Universal's Aventura Hotel

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 Read less

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! Read less

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. Read less

We just arrived home! Our stay at Aventura was very good. Geena at the lobby bar was super nice and helpful, we enjoyed hanging out there and chatting with her. She was also super sweet to our kids. The food in the hotel was decent, we ate several times in the food court area. The pizza was really yummy, they had Gelato and there was a grill and asian food. Asian food was really good! Lots of snack options there. We were sad that there weren't any treats like cake pops/cupcakes, but realized we could get that nearby at Sapphire Falls. On the 17th floor there's a bar/restaurant where you can watch the Disney fireworks, which was so exciting for us! The room was clean and kept up well, housekeeping was great. Beds were a little firm, but fine. We could see the volcano at the waterpark from our room which was fun. Pool was okay, we only used it once. We found out that you can use pools at Cabana Bay and Sapphire Falls (both in walking distance) and we used the Sapphire Falls pool more, as they had sand and we liked the environment better. Staff was friendly and helpful throughout the hotel. They had movies in the evening by the food court. Parking was close by. City Walk and Universal theme parks are so close. The bus system was very good, and we could also use the boat that went to Sapphire Falls. Overall, I'd recommend this hotel. Read less

This hotel is pretty amazing! The hotel is beautiful and clean, the rooms are comfortable, and the location cannot be beat. You can either take the shuttle bus or the ferry next door at the sister hotel, which is about a 5-10 min. walk. Even my local Orlando friends were amazed at how great the hotel was when they visited. I would definitely stay here again given the location, the cost, and the quality of the hotel. Read less