Why Stay at a Universal Orlando Resort Hotel

It's safe to say we are huge fans of staying on property at our favorite theme park resorts, and Universal Orlando Resort is certainly no exception. All of the 11 Universal Orlando hotels have incredible theming, dining, recreation and pools ... you know how we frogs feel about pools. Of course, the Universal hotels also offer terrific park benefits for Universal Studios Florida, Universal Islands of Adventure, Universal Epic Universe and Universal Volcano Bay. You don't have to stay far from the action, as all of the hotels are close to the theme parks and Universal CityWalk Orlando. And even better, we can help save you a little green on your vacation with our discounts on theme park tickets! You can now get exclusive savings on Universal Orlando Resort Vacation Packages provided by Undercover Tourist. Let's leap into the Universal Orlando hotels and their incredible benefits, which will greatly help to maximize your time during your park day!

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FAQs

• Is there any benefit to staying at a Universal hotel? Yes! Guests staying at any Universal Orlando hotel receive Early Park Admission (also valid at Epic Universe) and convenient transportation options to the theme parks, among other benefits. Those staying at select Signature hotels also receive Express Unlimited for the duration of their stay.
• Do I have to check in before I go to the parks if I want to take advantage of Early Park Admission or Express Unlimited? For both Early Park Admission and Express Unlimited, your room key serves as your pass, so if you want to hop into the parks on check-in day, you'll want to stop by the hotel to check in, get your room key (even if your room isn't ready) and drop off your luggage with the bell desk.
• How can I save on my Universal Orlando hotel stay? Undercover Tourist offers exclusive savings on Universal ticket + hotel vacation packages.
• Are the Universal Orlando hotels walking distance to the parks? This depends on the hotel, but we have a full infographic below to show you exactly which hotels are closest to which theme parks at Universal Orlando Resort.
• Are there any hotels near Epic Universe? Yes! In 2025, Universal opened three brand-new hotels close to the all-new Universal Epic Universe: Universal Stella Nova Resort, Universal Terra Luna Resort and Universal Helios Grand Resort (which is located IN Epic Universe, with its own entrance into the park).

Looking for a cheat sheet of all of this helpful information to determine which Universal Orlando hotel is right for your next stay? Download our infographic for a quick lowdown!

Universal Orlando Hotel Categories

Universal Orlando hotels are split into categories by price point. Some tiers offer different benefits and amenities, which we'll dive into below. The Universal Orlando hotel categories are:

Signature Collection

• Hard Rock Hotel
• Loews Portofino Bay Hotel
• Loews Royal Pacific Resort
• Loews Sapphire Falls Resort
• Universal Helios Grand Hotel

Prime Value

• Universal Aventura Hotel
• Universal Stella Nova Resort
• Universal Terra Luna Resort

Value

• Universal Cabana Bay Beach Resort
• Universal Endless Summer Resort – Surfside Inn and Suites
• Universal Endless Summer Resort – Dockside Inn and Suites

Top Benefits of Staying at Universal Orlando Hotels

1. Location, Location, Location! 

Loews Portofino Bay Hotel, Universal Hard Rock Hotel, Loews Royal Pacific Resort, Loews Sapphire Falls, Universal Aventura Hotel and Universal Cabana Bay Beach Resort are all located on Universal Orlando property. Meanwhile, Universal Endless Summer – Surfside Inn & Suites and Universal Endless Summer Resort – Dockside Inn and Suites are located just on the opposite side of Interstate 4, only a quick shuttle ride away. Universal Stella Nova Resort and Universal Terra Luna Resort are located adjacent to the new Universal Epic Universe theme park. Universal Helios Grand Hotel is located inside Universal Epic Universe.

The rest of the Universal Orlando hotels are all within walking distance of each other, the Universal Orlando theme parks and Universal CityWalk. On my last visit, I jog-hopped to each one of them for a bit of exercise. The proximity to other major Orlando attractions and the International Drive area is another Universal Orlando hotel benefit.

In terms of proximity to the theme parks, the Hard Rock Hotel is the closest to Universal Studios Florida, and Loews Royal Pacific Resort is closest to Universal Islands of Adventure.

Universal Cabana Bay Beach Resort and Universal Aventura Hotel are closest to Universal Volcano Bay and have their own separate entrances to the water park. All official Universal Orlando hotel guests can use these entrances, but if you're not staying at one of these hotels, it's easier to take the bus.

Universal Helios Grand Hotel is the closest to Universal Epic Universe as it is quite literally IN the theme park. Because of this, hotel guests staying at Helios Grand Hotel with valid admission to Epic Universe have a dedicated entrance directly into the park! With Harry Potter and the Battle at the Ministry only steps away from the hotel entrance, Early Park Admission gives Helios Grand guests, in particular, a huge advantage over other guests entering from the main entrance.

2. Variety of Universal Orlando Hotel Room Types and Budget Options

There is a wide range of room types at the official Universal Orlando hotels, from budget-friendly options all the way up to luxury suites! Remember, you can save even more on your Universal Orlando vacation by booking through Undercover Tourist and bundling your tickets and hotel stay in a vacation package. The standard rooms at Loews Portofino Bay Hotel (as low as $609 a night) are the largest, at least 450 square feet. Standard rooms at Loews Royal Pacific Resort (as low as $515 a night) and Hard Rock Hotel (as low as $583 a night) are at least 375 square feet. Standard rooms at Loews Sapphire Falls (as low as $320 a night) are 321 square feet. Standard rooms at Cabana Bay (as low as $226 a night) are 300 square feet, although there are also 430-square-foot family suites! Universal Aventura Hotel (as low as $226 a night) offers 314-square-foot standard rooms and 575-square-foot family suites. Standard rooms at Universal Endless Summer (as low as $162 a night) include 313-square-foot standard rooms and 440-square-foot, 2-bedroom family suites.

Standard rooms at Universal Stella Nova Resort (as low as $213 a night) and Universal Terra Luna Resort (as low as $213 a night) are 315 square feet. Standard rooms at Universal Helios Grand Hotel (as low as $402 a night) come in at 325 square feet for rooms with two queen-sized beds and 340 square feet for rooms with one king-sized bed; however, there are also 545-square-foot kids' suites themed to "How to Train Your Dragon!"

Hard Rock, Portofino Bay, Aventura and Helios Grand have deluxe-level rooms that are larger than standard rooms and offer slightly better views. Guests staying at Hard Rock, Portofino Bay, Royal Pacific and Helios Grand can upgrade to the Club Level and enjoy additional privileges such as access to the private lounge, continental breakfast and hors d'oeuvres.

Cabana Bay's family suites offer kitchenettes with microwaves and mini-fridges, as well as two queen beds and a full sofa bed. Additionally, Cabana Bay now has a limited number of two-bedroom, two-full bathroom, 772-square-foot suites that sleep up to eight. Many offer views of Universal Volcano Bay, and they are fabulous! Aventura's kids' suites feature wall-to-ceiling windows, sleep five and have a special interior kids' area.

3. Fabulous Universal Orlando Hotel Amenities

Loews Portofino Bay Hotel has three pools, a fitness center, jogging and walking paths, eight dining options (plus room service), on-property entertainment, a Starbucks, a game room and wonderful waterfront views.

Loews Royal Pacific Resort has one lagoon-themed pool, a complimentary fitness center, five dining options (plus room service), a game room and extensive walking and jogging paths.

Hard Rock Hotel has a 12,000-square-foot rockin' pool (with underwater music and a waterslide), a fitness center, jogging and walking paths, five dining options (plus room service) and The Sound of Your Stay program, which allows you to rock out with playlists, guitars and turntables in the privacy of your hotel room.

Universal Cabana Bay Beach Resort has two massive feature pools, a waterslide, a lazy river, a children's water play area, poolside activities, a bowling alley, a fitness center, a Starbucks and an array of cuisine at its various restaurants.

Loews Sapphire Falls Resort has a massive, lagoon-style pool (with cabanas for rent, a waterslide, a children's play area and more), a fitness center and multiple dining options, including a rum bar!

Universal Aventura Hotel has a HUGE selection of what we like to call "gourmet quick-service" food and a rooftop lounge, as well as a pool and an awesome gift shop. All rooms are equipped with a mini-refrigerator.

Universal Endless Summer – Surfside Inn and Suites has a surfboard-shaped pool, a pool bar, a cafeteria-style dining area, a fitness center and a game room. Universal Endless Summer – Dockside Inn and Suites features two large pools with sand beaches, a pool bar, a food court, a fitness center and a game room.

Universal Stella Nova Resort and Universal Terra Luna Resort each have a zero-entry pool with pop-up jets, a hot tub, a fire pit and poolside loungers, a poolside bar and grill, poolside movies, outdoor games, a game room and a complimentary fitness center.

Universal Helios Grand Hotel has a resort-style, zero-entry pool with underwater speakers, a terraced deck, an outdoor fire pit area, a hot tub, private cabanas for rent, lounge pool chairs, a towel cabana, poolside activities (including poolside movies), a game room and a complimentary fitness center.

4. Early Park Admission

All of the official Universal Orlando hotels offer Early Park Admission to The Wizarding World of Harry Potter and other select attractions at Universal Epic Universe and either Universal Studios Florida or Universal Islands of Adventure up to one hour prior to park opening and Early Park Admission to Universal Volcano Bay up to 30 minutes before opening. Additionally, hotel guests are able to enter Universal Epic Universe up to one hour prior to park opening and ride select attractions. (You must have valid Universal Orlando admission.) This perk is so toadally awesome that we've devoted a whole post to how Early Park Admission works, including the current EPA schedule!

5. Free Universal Express Unlimited (at Select Signature Collection Hotels)

This is the best perk of them all! Loews Portofino Bay Hotel, Hard Rock Hotel and Loews Royal Pacific Resort offer guests Universal Express Unlimited, which allows them to bypass the regular lines at the participating rides at Universal Studios and Universal Islands of Adventure. Universal Express Unlimited is valid for the entire length of stay, including days of check-in and check-out, and there is no limit to the number of times you use it. Your hotel keys (each person has a personalized key) double as your Express Passes. (You must have valid Universal Orlando admission.)

We cannot understate the value of Universal Express Unlimited. This perk which allows you to enjoy shorter wait times at select attractions is one of the best ways — if not the best way — to experience the parks. And if you know you will need or want Universal Express passes, it is almost always way more economical to stay on property than to stay off-site and purchase these passes separately. Here are more tips on when to use Universal Express.

6. Hoppin' Easy Transportation to the Parks and Universal CityWalk

Guests of the official Universal Orlando hotels can use the free transportation to and from Universal Studios, Universal Islands of Adventure, Universal Epic Universe, Universal Volcano Bay and Universal CityWalk. There are two forms of free transportation: water taxis and shuttle buses. When your frog legs are tired of hopping, free transportation is a lifesaver. (Watch a video of the water taxi ride from Loews Portofino Bay Hotel here.)

Additional hotel guest benefits include resort-wide charging privileges with your room key card and complimentary merchandise delivery from Universal stores to your hotel.

7. Priority Seating (at Select Universal Orlando Hotels)

Guests staying at Lowes Portofino Bay Hotel, Lowes Royal Pacific Hotel and Hard Rock Hotel receive priority seating at select restaurants. Note that restaurants are subject to change, and availability may be limited during peak times or some weekends. Call 407-224-FOOD (3663) for more information.

Take a Video Tour of the Universal Orlando Hotels

Want to get a better look at the Universal Orlando hotels? Check out our video tours!

• Loews Sapphire Falls Resort
• Loews Portofino Bay Hotel
• Hard Rock Hotel
• Loews Royal Pacific Resort
• Universal Cabana Bay Beach Resort
• Universal Endless Summer – Surfside Inn and Suites
• Universal Stella Nova Resort
• Universal Terra Luna Resort
• Universal Helios Grand Hotel

Have a question about the Universal Orlando hotel benefits? Want to share your favorite Universal hotel? Drop us a line in the comments below! And be sure to check out our comprehensive Universal Orlando Jump Start Guide.

Related: Where to Stay at Universal Orlando Resort

Hoppy planning!