You know we love visiting Universal Orlando and staying overnight when we’re able. Loews Sapphire Falls Resort is my second favorite of the Universal Orlando Resort properties and we’ve gotten to stay here multiple times. We like its location, its amenities and the dining options. You can save a bit by choosing one of the more budget friendly hotels like the Endless Summer hotels, but the overall experience of staying at Sapphire Falls adds to the fun of Universal Orlando.
We’ve got the full scoop about why we enjoy Sapphire Falls at Universal and what sets it apart from the other hotel options. If you have any questions about planning your time at Universal Orlando or need more info about staying at Sapphire Falls, please leave a comment or send us a note. We’re always happy to share more and help YOU plan a fun trip to the Universal Orlando Resort!
Why Choose the Sapphire Falls Resort for your Universal Trip?
For me, the things that set Loews Sapphire Falls Resort apart from the other Universal Orlando properties are the amenities, which we’ll get into in detail below. I think the beautiful swimming pool complex and the boat service to Universal City Walk are highlights of staying here. The public spaces are beautifully decorated, very crisp and clean, and there’s lots of space to roam or relax.
Universal’s Cabana Bay Resort is my #1 favorite place to stay at Universal Orlando, but that’s because it has two swimming pool areas and a bowling alley, so that can’t be beat. Sapphire Falls takes the cake on everything else. When you’re planning a trip to Universal Orlando, you know that you’re going to be on your feet a ton and you’ll be tired at the end of the day. Having a good hotel to return to and be able to unwind is important, and even if it adds some cost, it adds a great amount of value to your trip.
For anyone visiting the Universal Parks in the off season or even midweek sometimes, you’ll see that they close earlier than you might expect, and for that reason it’s important to be glad to go back to your hotel. We find that our kids will often still have energy to burn after a day in the parks, so coming back to a great swimming area is a big win. I’ll talk more about dining below, but the restaurants on property at Loews Sapphire Falls really make the resort experience a top shelf one. Amatista and Strong Water are both awesome, and then the poolside service from Drhum Club is a nice touch. Read on and you’ll get the full picture.
Room Types at Universal’s Sapphire Falls Resort
When you’re booking a stay at Loews Sapphire Falls at Universal Orlando, you’ve got a few options for room types. For standard rooms you can either book a King room with a pullout sofa sleeper or a Two Queen room (can accommodate a rollaway). That’s it for standard rooms, and then you can further book into the sort of view you’d like, such as a pool or lagoon view.
There are also suites available (we’ve never gotten to stay in one of them. There are King suites with a separate bedroom and a pullout sofa bed in the living room; Kid suites with a separate area with twin beds; Sapphire suites which are really big and have both a living room and dining area, and even more suite options.
I always remind people when we’re talking about booking hotels that there are times when you’re going to be spending minimal time in your room. If you are coming to Universal Orlando for the first time or have a really excited group, it’s like you won’t spend a ton of time actually in your room, so you can get away with booking a standard and it won’t have an impact on your stay. We find that even at a nice hotel like Sapphire Falls when we’re on property, we’re still out and about, usually at the pool vs in the room. I’m just saying that you can save a bit by not going over the top with your hotel budget.
Sapphire Falls Resort Amenities
I love the swimming pool at Loews Sapphire Falls Hotel! It’s big with lots of space and a different vibe in each cove. There’s a waterslide and a very shallow lounging area, and plenty of quiet (or less loud at least) spots to hang out in the swimming pool. Around the water you’ll find lounge chairs, many with umbrellas, dining tables, and even a sandy beach space if that’s more the vibe you want. And you can’t forget the yard games like ladder ball, ping pong and more. It’s a really great setup.
There is a fitness center at Sapphire Falls as well. It’s pretty well equipped and maintained, but it’s not quite as cool as the Jack Lalane Fitness Center at Cabana Bay. Still a good one though and it’s open early so you can go before you head into the parks. Staying fit at Universal is easy between the gyms and all the walking.
The best amenity besides the swimming pool at Sapphire Falls is the boat service from the hotel into Universal CityWalk. While it isn’t much faster than the shuttle buses that go from some of the other Universal Orlando Resort hotels, it’s a fun ride and is prettier than being on a bus. I also like that with the boat service you go through security while you’re still at Sapphire Falls so you don’t have to go through the queues in the HUB outside of CityWalk. That convenience is lovely. There’s also a walking path from Sapphire Falls to very near the main entrance of Islands of Adventure, and I actually like doing the walk in the morning if we have time. By the end of the day though, put me on that boat back to my hotel room.
Restaurants at Sapphire Falls Resort at Universal
The dining options at Loews Sapphire Falls include a nice sit-down restaurant called Amatista, the Strong Water Tavern for awesome drinks and small plates, and then the Drhum Club Kantine which is on the pool deck. I’ve eaten at Amatista several times and can confirm that they make a mean rotiseree chicken, as well as other great dishes.
Most of the Sapphire Falls resort feels rather Caribbean, but Amatista feels more like a California beach dining experience to me. Strong Water Tavern is DEFINITELY a rum bar. Their rum collection and cocktails are impressive, and of all the bars and cocktail spots across the different Universal Orlando hotels, Strong Water is my favorite experience.
Drhum Club by the pool offers both walk-up and poolside service. It’s got some awesome salads and sandwiches/burger and is better than you might expect for poolside dining. In the Sapphire Falls lobby you’ll find the New Dutch Trading Co, but we only ever stop by there to grab coffee. They have pastries and sandwiches too, but it’s much more of a coffee stand. Don’t forget, Universal CityWalk is just a boat ride away, so you’ve got a lot more dining options if you leave the Sapphire Falls Resort to seek out a meal.
Parking at Loews Sapphire Falls Resort
Parking is an additional fee at Loews Sapphire Falls Resort. Overnight guest parking is $36 and valet is $45. To access parking, as you approach Sapphire Falls Resort, you’ll be in a roundabout, so just follow the signs into the parking garage. You’ll initially get a ticket from the machine as you enter if you don’t have hotel keys yet, but when it’s time to go you’ll just use your key card for your exit, as the front desk will have updated your reservation to reflect that you’ve paid for parking. There’s not a cheaper parking option for guests or nearby to Sapphire Falls.
Do you get Universal Express While Staying at Sapphire Falls Resort?
One of the cool things about staying in the top tier of hotels at Universal Orlando is that they include Universal Express passes. Sapphire Falls IS NOT one of these hotels. It’s a mid-level hotel, so is nicer with nicer amenities than Endless Summer or Aventura, but it’s not as nice as the Portofino, Royal Pacific or Hard Rock. I’ve stayed at all of them and I think that Sapphire Falls is actually the aesthetically nicest of them all, and the vibe is my favorite of the mid-grade and top tier resorts. Although you don’t get Universal Express when you stay at Sapphire Falls, you do get early entry into Islands of Adventure, as you do with all of the Universal Orlando Resort hotels.
Tips for a Great Universal Orlando Trip
I can’t even count how many times we’ve been to Universal Orlando, both before we lived in Florida and since moving here. As annual passholders, we’ve really learned what works for a stress-free visit and what’s a surefire way to be miserable. Take a look at our tips and hopefully you’ll be able to have an awesome visit.
- Be early – yes, it’s worth getting up for Early Entry if you’re staying at one of the Universal Orlando Resort hotels. This is the best time to be able to ride Hagrid’s Motorbike Adventure as the rest of the day you’ll have a much longer line.
- Accept your food fate – if you’re here you know you’re going to spend a stupid amount of money on food. Accept it and enjoy it. Universal Orlando actually has surprisingly good restaurants and having sit-down meals is both a recharge and a good experience here.
- Don’t bring a backpack – I know that some people must bring medical supplies with them, but if you don’t have anything that is essential to your health, DON’T bring a backpack. This will weigh you down, add to the time you spend doing anything, and be more inconvenient that helpful.
- Buy souvenirs at the end of the day – wait until the end of the day to buy anything. You’ll just have to carry things around and then put them in lockers as you move through the parks. Wait to buy things, and then that way you also aren’t making impulse purchases.
- Be okay with a short trip – Universal Orlando is both costly and tiring. 2 days at Universal is great! More than that will wear on you and cost a ton. If you’re here for longer, add a day doing nature things or head to Kennedy Space Center or something.
- Stay on property – there are some great deals to be found at the Universal Orlando Resort hotels, and in particular the Endless Summer Resort (Beachside and Surfside), Sapphire Falls, and the newest hotels, Stella Nova and Terra Luna Resorts. You’ll have shuttle service to the parks, have early entry, and you have awesome swimming pools.
Universal is a blast! Staying at Sapphire Falls is always a good call and I know you’ll enjoy it. If you have any questions about planning a trip to Universal Orlando or anything more specific about the Sapphire Falls Resort, please leave a comment or send us a note. We’re always happy to share more!
