The Best Place to Stay at Universal Orlando
If you’re looking for the best place to stay at Universal Orlando, look no further! Today we will break down all of the Universal Orlando hotels so you can figure out the best place to stay at Universal Orlando for you.
Before we get to the list of where to stay at Universal Orlando, we also have a Universal Orlando planning guide, so make sure to check it out when you’re finished here.
Do I need a rental car for a Universal vacation?
If you decide to rent a car in Orlando, we recommend renting from from Discount USA Car Rental. Discount USA Car Rental offers the best pricing available, free cancelation, and you don’t pay anything until you pick up the car!
Planning a Universal Vacation? I’ll be your Travel Agent!
I’d love to be your Universal Orlando travel agent. I’m not only a travel agent for Universal but also a long-time annual pass holder and Florida resident! Contact me today to learn how I can add value to your trip. If you’re struggling to figure out the Best Place to Stay at Universal Orlando, I can help!
The Best Place to Stay at Universal Orlando
Now, let’s get to the best place to stay at Universal Orlando. My family has stayed in every Universal hotel from Loews Royal Pacific to Surfside Inn and Suites. Today, I will list the resorts by price and amenities, meaning the top of the list has the most expensive resorts with the most amenities.
The more affordable resorts with fewer amenities (but still some!) are at the bottom. Also, all Universal resorts (except Endless Summer) have access to the Garden Walk, a walking path from the hotels to Universal theme parks and CityWalk.
Hard Rock Hotel
Hard Rock Hotel is a very short walk from Universal Studios and CityWalk. Hard Rock may be the best place to stay at Universal Orlando if you want to be close to the parks and love music!
This is one of my two favorite Universal hotels for adults! Check out The Wizarding World of Harry Potter for adults if you’re planning an adults-only Universal vacation.
Hard Rock Hotel has over 600 guest rooms with garden and pool views. This hotel offers three on-site restaurants and a grab-and-go marketplace. Hard Rock Cafe is a short walk away. Check out the full list of restaurants in CityWalk for more.
The best part about Hard Rock Hotel—is the Express Passes! These Express Passes will save you a lot of time; don’t call them Fast Passes! That’s Disney. The pool is fantastic and offers a unique feature – underwater music! Plus, you’ll get a view of the giant spinning guitar on the way to CityWalk. Check out our video tour here.
Loews Royal Pacific Resort
Loews Royal Pacific Resort is located steps away from Islands of Adventure and CityWalk. Garden Walk and Water Taxis have their own security, so you don’t have to wait in line at CityWalk.
The lagoon-style pool offers activities all afternoon, another fun perk of staying in a Signature resort. If you’ve been here for a long, you know that I’m also a Hawaii Travel Agent, so I love the South Pacific theme of this resort!
All the guest rooms are spacious and offer island decor. The Jurassic Suite is a must for any dinosaur fans. This suite is pricey but a bucket list item for any dinosaur fan. There is a king bed in a separate room and two twin beds in a Juarassic-park-themed kids room! Rollaways are available for families of 5.
There are plenty of on-site restaurants and a luau. Like the other Express Pass Resorts, the theme parks and CityWalk are just a short walk away. We have a resort tour of Royal Pacific on YouTube. This is the best place to stay at Universal Orlando if you’re a dinosaur fan and have a good budget for your hotel!
Loews Portofino Bay Resort
Like the two previously mentioned hotels, at Loews Portofino Bay Hotel, you get the premier perks only available at these resorts, including free Universal Express Unlimited ride access with a valid theme park ticket or annual pass. Plus, water taxi access to the parks.
This Italian-style resort is filled with cobblestone streets and Italian cypress trees. You will think your plane took a detour to Portofino, Italy!
The spacious guest rooms offer extra space for your luggage and purchases. Kids and Minion Fans will love the Despicable Me Suites. The kids get a room all decked out Minion-style, and you get some privacy. Even if you stay in a regular room, they are more spacious than the rooms at the other Universal hotels. Oh, and the beds are very comfortable!

The pools do not disappoint at Portofino Bay, and kids will love the Roman aqueduct slide!
There are 8 restaurants and bars to choose from when you are hungry or need a drink. At night, sit in the Harbor Piazza, and listen to live music.
Loews Sapphire Falls Resort
Loews Sapphire Falls Resort is now considered a Signature hotel at Universal. It does not have free Express Passes but does have other perks that are not available at the value resorts.
These amenities include easy access to the water taxi, some nicer dining options, pool activities, and closer proximity to the parks. The pool at Sapphire Falls also has a water slide!
Every guest room and suite offers modern amenities. The standard hotel rooms are great, but the kid suites allow separate sleeping areas and more space. Check out a full tour of Sapphire Falls on YouTube.
There are four restaurants and lounges on-site for meals and drinks.
Aventura Hotel
It may not be first on your list of Universal hotels to consider, but I personally love Aventura Hotel! Check out a full video tour of Aventura on YouTube.
Many families who avoid Aventura believe it has fewer amenities, and it does, but this can be great for adult-only trips or Universal vacations with older kids.
Like all Universal hotels, free shuttle service is available to the other theme parks. You can also walk across to Loews Sapphire Falls and catch the water taxi; it’s a short walk!
The guest rooms and suites at this hotel are spacious. Rooms on one side of the hotel will give you great views of the theme parks, but the best views can be seen from the rooftop bar. Although Aventura does not have large suites like some other resorts, it has a family-style room with a little more space.
Pro-tip: Pay for a high-floor room! It’s worth it for the views, plus movie night at the pool can be a bit loud.
There is only one pool, and it’s small, but there’s still a game area, fitness center, food options, and Starbucks.
One of our favorite parts about this modern hotel – is the robots! You can request small amenities be delivered to your room via robot. It’s so much fun! Check out a YouTube short we made about the robots here.
Cabana Bay Beach Resort
Universal’s Cabana Bay Beach Resort is one of the best Universal hotels on a budget. This is one of the few Orlando hotels offering affordable family suites. These suites sleep up to six people. They are quite spacious at 430 square feet. You get a bedroom, living space, and a kitchenette.
Of course, you can always choose a standard room if you don’t need as much space. However, we recommend the family suite for four or more people because it’s spacious and has a kitchenette! Check out our Family Suite tour here.
This hotel is within walking distance of both Universal theme parks. However, it’s a pretty long walk. The shuttle buses are the most popular option, but you can also walk across to Sapphire Falls for the water taxi. Just be aware—it’s a bit of a walk!
Another great feature at Cabana Bay is an exclusive entrance to Volcano Bay (if you have tickets!)
There are two large pools at Cabana Bay. They do not have activities like the premier and moderate resort, but they have a lot to do on your own. A lazy river is next to one pool and a water slide in the other. Extra downtime can be spent at the on-site bowling alley or arcade. The fitness center is one of the best at any Universal hotel.
There are plenty of food options on-site. Check out our full tour of Cabana Bay Resort on YouTube.
Surfside Inn
Surfside is one of the two hotels within Universal’s Endless Summer Resort and may be the best Place to Stay at Universal Orlando if you don’t want to do a lot of walking!
This value hotel offers comfortable accommodations at an affordable price. Both Surfside and Dockside offer standard rooms as well as two-bedroom suites. Your only transportation option is the shuttle buses, as both Endless Summer Resorts are further from the parks.
Surfside and Dockside are similar, but Surfside is smaller, has fewer food options, and has only one pool. However, it’s less crowded and involves less walking, which is a huge plus.
Dockside Inn
Dockside is the other Endless Summer Resort on Universal property. This may be the best place to stay at Universal Orlando if you’re on a tight budget! This is another one of Universal’s value hotels and offers standard rooms, as well as two-bedroom suites. I recommend the suites as they are not much more expensive and have so much space and a kitchenette.
There are two swimming pools. The pools are simple, but each one has its own pool bar. Like Surfside, the Food Court makes mealtimes simple. Dockside has a larger food court with more options.
Don’t worry. You still get exclusive theme park benefits when you stay at this Universal hotel, such as early park admission.
The Best Place to Stay at Universal Orlando
I hope this list of Universal hotels helped you figure out the best place to stay at Universal Orlando. Which resort do you think is right for you?
My favorite Express Pass hotel is Hard Rock, but Royal Pacific is a close second. Sapphire Falls is also great since it’s moderately priced and has a great pool with activities, nice rooms, and the water taxi. If you’re on a budget, Aventura is a great option for adults who don’t need a large pool. While Cabana Bay and Endless Summer Resorts can be busy, they’re also an incredible value!
If you’re heading to Universal Orlando (or even Walt Disney World), check out our other Universal Travel Tips and Disney Travel tips:
- The Best Instagram Spots at Universal Orlando
- Things to do in Orlando for Christmas
- Hidden secrets of the Wizarding World of Harry Potter
- The best bags for Universal Studios
- 7 things to buy at the Wizarding World of Harry Potter
- 30 Things to Do at Disney World Resorts
- The Best Fanny Pack for Disney
- 32 Things to do at Hollywood Studios
- What to do in the Wizarding World of Harry Potter for adults
Are you planning a Universal Vacation?
I’d love to help you! Contact me today to start planning your Universal vacation.
About Florida Travel With Kids
Florida Travel with Kids was started by a family who loves to travel the state of Florida with kids! This site will help you explore the fun state of Florida and all of the kid-friendly activities you’ll find here.
Did you enjoy this post? I would love for you to pin it for later! Or, make sure to share it with your friends on social media if they are looking for things to do in Florida with kids.
Leave a Reply