Universal Orlando Resort features eight hotels, which are split up into four tiers: value, prime value, preferred, and premier. This page includes a quick summary of each category, along with each resort. To learn more about each specific property, click on any of their names. To compare each of their offerings and find out which is right for you, click here.
Universal Orlando’s Value Hotels – general information
Universal’s value hotels offer the most inexpensive of room rates (starting at just $119 a night, under the right promotions/conditions) but are also located geographically the furthest from the main Universal Orlando campus (where the parks and CityWalk are located) – in fact, they sit on their own 64-acre plot of land that the company refers to as its mid-campus, located some five minutes down the road. Endless Summer Resort is the name of the value hotel complex. Its two individual properties are Surfside Inn and Suites (which opened in 2019) and Dockside Inn and Suites (which will bow in two different phases throughout 2020).
Value hotels offer select Universal benefits, including shuttle buses to the parks and Early Park Admission. However, they do not feature some of the perks that the preferred and premier properties boast: complimentary Express Passes, priority seating at restaurants, pets being allowed, valet parking, 24-hour room service, and water-taxi transportation to the parks.
Learn more about Endless Summer Resort.
Universal Orlando’s Prime Value Hotels – general information
Universal has two prime value hotels: Cabana Bay Beach Resort and Aventura Hotel. As the “prime value” name suggests, these are some of the company’s most economically-friendly venues, with regular rates beginning at $174 and room sizes beginning at 300 square feet. Cabana opened in 2014 and features 2,200 rooms, including over 900 family suites; Aventura debuted in 2018 and sports 600 rooms.
Prime value hotels offer all the benefits of the value resorts plus one extra perk: a private entranceway to Volcano Bay, Universal’s water theme park (the only venues, in fact, to do so). Once again, many of the privileges that the preferred and premier hotels boast aren’t carried over here.
Learn more about Cabana Bay Beach Resort and Aventura Hotel.
Universal Orlando’s Preferred Hotel – general information
There is only one venue in the preferred tier (the only classification to have a single occupant): Sapphire Falls Resort. This is Universal’s middle category, offering some benefits above the value and prime value entries. Regular rates for Sapphire Falls begin at $262, room sizes start at 321 square feet, and there are 1,000 rooms available.
Regarding the features of the sole preferred resort, look for 24-hour room service, valet parking, and allowing pets.
Learn more about Sapphire Falls Resort.
Universal Orlando’s Premier Hotels – general information
Topping off Universal’s hotel offerings is its premier echelon, which consists of Portofino Bay Hotel, Hard Rock Hotel, and Royal Pacific Resort. This level is home to the resort’s highest-priced hotels with matching accommodations and perks. Regular rates for Royal Pacific start at $406 with room sizes beginning at 335 square feet; Hard Rock, meanwhile, comes in at $453 and 375 square feet, respectively; and Portofino Bay brings up the rear with $484 and 450 square feet.
The major difference between the premier and preferred categories is that all of the premier hotels offer complimentary Express Passes and priority seating at select restaurants. There are also some subtle differences between the two classifications, including some extra theming and slightly larger room sizes.
With the differences between the preferred and premier properties being a common question, we reached out to Universal for clarification. “Our goal for the premier guest experience is that it is at the one-of-a-kind level,” a representative said. “Our goal for the preferred guest experience is that it provides a perfect blend of resort-level convenience and amenities.”
Learn more about Royal Pacific Resort, Hard Rock Hotel, and Portofino Bay Hotel.
Universal Orlando’s Hotels – Rates
For your convenience, we have collected all of the hotels’ rates together into one tidy spot (well, save for the value hotels’). Compare these numbers with our crowd-level predictions to find the best time to stay at Universal Orlando. As you’ll see, these rates can fluctuate greatly across the first six venues: Aventura and Cabana Bay vary $130 based on the season; Sapphire Falls, $143; Royal Pacific, $430; Hard Rock, $442; and Portofino Bay, $459.
If you’d like to compare 2023’s rates with the previous years, we have all that info cataloged for you: you can see 2013’s rates here, 2014’s here, 2015’s here, 2016’s here, and 2017’s here.
2023 rates:
| Universal’s Endless Summer Resort – Surfside Inn and Suites & Dockside Inn and Suites | Universal’s Cabana Bay Beach Resort | Universal’s Aventura Hotel | Loews Sapphire Falls Resort | Loews Royal Pacific Resort | Hard Rock Hotel | Loews Portofino Bay Hotel | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Value Season Jan 7 – Jan 11, Jan 15 – Feb 15, Aug 12 – Sep 27, Nov 25 – Dec 20 | From $119 | From $174 | From $174 | From $262 | From $406 | From $453 | From $484 |
| Regular Season Jan 12 – Jan 14, Apr 8 – May 24, May 28 – May 31, Sep 28 – Nov 20 | From $139 | From $194 | From $194 | From $269 | From $442 | From $511 | From $534 |
| Summer Season Jun 1 – Aug 11 | From $184 | From $229 | From $229 | From $308 | From $680 | From $740 | From $782 |
| Peak Season Feb 16 – Mar 22, May 25 – May 27, Nov 21 – Nov 24 | From $199 | From $254 | From $254 | From $336 | From $573 | From $627 | From $675 |
| Holiday Season Mar 23 – Apr 7, Dec 21 – Jan 5 | From $249 | From $304 | From $304 | From $405 | From $836 | From $895 | From $943 |
To compare each of the hotel’s offerings and find out which hotel is right for you, click here.
- Breakfast Options at Universal Orlando Resort’s Hotels
- Comparing Universal Orlando’s Hotels: Portofino Bay, Hard Rock, Royal Pacific, Sapphire Falls, Cabana Bay, Aventura, & Endless Summer
- Hard Rock Hotel Orlando: Complete Guide
- Acoustic Sunday Brunch at Hard Rock Hotel
- beachclub (full-service bar) at Hard Rock Hotel
- Hard Rock Hotel Orlando: Dining & Lounges
- Hard Rock Hotel Orlando: Distance From the Parks
- Hard Rock Hotel Orlando: Pool Area
- Hard Rock Hotel Orlando: Public Spaces
- Hard Rock Hotel Orlando: Rooms
- The Kitchen (full-service) at Hard Rock Hotel Orlando
- Velvet Bar at Hard Rock Hotel Orlando – photos, menus, & reviews
- Loews Portofino Bay Hotel: Overview
- Loews Portofino Bay Hotel: Dining & Lounges
- Bar American (full-service bar) at Loews Portofino Bay Hotel
- Bice Ristorante (full-service) at Loews Portofino Bay Hotel
- Gelateria (quick-service) at Loews Portofino Bay Hotel
- Mama Della’s Ristorante (full-service) at Loews Portofino Bay Hotel
- Sal’s Market Deli (quick-service) at Loews Portofino Bay Hotel
- Splendido Bar & Grill (full-service bar) at Loews Portofino Bay Hotel
- The Thirsty Fish (full-service bar) at Loews Portofino Bay Hotel
- Trattoria del Porto (full-service) at Loews Portofino Bay Hotel
- Loews Portofino Bay Hotel: Distance From the Parks
- Loews Portofino Bay Hotel: Pool Areas
- Loews Portofino Bay Hotel: Public spaces & Harbor Piazza
- Loews Portofino Bay Hotel: Rooms
- Mandara Spa at Loews Portofino Bay Hotel
- Loews Portofino Bay Hotel: Dining & Lounges
- Loews Royal Pacific Resort: Overview
- Loews Royal Pacific Resort: Dining & Lounges
- Bula Bar & Grille (quick-service) at Royal Pacific Resort
- Despicable Me Character Breakfast at Loews Royal Pacific Resort
- Islands Dining Room (full-service) at Loews Royal Pacific Resort
- Jake’s American Bar (full-service) at Royal Pacific Resort
- Jake’s Beer Dinner at Loews Royal Pacific Resort
- Orchid Court Lounge and Sushi Bar (full-service) at Loews Royal Pacific Resort
- Wantilan Luau at Loews Royal Pacific Resort
- Loews Royal Pacific Resort: Distance From the Parks
- Loews Royal Pacific Resort: Pool Area
- Loews Royal Pacific Resort: Public Spaces
- Loews Royal Pacific Resort: Rooms
- Loews Royal Pacific Resort: Dining & Lounges
- Loews Sapphire Falls Resort: Overview
- Loews Sapphire Falls Resort: Dining & Lounges
- Amatista Cookhouse (full-service) at Loews Sapphire Falls Resort – Photos, Menus, & Reviews
- Drhum Club Kantine (limited-service bar) at Loews Sapphire Falls Resort
- New Dutch Trading Co. (quick-service) at Loews Sapphire Falls Resort – photos, menus, & reviews
- Strong Water Tavern (full-service bar) at Loews Sapphire Falls Resort
- Loews Sapphire Falls Resort: Pool Area
- Loews Sapphire Falls Resort: Public spaces
- Loews Sapphire Falls Resort: Rooms
- Sapphire Falls Resort: Distance From the Parks
- Loews Sapphire Falls Resort: Dining & Lounges
- Universal Orlando Resort Hotel Discounts for Annual Passholders – Complete Guide
- Universal’s Aventura Hotel: Complete Guide
- Universal’s Cabana Bay Beach Resort: Overview
- Cabana Bay Beach Resort: Dining & Lounges
- Atomic Tonic (quick-service) at Cabana Bay Beach Resort
- Bayliner Diner (quick-service) at Cabana Bay Beach Resort
- Galaxy Bowl (full-service) at Cabana Bay Beach Resort
- Shakes Malt Shoppe (quick-service) at Cabana Bay Beach Resort
- Swizzle Lounge (quick-service) at Cabana Bay Beach Resort
- The Hideaway Bar & Grill (quick-service) at Cabana Bay Beach Resort
- Cabana Bay Beach Resort: Distance from the Parks
- Cabana Bay Beach Resort: Pool areas
- Cabana Bay Beach Resort: Public spaces
- Cabana Bay Beach Resort: Rooms
- Cabana Bay Beach Resort: Dining & Lounges
- Universal’s Endless Summer Resort – Dockside Inn and Suites: Complete Guide
- Universal’s Endless Summer Resort – Dockside Inn and Suites: Dining & Lounges
- Universal’s Endless Summer Resort – Dockside Inn and Suites: Distance From the Parks
- Universal’s Endless Summer Resort – Dockside Inn and Suites: Pool Areas
- Universal’s Endless Summer Resort – Dockside Inn and Suites: Rooms
- Universal’s Endless Summer Resort – Dockside Inn and Suites: Public Spaces
- Universal’s Endless Summer Resort – Surfside Inn and Suites: Overview
- Universal’s Endless Summer Resort – Surfside Inn and Suites: Dining & Lounges
- Universal’s Endless Summer Resort – Surfside Inn and Suites: Distance from the Parks
- Universal’s Endless Summer Resort – Surfside Inn and Suites: Pool Area
- Universal’s Endless Summer Resort – Surfside Inn and Suites: Rooms
- Universal’s Endless Summer Resort – Surfside Inn and Suites: Public Spaces
