We recently stayed at Loews Royal Pacific Resort; this was our first experience with a “Premier” hotel at Universal Orlando Resort, so we weren’t entirely certain what to expect. It did have several advantages but some of my experience wasn’t up to expectation. Let’s dive in and see what we thought of this hotel.
We stayed in a ‘Standard Room’ which was fine because we were able to get a great rate by booking well in advance of our trip. The earlier you can book the better, and also pay attention to specials and promotions that are running. The hotel was opened in 2002 and has undergone renovations since. This resort has 1000 rooms, most of which are standard rooms but does have a selection of higher end suites. Luckily, we booked early so we got a great rate, but this resort can be pricey. The standard room was nice enough, but definitely still feels more dated regardless of the refurbishments. Some of which includes the use of darker colors and furniture in the rooms which is due to the South Seas vibe that is the theme of the resort. They have added more outlets and USB outlets as well which definitely help though for our technology dependent way of life. The room itself was very clean though so first impressions were good, the only issues we encountered with the room were a couple of items that were broken, such as the glass on the front of the nightstand was cracked and curtains that wouldn’t pull back all the way.
The grounds and public spaces were great! Unlike some of the newer hotels parking is just in a parking lot across the street instead of in a parking garage, but this felt easier to access when we needed something from the car. The grounds are immaculately well kept, and the lush vegetation on-site really made you feel secluded at a resort in the South Seas. The pool is massive, not as big or spacious as Sapphire Falls but still provides plenty of space for everyone to enjoy. With a property this size you hope that it flows well so you don’t feel like traversing the resort is a labor, but it seemed to include a lot of walking and felt cumbersome, nothing really seemed to be easy to get to. On the plus side, the lobby is magnificent and as soon as you walk in you’ll be hit with an amazing smell of Loews signature Bright Sunshine scent which puts you at ease almost immediately.
Now, obviously you’re going to want to visit the parks and Royal Pacific provides water taxis and bus transport to CityWalk, but you can also walk. It’s a great morning walk along the path as it’s shaded, scenic, and only a 10-minute walk. After a long day on your feet in the park though you may want to opt for the water taxi or bus. Oh, and with this one being a premier hotel you and your group that are staying at Royal Pacific receive Unlimited Express Passes for the parks for the duration of your stay including day of check in and check out.
Restaurants on site include the Orchid Court Lounge and Jake’s American Bar. We didn’t personally get the opportunity to try either of these because of HHN we were at the parks most of our trip. However, Orchid Court Lounge has a selection of sushi, sashimi, salads and adult beverages. It’s a beautiful lounge area with views overlooking the pool and grounds. Jake’s American Bar offers mostly American dishes but also has pizza, some seafood, and a great beer and cocktail menu.
So… our overall thoughts on Loews Royal Pacific Resort are as follows:
Pros:
Great resort close to the parks.
Unlimited Express Passes included.
Plenty of room and suite choices
Different on-site food options
Great customer service (All Loews hotels have great service in my opinion)
Cons:
Can be expensive.
Seems dated in some of the rooms.
Very expansive property, lots of walking
This is a great resort to check out if you’re contemplating buying Express Passes for the park, take a look and see which way would be cheaper and if you want the feeling of a premium resort this is definitely one to look at!
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