Looking to take your Universal Orlando vacation to the next level? Consider staying at a premier hotel and enjoy benefits such as Unlimited Express passes, early park admission, and more. When we go to Universal, we always try to stay at one of the Premier Hotels, even though they are more expensive. Trust me, it’s the best way to make the most of your experience at Universal Orlando. Let me tell you why:
Which Hotels are Premier?
The three premier hotels at Universal Orlando Resort are:
- Loews Portofino Bay Hotel – This hotel is designed to look and feel like a Mediterranean seaside village. It features luxurious rooms, three themed swimming pools, and a variety of dining options.
- Hard Rock Hotel – This hotel is inspired by the rock and roll lifestyle, and features music memorabilia throughout the property. It offers spacious rooms, a large pool area with a sand beach, and several dining options.
- Loews Royal Pacific Resort – This hotel is designed to make guests feel like they are in the South Pacific, with lush landscaping, a lagoon-style swimming pool, and a variety of dining options.
What are the Benefits?
Staying at one of the Premier hotels at Universal Orlando Resort comes with many benefits that can enhance your vacation experience. Some of the benefits include:
Complimentary Unlimited Express Passes
We find this to be the most valuable perk of a premier hotel stay. Unlimited Express Passes are a perk starts on the day you check-in, during regular park hours, and lasts until the parks close on the day you check out.
Your room keys double as these passes, so you need a room key for each member of your party. These passes allow you to skip the regular lines and shorten your wait times at most attractions in both Universal Studios Florida and Islands of Adventure theme parks.
Although premier hotels at Universal Orlando may be pricier compared to the value on-site hotels, the extra expense is offset by the significant benefits of having access to Unlimited Express Passes. We have gotten spoiled by the Express Passes.
The cost of purchasing single-day Express Passes varies each day at the park. For example, the days we are staying in May 2023, Unlimited Express Passes are $184 for Saturday and $194 for Friday per person. For our family of 4, those would cost us $1512. For a single night stay with our Annual Pass Rate at Royal Pacific that weekend, we are paying $352 which includes 4 Express Passes for 2 days!! The value hotels at UO are $150 for that Friday, so we are paying only $202 ($352-$150) for 4 Express Passes for 2 days. So we are saving $1310 on Express Passes by staying in a Premier Hotel!
Early Park Admission
As a Premier hotel guest, you get exclusive benefits like Early Park Admission to Universal Studios or Islands of Adventure. Your room key is what allows you to use Early Park Admission.
Early Park Admission is typically available every day, but the park that offers early access may vary depending on the day. It’s worth noting that not all attractions in the park are open during Early Park Admission, but there are usually several popular rides and experiences available. We typically do not take advantage, because of the limited rides available.
Location, Location, Location
The Premier hotels are the closest hotels on property. All of them have walking paths to access the resort within minutes. Or guests can take a complimentary water taxi, which runs continuously throughout the day and evening, so there’s never a long wait to catch a ride. We generally prefer to walk as it is usually the faster option.
Additionally, having our car parked at a Premier hotel allows for a convenient and direct route to the parking lot when it’s time to head home. This shortcut saves us the hassle of walking all the way back to the hotel.
Room Amenities
Premier hotels offer luxurious accommodations with spacious rooms, modern amenities, and upscale furnishings. Rooms typically feature high-quality bedding, flat-screen TVs, mini-fridges, and coffee makers. We absolutely love the fact that we have the option to bring food/drinks and store it in the fridge at our convenience. Additionally, one of the best features of the rooms is how impeccably quiet and dark they remain. In fact, we’ve overslept on more than one occasion thanks to the incredible blackout blinds.
Bag Check
Baggage storage at the Universal Orlando Premier hotels is a convenient service that allows guests to store their luggage before check-in or after check-out. This service is especially helpful for guests who arrive early and want to start enjoying the theme parks without dragging their bags around or for those who have a late flight out and want to spend the day at the parks.
When guests arrive at the hotel, they can drop off their bags with the bell services team who will tag them and provide a claim ticket. The bags will then be stored securely in a designated storage area until the guest is ready to retrieve them.
When guests are ready to pick up their bags, they can simply present the claim ticket to the bell services team who will retrieve the bags for them. We use this service nearly every time we stay at a hotel, whether dropping off bags early or leaving late.
Complimentary delivery of merchandise purchased
Complimentary delivery of merchandise purchased through the resort hotel is a convenient service offered to guests staying at Universal Orlando’s premier hotels. Essentially, if you purchase any merchandise while exploring the Universal Orlando theme parks, you can have it delivered to your resort hotel free of charge. This means you won’t have to carry around heavy bags or worry about losing your purchases throughout the day.
To take advantage of this service, simply tell the cashier at the time of purchase that you would like your items delivered to your hotel. You will need to provide your hotel information and a contact number. Your merchandise will then be packaged up and delivered to the bell desk of your resort hotel. From there, you can pick up your purchases yourself upon return to the hotel. I really love using this, but be careful because it can cause overspending!
Dining and Entertainment
Premier hotels offer a variety of dining options, including fine dining restaurants, casual eateries, and bars. We’ve had nothing but great dining experiences at all of the restaurants we’ve tried in these resorts.
Here are some of our favorite dining options:
- Islands Dining Room at Royal Pacific – this is a full-service restaurant offering a variety of international cuisines that serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
- Jake’s American Bar at Royal Pacific – this is a casual classic American restaurant that serves lunch and dinner.
- Orchid Court Lounge & Sushi Bar at Royal Pacific – this is a lounge and sushi bar that serves a variety of sushi rolls and Asian-inspired cocktails, open in the evenings
- Bice at Portofino Bay – an upscale Italian restaurant with a beautiful view of the hotel’s harbor, great for date nights
- The Kitchen at Hard Rock Hotel – upscale, yet casual, dining option that offers a range of American cuisine, adorned with music memorabilia
In addition to the upscale dining options, each pool area features resorts at Universal Orlando also offer convenient food and drink options. Moreover, all resorts have a small cafe where guests can grab breakfast or coffee in the mornings.
Recreation
Premier hotels offer a range of recreational activities such as swimming pools, fitness centers, and spas. You can also enjoy activities like game rooms, outdoor sports courts, and children’s activities. All of the Premier hotels also offer pool-hopping, so you can enjoy all the different pools. The pools also offer “dive-in” movie nights! My kids have loved cooling off in the pool at after returning from the parks.
Room Chargeback Abilities
Premier hotel guests have the added benefit of being able to charge back to their room throughout the entire resort, including the parks, CityWalk, and the on-site hotels. This convenience is a major perk for guests who want to make their stay as seamless and stress-free as possible. You can also opt-out of this option if you choose.
Why we usually choose Loews Royal Pacific Resort
When it comes to selecting a hotel, our top pick is always Royal Pacific Pacific at Universal Orlando Resort for several reasons. First and foremost, the price is typically the most budget-friendly for our family of four. We usually can score a room using our Annual Pass Discounted rate, so well worth it for us! Secondly, the hotel’s location is incredibly convenient, offering a much shorter walking distance than Portofino Bay. Another factor that draws us to Royal Pacific is the dining options, particularly our love for stopping by Jakes for drinks or Tuk Tuk for quick breakfast options. Lastly, we appreciate the quiet atmosphere of the hotel, which is situated at the same distance from the parks as Hard Rock Hotel but without the same level of noise.
Keep Premier Hotel In Mind
Staying at a Premier Hotel at Universal Orlando Resort offers a plethora of benefits that can truly maximize your theme park experience. From Unlimited Express Passes to Early Park Admission, to complimentary merchandise delivery and more, these benefits make staying at a Premier Hotel well worth the investment. Not only do you have access to top-notch amenities, but you also have the added convenience of being steps away from the theme parks. So, whether you’re traveling with family or friends, make sure to consider a Premier Hotel for your next trip to Universal Orlando Resort.
