Universal Orlando Resort has everything from affordable budget hotels to luxurious tropical-themed resorts. While the Prime Value and Value Inn and Suites cater to budget-conscious travelers, the Signature Collection offers upscale accommodations and premium perks. 

Up until recently, I avoided the priciest on-site hotels. However, because I was visiting Orlando in July, I wanted to make the most of my vacation. With Florida’s intense summer heat, I knew I wanted a resort that included Universal Express Passes and amenities that would make us want to take afternoon breaks. 

My two-night stay at the Loews Royal Pacific Resort was too short, and I’m continuously scouring Universal’s website for future deals. In this article, I’ll break down the pros and cons of staying at the Loews Royal Pacific Resort in Orlando, Florida. 

About Loews Royal Pacific Resort at Universal Orlando

Loews Royal Pacific Resort at Universal Orlando is one of five hotels in the Signature Collection, alongside the Loews Portofino Bay Resort, Loews Sapphire Falls Resort, Hard Rock Hotel, and the Helios Grand Hotel. 

Guests staying at all of Universal’s Signature Collection resorts have a wider variety of dining and recreation, including impressive pool facilities, immersive dinner theater experiences, sprawling breakfast buffets, and more.

Arguably, one of the best perks is that all guests at Loews Royal Pacific Resort get Universal Express Unlimited passes for the duration of their stay — from check-in to check-out. It’s one of just three hotels that offers this benefit.

That said, the Loews Royal Pacific Resort is one of the most expensive on-site hotels, and you can expect to pay a pretty penny for the convenience and premium benefits.

Overview

• Hotel Category: Signature Collection
• Price: $596-$1,189 per night average (for two adults)
• Resort Area: Universal’s Islands of Adventure

Atmosphere & Theming

If you’re dreaming of a lush Polynesian paradise and an action-packed theme park vacation, the Loews Royal Pacific Resort at Universal Orlando offers the best of both worlds. The hotel blends its South Pacific vibe with easy access to most of the Universal parks. 

The resort’s open-air design, thatched-roof accents, and tropical landscaping do a great job of transporting guests to an island getaway. This differs from the immersive Universal cinematic universe found throughout the theme parks.

Dining Options

The Royal Pacific Resort offers convenient grab-and-go and full-service dining options. Whether you want to pick up a quick pastry or enjoy an evening luau dinner with live entertainment, there’s something to suit everyone.

• Islands Dining Room
• Orchid Court Lounge & Sushi Bar
• Jake’s American Bar
• Bula Bar & Grille
• Tuk Tuk Market
• Wantilan Luau
• In-Room Dining

Amenities & Recreation

Part of what makes the Royal Pacific Resort a popular option is its on-site amenities. 

• Lagoon-style swimming pool with white sand beaches, two hot tubs, and interactive water play area for children
• Poolside activities 
• Game (Not) Over Arcade
• Island shops (Toko Gifts and Treasures of Bali) with Universal-themed merchandise 
• Free Wi-Fi
• Wantilan Luau
• The Gymnasium
• Early Park Admission
• Universal Express Unlimited 
• Complimentary shuttle bus and/or water taxi transportation to all four Universal theme parks (Epic Universe, Volcano Bay, Universal Studios, and Islands of Adventure)
• Loews Loves Families program
• Loews Loves Pets program
• Self-parking ($36/night) and valet parking ($45/night)
• Laundry services ($)
• Mail services ($)

Transportation Options

Another big advantage of staying at Royal Pacific Resort is its transportation options. In addition to standard buses, Royal Pacific also has a scenic walking path that leads directly to Islands of Adventure and Universal Studios, as well as water taxis that drop you off in the middle of CityWalk. 

• Bus (Islands of Adventure, Universal Studios, Volcano Bay, Epic Universe)
• Water taxi (Islands of Adventure, Universal Studios)
• Walking path (Islands of Adventure, Universal Studios)

Our Loews Royal Pacific Resort Review

I spent two nights at the Royal Pacific Resort in July 2026. I had previously stayed at the Sapphire Falls Resort and loved the entire experience, so I was curious whether Universal’s more expensive Signature Collection hotel was worth the additional cost. 

As out-of-state passholders, we took advantage of the Universal passholder hotel rates, which made enjoying the amenities more affordable and justifiable. Our two-night stay came to $692.54, including taxes and resort fees. Without the discount, the same room would have cost over $1,000!

Overall, our stay at the Loews Royal Pacific Resort was worth the price. Though, I’m not sure I could justify the expense every time — here’s why.

The Room

Our visit to Universal Orlando Resort was the first half of my fiancée’s birthday trip, with the second half spent aboard Utopia of the Seas for a three-night cruise. Because we had a jam-packed itinerary, we wanted to make the most of our time in Orlando without getting burned out. 

Additionally, planning a trip to Florida and The Bahamas in July meant dealing with intense heat and summer crowds. Rather than go the budget route, we decided to pick a hotel with upscale amenities for midday breaks and included Universal Express Unlimited passes to spend less time waiting in long lines.

Although we arrived before 8:40 a.m., there was quite a long check-in line, with everyone wanting to take advantage of the Express Passes on the first day of their vacation. However, the staff made us feel welcome, and we were even given colorful leis! 

Our room wasn’t ready yet, but that wasn’t an issue since we planned to head straight to the parks. A few hours later, around 1:30 p.m., we received a text letting us know our room was ready. This was perfect timing, letting us escape the afternoon heat and relax by the pool. 

Knowing we wouldn’t be in the room much, we opted for the most affordable choice, a standard 335-square-foot room with two queen beds. We were assigned room 1344 in Tower 1 near the main lobby area. 

Our location wasn’t the closest to the transportation, but we didn’t find the walk inconvenient. However, if you’d prefer to be closer to the buses and water taxi, I’d recommend requesting a room in Tower 3. 

Other than that, we loved our room at the Royal Pacific Resort. The beds were comfortable, and the subtle South Pacific-inspired décor gave the space a tropical, yet inviting, vibe. 

The room was well-appointed with a large flat-screen TV, a mini-fridge, a built-in safe, a full-length mirror, a large desk, and plenty of storage space. The bathroom was great, with a large walk-in shower, solid water pressure, and a sliding door that separated the shower and toilet from the vanity area.

For a luxury theme park hotel, the space was well-maintained and in good condition, with comfortable furnishings, minimal signs of wear and tear, and upgraded toiletries. 

It wasn’t as fancy as some Disney Deluxe Resorts, such as the Grand Floridian Resort & Spa or Riviera Resort. Despite that, it still offered a premium stay with plenty of amenities. 

Plus, we had a nice view overlooking the waterway to CityWalk and got to see guests plummet down Doctor Doom’s Fearfall.

Food and Drinks

During our stay at the Royal Pacific Resort, we ate on-site more than we typically do when visiting Universal Orlando Resort. We tried everything from the chic sushi lounge to the indulgent breakfast buffet. 

Orchid Court Lounge & Sushi Bar Review

Although we planned on returning to the hotel for a quick mid-afternoon break, we ultimately decided not to go back at all that day. Instead, we spent the afternoon by the pool before freshening up for dinner at the Orchid Court Sushi Bar. 

The menu offered a variety of sushi rolls, sashimi and nigiri, and small plates, such as miso soup, tuna tartare, and seaweed salad. 

We kept our order simple, sharing an order of edamame and choosing one sushi roll each. I went with the Mexican roll (shrimp tempura, avocado, cucumber, pickled jalapeño, and spicy mayo), while my fiancée ordered the tempura chicken roll. 

Although neither of us eats raw fish, the menu had enough variety to appeal to us. The Mexican roll was crispy, creamy, and spicy, blending different textures and flavors without feeling too heavy. And overall, I was pleasantly surprised by the quality of the sushi.

Islands Dining Room Review

The Islands Dining Room, which is open for breakfast and dinner, is one of the resort’s full-service restaurants. We chose to eat here twice, once for a quick dessert and then again for breakfast before checking out. 

My fiancée was initially intrigued by the dining room’s apple cider sorbet, which was listed as available on the website’s menu. However, the seasonal flavor had been replaced by a tropical mix. 

She decided to give it a try anyway and ended up loving it. The server brought out an enormous scoop in a chilled stone bowl. While it would have been easy to skimp on the portion size, the overall presentation made it feel more indulgent and worth the money. 

Willing to try something new, I ordered the coconut ube flan. The silky, purple dessert had a smooth, creamy texture — exactly what I expected when ordering flan. The ube, with its hints of coconut and vanilla, paired well with the toasted coconut flakes without being too heavy. 

We also tried the Islands Dining Room’s breakfast buffet. At $38 per person, it isn’t cheap and isn’t something I could justify doing more than once or twice. However, it offered a convenient way to enjoy the last morning at the resort before heading to Port Canaveral for our cruise. 

The buffet had everything from pancakes and waffles to fresh fruit, yogurt, freshly made omelets and eggs, donuts, and more. The quality was better than I expected. The donuts were surprisingly delicious (like really, really good!), and I enjoyed the omelet station. 

Amenities & Recreation

One of the best amenities that the Royal Pacific Resort offers is the tropical pool area. That said, there’s also a decently sized arcade, along with a complimentary fitness center for those who determine that walking in the parks isn’t quite enough activity for the day. 

Main Pool

As much as theme park vacations are about fun roller coasters and immersive experiences, you’ll quickly burn out if you don’t build in time to relax and recharge. Thankfully, that’s easy to do at the Loews Royal Pacific Resort. 

The pool area was a fantastic spot to rest, lounge, and catch up on our TBR (“to be read”) lists, just steps from the water where we could cool down in the sweltering Florida heat.

A lot of people have the same idea, so expect the area to get crowded, especially in the afternoon after guests return from the parks. Finding a shaded spot under an umbrella wasn’t easy, so I eventually settled on a seat in the direct sunlight before eyeing another party leaving. 

The pool area is great, with white-sand beaches, a themed splash pad area, two hot tubs, an in-water volleyball net, hula hoops, and cornhole. Those seeking the ultimate Royal Pacific pool day can rent a private cabana, complete with a flat-screen television, stocked fridge, outlets, ceiling fan, and a dedicated server. 

Transportation

Although the Loews Royal Pacific Resort offers bus transportation to all four theme parks, we preferred the convenient water taxi. We rarely waited more than ten minutes for a taxi to arrive. And we bypassed CityWalk’s hectic security screening since all water taxi passengers are screened at the hotel’s dock before boarding. 

The ride is incredibly short (one morning, we got from our room to the CityWalk dock in ten minutes!), which makes it easy to travel back and forth. That said, the walk from the Royal Pacific Resort to CityWalk (i.e., Islands of Adventure and Universal Studios) isn’t bad, either. 

One thing to note is that the water taxi transportation is subject to weather conditions. Thankfully, we didn’t have any issues during our stay, but we did experience this before during a previous stay at the nearby Sapphire Falls Resort. 

Complimentary Universal Express Unlimited

While all guests staying on Universal property get Early Park Admission, only three hotels get the most coveted perk. Those staying at Loews Royal Pacific Resort get complimentary Universal Express Unlimited passes for every registered guest in their party. 

Considering that Universal Express Unlimited can easily cost $150 or more extra per person per day when purchased separately (in addition to regular park admission), this benefit adds significant value to your stay and helps justify the higher price point. 

We definitely made use of our Express Passes, bypassing lengthy lines for rides like VelociCoaster, Revenge of the Mummy, Escape from Gringotts, and The Incredible Hulk Coaster.

Overall Loews Royal Pacific Resort Review

All on-site hotels offer early park admission and complimentary transportation; however, the Royal Pacific Resort stands out for its premium benefits, including the well-kept pool area, convenient water taxi transfers, and complimentary Universal Express Unlimited passes. 

Even so, it is a splurge. Having stayed at other on-site hotels, ranging from Loews Sapphire Falls Resort to Cabana Bay, Terra Luna Resort, and Universal’s Aventura Hotel, I’ve found better values available if you don’t care about the added convenience of the Express Passes. 

Sapphire Falls, in particular, offers many of the same experiences at a lower price, including convenient water taxi transfers to CityWalk, a sprawling resort-style pool, quality on-site restaurants, and spacious rooms with similar layouts. 

Stay at the Loews Royal Pacific Resort if…

• You value convenient water taxi access to CityWalk, Universal Studios, and Universal’s Islands of Adventure
• You want Universal Express Passes included in the cost of your accommodations 
• You plan to enjoy the resort’s pool area 
• You want more than quick service dining options available on-site 

Skip the Loews Royal Pacific Resort if…

• You want to stay closer to Epic Universe
• You don’t care about Universal Express Passes 
• You plan on spending more time in the parks than the resort
• You have a stricter budget and want to splurge more on other experiences 

Comments

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