Best Universal Orlando Hotels

What is the best hotel at Universal Orlando?

There are about a dozen hotels spread across the Universal Orlando Resort, which consists of three traditional theme parks (Universal Studios Florida, Universal's Islands of Adventure and Epic Universe), a water park called Volcano Bay and the CityWalk entertainment and dining complex. All of the hotels on Universal's own property are co-owned and operated by Loews Hotels & Co, which is a small American luxury hotel chain.

Then, there are oodles of other hotels not far from Universal property (in fact, many lie within walking distance).

Here's a guide to the best Universal Orlando hotels, starting first with the actual Universal-owned hotels. The second half of this guide focuses on nearby (albeit not official) Universal hotels.

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We broke out this guide into two distinct sections: those owned by Universal and those that are not. That's for a very clear reason. Staying at an official Universal Orlando hotel offers unparalleled benefits that can amount to an immensely better stay. Those benefits include:

Free transportation around the resort. By staying close to Universal, you don’t lose time in transit — and the commute can even be fun. Many hotels offer complimentary water taxis to access the various parks, while others provide shuttle buses. And if you want to walk, paved paths are also available from many of the hotels on this list.

Early park entry. Perhaps the benefit is that Universal hotel guests get early park admission, meaning they can enter before other ticket holders. Typically you’ll get a 30- to 60-minute head start before the park officially opens for the day. Note that the parks you receive early access to will vary based on where you stay.

Line-skipping privileges (for some hotel guests). Guests who book a Signature Collection hotel receive a complimentary Universal Express Unlimited pass. Signature Collection hotels are typically the most expensive. But with this pass, you'll gain the power to bypass the regular line for Universal's most popular rides.

» Learn more: How to travel to Orlando on points and miles

A handful of Universal Orlando hotels are just a quick boat ride or stroll away from the two oldest parks (which are Universal Studios Florida and Universal Islands of Adventure) as well as Universal CityWalk.

Of those, four stand out as the best, which are:

• Hard Rock Hotel at Universal Orlando.

• Loews Portofino Bay Hotel.

• Loews Royal Pacific Resort.

• Loews Sapphire Falls Resort.

All four of those hotels sit in Universal's posh Signature Collection hotel tier, which is typically the most expensive. Likely that top location has something to do with it.

Loews Royal Pacific Resort

As its name suggests, this hotel offers a Polynesian-themed environment with palm tree-lined pools, a beach and island-inspired rooms. It may be considered a best Universal Orlando resort for its amenities alone: a lagoon-style pool, spa access and an onsite luau experience. Guests also receive a Universal Express Unlimited pass to avoid lines at Universal Studios Florida and Universal’s Islands of Adventure. You can reach all of the parks by shuttle or water taxi.

Loews Portofino Bay Hotel

The Loews Portofino Bay Hotel is a favorite for its Italian architecture, modeled after the seafront town of Portofino. With outdoor cafes and shops lining the main piazza, three pools — one with a Roman aqueduct-themed water slide — and multiple culinary offerings, you’ll get a taste of Italy while still on this side of the Atlantic. Guests at the Portofino also receive Universal Express Unlimited passes and can reach the parks by water taxi or shuttle.

Since this hotel is part of the Fine Hotels + Resorts (FHR), it makes for one of the best ways to use the Amex $200 hotel credit in Orlando (that credit is offered to card members of The Platinum Card® from American Express). Terms apply.

Hard Rock Hotel

This hotel leans on the rock ‘n’ roll inspiration of the Hard Rock brand, and guests will find themselves sleeping amid popular pieces of memorabilia. When you wake up, enjoy the resort amenities, including live concerts, a pool with its own underwater music and classic American fare. You can also take advantage of the Universal Express Unlimited pass that comes with a qualifying stay here. Travel to the parks is by water taxi, shuttle or a short five-minute walk.

Loews Sapphire Falls Resort

With waterfalls, island-themed steel pan drum music and a beach area, this property feels more like a Caribbean resort, but with Universal park benefits. Guests here are treated to one hour of early park admission to The Wizarding World of Harry Potter. To get to the parks, you can take a water taxi, shuttle bus or follow a walking path to Volcano Bay.

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So of these four, how should you choose? They're largely similar in location and quality, so it largely comes down to your own theming preferences and — on some nights — price.

Perhaps it's the branding behind it, but Hard Rock tends to command the highest price point. Don't overlook the theming of the other properties though. Island vibes or Italian charm is great too.

Universal's newest theme park, Epic Universe, opens on May 22, 2025. Unlike the rest of Universal's parks (and the four hotels named above), this one is somewhat far away — a 15-minute drive from Universal Orlando's core.

If you're primarily visiting the resort for Epic Universe, then there's no better location for a hotel than Universal Helios Grand Hotel, which actually borders Epic Universe. It'll open along with the theme park in May 2025.

The property maximizes its proximity by way of its own dedicated entrance to the theme park. There's also a rooftop bar that maximizes its location by offering views of the theme park.

Universal Helios Grand Hotel is a Signature Collection hotel and is one of three new hotels built to support Epic Universe. The other two, Universal Stella Nova Resort and Universal Terra Luna Resort, generally cost less than Helios as they sit in the Prime Value Hotels tier. But, they have neither the quality of amenities that you'll get at Helios, nor do they have a private Epic Universe entrance).

Universal has hotels that rarely cost more than $200 per night (and on some nights not much more than $150), which are placed in a tier that Universal calls "Value Inns and Suites." The tradeoff? These "Value Inns and Suites" hotels are not walkable to the parks. At least Universal offers complimentary shuttles from the parks to the hotel.

Of those, the best Value Inns and Suites property is Universal’s Endless Summer Resort - Dockside Inn and Suites.

This property boasts comfy rooms with hardwood floors that are large enough for families. Onsite amenities include two swimming pools, a food court and play areas for kids like splash pads and a game room.

Surfside is the sibling property to the Universal’s Endless Summer Resort - Dockside Inn and Suites. In a battle of Universal Surfside vs. Dockside, NerdWallet ultimately settled on Dockside because it's larger (and thus can provide more choices). For example, Dockside has two pools whereas Surfside has just one. And Dockside has six dining options, while Surfside has only four.

Still, Surfside is not bad at all, boasting comfy rooms with hardwood floors that are large enough for families.

You should compare prices across the two hotels. But assuming both are equal, go with Dockside for more options.

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The two-bedroom Kids Suites at this contemporary high-rise hotel are real winners for those looking to balance personal space with proximity to the parks. These suites have two bedrooms, one with a king bed and another with two twin beds. In the living area, there’s an additional sofa bed.

Guests can travel to Volcano Bay on foot or hop on one of the complimentary shuttle buses to reach the other parks, which are visible from the higher floors of this building.

If you prioritize time in the water, Universal Cabana Bay Beach Resort is your spot. The hotel is just a five-minute walk to Volcano Bay (the separately-ticketed) water park, with complimentary shuttles to all of the parks also available.

But you might not even need to buy a water park ticket, and that's because this hotel's own water features are impressive, including an 100-foot water slide and a lazy river.

Besides the water features, the hotel stands out for its retro style of that brings the feel of a 1950s and '60s Florida beach resort to life.

Some of the rooms can sleep as many as six people, thanks to two queen beds as well as a sofa bed. Families will find the kitchenettes useful, as well as a compartmentalized bathroom that can be partially separated to allow for more privacy.

There's also an on-site bowling alley.

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Universal's hotels are great, but they are not for everyone. Off-property hotels tend to be cheaper, and they often offer freebies that Universal's hotels don't, like free breakfast.

Additionally, Loews Hotels & Co (which co-operates the Universal hotels) does not have a loyalty program.

If you have hotel points to burn, they won't work on property. Here are the best Orlando hotels on points located nearby (but not on) Universal property:

DoubleTree by Hilton at the Entrance to Universal Orlando

Hilton Honors fans on a budget will love the DoubleTree by Hilton at the Entrance to Universal Orlando. True to its name, its not far from the entrance to the parks. While redemption rates vary by night as part of the brand’s dynamic pricing model, it’s a great option for those who want to cut down on costs by using points, but who also prefer to reach the parks on foot.

Residence Inn Near Universal Orlando

Residence Inn Near Universal Orlando is a bit farther than the DoubleTree, but at least there's a free shuttle. Marriott Bonvoy members may already know that Residence Inn properties offer extra living space, in-room kitchenettes and living areas with sofa beds. Complimentary breakfasts are yet another benefit of a stay at this hotel, which also has a pool and fitness room.

Hyatt Place and Hyatt House, across from Universal Orlando Resort

The Hyatt Place and Hyatt House across from Universal Orlando Resort are both great points redemption options. Hyatt Place is a category 2 property with rates starting at 6,500 points for a redemption night. Hyatt House is a category 3 property with redemption rates starting at 9,000 points. Both include free breakfast and a shuttle to the parks, which are also within walking distance. 

Redeeming points this way can represent a big value for guests. If paying for a stay, consider using the World of Hyatt Credit Card to earn bonus points for every dollar you spend — up to 9x points on Hyatt stays. 

Before deciding on a hotel, first nail down your budget — as that'll rule out a bunch of properties.

Then, ask if yourself if you'd rather spend hotel points and save your cash — in which case you won't actually book a hotel on Universal property.

From there, narrow down your preferred location, including whether you'd rather be close to Epic Universe or the resort's main core.

Then, consider extra amenities like bowling alleys and lazy rivers, as well as what sort of theming resonates with you.

Whether you want to stay at a luxury resort, a spot where you can redeem points or a budget- and family-friendly hotel, there’s a property for every kind of traveler near Universal Orlando. 

-Ramsey Qubein contributed to this story.

(Top photo courtesy of Universal Parks and Resorts)