Universal Orlando Resort Hotels

10 July 2025 by Steve Bell Leave a Comment

Universal Orlando Resort’s on-site hotels are eligible for up to 40% off via their Military Discount.

I highly recommend staying at a Universal Resort Hotels, the close proximity and added benefits like early park entry can’t be beat!

You’ll find Universal’s rooms to be cheaper than comparable Disney World Rooms. For example, Universal’s Preferred Hotels are often priced like Disney’s Moderates.

About Staying On Universal Orlando Resort Property

There are several Universal Orlando Resort Hotels right on property in a few different price/amenity categories. Staying at a Universal Hotel on property resort comes with a few great benefits. The most important of which is location! No commute time, no parking garage! Most Universal Orlando Resort Hotels are located within easy walking distance to Universal’s parks.

In 2025, Universal Orlando simplified its hotel classification system by consolidating its former four-tier structure into three refreshed categories: Signature Collection, Prime Value, and Value Inns and Suites. This transformation was designed to better align hotel offerings with guest expectations and amenities. Signature Collection properties now represent Universal’s most upscale experiences, combining location, service, and immersive theming. Prime Value resorts strike a balance between affordability and comfort, while Value Inns and Suites provide budget-friendly accommodations ideal for larger families or quick getaways. The new naming convention streamlines planning and reflects the evolving resort landscape, including the opening of Universal’s Epic Universe hotels.

Check out this table listing the amenities that you’ll receive or be eligible for when you stay at a Universal Orlando Resort Hotel:

Benefits	Signature Collection	Prime Value	Value Inns and Suites
Free Universal Express Unlimited	X*
Priority seating at select restaurants throughout the resort	X
Early Park Admission to The Wizarding World of Harry Potter and Universal’s Volcano Bay	X	X*	X
Free Water Taxi transportation to Universal’s theme parks and CityWalk	X**	***
Free Bus transportation to Universal’s theme parks, Volcano Bay, and CityWalk	X	X	X
Resort-wide charging privileges with room key	X	X	X
Complimentary delivery of merchandise purchased throughout the resort to your hotel until 5 PM	X	X	X

* Except the Universal Helios Grand Hotel and Loews Sapphire Falls Resort

** Except the Universal Helios Grand Hotel

*** The Adventura is located a very short walk from the Sapphire Falls so water taxi use is easy

Resort Categories

Universal Orlando Resort breaks its resorts down into three categories. From cheapest to most expensive, these are:

Value Inns and Suites

There are three Value Inns and Suites on Universal Orlando Resort Property. These are the lowest priced of Universal’s resorts and understandably have the lowest level of amenities and are furthest from the parks.

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

The Cabana Bay Beach Resort comes in at the top of this price range tier, with prices starting at around $140 during the cheapest price season.

It is the only resort on the Main Campus that is not located on or near the main waterway and water taxi service. It is located across an Orlando street from the Sapphire Falls Resort and Adventura Hotel. It is possible to cross over the road via a bridge; it’s a 5 to 10 minute walk.

Cabana Bay features 2,200 rooms, including over 900 family suites.

Cabana Bay offers one extra perk: a private entranceway to Volcano Bay.

The Endless Summer Resorts are some of Universal’s most price-friendly hotels, with prices starting at around $75 a night during the cheapest price season.

The Endless Summer Resorts are located off the Universal Main Campus. They are actually located about three-quarters of a mile to the east across Interstate 4. The only way to get to the parks and Universal CityWalk is by bus.

The Endless Summer Resorts are the newest Universal Hotels and are in perfect condition. They are shiny and sparkling.

Being entry-level resorts, they have entry-level amenities such as: Quick Service food courts, an arcade, playground, heated pools, pool bar, luggage service, in-room safe, iron and board, and coffee makers. 

These resorts are removed from the main Universal Orlando campus, being on the other side of Interstate 4 from the theme parks, Volcano Bay, and CityWalk. A bus ride is required to get the the main campus.

Prime Value Resort Hotels

There are three Prime Value Hotels on Universal Orlando Resort Property. 

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

These three hotels are the next step up in price from the Value Inns and Suites, with prices starting at around $140 during the cheapest price season.

The Universal Stella Nova and Terra Nova Resorts each have 750 guest rooms, while the Aventura has 600 rooms.

 Signature Collection Resorts

There are five  Signature Collection Resorts on Universal Orlando Resort Property.

The Deluxe Resorts are the premier hotels of Walt Disney World. They are decorated exquisitely based on their overall resort theme.

• Universal Helios Grand Hotel
• Lowe’s Royal Pacific Resort
• Hard Rock Hotel
• Lowe’s Portofino Bay Resort
• Lowe’s Sapphire Falls Resort

These resorts are at the top of the Universal Orlando lineup! 

Rates for Royal Pacific start at about $270, Hard Rock at about $315, and Portofino Bay at about $330 during the cheapest price season.

The major benefit of staying at some of the Signature Collection Hotels is the complimentary Unlimited Express Pass that comes with your stay. This is available at Lowe’s Royal Pacific Resort, Hard Rock Hotel, and Lowe’s Portofino Bay Resort.

Sapphire Falls Resort is a AAA Four Diamond–awarded hotel.

Resort Hotel Locations

The main campus of Universal Studios Resort is located on the west side of Interstate 4. The hotels located on the Main Campus are: the Hard Rock Hotel, Loews Portofino Bay Hotel, Loews Royal Pacific Resort, and Loews Sapphire Falls Resort. Also located on the main campus are both theme parks, Volcano Bay, Universal CityWalk, the main bus station, and the parking structure. Central to the main campus is the waterway, which connects these hotels with the theme parks and Universal CityWalk.

Complementary boat transportation is provided between these Hotels and Universal CityWalk along the waterway. Each resort has its own dedicated boats.

Also located on the Main Campus, but off the waterway, are the Cabana Bay Beach Resort & Universal’s Aventura Hotel. The Adventura is attached to the far side of the Sapphire Falls Resort. It’s a little bit of a hike to get to the Sapphire Falls boat dock to catch the water taxi, or to continue walking to the theme parks. The Cabana Bay Beach Resort is located across the street, called Adventure Way, from the Adventura in Sapphire Falls Resort. It is possible to cross the street using a crossing bridge to get to the Sapphire Falls boat dock. Complementary Bus transportation is available from these resorts.

It is possible to walk between all locations on the main campus.

The Endless Summer Resorts are located on the other side of I-4. The only way to get to the main campus from here is via bus.

The three new Epic Universe Hotels are located in what is now the third separate area of the Universal Orlando Resort. The Epic Universe Area is roughly two and three-quarters of a mile away from the Main Campus.

Universal Studios Orlando Resort’s Bus Station

I’d be remiss if I didn’t talk about the Universal Orlando Bus Station here. 

Universal’s Bus Station is located between the parking structure and CityWalk. It’s not big or impressive, and also functions as a pick-up and drop-off location for ride-hire services, non-Universal hotels, and local traffic drop-offs.

After exiting the bus from your resort, you will take an escalator up to the elevated walkway from the parking structure. Here you will process through security, and then walk through CityWalk in order to reach the theme parks.

What bothers me about Universal’s bus station, displaying a total lack of customer service, is the way those paying lots of money to stay at Universal’s Hotels are treated during high-volume periods. The escalators from the bus station bring you right to the entrance to the security checkpoint, which, during low volume periods, you can just walk right through and up to the checkpoint directly from the escalator.

However, during very busy periods, Universal security personnel block off where you would walk directly into the security checkpoint area and force you to walk all the way out to the parking garage past the long line of people who have parked in the garage and are now waiting to process through security. When you arrive at the garage, you will then get in the end of this long line. In my opinion, this is no way for Universal to treat those who are staying at their hotels, but because the bus station mixes Universal hotel’s bus riders with off-property guests, Universal feels they need to take this measure.

For this reason, I don’t usually stay at the Value Hotels or the Cabana Bay Resort. I stay at the Signature Collection or the Adventura, where I can catch the boat or walk.

How Big is Universal Studios? (external Link)

Interested in a stay at  Universal Hotel?

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