TripAdvisor Traveler Rating

Fantastic stay even tho I got sick and had to leave early. Staff was super nice and helpful. This is the hotel that gives you the bang for your buck! Clean, nice lay out, friendly staff, loved the food area. Loved everything about it. Wish Saffire next door would take some notes. Will definitely be back as we are local and have passes to Universal.

My view from the 16th floor was wonderful, especially at night with all the lights of Orlando in front of me. The hotel, although busy, was quiet and restful. Amazingly enough, the six elevators were wonderfully fast and always seemed to be only seconds away. Everyone who worked at the hotel was professional, helpful, and genuinely friendly. Especially Benny, from Security, who found my favorite ECCO sandals after I had departed and is sending them to my home! That is amazing customer service! I would definitely stay there again!

We spent 5 nights at Universal Aventura hotel in a kids suite. The hotel location is good as there is access by boat from Sapphire Falls and it is just steps from Volcano Bay. We arrived late on a Sunday which was nice for no line at check in and Bistro 17 was still open to grab a meal. The room itself had a good layout with a separate sleeping area for the kids. Not having a second bathroom was a drawback but the price point for that much space was good. The room was clean and all the technology worked well. The bedding could use some upgrades, its very thin and not warm. Relay the robot did not deliver room items ordered so something has changed. You can sort of interact with Relay in the lobby. The Pantry in the lobby is convenient to grab breakfast or dinner. Not much was going on though during lunch. Recommend buying the refillable mug as you can easily get your money worth in coffee alone. I think I was overcharged for mine though and it is more expensive then the mug at Sapphire Falls which makes no sense. There is also a Starbucks in the lobby if that’s in your budget. The pool area was a bit disappointing as there is no shelter and its really windy and cold. The hot tub was out of order all but one day of our stay. I only saw the fire pit operating once as well. For a better experience, head over to Sapphire Falls where there is a huge heated pool with zero entry. Beware though over there when ordering food and drinks they add a greedy 18 % automatic gratuity to EVERYTHING. I ordered a can of beer (at the bar) and they handed me the can, a plastic cup and declared that 18% would be added. Its criminal! Nearby is also Cabana Bay hotel which has two fun pool areas. Bring your own tube for the lazy river. It is a bit of a hike though as there is no walkway to cross the road so you have to take the resort trails. Not much further you can access Royal Pacific Resort which has an excellent restaurant called Jake’s and a beautiful pool area. Its about a 20 minute walk to the parks or quick bus or boat ride. The buses were frequent at Aventura and waits were short. At Sapphire the boat service was frequent to the parks but heading home at night the line was very long and bus or walking are better options. Due to it being so easy to get around, staying at Aventura is great for being able to spend the morning at the parks, pool time in the afternoon and then head back in the evening to the parks. The only complaint in that aspect is why the heck Universal closes the parks so early. Disney has much longer hours. Maybe to force people to eat at the overpriced CityWalk restaurants. Be prepared to pay as much as $16 for a 6 oz glass of house wine. I’d recommend Aventura if you are looking for a slightly more upscale experience than the value properties. Its proximity to Sapphire Falls gives you the convenience of accessing he amenities while paying the lower price at Aventura. You don’t get express passes like you would with a premier hotel but if you stay long enough and plan your day for being in the park mornings and evenings, you won’t need them. Unfortunately the price point of Universal is such that we won’t be back but if you do want to save a few dollars, Aventura is a solid choice

We loved this hotel!!! If you’re looking for a more subdued, refined Universal hotel experience this is the hotel for you! We were immediately impressed with the sleek minimalist decor. Our room was spacious and comfortable. Everything had an ultra modern vibe. We loved the iPad controller. Customer service was excellent! Issues (our iPad wouldn’t charge) were followed up with promptly via text. We ordered extra blankets and pillows and got them so fast! We traveled as a family with a teen. Aventura is the perfect hotel for this demographic. We enjoyed the pool and the restaurants on site. The pizza was fantastic and the burgers at the rooftop patio were delicious. The added bonus of being able to see the fireworks at Disney from the rooftop patio AND from the comfort of our beds was the icing on the cake! We also enjoyed taking the water taxi over to City Walk and the parks. The water taxi is easily accessible through the hotel next door. The only thing these rooms lacked was a place to hang things. There was ample closet space for clothes but we had to get inventive as to where to hang towels. A towel bar near or hooks (there was only one) would be a great addition. There are no doors (the bathroom door is a pocket door) so over the door hangers will not work. Given the chance we’d go back in a heartbeat!! Outstanding quality and value for the price!

It was okay for a reasonably priced hotel for families within universal. Unfortunately our bathroom had a faulty toilet so it kept blocking every single day even when flushing with water alone. Complained five times during our stay and they just kept sending someone up to "sort it" but it was just a temporary fix. Nothing was offered to compensate for this long term issue as we were there for a week.