Hard Rock Hotel Universal.....help needed!!!!

[Debs Hill]

Hi guys
We are going to spend five nights at Universal and have finally, after many hours of deliberation, decided on Hard Rock Hotel!!!
So, I would really love to hear from anyone who has stayed there......and see any photos! What was good, what not so good etc!

Our next big decision is whether to book a deluxe room for a bit of extra space or whether it is worth it to book Club?? Would love the opinions of anyone who has stayed on club level....was it worth it? Any photos etc!

Thanks so much....help me decide!!
xxx

 

[flortlebap]

We are staying there for one night in Sept

For us I'm not sure if club level is worth the additional cost. You get a continental breakfast (but it's not served particularly early) and the free alcohol expires pretty early in the evening so we didn't bother - we wouldn't get any benefit. It may be good for longer stays though with the evening turndown service etc.

 

[pickers1982]

I ve stayed there on a previous trip and found it very nice. Our main motivation was the express access you get. Would recommend it and will look to go back for a few nights on our next trip. Wouldn't go wild about it but it was very nice. We didn't eat there literally just slept and splashed around in the pool

 

[Kath2003]

I ve stayed there on a previous trip and found it very nice. Our main motivation was the express access you get. Would recommend it and will look to go back for a few nights on our next trip. Wouldn't go wild about it but it was very nice. We didn't eat there literally just slept and splashed around in the pool

This. It's not particularly good value by any measure other than the express passes. It's nice, but probably not as nice as most other 4* hotels in the area. The pool is nice, though, and the staff are helpful. It can get noisy. You're paying for the location and the express passes - don't expect too much from the hotel. We would stay again - but only for the express passes. Could get a similar off-site hotel for a third of the price. We did also note that the food and drink was even more expensive than in the parks.

 

[notaprincess]

This. It's not particularly good value by any measure other than the express passes. It's nice, but probably not as nice as most other 4* hotels in the area. The pool is nice, though, and the staff are helpful. It can get noisy. You're paying for the location and the express passes - don't expect too much from the hotel. We would stay again - but only for the express passes. Could get a similar off-site hotel for a third of the price. We did also note that the food and drink was even more expensive than in the parks.

I agree with the 2 previous posters, but would stay there again in a heart beat, for location and FOL alone!

 

[skelfbsfb]

Have stayed at HRH many times. 2 years ago I vowed I would never go back due to bad experience but I still return each year due to location and FOTL passess.

 

[Debs Hill]

Oh dear! It's not sounding very positive!!

Can I ask what your bad experience was that made you vow never to return?

I am begininng to think that we might change our mind and then just pop into Hard Rock for the pool when we want more of a party atmosphere!!!

Debsx

 

[Pegasus928]

Have you had a look in the Universal section of this site. There are trip reports in there for people that have stayed in Universal hotels recently.
We plan on staying a night on our next trip just for the FOL and early entry, and the fact that we will be going to HHN so it will be pretty cool to walk back to HRH at the end of the day and maybe spend a little time in the bar.

 

[NikkiMouse]

We got free upgrade to Club Level back in 2011.

Just the three of us, my daughter aged 11 at the time. King bed and a 'roll away'

Loved the hotel, room, pool and food options. Club level, meh!

Club level food options were ok for snacks, breakfast options not great variety, mostly cereals and pastries. Chairs were hard and not comfortable. Club room wasn't somewhere we wanted to hang out in.

We were never around for drink options think they were served around 4ish. It was nice for my daughter to grab a cookie and milk before bed.

Planning on returning to Hard Rock next year. Possibly in a deluxe for the extra space but wouldn't pay money for Club Level.

Hotel is absolutely awesome. Staff are friendly. Pool parties were great! Walk to the park is really pleasant along a lush path or there's the boat which is so relaxing.

HTH

 

[ChipnDaleRule]

We've booked HRH CL for one night this year.We normally stay at the Royal Pacific,but just fancied a change this time.their hotel and pool we really loved, the rooms IMO are plenty big enough and their is always plenty of fun and games going on in the pool area. Im only pointing out the benefits of the Royal Pacific because if your wanting it so you can use their Express Pass then save the few extra $ and stay there, the CL offerings and pool entertainment are very similar to HRH

 

[1nfrequent]

I've stayed at HRH for each of my previous visits to US. I've always stayed in the cheapest room but it's still a good size with a massive bathroom (seriously - massive). The rooms had iPhone chargers, decent choice of TV channels and a mini bar (which I didn't use). They also have good sized in-room safes and I was happy to leave my valuables there. During my last stay there was a noisy family in the room next to me and I ended up calling reception who sent someone up to have a word, which sorted it out.

Staff have always been friendly and helpful. I've paid for breakfast at the buffet and I thought it was excellent value - a really good choice of foods on the buffet - traditional American but healthier options too. I haven't used the pool but it's a good size and plenty of staff around.

It's about 10 minutes walk to the US parks - I go off season so I never had to queue at the security check (and I found them friendly and willing to chat a bit).

Haven't stayed at Club level because for me, it isn't worth it (I suspect it's the kind of thing you really need to have a family for to get the most out of it).

1F

 

[redrosesix]

Now I'm really confused. On another thread people posted that the pool was so shallow you couldn't actually swim in it, but here I'm reading that people liked the pool

A decent pool where you can at least swim laps (even if not in a straight line) is a must-have for us. It doesn't need to be diving depth though. So we had decided not to book HRH based on those posts. Any advice?

 

[ChipnDaleRule]

Can't comment on HRH pool because we've yet to stay there.The pool at Royal Pacific is plenty deep enough to swim in,in. It's deep enough for them to hold a "who can make the biggest splash, dove bomb"competition(which DH won-)and at one end of the pool is a volleyball net which has always got people playing, it's all very social.The pool bar is great and there is always a member of staff going round with fruit and cold towels.The walk to IOA is probably about 10 minutes, or you can get the boat, and last time we were there you could ride a rickshaw to the parks for a fee.

 

[joolz1910]

I want to book two nights at HRH for the FOLP next August. Tempted by the deluxe rooms for the extra space.

 

[Minniesgal]

I want to book two nights at HRH for the FOLP next August. Tempted by the deluxe rooms for the extra space.

Heck I would the regular rooms are very small.

 

[Minniesgal]

Now I'm really confused. On another thread people posted that the pool was so shallow you couldn't actually swim in it, but here I'm reading that people liked the pool A decent pool where you can at least swim laps (even if not in a straight line) is a must-have for us. It doesn't need to be diving depth though. So we had decided not to book HRH based on those posts. Any advice?

We loved the HrH pool but I wouldn't say you could swim laps it is a party pool and usually crowded

 

[Kath2003]

We loved the HrH pool but I wouldn't say you could swim laps it is a party pool and usually crowded

Yeah, it's not a pool for swimming in. It was packed when we were there.

 

[joolz1910]

Heck I would the regular rooms are very small.

And there are 5 of us...

 

[DisFanJen]

We've stayed there twice so here's a quick run down as far as I saw it:

The room was nice but not spectacular.
The standard rooms are a bit small (had a deluxe on the 2nd trip)
Never swam in the pool. Way too crowded with 18 - 30 crowd.
The atmosphere was lacking. But then it wasn't Disney so what do you expect.
The closeness to the park was great as we could walk there.
The FOTL access was awesome!

Biggest con, they put a $100 per day hold on your card in case of breakages, etc. Took a week to get it back! (Totally unexpected as we were used to Disney's practices)

Tip, On a US debit they actually take the cash and refund it which can take ages to get back (We used a Suntrust card the first time, which is why we had the issue). On a credit card they put a hold on the cash but don't take it, so it becomes usable again when you check out. But the best was a UK debit as they can't put a hold on it in the same way, which means no money came out of the account.

All in all I would stay there again if I was visiting Uni for the short walk and FOTL alone, but the hotel is OK, not great.

Tip Number 2: You get the FOTL access on check-out day too so if you get there early on check-in day you can get 2 full days of FOTL access for one day's stay.