First time hotel only stay-which one is the best?

[Adventurers Club Col.]

We are doing a resort only trip to Universal with our family of 7. Which resort would you choose for swimming and hanging out? Thanks!!!

 

[macraven]

I always stay at one of the 3 premier hotels
I like RP as they have more choices of onsite eateries

Orchid Court for morning quick service fare, Islands, Jakes and Bula Bar for the pool area

All 3 premier hotels have had great reviews

No matter where you stay onsite, you can pool hop to the other hotels for their pools


Cabana Bay is popular with larger families
Their pool and lazy river is very popular

Check out the trip report forums for how families have raved about UO hotels/resorts

What one person likes can vary when it comes to selecting a hotel


With you having 7 in your family, prices are decent at the value resorts as they do have two room suites
Some book suites while others do connecting rooms

Preferred hotels and premier also have suites but prices can be high on specific types of suites

 

[Minnie1222]

I vote Portofino Bay

 

[TommyJK]

If it was a resort only stay (i.e. not going to the parks) and just to hang out, I would pick Cabana Bay every time for the following reasons:

• Pool areas are my absolute favourite among all of the resorts:
  • To major and separate Pool areas. One with a big waterslide, the other with a Lazy River. The pools themselves are massive and both pool areas are surrounded with games/activities for the kids as well, not to mention a family fire pit to sit around and make smores in the evening with your kids.
• Bowling Alley within the resort is a lot of family fun that we always do when we stay here.
• The gym (if it's something you're considering using) is the best IMO among all of the resorts. It's HUGE with tons of different machines and weights
• It has cups that you can buy that for $17 will give you unlimited drinks (Coke Freestyle machine and Slushies) for the length of your stay. Last time we went down we bought 2 of them for the family to share and we drank our weight in drinks/slushies over the course of our stay. GREAT VALUE
• It is BY FAR the least expensive (until the new Endless Summer resort opens) which means more $ to spend in other places (restaurants, entertainment etc.).
  • As part of this, you could book a family suite (that has a separate sitting room with a pull out couch) and it's still at least $100 less per night than the cheapest standard room at one of the deluxe resorts. Even the newer multi room suites in the newer towers facing Volcano Bay, will typically come out cheaper than standard rooms at the Deluxe hotels.

In all, CB is my favourite resort on site. And if it had the perk of Unlimited Express Passes for the rides we'd stay here every time. But since you're not going to the parks, this perk of the Deluxe resorts wouldn't benefit you at all, but you'd be paying for it anyway as part of the much more expensive nightly rates of the Deluxe resorts that have them.

 

[GoingSince1990]

Our favorite is Hard Rock, mostly because it is such a short stroll to Universal Studios and Citywalk.

 

[bobbie68]

Hi for a resort only stay and if you have children I would stay at Cabana Bay. It is a great resort with a lot of different amenities. The lazy river is amazing and has two pools. We enjoyed the bowling alley and the outside games.

If you don't have any children in your party then Sapphire Falls or Portofino Bay. I have stayed at Portofino and love it. It is my top deluxe hotel. I have not stayed at Sapphire but it gets great reviews on here.

Good luck with your choice.

 

[keishashadow]

We are doing a resort only trip to Universal with our family of 7. Which resort would you choose for swimming and hanging out? Thanks!!!

I may take flack for this but wouldn’t book anything onsite at U or even WDW if not planning on visiting the parks.

The ‘siren song’ of the parks would be too loud for me = FOMO lol

There are many fine deluxe 4 & 5 properties in MCO that have amazing poolscapes, including TS rentals (wyndham Bonnett creek a personal fave). Most are located within short uber or walking distance of well-regarded eateries & can be significantly less $ for a larger family via a 2 BR