For the last 10 years, Universal Orlando has been the up-and-coming premier theme park destination in Florida. With new value hotel options expanding the resort recently and the newest theme park, Epic Universe less than three years away, it’s easy to see why many new vacationers are taking notice and exploring the immersive worlds of Harry Potter, Jurassic World, and the Simpsons. And, Universal Orlando hotels offer great perks!
Universal Orlando has a lot of room to work, but they still have to plan spatially conscious environments to fit in all of the big ideas in the pipeline. That’s why this relatively compact resort in the Orlando area has so much to offer within mere steps of other major attractions, entertainment, shopping experiences, and dining. Nearly everything connects to the heart of the Universal Orlando property Universal CityWalk. Many of the Universal Orlando hotels access the CityWalk by walking paths and waterways.
Universal Orlando Hotels – Where to Stay
Once you decide to make Universal Orlando your resort destination, you will be pleasantly surprised by the affordable options among even the premier hotels and the many perks they come with. These include complementary Universal Express Unlimited Passes, early park admission, complimentary water taxis to the park, and more.
Among the prestigious premier hotels are the immaculately themed Portofino Bay and Royal Pacific. One has a tropical south Asian flair, while the other is expressly European. Then there is the Hard Rock Hotel with a unique approach to themed hotels that emphasizes your musical journey.
Below the Premier resorts are three other pricing tiers, including Prefered, Prime Value, and Value. Each of these hotel types has advantages and reasons to stay. The cheapest hotels are the newest Endless Summer Inn and Suites. with Dockside and Surfside themes, these low-priced hotels are enough to relax even your tight budget.
Besides these reasonable rates and practical accommodations, there are other terrific values if you don’t mind being a little bit further from the theme parks. In fact, their locations prove advantageous if you plan to spend time at the water park Volcano Bay. With so many different Universal Orlando hotels to choose from. These are my top picks depending on the type of vacation experience you are looking for.
Hard Rock
There isn’t a bad decision when it comes to picking your Premier class resort at Universal. Really that can be said pretty much across the board, no matter what class you seek. However, there are choices that may be more desirable in general and I have laid those out below.
The Premier class is different because there are three choices and they are very thematically driven. There are some practical factors in determining the best choice. Portofino Bay rooms are somewhat larger than the rooms at Royal Pacific, for example. Mostly, though, what it really comes down to is thematic preference. In that sense, Royal Pacific is sort of like a third-party candidate that splits the vote and essentially gives the victory over to Hard Rock.
Hard Rock is a different kind of themed hotel. You don’t have to be obsessed with music to love this resort, but it does help. The emphasis on music drives the overall experience rather than the imitation of a cultural aesthetic. Rather than focus on a different place and time, Hard Rock provides a soundtrack for the here-and-now aspect of your stay and allows you to tie your personal musical tastes to the resort with access to your own playlist and a curated collection of vinyls with a premium sound system in your room.
If you are not heavy into overt theming of the other sort, The Hard Rock is a very nice hotel with all the perks of a Premier reservation. It’s also the closest hotel to the parks, although that doesn’t matter too much.
Sapphire Falls
Competition among the preferred hotels is less stiff. There is only one option. Sapphire Falls is the next step down from the prestige of the premier lot and it’s missing a couple of the bells and whistles that make premier hotels more attractive. On the other hand, it’s less expensive by a good margin and it has adequate theming and amenities.
Like Royal Pacific, Sapphire Falls has a tropical setting, but it is lighter and brighter feeling. Also the theme is inspired more by the Caribbean than the South Asian Pacific and is much more subtle. It’s an open and airy hotel with lots of windows to let light through. But it’s also got these great pockets of places to relax and listen to the rushing water.
There is a simplicity to Sapphire Falls that adds to its charm, but as a preferred hotel it has most of the amenities you’d expect from a higher tier hotel. It also is very close to the parks and features a beautifully landscaped pool with a waterslide.
Cabana Bay
Below Sapphire Falls, you get into the Value and Prime Value Universal Orlando hotels. If saving money is your top concern, there is no reason not to stay at the new Endless Summer Inn and Suites. None at all. However, if being closer to the action is important and if you want a little bit of extra immersion, you should book a room in a Prime Value hotel.
There are two of these and they are right next to each other, situated next to Volcano Bay. Of the two options, I prefer Cabana Bay. I love the retro vibe and it does the low-key style of theming that becomes more of an overall aesthetic than a vehicle for storytelling.
Of the two Prime Value hotels, Cabana Bay is actually the most themed. It’s also the closest to Volcano Bay (not that that matters too much), and it has a bowling alley with late hours and a restaurant. With the retro style and the bowling, it has a similar vibe to Splitsville.
There are also two pools and a winding river if you don’t want to commit to paying for admission to the nearby waterpark. For larger families or just a little more space, Cabana Bay offers suites as well as standard guest rooms.
Universal Orlando Hotels
You’ll find that staying at a Universal Resort hotel comes with amazing perks.
The perks at Universal Resort hotels depend on the category of your accommodations. However, all on site hotels do offer guests Early Park Admission. As a hotel guest, you’ll be able to enter the Universal parks an hour before everyone else. This is only applicable to select attractions and rides, but most of them are very popular, making this a great perk.
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