Universal Orlando Resort has shared a first look at Loews Helios Grand Hotel, a 500-room luxury in-park resort overlooking Epic Universe, their third theme park in Florida that opens in 2025. This sneak peek shares concept art & info about guest rooms, restaurants, retail and everything else in the upcoming accommodations–including how perks and tiers are changing with the arrival of this new property.
Epic Universe is Universal Orlando Resort’s third theme park, just down the road from Universal Studios Florida and Islands of Adventure, as well as Volcano Bay Water Park. Once fully built out, the new theme park campus would essentially double Universal Orlando Resort’s existing footprint. It won’t be that big in 2025–that build out is years, if not decades, down the road.
Epic Universe will transport guests to expansive worlds featuring more than 50 experiences that include attractions, entertainment, dining and shopping to create an unforgettable adventure located at Universal Orlando Resort. For a big picture overview of the entire park, see our Universal’s Epic Universe Preview, which unveiled all of the lands and much more. Against that backdrop, let’s introduce Universal Helios Grand Hotel, a Loews Hotel…
Helios Grand Hotel is brought to life by the award-winning Universal Creative team and co-owned and operated by Loews Hotels & Co. The new luxury resort is a majestic Mediterranean-inspired escape rising above the lush gardens and scenic waters of Celestial Park at Epic Universe.
Designed to blend immersion and relaxation to create a hotel stay like no other, this palatial resort features tranquil sleeping accommodations, entertaining amenities for the whole family to enjoy, divine dining options, a stunning rooftop bar and the hotel’s very own dedicated entrance to the new theme park.
Bringing Universal Orlando’s resort portfolio to a total of 11 hotels and 11,000 guest rooms, Universal Helios Grand Hotel builds upon Universal’s more than three decades of expertise in world-class entertainment and creative theming – combined with Loews Hotels’ hospitality and service excellence – to set a new standard in immersive hotel experiences.
Only at Universal Helios Grand Hotel can guests unwind in the serenity of a sunlit retreat in one moment and then within minutes find themselves in the heart of exhilarating theme park adventures. Universal Helios Grand Hotel is so much more than just a place to stay; it’s the crown jewel of Epic Universe and the pinnacle of Universal Orlando’s hotel experiences.
As soon as guests step into this radiant sanctuary, they will be transported to a fantastical world within the palace of Helios, the Greek god of the sun, adorned with beautiful details of celestial patterns, dazzling constellations and elegant yet casual Mediterranean design elements.
Through the lobby’s magnificent floor-to-ceiling windows is a breathtaking vista of Celestial Park – boasting some of the best views of Epic Universe in the entire hotel and immersing guests in the park’s brilliance by day and night.
From the beautifully appointed sleeping rooms to the polished public spaces to the exceptional amenities, Universal Helios Grand Hotel offers:
Serene Guest Rooms and Spacious Suites – Bright, inviting and warm, the guest rooms and suites of Universal Helios Grand Hotel evoke the tranquility of a blissful garden – with many of the rooms offering fantastic views of Epic Universe. And unique to Universal Helios Grand Hotel are the imaginative How to Train Your Dragon Kids’ Suites, where little ones can take to the skies and rest amongst dragons in a colorful room inspired by the Viking village of Berk.
Dedicated Entrance to Universal Epic Universe – Located off the lobby is the hotel’s dedicated entrance into Epic Universe – an unparalleled amenity for guests of Universal Helios Grand Hotel that provides direct, convenient access to and from the theme park (valid theme park admission required).
Bar Helios – A sparkling and stylish rooftop lounge, Bar Helios at Universal Helios Grand Hotel offers a delectable menu of creative tapas and familiar favorites, thoughtfully-handcrafted specialty cocktails, and unmatched 360-degree views of Epic Universe and beyond – making this the perfect spot for guests to kick back in the evening after a busy day in the parks.
Resort-style Pool – The oasis of the zero-entry pool is the ultimate spot for rest and relaxation – complete with underwater speakers, poolside cabanas available for rent, a hot tub, poolside movies, recreational activities and more.
Guests of Universal Helios Grand Hotel can also enjoy:
- a complimentary state-of-the-art fitness center featuring a variety of strength and cardio equipment;
- a game room for guests to blast, zap and race their way through a collection of arcade games with the purchase of a game card;
- a Universal Orlando Resort Store for guests to purchase everything from sundries and necessities to Universal Orlando merchandise; and so much more.
Guests looking to have a meal or grab a quick snack in between visits to the parks can choose from a variety of unique dining options, including:
- Flora Taverna – a full-service restaurant offering breakfast, lunch and dinner and lobby bar with a light and airy atmosphere – featuring an open-style kitchen with live cooking, Mediterranean comfort foods, pizza ovens, and al fresco seating overlooking the beautiful scenery of Celestial Park;
- Aurora Market – a contemporary coffee shop and market offering freshly-roasted coffees, delightful grab-and-go food items and enticing snack and dessert options from morning to night;
- Lotus Lagoon – a poolside bar and grill where guests can cool off with refreshing cocktails or non-alcoholic drinks and enjoy casual fare options like burgers, salads, sandwiches and more.
Staying at any Universal Orlando hotel is the best way to experience all that the destination has to offer and comes with exclusive theme park benefits. Guests staying at Universal Helios Grand Hotel, or any of the other Universal Orlando hotels, receive Early Park Admission to enjoy select attractions at the theme parks, which will expand to include Universal Epic Universe with the park’s opening in 2025. Early Park Admission will offer up to one hour of priority access before the park opens with valid theme park admission.
Universal Orlando hotel guests can also take advantage of complimentary shuttle bus transportation to the theme parks and Universal CityWalk, resort-wide charging privileges, complimentary merchandise delivery and more.
The addition of Universal Helios Grand Hotel also brings three reimagined hotel categories to Universal Orlando – designed to make it even easier for guests to choose the hotel that best fits their preferred style and budget:
Signature Collection – Offering full-service amenities, distinguished service, exceptional dining and more:
- Universal Helios Grand Hotel
- Loews Portofino Bay Hotel
- Hard Rock Hotel
- Loews Royal Pacific Resort
- Loews Sapphire Falls Resort
Prime Value Hotels – Offering a mix of services and amenities made for comfort
- Universal Aventura Hotel
- Universal Stella Nova Resort (opening January 21, 2025)
- Universal Terra Luna Resort (opening February 25, 2025)
Value Inns and Suites – Offering fun, affordable options offering standard rooms and spacious suites with kitchenettes.
- Universal Cabana Bay Beach Resort
- Universal Endless Summer Resort – Surfside Inn and Suites
- Universal Endless Summer Resort – Dockside Inn and Suites
Turning to commentary, let’s start with the perks and changes to hotel tiers. Fans might be stunned to learn that Universal Helios Grand Hotel won’t offer Unlimited Express Pass. This has been confirmed by Universal Orlando on social media: “While Universal Helios Grand Hotel will not include Universal Express Unlimited, Guests can take advantage of other incredible exclusive theme park benefits.”
Regular readers of this site won’t be too surprised. We’ve speculated for a while that Helios Grand Hotel wouldn’t offer it or that Epic Universe wouldn’t…or both. I would’ve bet on the latter–that no hotel would offer Unlimited Express Pass to Epic Universe. So it’s slightly surprising that Helios Grand Hotel won’t offer Express Pass at all, not even to Universal Studios Florida or Islands of Adventure.
As I’ve been saying for a while, I don’t know why Universal first opted to offer Unlimited Express Pass to its Premier Hotels, but my shot-in-the-dark guess is a deal with Loews to get that hotelier on board. Accordingly, I would also guess that the only theme parks subject to such a contractual agreement would be the ones in existence at the time.
Likewise, I’ve warned fans that Universal would not make the same deal in the 2020s that it did in the late 1990s, which is precisely why Sapphire Falls doesn’t offer Express Pass. Universal Orlando is now already established as a bona fide theme park heavy hitter, and there is no need to dangle such a park to get a commitment from Loews. The hotelier couldn’t get a sweetheart deal this time–it’s Universal with the leverage now.
Once again, the mistake fans continue to make is assuming that Universal is any different than Disney as a business. It feels necessary to reiterate this, because there’s this misguided notion that Universal is more guest-focused than Walt Disney World. The idea that Comcast, of all companies, cares about consumers and offers better value, perks, or whatever out of the kindness of its heart is ludicrous.
Honestly, I’m pleasantly surprised here that Early Park Admission is being expanded to Epic Universe. I wouldn’t necessarily have bet on that (Helios Grand getting the perk at the existing parks seemed like a given), and expected that Universal Orlando would instead try to monetize early access in the same way they do at Super Nintendo World in Hollywood. So that is a small victory at the very least.
Another surprise to me is that Sapphire Falls is moving up to the top tier. We really like Sapphire Falls, and felt that it punched above its weight with its categorization before. However, I also think it’s well below the other options in that top tier. More importantly, it’s the only one of the currently-operating existing hotels that does not offer Unlimited Express Pass at Universal Studios Florida and Islands of Adventure.
So there’s the question of whether Sapphire Falls is getting Unlimited Express Pass for the first two parks, or the others are losing it? I think the latter scenario is the more likely of the two–perhaps terms of Loews’ deal came up for renewal or Universal was able to renegotiate with the addition of Epic Universe.
Another entirely plausible scenario is that Sapphire Falls is being bumped up to the top tier without any changes–it won’t offer Unlimited Express Pass and the other existing hotels (Portofino Bay, Hard Rock, and Royal Pacific) won’t lose it. Again, Helios Grand Hotel won’t offer Express Pass at all, so that wouldn’t be a huge shock.
Nevertheless, it’s going to make for an odd classification if three of the hotels in the top tier offer Unlimited Express Pass but the two newest–including what I assume is going to be the flagship hotel of Universal Orlando in Helios Grand–don’t offer it. Unlimited Express Pass is the defining amenity offered by the top tier resorts, so it’ll be odd if some have it and others don’t. But it also wouldn’t surprise me if Universal wants more options in that top tier for the sake of marketing.
It also wouldn’t surprise me if the original three top tier hotels retain Unlimited Express Pass for now, but lose it at some point in the next few years. If my assumption about this being a contractual deal with Loews is correct–and Universal couldn’t or didn’t renegotiate–that’ll presumably expire at some point down the road. I can’t imagine the perk existing in perpetuity–even in the 1990s, it’s not like Loews had that much leverage.
As for the themed design of Universal Helios Grand Hotel, I like it! The exterior looks to me like the strange love-child of Disney’s Riviera Resort and Gran Destino Tower at Coronado Springs, but with more artifice and attention to detail so it’s not so boxy. I do think that Walt Disney World fans still would’ve complained if this were the appearance of Riviera Resort, but not as loudly.
Still, not nearly as good as Portofino Bay, which remains the high-water mark for themed resorts at Universal Orlando. Of course, it’s also a product of a different era. Guest preferences have changed since then, and so too have both Universal’s and Disney’s approaches to themed hotel design.
Universal Helios Grand Hotel looks better than Disney’s Riviera Resort (not quite as ‘value engineered’), and there’s also the reality that Universal and Disney are held to different standards. I’ll be the first to admit that I do this, and I know most of you do too, judging by how much of a pass Universal gets for the things fans would excoriate Disney over.
The pool likewise looks nice, which is not a huge surprise since Universal Creative and Loews have done a fantastic job with pool complexes at many of the existing resorts. It’s probably fair to say that Universal hotels, on average, outdo Disney from the perspective of pools. The pools at Hard Rock and Portofino Bay are my personal favorites, but there are several great ones. (Cabana Bay can be good, but it’s often packed.)
The guest rooms at Universal Helios Grand Hotel look fine. The How to Train Your Dragon suites are fun, and I’m sure families will love them. No criticism there.
The regular rooms, though, are surprisingly bland. The standard rooms also look very small. Nothing about these say ‘luxury hotel’ or ‘flagship resort’ to me. It instead looks like Universal wanted to cram as many rooms into as small of a footprint as possible.
I don’t see much daylight between these and the other rooms that Universal has done in the last several years (new rooms and redone ones at the existing resorts). Maybe I’m missing something, but I don’t see much to separate the rooms at Universal Helios Grand Hotel from Sapphire Falls. Perhaps that’s why the latter has moved up into the top tier?
Same goes for the bars, markets, restaurants and other common areas. These look very similar to what we’ve seen done by Universal Creative in the last decade–everything post-Cabana Bay, which does have a distinct style.
That’s perfectly fine for the lower tier resorts, as those common areas are way better than their counterparts at similarly-situated Walt Disney World resorts. But Universal Helios Grand Hotel is presumably drawing comparisons to the Deluxe Resorts at Walt Disney World, and those aren’t nearly as favorable. Even Disney’s Riviera Resort or Gran Destino Tower (the latter being a Moderate Resort) looks more ambitious on the inside.
Of course, these are all first impressions based on concept art released for Universal Helios Grand Hotel. But I do think it’s kind of odd that several pieces of art were showcased for bland bars and markets. These all look very same-y, and certainly don’t sell me on Helios Grand Hotel. The one of the bar overlooking Epic Universe definitely does…and perhaps that view and location are all that’s needed. This hotel will probably sell itself with its proximity to Epic Universe.
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YOUR THOUGHTS
What do you think of Universal Helios Grand Hotel? Impressed by the style or substance? What do you think of the exterior vs. interior? Will you book Universal Helios Grand Hotel, or stick with one of the existing resorts? Think Epic Universe will be a third gate that’s a worthy addition to Universal Orlando Resort…and potentially on par with Disney’s best lands? Agree or disagree with our assessment that much of the interior looks too similar to Universal’s new lower-tier resorts? Any questions? We love hearing from readers, so please share any other thoughts or questions you have in the comments below!
