With the announcement of the Helios Grand Hotel, Universal Orlando re-sorted all their hotels into three new tiers – Signature, Prime Value, and Inns & Suites. This article will cover each of the new tiers, which hotels are in each tier, and help you determine which hotel category is for you.

Universal Orlando offers seven on-site hotels priced from $100 to over $600 per night. Universal’s advertised pricing on their website is based on a four-night stay; the longer you stay on the property the bigger the per-night discount.

Universal’s hotels are operated by Loews Hotels, a luxury hotel company with hotels around the country. Universal’s properties are modern, clean, well-lit, and feature on-site security. Speaking of safety, all hotels have automatically locking side doors, monitored front entrances, room safes, and locked gated access to hotel amenities.

Just like at Walt Disney World, Universal Orlando’s hotels come with hotel and theme park benefits. All on-site hotels include the following:

• Early Park Admission
• Resort-wide complimentary transportation – bus, boat (where available), and a hotel-to-hotel shuttle
• Room key charging around the resorts and theme parks
• Club-t0-club access at CityWalk
• Resort-wide package delivery to the hotel
• On-site dining
• Pools and pool bars
• Fitness Centers (yes, even at the Value hotels)
• Game Rooms
• Universal Studio Stores with resort merchandise

Signature Collection

The Signature Collection of hotels comprises Universal Orlando’s most luxurious resorts with resort-style amenities for their guests. All Signature hotels have large pools, full-service dining, lobby bars, deluxe textiles, and superior room soundproofing. There are five Signature hotels: Portofino Bay Resort, Royal Pacific Resort, Hard Rock Hotel, Sapphire Falls Resort, and Helios Grand Hotel.

The best perk of staying at select Signature Collection hotels is complimentary Universal Express Pass Unlimited to Universal Studios Florida and Islands of Adventure for each person in your room on each day of your stay. We consider this perk one of the best benefits of staying at Universal and worth at least one stay. The hotels that include complimentary Express Pass are Portofino Bay, Hard Rock, and Royal Pacific.

Signature Collection regular season rack rates start from $325 per night plus tax at Sapphire Falls to $618 per night plus tax at Portofino Bay. Be warned, prices can skyrocket during the busy seasons with rates over $800 per night for the hotels that offer Express Pass.

Prime Value

Prime Value hotels stand in the middle of Universal’s hotel offerings by offering upgraded amenities and furnishings in modern settings without breaking the budget. There are three Prime Value hotels – Aventura Hotel, Stella Nova Resort, and Terra Luna Resort. These three hotels are modern and sleek with lobby lounges, high-end quick service dining, and room quality on par with a Marriott. While not as upscale as the Signature Collection hotels the Prime Value hotels are still an appropriate choice for couples and families with older children. Rack rates for Prime Value hotels begin at $220 for the regular season and up to $450 a night during the holidays.

Value Inns & Suites

Universal’s final hotel category is anything but cheap – Univesal’s Value Inns & Suites offer single room and family suite options at an affordable price with all the resort amenities you’d expect from a Universal hotel. There are three Value Inns & Suites – Universal’s Cabana Bay Beach Resort is a highly themed resort modeled after the mid-mod seaside hotels of the 1960s while Universal’s Endless Summer Surfside and Dockside are partner resorts with a loose surf and beach theme. Despite rooms starting at $99 during the value season these resorts still offer onsite amenities like Starbucks stores in the lobby, quick service dining, room delivery pizza, staffed pools, pool bars, fitness centers, arcades, and Univesral Orlando gift shops. Phew!

What is your favorite Universal Orlando hotel? Leave your favs in the comments below!