Loews Royal Pacific Resort Review: Is It Worth It in 2026?
Loews Royal Pacific Resort is one of Universal Orlando’s most popular hotels, but it’s also one of the most expensive. When we booked our stay, we weren’t really paying for a hotel room. We were paying for time.
With just two days available to experience Universal Studios Florida and Islands of Adventure, we wanted the best chance of seeing as much as possible with two children in tow. The included Universal Express Unlimited passes were the deciding factor and, at the time, they completely changed the maths of the trip.
Since then, Universal Orlando has changed significantly. Epic Universe has opened, Stella Nova and Terra Luna have arrived, and there are now more choices than ever for families planning a Universal holiday. So, would we still recommend Royal Pacific today? The answer is yes, but probably not for the reason many people expect.
If you’re planning to make full use of the included Express Unlimited passes and want to be within walking distance of Universal Studios Florida, Islands of Adventure and CityWalk, Royal Pacific remains one of the easiest Universal hotels to recommend.
If Express Unlimited isn’t important to your trip, there are now several hotels that offer significantly better value for money.
Before deciding where to stay, it may also be worth reading our guide to Universal Express Pass and whether it’s actually worth the cost.
Universal Globe, Universal Studios, Florida.
Why We Chose Loews Royal Pacific
When we booked this trip, our goal was simple. We wanted to cover Universal Studios Florida and Islands of Adventure in two days without spending half the holiday standing in queues.
At the time, Universal had three deluxe hotels:
Loews Royal Pacific Resort
Hard Rock Hotel
Loews Portofino Bay Hotel
All three included Universal Express Unlimited, which allows guests to use shorter queues on most attractions at Universal Studios Florida and Islands of Adventure.
For a family of four visiting during the UK summer holidays, buying Express Pass separately can become extremely expensive. By staying at Royal Pacific, we received four Express Unlimited passes across two park days alongside our hotel stay.
We booked a standard room with two queen beds for one night during August and paid approximately $668 on a room-only basis. Park tickets were purchased separately. At the time, that felt like good value when compared with buying Express Passes individually.
Why We Chose Royal Pacific Over Hard Rock and Portofino Bay
This decision largely came down to reviews. At the time we booked, Hard Rock Hotel was receiving a number of negative reviews that mentioned poor service and cleanliness issues. Whether those reviews were completely representative or not, they were enough to put us off.
Interestingly, while speaking to other guests during our Universal trip, several people shared experiences that suggested some of those concerns weren’t entirely isolated.
Loews Portofino Bay looked beautiful and the reviews were generally positive, but it simply didn’t appeal to us in the same way. The styling felt more formal and the rooms looked fairly plain compared with Royal Pacific.
Royal Pacific seemed to sit comfortably in the middle. The reviews were strong, the location was excellent and the overall design felt more relaxed and family-friendly. Most importantly, it gave us easy access to the parks.
Guests can either walk to Universal Studios Florida and Islands of Adventure or use the water taxis. During our stay we used both and found each option convenient.
First Impressions and Check-In
This was probably the weakest part of the entire experience. Having stayed at Disney hotels previously, we arrived expecting a similar level of service. Unfortunately, that wasn’t our experience.
We arrived before park opening so that we could collect our room keys and begin using our Express Unlimited passes immediately. Reception felt chaotic, with multiple queues and what appeared to be too few staff members managing arrivals.
After eventually reaching the desk, we had to remind staff to issue our room keys, which also served as our Express Unlimited passes. We then joined another queue to store our luggage before heading to the parks. We were told we’d receive a text message once our room was ready but that text never arrived.
After a full day in the parks, we returned to the hotel and joined another reception queue, only to be told a message had already been sent. It hadn’t, and after a further wait we were eventually given our room number.
None of these issues ruined the holiday, but for a deluxe hotel charging premium prices, the arrival experience felt underwhelming.
It’s worth noting that since this stay we’ve also stayed at Stella Nova and found the service significantly better. Whether that’s because Universal and Loews have improved operations since our visit, we can’t say for certain, but it’s a noticeable comparison.
The Room
Fortunately, the room itself was much more impressive. We were allocated Room 1514 overlooking the pool and immediately liked the design.
The room felt bright, modern and well-maintained, with subtle tropical theming that fitted perfectly with the overall feel of the resort. Even now, years later, we still remember the large floral feature wall and the overall styling of the room, which probably tells you everything you need to know about the impression it made.
The two queen beds were comfortable, the linen was spotless and the room felt genuinely premium without becoming overly formal. The bathroom was equally impressive. It was bright, clean and modern with good-quality toiletries and plenty of space for a short stay.
In reality, we spent very little time in the room because we were focused on maximising our park time, but whenever we returned it felt like a pleasant place to relax and recharge.
The only aspect we weren’t particularly keen on was the lack of fresh air. Like many Orlando hotels, the room relied entirely on air conditioning and there was no option to open a window. That’s a personal preference rather than a criticism, but it’s something we always notice.
Room 1514, Loews Royal Pacific hotel - Pool view.
Location and Transport
One of Royal Pacific’s biggest strengths is its location. Being able to walk to Universal Studios Florida, Islands of Adventure and CityWalk is a genuine advantage, particularly when compared with some of Universal’s more affordable hotels.
The security entrance along the walking route was also a pleasant surprise and often felt far less stressful than entering through the main CityWalk security checkpoints. For us, this convenience became one of the hotel’s biggest selling points.
When you’re trying to maximise a short Universal trip, every saved minute helps.
Is Royal Pacific Still Worth It Today?
This is where things become more interesting. When we originally stayed, the answer felt straightforward but today, there are more factors to consider; namely Epic.
If you’re planning a Universal Studios Florida and Islands of Adventure-focused trip and intend to use Express Unlimited extensively, Royal Pacific remains a very strong option. The included Express benefit, combined with the location and overall quality of the resort, can still make the numbers work surprisingly well for families. However, if Express Unlimited isn’t important to your plans, we’d struggle to justify the price.
Hotels such as Stella Nova, Terra Luna, Surfside Inn & Suites and Dockside Inn & Suites offer significantly better value for money. Likewise, if your trip is primarily focused on Epic Universe, the equation changes again because Royal Pacific’s included Express benefit doesn’t currently apply in the same way.
That’s why we now see Royal Pacific as a very specific recommendation rather than a universal one. It’s excellent for the right trip. It’s not automatically the best choice for every Universal holiday.
Check-Out and Bag Storage
On departure day we checked out early because our priority was rope dropping Hagrid’s Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure.
Check-out was much smoother than check-in and we were able to store our luggage securely while spending another full day in the parks. This allowed us to continue making use of our Express Unlimited passes without dragging bags around Universal Orlando. For a one-night stay, this flexibility was particularly useful.
Would We Stay Again?
Yes, but with one important condition. We would stay at Royal Pacific again if the included Express Unlimited passes represented good value compared with buying them separately. Without Express Unlimited, we probably wouldn’t choose it.
The hotel is attractive, the rooms are comfortable and the location is excellent, but those factors alone wouldn’t justify the premium price for us. The included Express benefit is what makes Royal Pacific special.
For shorter Universal-focused trips, particularly those centred around Universal Studios Florida and Islands of Adventure, we’d happily consider staying again.
For longer stays, value-focused holidays or trips centred around Epic Universe, we’d be much more likely to look at Stella Nova, Terra Luna, Surfside or Dockside instead.
Ultimately, Royal Pacific isn’t the best Universal hotel because of its rooms or restaurants.
It’s one of the best because it helps you spend less time queueing and more time enjoying the parks. For many families, that’s exactly what makes it worth considering.