Hard Rock Hotel report (long)

[damo]

Just got off the phone with HRH and received a price of $149.50 for Deluxe room and $305.00 for a Club room (entertainment rates). Is the club room really a nicer, bigger room or are you just paying for the perks?

 

[Molokai Gram]

Aloha,
Ordered the book on Amazon. Can't wait.
Haven't been to Roy's, actually never heard of it...but then we aren't in Honolulu. Sorry.

Kelly, do you know if any of the rooms overlook Universal and if so what should we ask for to get one? And are the beds the same as Portofino? What songs are on the sample CD? Do you get to keep it? Mahalo for your help!

 

[kellymonaghan]

The Club Level rooms are not any different than those on lower floors (with the excpetion of the Graceland Suite). At least as far as I know. They will probably have a few more little touches in them, like Hard Rock bathrobes.

But aside from that you are paying for the exclusivity, the free continental breakfast, beer, wine, etc. So, if you're a drinker...

I'd recommend asking for a pool-view room and a higher floor (I was on 6). At these intrpductory rates, it's worth the little bit extra.

Kelly Monaghan
Author of "Universal Studios Escape: The Ultimate Guide to the Ultimate Theme Park Adventure"Ã

 

[kellymonaghan]

A bunch of rooms will overlook the park. But my guess is that you will need to be on the 5th or 6th floor to get much of a look.

If you get a pool view room that's near the elevators or on the waterway side of the hotel, you should be able to see the top of the Universal arch and some of the higher buildings at IOA.

At the other end of the hotel (near USF) you should ask for a NON-poolview room. I haven;t seen the view from these rooms but my guess is that they will let you look past the old Hard Rock Cafe building to a view of SanFrancisco and the top of the MIB building.

I am also guessing that the reservationists only work with broad categories like "pool view" and "garden view." So if you want to go for a specific view, I'd suggest calling the hotel itself and asking which specific room to book to get the view you want. Of course, it's possible (even likely) that the person you speak to at the hotel won't have that information, at least not this early in its history.

Maybe we should start a little tradition on this board of posting "what room I was in and what I saw." From 6026, which is near the end of the hotel on the USF side I saw mostly the pool and the other wing of the hotel.

As to the beds, the big difference is that the beds at HRH are a fairly normal height. Otherwise they seemed pretty much the same.m

Kelly Monaghan
Author of "Universal Studios Escape: The Ultimate Guide to the Ultimate Theme Park Adventure"Ã

 

[damo]

Booked HRH today for April 26-30, using the entertainment rate got the deluxe room for $149.00 night. Apparently the standard rooms are 375 sq. feet ( quote of $129.50/night) and the deluxe rooms are 500 sq. feet. Club rooms are also 375 sq. feet. I couldn't justify spending $305.00/ night for the club rooms if all you were getting extra was continental breakfast and free drinks all day. By the way, the HRH internet site was offering the same club rooms for $265.00 /night. Go figure.

 

[kellymonaghan]

Lemme see, $305 minus $149 is $156.

You mean you can't drink more than $156 worth of free beer and wine a day? Sheesh, next thing you know wou'll be saying "zee" instead of "zed!" c

Kelly Monaghan
Author of "Universal Studios Escape: The Ultimate Guide to the Ultimate Theme Park Adventure"Ã

 

[dreamer]

Am I understanding this correctly...the standard & club rooms are both the same square footage and the deluxe room is larger? Yet the club room comes with the lounge perks/bathrobe etc and costs more but isn't as large as the deluxe room.Thanks.

 

[damo]

That's what I've been told twice by receptionists at HRH. I would have expected bigger rooms in club too.

 

[BFranklin]

Thanks for responding. I believe there are Roy's on at least 3 of the Hawaiian islands, so I thought it was worth a shot...maybe they're just a tourist-y thing.

 

[allyson1989]

Kelly,

we are traveling with 2 adults and 3 kids
2 11 and one 5year old.
will a basic room be enough. can we get upgraded to a larger room. let me know what options are
availabe

 

[Gretel]

Thanks for the great report Kelly............

 

[love mickey]

I looked up my reservation and my wife and i are only paying $239.00 a night for a club room. Reserved thru yahoo in nov for travel fe 3-6 only a few more days..

 

[kellymonaghan]

HRH has GREAT kids suites. They are configured so that there is only one entrance and the kids have to go thru mom and dad's room to get out (although I suppose they could sneak thru the bathroom).

The layout is sort of circular. As you enter the room (at least the one I saw), there is a bathroom to your right off a small sitting area. Then you enter the "master bedroom" which has a curved wall on your right. At the end of that curved wall is the opening to the kids' section. (I can't remember if there's a door or not. Probably is.)

The kids' room has two twin beds and its own TV. It also opens onto the bathroom.

I suppose you'd have to get a cot for the 5-year-old

Kelly Monaghan
Author of "Universal Studios Escape: The Ultimate Guide to the Ultimate Theme Park Adventure"Ã

 

[nhrenee]

Hi Kelly!

Thanks for all the great info on the HRH. Do you happen to know the rates for the kidsuites?

TIA

 

[kellymonaghan]

"Rack rates" for kids suites are:

$345 in Value Season (Jan 2 - Feb 15; July 5 - Sep 30; Nov 1 - Dec 23)

$375 in Regular Season (Feb 16 - Apr 6; Apr 19 - July 4; Oct 1 - Oct 31)

$425 in Holiday Season (Apr 17-18, Dec 24 - Jan 1)

Rack rates are the very highest rates, so you can probably get better deals with the Entertainment card, your annual pass, by booking a package vacation, or by dealing with a knowledgeable travel agent.

Kelly Monaghan
Author of "Universal Studios Escape: The Ultimate Guide to the Ultimate Theme Park Adventure" and
"The Other Orlando: What To Do When You've Done Disney & Universal"‡

 

[kellymonaghan]

Here's what's on the sample CD I got at check in:

"Are You There" - Oleander
"Metal and Steel" - Bob Schneider
"Tangerine Speedo" - Caviar
"So In Love With You" - Mikaila
"Space Oddity" - David Bowie
"Rocky Mountain Way" - Joe Walsh
"You Wear It Well" - Rod Stewart
"Addicted To Love" - Robert Palmerv

Kelly Monaghan
Author of "Universal Studios Escape: The Ultimate Guide to the Ultimate Theme Park Adventure" and
"The Other Orlando: What To Do When You've Done Disney & Universal"‡