Universal Hotel Recaps

Loews Portifino Bay Hotel

• themed after Mediterian Hotel from Portifino, Italy

• Very high end and beautiful, but just very expensive

• **June 2023 - approx. 2025 - 2 full years of renovations**

• Express Pass included (value of $129 per person per day)

• Early Park Admission

• Complimentary Water Taxi & Shuttles

• the walk to the parks is up hill and skinnier sidewalks, but note you can take the boat

• Proximity to the Parks - can only get to Volcano Bay via shuttle

• Resort-wide charging privileges with key card

• complimentary merchandise delivery to hotel

• Priority seating at select restaurants around the resort

• Vacation Planning Center

• 750 Guests Room each 450-490 Sq Ft 

• Typical rooms have Garden & Bay view and can hold 2 with no extra cost.  

• Deluxe Rooms w/ 490 Sq Ft - sleeps up to 5

• 45 suites

• Club Level available

• Despicable Me Themed Kids' Suite

• The rooms are huge and high ceilings

• WiFi, Fitness Center, Mandara Spa, Walking & Jogging Paths, Game Room, Bocce Ball, Musica della Notte (opera & Popera), Harbor Nights, Universal Studio Store

• 3 uniquely theme swimming pools - The beach pool, the villa pool, the hillside pool 

• Mama Della's Ristorante - Fine Dining - Dinner -  traditional authentic Italian cooking

• Bice Ristorante - Fine Dining - Dinner - Northern Italian cruisine

• Trattoria del Porto - family-friendly fare - Breakfast, lunch & dinner

• Sal's Market Deli - lunch & Dinner

• The Thirsty Fish - snacks & beverages

• Splendido Bar & Grill - lunch & dinner

• Gelateria - breakfast, snacks & beverages

• Starbucks

• 24 hour room service

Loews Royal Pacific Resort

• Express Pass included

• Early Park Admission

• Complimentary Water Taxi & Shuttles

• beautiful walk to the parks

• boat to the parks

• Islands Dining Room - dinner is fabulous - Breakfast and dinner served

• Jake's American Bar - lunch and dinner served

• Orchid Court Lounge & Sushi Bar - dinner served

• Tuk Tuk Market - breakfast lunch and dinner quick service

• Bula Bar & Grille - lunch dinner and drinks quick service

• Lagoon-Style Swimming Pool - doesn't have a slide, but does have a play area for the kids - pool deck feels dirty

• Poolside Activities

• Wantilan Luau is held here

• 1,000 guests rooms, 51 suites

• Kids room has Jurassic World Themed Kids Suites

• has white sand beaches

• has club level

• Can use room key card to charge most purchases around the resort

• merchandise purchased in the park can be sent back to the hotel for free.  Note, this is not available on the last day of stay

• priority seating at select restaurants parks & resorts with reservations at the hotel's Concierge team

• fitness facility has a steam / sauna and whirlpool and cardio fitness and circuit training equipment featuring Cardio Theatre

• Lagoon Style Pool with Royal Bali Sea Water Play Area

• has 2 hot tubs

• game room

• walking & jogging paths

Hard Rock Hotel

• Express Pass included

• Early Park Admission

• Complimentary Water Taxi & Shuttles

• music can be overwhelming at time 

• room is awesome

• rock and roll memorabilia around the resort

•  650 rooms, 29 sweets

• has club level

• Can use room key card to charge most purchases around the resort

• merchandise purchased in the park can be sent back to the hotel for free.  Note, this is not available on the last day of stay

• priority seating at select restaurants parks & resorts with reservations at the hotel's Concierge team

• Fitness Center with yoga mat and special yoga videos streaming

• Tunes on underwater at Hard Rock Hotel's Pool

• Walking and Jogging paths

• Game Room

• Rock Shop

• The Sound of your Stay is a program with A-list perks like a record player in your room

• Velet Sessions held throughout the year

• Velvet Unpluggest is a laid-back acoustic show

• Rock N Roll kids themed suite called Future Rock Star Suites

• The Kitchen - Breakfast, lunch and dinner

• The Palm - Fine dining for dinner

• Velvet bar has snacks, light bites, desserts & beverages

• Emack & Bolio's Marketplace - breakfast, snacks and beverages in quick service style

• beachclub is lunch, dinner and drinks as a quick service

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Universal Aventura Hotel

• early park admission

• complimentary shuttles

• proximity to the park

• resort-wide charging privileges with key card

• complimentary merchandise delivery to hotel

• talest hotel

• 600 guests rooms & suites

• has a fitness center

• Pool is out the back and it feels small and clustered

• Kids Splash Zone and fire pit

• Food court is clean

• Price point high for what it is

• Needs a little more theming 

• Bar17 - only rooftop bar - is nice, it's does serve some food 

• Urban Pantry - breakfast, lunch and dinner quick service style

• barVentura is a lobby bar

• Bar Sol is near the pool

• Starbucks

• Pizza Delivery available

• Right next to Sapphire Falls Resort

• Can go to Sapphire for transportation to the parks 

• use iPad to control things in the room & room delivery done by robot named Relay

Universal Stella Nova Resort

Universal Terra Luna Resort

Universal's Endless Summer Resort - Dockside Inn and Suites

• early park admission

• complimentary shuttles

• proximity to the park

• resort-wide charging privileges with key card

• complimentary merchandise delivery to hotel

• Dockside Inn is a little bigger than Surfside Inn with over 2000 guests rooms and 1057 are two bedroom suites

• Pier 8 food court is okay - serves breakfast, lunch and dinner

• comfortable rooms

• bus to the hotel, no boat option

• good theming

• furthest from the hotels

• busiest hotels - lobby is always full

• large groups stay here

• pool is shallow, but good tropical vibe and has splash pad and sandy beaches

• poolside activities include activities like hulahoop contests, Bingo, Pin-Pong and more

• WaveMaker Pool Bar & Oasis Beach Bar are poolside

• room sizes are great

• pizza delivery available

• sunset lounge is a bar in the hotel

• Starbucks

Universal's Endless Summer Resort - Surfside Inn & Suites

• early park admission

• complimentary shuttles

• proximity to the park

• resort-wide charging privileges with key card

• complimentary merchandise delivery to hotel

• Surfside Inn is beach themed and has 750 guests rooms with 390 are two bedroom suites

• Beach Break Cafe - quickservice breakfast, lunch and dinner

• comfortable rooms

• bus to the hotel, no boat option

• good theming

• furthest from the hotels

• busiest hotels - lobby is always full

• large groups stay here

• pool is shaped like a surf board

• poolside activities include activities like hulahoop contests, Bingo, Pin-Pong and more

• Sand Bar is are poolside

• room sizes are great

• pizza delivery available

• Starbucks

Universal's Cabana Bay Beach Resort

• early park admission

• complimentary shuttles

• proximity to the park

• resort-wide charging privileges with key card

• complimentary merchandise delivery to hotel

• Jack LaLanne Physical Fitness Studio - gym is good

• 1950's & 60's theming

• 2200 guests rooms - 1280 standard, 900 family suites and 20 2 bedroom suites

• suites features mini fridge, coffee maker and microwave

• overlooks Volcano Bay

• not close to the parks

• you can get volcano bay views - parking lot views are bad

• Bayliner Diner - food is great - breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks service Quick-Service Style

• Malt shop is great

• best quick service restaurants - Hideaway Bar & Grill, Atomic Tonic, Swizzle Lounge

• Christmas decorations are the best vibes

• 2 pools are large and have water slide and lazy river

• smore firepits at night

• Galaxy Bowl - 10 lanes of 10 pin action on 2nd floor of the lobby building - lunch, dinner, snacks and beverages served here.

• pizza delivery available at Delizioso Pizza

• game room

• Starbucks

• the hotel does look run down.