Universal Orlando Hotels: Benefits, Costs & Are They Worth It?
One of the first decisions to make when planning a trip to Universal Orlando is whether to stay at an on-site hotel. There are 11 onsite hotels at Universal Orlando across three different categories:
Signature Collection: Luxury
- Loews Portofino Bay Hotel
- Hard Rock Hotel
- Loews Royal Pacific Resort
- Loews Sapphire Falls Resort
- Universal Helios Grand Hotel (Opens May 22, 2025)
Prime Value Hotels: Affordable, stylish, and great amenities
- Universal Aventura Hotel
- Universal Stella Nova Resort (Opened January 21, 2025)
- Universal Terra Luna Resort (Opened March 25, 2025)
Value Inns and Suites: Budget-friendly
- Universal Cabana Bay Beach Resort
- Universal Endless Summer Resort – Dockside Inn and Suites
- Universal Endless Summer Resort – Surfside Inn and Suites
Guests staying at any of these on-site hotels enjoy two exclusive perks:
- Early Park Admission
- Complimentary Transportation
Pro Tip: Guests staying at select Signature Collection hotels also enjoy complimentary Universal Express Passes.
The Cost of Staying Onsite at Universal Orlando
A few years ago, staying on-site at Universal Orlando came with a significant premium. However, with the introduction of Prime Value hotels, that’s no longer the case. Now, you can stay at an on-site hotel for as little as $120 per night.
It’s tough to find accommodation of similar quality at a lower price anywhere else in Orlando. Making staying on-site at Universal Orlando a smart choice—even for budget travellers.
Prime Value and Signature Collection hotels offer an upgraded experience if you can spend a bit more. The average cost for these hotels ranges between $200 and $450 per night, with select rooms reaching up to $750.
At first glance, $450 or $750 per night may sound steep. However, these hotels have exclusive perks that can make the higher price tag worthwhile. Specifically, the Signature Collection hotels that offer free Universal Express Unlimited Passes:
These free Universal Express Unlimited Passes cover all hotel guests and include the day of check-in and check-out. To put this into perspective, a one-day Universal Express Unlimited Pass costs between $119.99 and $329.99 per person.
So, if you stay in one of these hotels for just one night, you’ll get two days of free Universal Express Unlimited Passes. For just one person, that’s a saving of $239.98 to $659.98. Meanwhile, for a family of four, it’s a saving of $959.92 to $2,639.92.
This means that in some cases, you can cover the cost of your luxury hotel on-site at Universal Orlando with the savings you’ve made on Express passes.
Pro Tip: Universal Orlando hotels charge for parking. Depending on the hotel and parking type, fees range from $26 to $45 per night.