Onsite Hotels...which is the best??

[aVASTGrl]

My cousin and I are thinking of doing a Universal weekend sometime this summer, but we've never stayed at a Universal Hotel (I always do Disney, in fact it has been about a decade or more since I've been to Universal!)

What are the pros and cons of each place? Which has the best restaurants and service? Any input is greatly appreciated!

 

[macraven]

everyone has their favorite.
mine is the RPH.

if you do a forum search, you'll find a lot of recent ones on the 3 hotels, comparisons, favorites, amenities.

hth

 

[buckeev]

My Fav...the one that's on site!

No wrong answers here. Hard Rock is Loud...upbeat...a ton of fun...RPR is much more laid back and peaceful. Been over to PB and it too is beautiful. Haven't stayed there yet, but would have absolutely no problem doing so.
We usually base our choice on availability for each trip.
Next week...it looks like I'll stay with RPR, with just my Autistic son and I going this time, I think "peacefull" nights will be just what the doctor ordered!

 

[patster734]

The RPR is the favorite of DW and I, and is the hotel we've stayed at the most. IMO, it has the best breakfast buffett at the Islands Dining room of the three hotels. I really like Emeril's Tchoup Chop and Jake's American Bar. It's the closest hotel to IOA. The walkway exists next to Jimmy Buffet's Margaritaville, which is one of our favorite Citywalk hangouts. Oh, and as it sits on the opposite side of the lagoon from the other 2 hotels, when you're waiting for the boat back to the hotel, and you see a boat coming from that direction, you know its the RPR boat. With the other two hotels, you don't know which hotel the boat is coming from until it docks in the corresponding hotel slot.

The PBH is our second favorite hotel. It's a very beautiful hotel IMO and probably the most romantic of the three. The rooms here are typically the biggest out of the three hotels. Sal's is a great place to get really good pizzas, and next to Sal's is a good gelato cafe. I believe every night, they have balcony singing called Musica della Notte. Unfortunately, it's the farthest from Citywalk and the two parks.

 

[aVASTGrl]

Thanks for the tips, everybody! I really like the ambience of the PBH, but it's good to know that RPR is closer to the Parks, that is a huge plus, so it looks like we have some debating to do! They all look so nice that we'll probably enjoy whichever one we choose

 

[glocon]

We've only ever stayed at HRH (once) and are staying there again this October. My teenager son loves the ambiance there, just fun and loud and exciting. Underwater music in the pool, lots of young people, rock star paraphanalia all over the hotel all contribute to the fun.

But it probably is noisier than the RPR with more teenagers and young adults, (RPR is more of a younger family kind of place from what I can gather from these boards).

It seems like the PBH is more laid back (not so many little kids like RPR and not so many young adults like HRH) so probably the quietest and most peaceful of the three if that is what you are looking for.

Even though we have only ever stayed at HRH, and visited RPR once to see friends there, I would not hesitate to stay at any of the three resorts. They all have something beautiful and deluxe to offer.

 

[badandy]

I have stayed at all 3 numerous times. Each one has it's unique differences. What is the basis for your trip? Are you traveling with children? How many people are in you party?

The reason I ask is in order to suggest and appropriate onsite hotel I need some detail.

 

[WSussex]

My cousin and I are thinking of doing a Universal weekend sometime this summer, but we've never stayed at a Universal Hotel (I always do Disney, in fact it has been about a decade or more since I've been to Universal!)

What are the pros and cons of each place? Which has the best restaurants and service? Any input is greatly appreciated!

Hi

We have stayed at HRH twice with young children and we are booked again next year - we love it!!! We have never heard any noise from our room ( always have a deluxe at the front of hotel), kids love the pool - lots of space, no deep water, fab slide and great club house - music always fun not in your face - we always stay fri/sat night and so far never experienced anything rowdy or unpleasant - staff are awesome made an amazing fuss on my daughters 13th birthday and made an equal fuss on my 9 year old so he never felt left out (only in the US!) 5 min walk to universal 7 min walk to ioa - and it's a beautiful walk!!

Happy decision making!!!

Sx

 

[reelmom]

We stayed at Portofino Bay for the first time two weeks ago. We are Disney people or should I say were Disney people. We are already talking about booking our next trip to Universal. It was so nice to be able to walk to the parks or take the water taxi. Express Pass is the best. We really enjoyed the pool, the kids loved the water slide. Plus you are encouraged to pool hop. We are looking to stay at either HRH or RPH next time, but would definitely stay at PBH again.

 

[AllieV]

hmmm, I was going to book the hard rock because I'd read it's the closest to the parks and city walk and was very walkable. But it looks like Royal Pacific fits that bill better. We're only going to Islands of Adventure and have a 4 yr old (he'll be 5 when we go).

 

[macraven]

hmmm, I was going to book the hard rock because I'd read it's the closest to the parks and city walk and was very walkable. But it looks like Royal Pacific fits that bill better. We're only going to Islands of Adventure and have a 4 yr old (he'll be 5 when we go).

rph will be the closest hotel for those two places then.

 

[AJA]

OP you really cannot go wrong with any of the three onsite hotels. They are all gorgeous and you're welcome to pool hop and spend the day at any of them while you're on site. We tried RPR first and loved it so much we're booking our 3rd stay in less than a year. I keep saying I want to try PBH "next time" but RPR is so beautiful, it's hard to book anything else!

hmmm, I was going to book the hard rock because I'd read it's the closest to the parks and city walk and was very walkable. But it looks like Royal Pacific fits that bill better. We're only going to Islands of Adventure and have a 4 yr old (he'll be 5 when we go).

RPR is closer but it's no more than a 4- 5 minute difference. Where your room is located at the particular hotel probably has just as much to do with your walking time. At RPR ask for tower one (unless you're traveling with a pet) if you'll be using the walking path to IOA.

For little kids I would choose RPR. There seem to be more young children at RPR, someone to splash with at the pool and the pool at RPR with it's sandy play area is really nice.

 

[Minnie]

wrong thread