Loews Royal Pacific Resort is one of Universal Orlando’s premium resorts, and, it is located very close to CityWalk and the theme parks - some will say it’s a perfect luxury theme-park hotel.
It is a strong resort in its own right too, and it is also ideal for guests who plan to prioritise the theme parks - especially thanks to the #1 perk, ‘free’ Universal Express passes for every guest in your party for every day of your stay.
The queue-skipping perk can really increase ‘the value’ of what is up-front an otherwise expensive resort.
Royal Pacific is many guest’s favourite theme park hotel, but, it is not for everyone.
Here, we take a closer look a look at the top features as well as potential drawbacks, and who it best suits.
Location, atmosphere, and queue-skipping
One of the biggest pros of Loews Royal Pacific Resort is its location. It is the closest of the resorts on the Garden Walk - the walkway that connects the Aventura, Sapphire Falls, and Royal Pacific resorts to Universal’s CityWalk.
The path emerges next to Jimmy Buffett’s Margaritaville restaurant, and from there, it is not far at all from the entrances of either the Islands of Adventure or Universal Studios theme parks. It means guests staying at Royal Pacific can quite easily zip between the comfort of the hotel and the bustle of the theme parks.
Guests who don’t fancy the walk can just as easily take the water taxi from the resort to CityWalk.
Not only is it easy to go to the two Universal parks, but once the resort’s guests are there, they can use the Express pass to massively cut wait times at the rides.
Royal Pacific is one of the pricier Universal Orlando resorts which can be priced between $600 and over $900 per night. But an Express Unlimited pass can cost up to $130 per person, per day (depending upon the time of year). So, the hotel perk can be a major sweetener for guests - especially families of four on shorter stays.
At the resort itself, Royal Pacific stands in its own right. If it wasn’t for the themed gift shop in the lobby or the theme park views from the bedrooms, guests could easily forget they’re so close to two of the world’s largest theme parks.
The resort is Pacific and ‘south seas’ inspired which brings to it a relaxed and lush vibe, extending to the restaurants and bars. Each of them is popular, as is the Starbucks and Tuk Tuk Market ‘grab-n-go’ food outlet in the hotel’s lobby.
Royal Pacific’s mix of high-energy theme park proximity and laid-back tropical vibes makes it unique among Orlando resorts.
Costs and crowds
While the resort offers incredibly popular benefits, there are some drawbacks.
The first and most obvious, Loews Royal Pacific is not cheap.
That's a really important consideration especially as many of Universal Orlando’s more budget-friendly options maintain a high standard of accommodation and have great facilities.
Guests mainly focused on the theme parks, or those who want to keep some budget for dining and other experiences, may want to instead look at some of the other Universal resort hotels which can be more affordable.
Another potential drawback for guests is that Royal Pacific is a popular - and some might say busy - resort, and whilst it is not overly crowded or noisy, it wouldn't be called a ‘tranquil retreat’ either.
The pool area and restaurants especially can be lively at peak seasons.
Who loves Loews Royal Pacific Resort?
Loews Royal Pacific is most popular with guests who want an exciting combo of Universal Orlando and a luxury resort.
The on-site amenities, like themed pools, game rooms, and dining options, are perfect for keeping the whole family entertained.
At the same time, the proximity of CityWalk and the parks means guests can come and go very quickly and easily.
Is Loews Royal Pacific the right for you?
Loews Royal Pacific Resort’s prime location and Express pass perk make it well worth the outlay for families and theme park enthusiasts, even if it is just for a short stay to skip those lines.
But, if you’re looking for a low-cost Universal Orlando stay, you might explore other options even if they are slightly further from the theme parks.
Hotels like Aventura, Cabana Bay, as well as Endless Summer Dockside and Surfside offer high-quality accommodation but for a lot lower price.
