration of Vegas during the glory days of JFK. In reality, you’re really just picking this hotel for the room savings. This property sounds better in theory than in execution.
Image: Universal3. Loews Portofino Bay Hotel
Image: UniversalThe line of demarcation between Universal’s best three hotels and the worst ones is right here. The fourth and fifth entries aren’t bad resorts by any stretch. They simply lag behind the original three properties that Universal built in Orlando. The catch is that you’ll pay much more to stay at one of the top three hotels, and that makes the ranking process is tricky. In a vacuum, Universal has done a great job of pricing all five resorts in line with their quality.
Image: UniversalEach of the next three properties includes the best benefit at Universal Orlando Resort. Each member of your party receives a Universal Unlimited Express Pass. With this item, you can walk to the front of the line at most Universal Studios Florida and Islands of Adventure attractions. While some key exclusions exist, you will generally have your run of the parks with these passes. You can feasibly ride every major attraction at Universal in a day thanks to these passes. You can assuredly do so in two days. So, if you’re on the fence about the cost of staying at one of the next three properties, keep in mind that you may offset the expense by reducing the number of days of your trip. You can experience more of the parks in a faster timeframe thanks to the Unlimited Express Pass. It’s a huge benefit.
Image: UniversalUnquestionably the most beautiful of Universal’s Orlando properties, the Loews Portofino Bay Hotel embraces the beauty of Italian waterways. You’ll feel like you’re in Venice, Florida when you stay at this resort. Its ambience is one of classic elegance. Walking the grounds of this property is like traipsing through an Italian village. You’ll find gorgeous touches throughout the facility, including cute boats in the waters by the shore.
Image: UniversalLoews Portofino Bay Hotel is undeniably gorgeous, but it comes at a high price. This is the most expensive of Universal’s properties, with a rack rate $360 per night. Realistically, you’re going to pay more than $400 each night you stay here. For that money, you’re not getting the convenience of a short walk to the theme parks.
Proximity isn’t part of the package, making this Universal’s equivalent to Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa, only without the convenience of the monorail. You’ll likely use the water taxis at Portofino Bay. It takes about 15 minutes to walk from the property to the gate entrance for the parks. That’s not bad by any stretch, and the journey has one of the loveliest backdrops imaginable. It’s just not great for a hotel with such a high nightly rate.
2. Loews Royal Pacific Resort
Image: UniversalDo you like Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort? Of course! Every sane person does. And that’s why Universal basically stole the concept to create their own version in 2002. More than 15 years later, Loews Royal Pacific Resort maintains its status as a breathtaking tropical paradise that combines the feel of an island getaway with the convenience of a theme park location.
Image: UniversalA recent winner of the AAA 4-Diamond award-winning hotel, the Royal Pacific is one of the most idyllic settings in all of Orlando. When you stay here, the stress of a day at the theme park will wash away in a sea of boat drinks and soothing waterfalls. The Polynesian is my favorite resort at Walt Disney World, which explains why I love Royal Pacific so much. The theme is identical, and while I prefer Disney’s version (mmm, that hotel smell), Universal’s derivative version is a reasonable facsimile.
Image: UniversalThe other great thing about the Royal Pacific is its price value. Yes, it costs $320+ per night, but that’s right in line with top theme park hotels in Orlando. The hotel also offers the Universal Unlimited Express Pass. It’s the cheapest Universal resort to offer this incentive, which legitimately has a value of $100 per day. In terms of what you get for your money, Royal Pacific is hard to beat. But something still does…
Image: Universal
1. Hard Rock Hotel
Image: UniversalThe closest hotel to Universal Studios is also the best one.
The legendary Hard Rock Hotel sits right beside the park gates, a short walk of a few minutes away from the hotel’s pool area. The property even has a few convenient exits that can shorten the distance for people who either don’t want to walk or don’t find it comfortable to do so. It also has a third party rickshaw service that will carry your party to the front gates for a small fee, assuming you don’t mind the oddity of the trip. How many places have you ever seen a working rickshaw service? That aspect alone might be enough to tip the scale on your making the journey.
Image: UniversalOf course, you’ll also receive a Universal Unlimited Express pass, giving you access to the front of the lien at every participating ride at both Universal theme parks. You will also hobnob with the rich and famous at the hotel, especially at its massive, luxurious pool.
Hard Rock Hotel cares so much about music that this aquatic center features speakers in the pool. Even when you’re submerged, you can hear all the hard rock tunes pumping through the property. The same is true of the walls of the hotel, making this property something of an exercise in how to think in a constantly noisy place. Still, the pool speakers offer an additional benefit. When the hotel plays movies at night, you can hear what’s going on while you swim, a creative solution that will keep your kids entertained.
Image: UniversalThe Hard Rock Hotel chain is a famous brand with a high level of respect. The combination of that brand and a location right beside the gates at Universal makes this hotel the clear cut choice as the best place to stay during your visit…assuming you can afford it. The Hard Rock Hotel comes with a bit of sticker shock. You’ll pay right at $400 a night most of the time here. Yes, you can find deals, especially if you play your trip far in advance, but you should accept that you’re going to pay a pretty penny to stay here. Still, the Hard Rock Hotel is worth the money as the anchor portion of a once-in-a-lifetime trip to Universal Studios. The property has the same cachet as the monorail properties at Walt Disney World plus the cool factor of the Hard Rock brand. Simply stated, it’s the place to stay when you visit Universal Orlando Resort.
Image: Universal
