Bigger and better than ever

Courtesy of Universal Orlando Resort

Universal Orlando Resort is at a new beginning. In early 2025, meeting professionals and their teams will welcome new Universal Orlando Resort Signature Collection hotels, Helios Hotel Universal – Loews Hotels. The new hotel will be connected to the much-anticipated Universal Orlando Resort opening next year. What’s ahead will further solidify Universal Orlando’s role in creating immersive hotel experiences.

Helios Universal Hotel: Transportation to Fantasy World

When Universal’s Epic Universe opens on May 22, 2025, it will become Universal Orlando’s third theme park and fourth park. Connected to the elegantly constructed Universal Helios Hotel, the park will add 500 guest rooms, including 35 suites, with unique views of Universal’s epic universe and nearly 5,000 square feet of meeting space. Guests at the Helios Hotel will have exclusive access to Universal’s Epic Universe, the only Universal Orlando hotel with direct theme park access.

“This is a pivotal moment for our destination and we are excited to welcome guests to Epic Universe next year,” said Karen Irwin, president and chief operating officer of Universal Orlando Resort. With the addition of this spectacular new theme park, our guests will embark on an unforgettable vacation experience with a week of epic excitement that will never be the same in our universe.”

The casual Mediterranean style is evident throughout the Helios Grand Hotel, which is further enhanced by plush gold furnishings and décor in the lobby, restaurants, guest rooms and more. Restaurants and lounges at the Helios Grand Hotel include Flora Taverna, serving a breakfast buffet and Mediterranean comfort food; Lotus Lagoon, a poolside bar and grill; Aurora Market, the hotel’s grab-and-go area; Bar Helios, a Rooftop bar with stunning views of the park.

Universal Orlando Signature Series

The Helios Hotel will be the fifth hotel in Universal Orlando’s Signature Collection, which includes Loews Royal Pacific Resort, Loews Sapphire Falls Resort, Loews Portofino Bay Hotel and hard rock hotel.

Loews Royal Pacific Resort has 1,000 guest rooms, including 51 luxury suites. At the hotel’s lagoon-style pool and white sand beach, meeting professionals can rent private cabanas with all the amenities including TVs, refrigerators and beverages. On any given day, poolside activities such as ping pong tournaments, trivia, hula hooping content, and more may be going on.

A variety of restaurants and lounges are available at the Royal Pacific Resort, including Orchid Court Lounge & Sushi Bar, with its amphitheater design serving creative sushi, sashimi and salads, as well as Japanese whiskey, sake and beer; Wantilan Luau, serving Polynesian Food plus hula, fire dancing and Hawaiian music; Royal Pacific’s recently added Tuk Tuk Market offers coffee, breakfast, unique Tuk Tuk pies and more.

The Royal Pacific Hotel has 85,000 square feet of meeting and function space, including two ballrooms, five breakout spaces and an Admiralty boardroom that can accommodate up to 24 people. The Royal Pacific Hotel is connected to the Loews Sapphire Falls Resort’s conference facilities, which together with the Loews Convention Center form a total area of ​​247,000 square feet. Loews Sapphire Falls Resort has 115,000 square feet of meeting space, including 36,000 square feet of pre-function space, two ballrooms, 16 meeting rooms and three meeting planning offices.

Loews Sapphire Falls Resort has 1,000 guest rooms, including 83 suites, and four food and beverage outlets, including New Dutch Trading Co., which offers light meals, snacks, ice cream and s’mores. a fun takeout restaurant, while Strong Water Tavern offers tapas-style dining, an old-fashioned rum and ceviche bar; and Amatista Cookhouse, a Caribbean restaurant open for all meals.

Such poolside activities are also here at Loews Sapphire Falls Resort’s 16,000-square-foot pool area with two sandy beaches, waterfalls and cabana rentals.

The Loews Portofino Bay Hotel brings the seaside vibe of Portofino, Italy to Universal Orlando Resort. The hotel has more than 89,000 square feet of indoor and outdoor meeting space, such as the Villa Lawn, which can accommodate 480 people, or the Citrus Piazza, which can accommodate 580 people.

At Mama Della’s Ristorante, private or semi-private rooms can accommodate up to 70 people. This is one of Loews Portofino’s dining options, which includes Trattoria del Porto, Sal’s Market Deli, The Thirsty Fish, Bar American and Splendido Bar & Grill.

hard rock hotel® Universal Orlando features 650 guest rooms and suites and more than 18,000 square feet of outdoor and indoor meeting space with vegetarian, vegan and kosher options. The hotel features five restaurants, including the Palm Restaurant, which serves surf, turf and Italian cuisine; Velvet Bar, the hotel’s lobby bar; and the hotel’s Beach Club Poolside Bar and Grill.

The Helios Grand Hotel is one of three Loews properties set to open next year. Prime Value Hotels at Universal Orlando Resort will also open Universal Studios Resort Stella Nova January 1, 2025, and Terra Luna Universal Resort March 25, 2025.

Universal Studios Walk

Universal CityWalk may not have any rides, but its eclectic dining options will give attendees’ taste buds their own roller coaster ride. There are 25 restaurants on CityWalk alone, half of which are in the Top of the Walk Food Court, where most takeaway meals are concentrated. Its dine-in restaurants include Jimmy Buffett’s Margaritaville, serving Caribbean-inspired cuisine; Bob Marley – a tribute to freedom with Jamaican-influenced cuisine in a replica of Marley’s former home, and reggae music; and Red Oven Pizza Bakery.

Hard Rock Live Orlando is a 3,000-person entertainment venue on Universal CityWalk and is a hub for concerts, comedy shows and live performances.

For a cool team-building experience, CityWalk opened Universal Studios’ Great Movie Escape last year. The Great Movie Escape offers two escape room experiences inspired by Universal Pictures’ Jurassic World and Back to the Future films. Each features eight environments with complex scenarios and immersive challenges.