I spent $100 a night at Universal Orlando's Aventura Hotel. It was nicer than some luxury Disney resorts and close to the parks.

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Carly CaramannaNov 10, 2022, 19:44 IST
I spent $100 a night at Universal Orlando's Aventura Hotel. It was nicer than some luxury Disney resorts and close to the parks.

I stayed at Aventura Hotel on recent trip to Orlando.Carly Caramanna

  • I'm a theme-park journalist who's stayed at Universal Orlando's Aventura Hotel 12 times.
  • It's a lower-tier prime-value resort, but it felt as nice as Disney's moderate or deluxe hotels.
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I recently stayed at Aventura Hotel, one of Universal Orlando's prime-value resorts.

I recently stayed at Aventura Hotel, one of Universal Orlando's prime-value resorts.
The exterior of Aventura was sleek and modern.Carly Caramanna

I visit Orlando monthly and stop at both Universal Orlando Resort and Walt Disney World Resort. On a recent visit, I reserved a stay at Universal's Aventura Hotel.

During the 12 times I've stayed there, I've found room rates between $90 and $100 per night. This time, I booked a room that was $100 per night with my annual-passholder discount.

Aventura Hotel is one of Universal Orlando's two prime-value resorts.

Aventura Hotel is one of Universal Orlando's two prime-value resorts.
I looked forward to spending the night at Aventura after a full day at the park.Carly Caramanna

Of Universal Orlando's eight resorts, Aventura Hotel and Cabana Bay Beach Resort are considered prime-value resorts, which is the second-tier category.

Rates in prime-value resorts include early admission to Universal's The Wizarding World of Harry Potter up to one hour before the park opens and complimentary transportation to the theme parks and CityWalk.

Aventura has no distinct theme, but the interior has a clean, modern look.

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On my most recent visit, I booked a standard room with two queen-sized beds.

On my most recent visit, I booked a standard room with two queen-sized beds.
My room had two queen-sized beds inside and plenty of natural light.Carly Caramanna

I booked a 314-square-foot standard room with two queen-sized beds.

The decor was extremely modern and sleek. In terms of themes, there wasn't much of one, but I didn't mind. The hotel was a serene and calm place to stay after long park days.

There was plenty of lighting, both natural and artificial, in my room.

There was plenty of lighting, both natural and artificial, in my room.
My room had a lot of light fixtures and a sitting area by the bed.Carly Caramanna

Thanks to the floor-to-ceiling windows, there was plenty of natural light coming into my room.

The view was also stunning. I was able to see Hogwarts Castle in The Wizarding World of Harry Potter and other parts of the theme park in the distance.

In the evening, there was plenty of lighting in my room, including a floor lamp and reading lamps by my bed.

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The 314-square-foot room felt quite spacious and had enough room to comfortably fit at least two travelers.

The 314-square-foot room felt quite spacious and had enough room to comfortably fit at least two travelers.
My room was modern and simple.Carly Caramanna

This room, with its closet and small sitting area, had ample space to share with another guest. I felt like it was set up and designed with functionality in mind.

The large number of outlets and USB ports made it possible to charge all of my devices at the same time.

The large number of outlets and USB ports made it possible to charge all of my devices at the same time.
My room had a charging station and speaker.Carly Caramanna

A common problem I encounter when I travel is not having enough space to charge all of my devices.

At Aventura Hotel, my room was well-equipped with many standard electrical outlets and USB ports that I could use to charge my phone, laptop, and portable fan.

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I also appreciated the bathroom layout, which had a separate vanity and bath area.

I also appreciated the bathroom layout, which had a separate vanity and bath area.
The bathroom had plenty of space for travelers.Carly Caramanna

The room's bathroom had separate bath and vanity areas, making it easy to share the space.

The sink and mirror were conveniently located outside of the bath area, so one person could get ready there, while another person could occupy the private shower area.

My room featured a complimentary coffee bar.

My room featured a complimentary coffee bar.
The in-room coffee station was a nice touch.Carly Caramanna

I liked that my room had a complimentary coffee bar inside. However, I opted not to use it since there was a full-service coffee shop downstairs.

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The number of food and drink options was staggering for a prime-value resort.

The number of food and drink options was staggering for a prime-value resort.
Bar Ventura was in the lobby.Carly Caramanna

As a frequent guest at Walt Disney World Resort, I've learned that its value resorts typically only have one quick-service dining option. It's usually something very standard, like hot dogs and hamburgers.

Aventura Hotel had Bar Ventura, a lobby bar; Bar Sol, a pool bar; Bar 17 Bistro, a rooftop restaurant; and Urban Pantry, a food hall.

Aventura Hotel also had a full-service coffee shop where I stopped every morning before heading into the park.

Aventura Hotel also had a full-service coffee shop where I stopped every morning before heading into the park.
The hotel had a Starbucks in the lobby.Carly Caramanna

I was impressed that Aventura Hotel had its own full-service Starbucks, which isn't common at theme-park resorts.

The convenient location made it a breeze to grab coffee in the morning on the way to the parks.

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Urban Pantry was a high-end, quick-service food hall.

Urban Pantry was a high-end, quick-service food hall.
Aventura Hotel had a sushi bar, which isn't common for a prime-value property.Carly Caramanna

Located off of the main lobby, Urban Pantry was a high-end, quick-service food hall. Open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, Urban Pantry was a convenient option to have right in our hotel.

There were multiple food stations, including a wok noodle bar, sushi bar, burger station, and pizzeria. All of it was made fresh upon ordering.

During our stay, we enjoyed an Asian-inspired noodle bowl, a personal-sized Margherita pizza, and wine by the carafe. There was also plenty of seating.

Bar 17 Bistro was the hotel's impressive rooftop bar.

Bar 17 Bistro was the hotel's impressive rooftop bar.
The potatoes at Bar 17 Bistro were divine.Carly Caramanna

I was surprised that a prime-value resort would have a rooftop bar and restaurant and quickly found that Bar 17 Bistro was the perfect place to take a break from the parks.

With a bright and open feel, Bar 17 Bistro reminded me of a lively rooftop bar in Miami. I enjoyed the lovely breeze and took in the sweeping views of many of Orlando's main sights. Later in the evening, a DJ performed.

I enjoyed an excellent martini and loved the crispy fingerling potatoes with whipped crème fraîche and garlic duck fat.

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Aventura Hotel was also home to an expansive pool area.

Aventura Hotel was also home to an expansive pool area.
The pool area was very relaxing and calm.Carly Caramanna

After staying at all eight of Universal Orlando's resorts, I found the pool at Aventura Hotel to be one of my favorites because it was quieter and calmer than most others. Plus the main pool had underwater music speakers, which was a unique feature.

The expansive outdoor area also featured a kid-friendly Splash Zone, a bar, a gaming area, and a fire pit.

One of the coolest parts of the visit was meeting Relay, the hotel's resident robot.

One of the coolest parts of the visit was meeting Relay, the hotel's resident robot.
Relay, a mobile robot, delivered small items to my room.Carly Caramanna

Aventura Hotel used a robot named Relay to run simple errands, like bringing toothpaste or shampoo to guests' rooms.

On my visit, Relay was hanging out in the lobby telling jokes to guests and stopping for selfies with them.

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Shuttles to the parks were complimentary, but guests could also walk there along a scenic garden path.

Shuttles to the parks were complimentary, but guests could also walk there along a scenic garden path.
I preferred to take the walking path from Aventura Hotel to the parks.Carly Caramanna

Complimentary transportation to the theme parks and CityWalk was included in the price of my stay at Aventura Hotel.

Guests could take a shuttle bus, board a neighboring water taxi, or walk along a garden path, the latter of which was my preferred method.

The walk took about 15 minutes each way and offered great views of the property and other resorts.

There was also a dedicated walking path to Universal's Volcano Bay, a tropical-themed water park.

Aventura Hotel felt like a reasonably priced full-scale resort.

Aventura Hotel felt like a reasonably priced full-scale resort.
The pool had amazing views of the hotel and surrounding areas.Carly Caramanna

I felt like I got an incredible value at Aventura Hotel since it was, in my opinion, a full-scale resort priced as a budget resort.

The overall vibe was chill, and thanks to all the common spaces, the property never seemed too loud or crowded.

Aventura Hotel was the perfect place to relax after a day at the parks, and I wanted to spend time exploring its pool and rooftop bar throughout my trip.

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Aventura Hotel felt comparable in quality to Disney's moderate or deluxe resorts, and I'll stay there even if I'm going to Disney parks.

Aventura Hotel felt comparable in quality to Disney's moderate or deluxe resorts, and I'll stay there even if I'm going to Disney parks.
The rooftop bar was very elegant and offered delicious cocktails.Carly Caramanna

Aventura Hotel outshines Disney World's value resorts, like Pop Century Resort and All-Star Movies Resort.

Because of the resort's relaxing environment and amenities, it felt more comparable to Disney's moderate or deluxe resorts, which tend to be more expensive. Plus the hotel is less than 20 minutes away from Disney World.

Considering most Disney resorts don't have coffee shops or full-service restaurants, I prefer to stay at Universal's Aventura Hotel, even when I'm visiting Disney Parks.

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