Royal Pacific or Hard Rock

[limace]

She looooves the vibe of the HRH-the more Modern style and the close walk to the park enables her to be more independent. (We all appreciated that by the end of our trip after hauling everyone around WDW for a week). They enjoy the pool and the food at the pool bar. It didn’t help that Bonnet Creek was full of cheer leaders and they were pretty unpleasant-screaming their cheer routines in the pool so we could hear them on our balcony across the lake, cheer moms refusing to wear masks and getting in elevator with us. My kids were pretty appalled by all that.

We would def stay at Bonnet Creek again-it’s lovely and cheap-but it wasn’t her first choice. We might avoid cheer season in the future .

 

[jimmymc]

Are there any differences in the perks/amenities? We just stayed at Portofino and selected it mostly due to it's location (the walk was nice, mostly shaded and took around 15mins) and the express pass included our checkin and check out date. It also had a starbucks, which was great for my coffee addiction lol

They both get the same express pass access, including first and last day. RP has a coffee shop in the lobby but I don't think it's Starbuck's brand. They both have boat transportation to the parks and get early entry.

 

[nkereina]

Are there any differences in the perks/amenities? We just stayed at Portofino and selected it mostly due to it's location (the walk was nice, mostly shaded and took around 15mins) and the express pass included our checkin and check out date. It also had a starbucks, which was great for my coffee addiction lol

They are all comparable in terms of amenities. PBH is the furthest of the three in terms of walking distance, so if you're considering HRH or RPR, you may like them better for location. I believe RPR does not have a slide at the pool (HRH does), and of course theme and dining options differ. We prefer the dining options at HRH over RPR. You can't go wrong with any of them, we usually just pick the one with the best price for our budget and our objectives for the trip.

 

[C&Jx2]

They both get the same express pass access, including first and last day. RP has a coffee shop in the lobby but I don't think it's Starbuck's brand. They both have boat transportation to the parks and get early entry.

They sell SB, but it’s not a Starbucks.

 

[mamapenguin]

They sell SB, but it’s not a Starbucks.

Thank you. The HRH “SB” is not up to Starbucks standards. I was super disappointed, drinks were not good. Everything else there was fine (ice cream etc.) but it’s not a Starbucks. That being said, does anyone know if the one at PBH is consistent with SB standards?

 

[Gentry2004]

I haven't stayed anywhere but HRH, but we loved it in April and booked it again for December. We have two kids and we liked that the room has 4 chairs and 2 sinks. We also love the short walk and are so spoiled by it. We love the pool/slide and the restaurant at the pool (which shares a kitchen with The Kitchen restaurant) was absolutely delicious - I think we ate there almost once per day the week we were there. I thought the theming was cool and the decor did not seem dated at all to me. But I don't have anything to compare it to.

 

[PixieT78]

I've just booked RPR and I'm excited to try a different premier hotel! DH is a huge HRH fan but there aren't any rooms available so RPR it is. I don't love HRH as much as he does but I do love the pool area and the walk to the parks. This relatively last minute trip seems perfect for trying out a new hotel!

 

[MomOTwins]

Thank you. The HRH “SB” is not up to Starbucks standards. I was super disappointed, drinks were not good. Everything else there was fine (ice cream etc.) but it’s not a Starbucks. That being said, does anyone know if the one at PBH is consistent with SB standards?

I’m not sure if I qualify as a starbucks connoisseur, but we did breakfast at the PBH one and it tasted perfectly normal.

 

[Lynne G]

Yeah, I have had coffee at the PBH Starbucks and tasted like their coffee enough to me. Have not tried the Starbucks in either RPR or HRH, so will just get it in CityWalk or the parks if I want their coffee. Thanks for the warning of the HRH coffee taste, Mama.

 

[Lynne G]

Oh yeah, and I am paying 120 dollars more to stay at HRH over RPR for 6 nights. I like the smallness of HRH more than RPR. But I have stayed in all three top hotels. If I was not so cost saving, I’d always stay at PBH. So I’d stay with your great room at HRH if it was my choice.

 

[mamapenguin]

Oh yeah, and I am paying 120 dollars more to stay at HRH over RPR for 6 nights. I like the smallness of HRH more than RPR. But I have stayed in all three top hotels. If I was not so cost saving, I’d always stay at PBH. So I’d stay with your great room at HRH if it was my choice.

What do you like about PBH that makes it the place you would always stay?

 

[Lynne G]

The bathrooms are very large, rooms are some of the largest, and the Italian marble is decor is the kind of resort that we really just prefer. And, some rooms have balconies.

 

[hhoope01]

The bathrooms are very large, rooms are some of the largest, and the Italian marble is decor is the kind of resort that we really just prefer. And, some rooms have balconies.

And PBR has 3 pools to choose from rather than just one. It is the only on-site hotel with its own SPA. If staying in a CL room, to me the breakfast seemed to have more options than the others and the CL had lots of room. And most of all, my daughter loves the Pepperidge Farm Milano cookies they have in the CL as a snack during the noonish hours.