Loews Sapphire Falls Resort at Universal Orlando

I would really struggle to fault this hotel! We had the best two weeks here!|The smell when you walk into the lobby is amazing, and the welcome from reception was lovely. The entrance area is really impressive. We were is guest tower 3 with a lagoon view and it was perfection. We had a great view of the water ways, and the parks from our bed!|The room was large and really clean. Nice vanity area and shower, with full size shampoo and condition which were a welcomed bonus!|It has a deli - the Dutch Trading company that does snacks, hot and cold foods and amazing iced coffees. The cookies were also delicious...I think we had one everyday! They also do lovely ice cream. We bought the resort mugs and these were definitely worth the 19 dollars for a two week stay. We also ate at The Strong Water tavern for food. It was more expesive but a lovely treat. The best food for us was from the Dhrum Club. We ordered food whilst enjoying the pool most days and it was really delicious and was brought to your sunbed which was bliss. |The water taxi to the parks were so quick and easy, and such a lovely way to travel. |You could also walk to the prks in about 15 minutes along the path. |We usually stay at Cabana Bay, and obviously Sapphire Falls is more expensive but I do think its worth the extra cost. Everything was wonderful and cant wait to come back!

We live in Florida and frequent the parks monthly. This was our first time staying at this on site hotel, and we were beyond impressed. The room was clean and well maintained and had an incredible view. Using the water taxi from the hotel to the park is one of my favorite things about staying on site. While here we ate at Amatista for breakfast, we did the buffet and everything was so good. I also used the fitness center while we were there and there were quite a few machines and plenty of equipment for everyone there. Overall, we were very pleased with our stay here and would definitely return!

Unfortunately, while we enjoyed our stay and have a wonderful time at Universal, a gentlemen employee working the front desk has made dealing with trying to resolve a billing issue a bit salty and difficult. The short version is this; we were told by the employee checking us in that he was GIVING us an upgrade to the pool view room since it was available and that there would be no additional charge for the room other than incidentals. We did not request a pool view, nor did we insist on being assigned to an already available room when we were checking in. Most importantly we did not agree to pay for a pool view room. We would later find out that we were in fact charged for a pool view room. When we asked about in initially, they told us (and yes, this part is our fault) that “don’t worry about it” we will fix it, and it will come off. Well, as you can guess by the fact that reading this review, they never resolved it and now it’s been weeks, and we are dealing with fighting with our cc company etc. My wife and I are flexible, and we don’t like confrontations and in fact, if it had been an extra couple of hundred, I may have shrugged it off as a lesson learned. The result of the overcharge and misinformation by the front desk gentleman was an extra $2500. Yes, $2500. This is unacceptable and unreasonable. We absolutely would NOT have changed our original room configuration and had any staff member at any time during our check-in process even hint that the room would be extra. The extra charge was not even the going rate available should we have chosen to simply book an extra room and sleep in the kid’s suite. At this point, we were completely and intentionally misled by your resort as to the refund process, and the additional cost we would incur. This was clearly false advertising intended to mislead and not the behavior we would expect of a resort associated with Universal studios.

Absolutely beautiful hotel. Rooms are well appointed and very comfortable. We booked for our anniversary weekend and they had champagne waiting in the room. The restaurants on-site were top notch with great service. This is a newer hotel and it has a fantastic lagoon pool, game room and gym that are great. The water taxi is a perfect way to get to City Walk quickly. Can't say enough good things about our stay other than it's plenty worth the cost.

Wonderful hotel. Affordable for how close to the parks it is. Full service so we didn't have to carry our bags. Staff was all wonderful. The pool looked incredible but it was too cold to swim. Good amount of restaurants with good food and of course only a 15 minute walk to City Walk and Universal plus a ferry ride as well. I highly recommend taking the ferry to City Walk at least once. It's an incredible experience. We plan on coming back here and will recommend it to anyone who asks.

Stayed here for a quick trip to Universal and it was very nice! We stayed in the Sapphire Suite and had an incredible time. The suite was very large and had everything needed. Comfortable couch, comfortable bed, and the dining table was perfect to have as well. Two bathrooms was a huge perk as well. The resort is very clean and every staff member I interacted with was friendly and welcoming. The location is excellent as well! Only a ~15 minute walk to city walk and the parks along a very nice walkway or a quick 5 minute boat ride on the water taxi is all it takes to get from the resort to all the shops and restaurants. This will definitely be my first choice next time I come to Universal!

We had an excellent stay over the Christmas holiday. We brought our dog and we were all made to feel at home. Very convenient and large dog walking grass area close to room. Beautiful facilities and grounds. Great food at the restaurant. Loved the ease of taking the boat from the hotel dock to City walk. Overall a great vacation. Highly recommend especially if you are bringing your pet.

I tried not to think too critically, but this place wore me down... Our sheets had holes in them. There was hair left in the shower. There are no exits other than trekking a quarter mile walk back from your wing to the lobby. I love that it's dog-friendly, but listening to abandoned dogs bark from nearby rooms isn't relaxing. The room size and amenities were equivalent to a cheaper hotel, but I understand the shuttles & location of Universal being the highlight. Still, don't expect enough space to set your toiletries on the edge of the sink, or to be able to freely walk between the bed and tv. My breaking point was the charges... It's been a week and I'm still waiting for them to correct them all. I was over-charged $1100 for my stay before I caught on and said something. They were actively still trying to charge my card again when I noticed. A lot of the charges were duplicate charges, but some they couldn't even explain why they'd run my card for that amount or that many times. On a positive note: the staff was super friendly, the pool and hot tub were huge and clean, the restaurants and their service were great, and lines for the water taxi were quick and easy.

I'm a Universal Orlando Annual Passholder (UOAP), and this was my first time staying at Sapphire Resort. Previously, I stayed at Surfside on my last visit to a Universal property. I thought Sapphire Resort was a significant upgrade from Surfside and Dockside. It felt more upscale and stylish for the price. Check-in was easy, but their policy does not allow you to bring your bags to your room. During check-in, Private from the Penguins of Madagascar welcomed guests and interacted with them, which was a nice touch. The room was pleasant for a Universal hotel. While it wasn't the most luxurious room I've ever stayed in, it was clear that the resort and its rooms receive a lot of use. I did find a small spot on our bed's comforter, but aside from that, there were no issues. The resort features a kitchen that stays open late, a gift shop, a sports bar, and buffet-style restaurants downstairs. One of the highlights of staying here is the boats that transport you to and from the parks. However, I found them to be a bit slow, so I would recommend walking (about 10 minutes) or taking the buses on busy days. I also appreciated that the pool remained open past 10 PM. Since I often don't return to my room until later, I usually miss out on pool time. Thanks to the extended hours, I could enjoy a swim before settling in for the night.

This was a really great hotel to stay at. The person who checked us in name was Christopher. He was very welcoming and accommodating... it's a very big hotel so he explained the directions to our room very well. Elevator situation seems to be confusing because there's so many and you can't really tell where they lead. The room was clean and bright. The TV had a lot of channels. The room we opted for was a pool view. The beds were extremely comfortable. I slept like a baby. I also enjoy being able to take the boat to the park. It wasn't much waiting for the boat on the way to the park, but when we were leaving, which was at the end of the night when the park was closing, the lines did get really long and I believe two boats were coming at a time. Overall, I had a great experience and probably would stay here again.

This resort is very nice and is pretty clean. The little to go market has awesome breakfast foods to go. There is a big pool with a lot of chairs but expensive cabanas. Here are my negatives 1) the pool is freezing- they do not seem to have a heater working 2) the restaurants have horrible food 3) the service is not the best and not accommodating 4) the pool has no one cleaning up or picking up towels or really helping with much 5) the trash cans are very stinky bc of animals and don't really get dumped 6) they charge you 35$ a day for a rollaway bed even tho you pay more for a better view and two queens 7) the worst part is the shuttles they have no schedule or no idea when they show and they don't The ferry TAKES FOREVER it's always so overcrowded and only have one going so it just took over an hour to get to city walk. 8) there are no good signs showing you where to go around the hotel and no explanation 9) the servers at the restaurants seem angry and just don't care 10) the decor could use some work it's basic and nothing great. 11) they have a game room but nothing works and it just takes your money 12) when you call the front desk or concierge they aren't very nice or even helpful

This resort is enormous. I drove there following Google maps and just like many many others we were directed to exit and make the next left. Due to Google maps they need a permanent person to redirect here. I parked into self parking. I was very close to the hotel. The hotel looks very large beautiful and modern. All the rooms have 2 queen beds. The rooms are not very spacious for the rest but it's modern and clean. The water resort was nice and has slides. Front desk was suuuuper friendly and went out of their way helping me with getting out of the parking garage when there was an issue. Very nice hotel! But not cheap to park or valet!

This was our first visit to Sapphire Falls, check in was easy and registration personnel very pleasant. The resort is large and the rooms very nice. Ours was overlooking the lake area where the boat launch is. The beds were extremely comfortable and the rooms seemed pretty sound proof. The water pressure was great. We grabbed a pizza (it included 2 fountain beverages) at New Dutch Trading Company which was surprisingly really good and reasonably priced. I look forward to staying again in the future.

This is my family's favorite place to stay when we go to Universal Studios Florida. Since I work for Comcast they give us four tickets to the park every year and discount for the hotels. This year was as good as it's been. Until we found ants in the room. They spayed and the ants are back. I'm thinking they didn't spray or did a crappy job. Speaking of crappy jobs. Housekeeping was not great. We asked for a cot and they gave us one with no blanket or pillow. They said they cleaned the room, but they never emptied the trash under the sink. They never took the dirty cups in the sink from two days ago. There is nothing here to clean the glasses ourselves. The staff has been great like they always have plus we had great weather. Still our favorite hotel and as long as Comcast keeps giving us tickets we will be back.

Excellent place to stay. The rooms are beautifully decorated large and very clean and despite being a massive hotel the housekeeping comes multiple times a day. Almost everytime I left I came back to freshly made beds restocked towels and small details that just felt really attentive. The lobby is absolutely gorgeous and all of the restaurants on site are delicious. The lobby actually smells amazing too. There is also a huge conference area so it is one of the best places to come for work and one of the best places to come for play. The strong water tavern is tapas style and is a bit cheaper than the restaurant on the bottom floor. It is also a bit more casual brew pub style. There is also a grab and go shop with sandwiches and deli items as well as snacks. The bottom floor of the hotel has an upscale Latin restaurant and the breakfast and dinner is knockout. There is a food option for every budget but the two restaurants are a bit more so if you want cheaper you might need to deliver or settle for a sandwich. The universal store on the main level is also pretty pricey but has a good selection. The pool is INCREDIBLE! There is a lagoon that turns into the pool and the pool has multiple cabanas, a beachside bar, a beach area with sand, and a "sandbar" wading area. Because the lagoon goes right up to the pool the ducks came and swam in the pool with us which was so cute. There are multiple lifeguards on duty and the pool is so massive that even when it's busy there's plenty of space. The water ferry to city walk is amazing, highly recommend you take it and check out the restaurants and shops. The ferry feels like it's own ride. The hotel also offers an hour early admission to the theme parks as well as exclusive passes only available to guests which is nice. I will say that this hotel is one of the only universal hotels that doesn't offer a complimentary fast pass experience, but I know portofino and pacific both do. Overall it didn't make a huge difference since we went to the park in February in the off season but let me tell you... it was still busy. It may be worth getting a fast pass if you stay here. Overall I was so devastated to go home. My only drawback was the tv situation was honestly pretty bad. Just expect standard cable, there is no apple play or any kind of streaming app hookup as far as i could tell which feels antiquated for a hotel of this magnitude. But otherwise everything else was 10/10 I would love to come back it was one of the best stays ever.

Fantastic experience! room service was excellent, food was great, and staff was very friendly and accommodating. Had a wonderful time staying here! Only thing that would've been better was more signs for how to walk from the resort to Universal. Ended up taking the water taxi which was still very convenient and easier to scope out.

LOVED IT. So we stayed at three different hotels on this trip. One being here, one being a Holiday Inn and one being the Grand Floridian. This was hands-down my favorite. Staff is incredibly friendly; the boat to Universal is very efficient and simple; and the property is quite lovely. This is not the most expensive Universal resort property, but it certainly felt like it was in a higher class than some of Disney's top-tier level resorts. We especially enjoyed the Old Fashioneds at the Amatista Cookhouse downstairs before getting on the boat to head to our private event at Universal that evening. Everything there went very smooth and I hope I get to go back again. (The portion of our stay at Disney's premier resort had a lot more bumps and for the price we paid, we got WAYYYYYY more value and enjoyment out of our stay at Sapphire Falls.) The bed in the room was comfortable and I found it to be quiet and easy to relax there after a long day.

This was our second trip to Universal and stay at Loews. After the first time, we decided to bring our (adult) children and their children and this was a great choice for us. We had absolutely not problems at all. We were quickly checked in, the front desk, universal desk, concierge and luggage hold employees were all friendly and competent. I did not know they allowed dogs, and I don't think I would like to stay in a room that a dog had stayed in just due to allergies, but they were quiet so we had no problems. Most of the boat drivers were nice, one seemed angry but since the trip is so quick it wasn't that big of a deal. The pool is beautiful and we enjoyed it immensely. The slide is fun and the pool was clean. If we return to Universal, we will be staying here.

This is a great hotel choice when you're on vacation and you wanna go to Universal it's close within a 15 minute walk or you can take the water taxis for free. The rooms are pretty nice. The staff is all really nice and the amenities in the hotel are pretty good the convenience store the restaurant the arcade the pool area , the in hotel bar is really good as well. , and room service . everything we tried was really good, I would definitely stay this hotel again when I come back to visit

Absolutely beautiful hotel, fresh and clean. Everyone was very nice and professional. Loved our room, loved the view, especially at night when everything lights up. Appreciate the frequency of the water taxi that takes us to Universal City Walk. My reservation with not giving 5 stars is because this hotel is the ONLY one in the resort that does not offer express passes to the theme parks. For the price of the stay, it should be included.

This hotel has really slid in quality. I was shocked at our experience. The rooms were dusty in the carpets even though I specifically noted we had allergies in my reservation. The sheets were itchy and it seems part of the problem is the bed covers that are dirty and have obvious marks from not being cleaned or washed. The walls have this crazy knocking noise when someone is showering in another room that woke up everyone in the middle of the night multiple times. The rooms are not cheap either, we paid over $500 for two nights. As someone who has been to Universal properties multiple times it was really not up to my standard and certainly not worth the money. The rest of my vacation is booked at Dockside and it is 10x better. I don't remember this hotel allowing dogs, but since they do now they really need to CLEAN more. The pool was closed multiple times due to bad weather so we couldn't really enjoy the pool that much. 18% gratuity is included at the pool automatically so be aware of that. It was extremely crowded and I'm not sure so many people were hotel guests because people were standing around the gates for people to let them in without keycards. The guy who was checking us in did not know how to run the payment platform when we wanted to split our payments and also did not successfully activate are key cards for parking so we had to use the call box every time we wanted to enter or leave the property. We tried to get the problem resolved at concierge but the problem persisted during our entire visit. There was black dust coming out of the a/c unit by the way (clearly not cleaned) and also noticeable marks and stains on the walls and on the sheets. Just unacceptable for this price. The toilet would not flush and we had to put in a ticket to fix it. Our iron was broken and we had to call to get it replaced. The TV barely worked and they didn't have any apps or the ability to login to streaming services. The remote was non-responsive. Just a terrible TV trapped in the 1990s. The coffeeshop is awful. We ended up walking over to Starbucks at Aventura daily because it was that bad. Horrible Americano for $7 (yikes) and staff who clearly didn't want to be there. The only plus was the boat to City Walk...but that was it. I will not stay there again and I do not recommend Sapphire Falls. This hotel needs to either be renovated or demolished.

VERY good service! Called on Christmas morning for a last minute reservation and the person was so helpful, checkin was smooth and the front desk helped us with everything from tickets to the parks to transport, all with a smile on their faces. I truly appreciated the staff who had to work through the holidays to make guests holidays special. The resort itself is gorgeous, we took the water taxi to and from the parks and it was seamless. Highly recommend this place!

I'm typically a gold elite Marriott Bonvoy member but left the jw to come here what an incredible resort! They're really here to cater to your vacation and family experience. The rooms are impeccable, pool was fantastic, food was great, extremely friendly staff. Convenient boats to go to universal and they run so frequently you're never waiting which was wonderful. Valet was very reasonable the property is just absolutely stunning

My family and I love this place! The staff were nice and rooms are always clean. There are so much to do at this resort and is such a great resort for young kids. The pool is huge with a waterslide and there are lifeguards everywhere. They have fun activities at the pool area daily, there are ping-pong tables, big screen TVs, arcade room, and sand to play around in. There is a restaurant called Strong Tavern and that place is amazing. Literally amazing. This is our third time staying here and although we like to try something else. For some reason, we always revert back to this resort. There is a water taxi that takes you from the resort to the parks without the unnecessary lines and crowd which is a total plus. The pool area is always open late hours until around 11 PM and they have a huge fire pit and they also sell s'mores kit. If you have a family with young children, This is the place you would like to go to, I definitely and highly recommend this resort

We stayed here for a week at the end of April 2023. I know people say, "Who cares where you sleep, you're barely in the room." I care, I want to sleep where it's clean, quiet and smells good. This place was awesome. We booked the room with an add on, two single beds in another room. We are a family of five. The room worked out amazingly for our family. I was so happy. One of our kids got very sick and we ended up staying in the room for 3 days. So it mattered that we were in a nice space. We bought the 5 day park hopper passes to Universal. Worth the money. The big kids could go to and from the park easily, and we didn't have to cram everything into 1 or 2 days. The water taxies are super convenient to the park. Sometimes we walked back or rode to the Portfino hotel next door because the taxi back was a long line. The pool was very nice, we went every day. There's a nice big hot tub, movies at night and the food at the pool was good. They have life jackets and very attentive life guards, like real adults, paying attention to the swimmers. Super diverse crowd of all races and nice normal families. We Uber'd from the airport was abt $45 bucks and didn't get a car. We didn't do the beach just hung around Universal and the hotel. Uber'd to the mall and they had amazing stores and deals. We ended up buying another bag to bring home all the fun stuff we found. We Instacarted groceries to the hotel there's a fridge but no microwave. Would stay at this property in a heartbeat but the other Universal hotels offer free fast passes, so if that's out there do that.....Hagrid's new ride was never less than 120 mins even getting there for early morning access.

This resort is awesome! First off, it always smells amazing...this is one of those places where they pump a scent into the air in the common areas. The decor is very cool...it has a modern lodge kind of feel to it. The access to City Walk is great as well, they have a water taxi that's a 5-7 minute ride, or a beautiful walking path. The rooms are a really good and comfortable size, and they keep the place cool. The amenities are great too -- the pool is great (complete with a water slide and two bars), and the restaurant had great food and service. All in all, this is one of my favorite places I've ever stayed!

Been here 4 times because I love the Caribbean theme. Everything is good especially love the Strong Water Tavern. The only small complaint I have is about the pool maintenance. I always see the filters clogged with tree bark and duck feathers and nobody skimming the pool keeping things clean. All of the filters are clogged because I checked. Also I see kids spitting in the pool which I find gross but I guess that's on the parents but the lifeguards could just whistle a little warning once in a while.

Ok the first go around was ok but this second trip was much better. Still not a fan about having to pay for self parking.... $26 plus tax for parking each night.... But that's just me. This time we ate at the druhm club kantine. We sat at the bar! I started with a tropiguana which was strong. I remember last time the drinks were eh. Luckily this go around I got a great bartender ! The bf got the drhum club punch which was also good! The piña colada was my next choice but it was just alright. Nachos good! Chicken tenders great! The dinner was strong water tavern! Defintely wanna try it when you're there! The Mai Thai is strong! The food under little Havana was great! Still love the cafe by the gift shop! The premade sandwiches/wraps are good! The pepperoni pretzel and Mac & cheese is good! Next time I wanna try the breakfast there! Will go back! Nice hotel!

Had a pleasant stay at the clean and comfortable Sapphire Falls! I like how the Universal properties offer a "super star shuttle" service $39 round trip from airport to hotel and when it's time to go, a taxi gives you a lift to the airport. Upon arrival you enter a breezy atrium filled with plenty of seating and natural lighting. My flight came earlier than expected but the front desk was gracious enough to let me lounge by the pool with an amenity key. After a quick change in the bathrooms I went straight to the poolside bar (there's 2!) and kicked off the Halloweekend with a Mai Tai plus was grateful to see the water stations as a way to stay hydrated. The drink came to be around $20 bc they include a 18% gratuity fee so make sure your budget allows for that surprise! There's a cabana for towels where they have two types - one traditional towel and the other is the most perfect lounge chair towel that's extra long with a pocket that fits nicely over the top part plus is very fluffy. The hotel itself has several restaurants including a breakfast spot for quick morning coffee. There's a gym, arcade, and water taxi that leaves about every 15 minutes to the CityWalk area. The rooms were tastefully decorated and best of all - clean! Housekeeping did an incredible job as well with crisp sheets and towels well stocked. Overall the main highlights included the convenience of not having to drive to the park but rather using the water taxi, early admission to park by a hour, big pool with ample seating around it, fun water slide, hot tub, movie showings in the evening, and good variety of foods at the restaurants.

Liked: It's not a spread out as a Disney resort, so it's easier to get to all the restaurants, pools, and transportation. Staff is attentive and the rooms are clean and comfortable. Universal City Walk and the park is a stone's throw away which is super convenient. Getting an Uber to places off site is super easy as well. Dislike: The pool is 3 feet deep. As an adult, how do you swim or enjoy a 3 foot deep pool? Also, really difficult to find shade for the lawn chairs. They need bigger and better umbrellas and some misters. .. Something.

This place is amazing. Had my cousins b day here and we got the kids suite with pool view. Wonderful service and incredible views. Had it all. The only thing we had a little Issue with was why the pool was shut down every few hours or so and sometimes it would come up for 30 min then shut down again. They would say due to weather but at times there was no lighting or clouds at all. Kind of curious why this would happen because we were trying to go swimming with all our family in town and the kids didn't get to experience a great time in the pool. It is a great piece to the resort but I feel like it's not ran correctly. Needs a little work but overall great place to stay.

Really good experience but the wifi is not to good I'd have to reconnect every day about 20 times. Other than that we had a nice time here and it is a short walk to the parks and the pool is very big and looks

Wow this hotel is beautiful! Came here for my birthday weekend and enjoyed everything it has to offer ! The pool area is beautiful and open till 11pm ! We rented a cabana for my birthday and I would recommend It's $200.00 My only complaint with the cabana was the rain. The tents stay dry inside if it rains outside and I thought that was perfect for when it started raining on Saturday. Our server told us to stay in here as long as we wanted and so did another young lady when checking the tents. Then came another guy who rudely barged in and told us we had to get out when I said I was confused because someone else advised us we could stay he cut me off and said no that we had to get out. If that was the case I would have left when it was drizzling not now that it's raining hard and I have to get my 85 year old grandparents to run through the rain :) Besides that rude server in the black shirt everyone else was super helpful for the most part The hotel room is clean and I love the water taxi directly to city walk. The gym is big and has showers in there as well. The lobby area is nice to hang out in Elevators are quick and there's so many accessible things inside the hotel alone I would recommend someone to stay here if in the area

This hotel was a perfect choice to stay at when visiting Universal Studios or Volcano Bay. Check-in was easy. The hotel is beautiful, it has a pool, a hot tub, and a water slide.. there is a bar outdoors which offers drinks and food.. this hotel also has an arcade and a gym. The fact that I was able to walk to Volcano Bay was amazing. However, I will mention that the cleanliness wasn't there.. our bathroom had major mold.. our bathroom was small and the shower door didn't close so after a shower there was a pool of water. Other than that it was a good stay! My family had a good time! Their drinks and burgers are good. The chicken nachos were also good! I wouldn't mind staying again, however, once they fix these minor bumps, it will all be great!

Great stay! We stayed just one night here to experience Halloween Horror Nights. It was a straight up BLESSING to have a room ready for us upon arrival around 11am. Check-in was friendly and efficient. I really liked getting a text with menus and lots of information upon arrival as well. The room had plenty of space for us and the temperature was great. Access to the water taxi was a huge plus, we never waited more than 5 minutes. A great stay and highly recommended!

I would not recommend staying here if you are black. My encounters with the front desk staff were very bad (to say the least) and I watched hotel staff treat white guests how you would actually expect to be treated when you're somewhere where you're spending thousands of dollars. For example, one of the 3 times I had to stand in a very long line at the front desk, a gentleman (possibly a manager) came to the line and started asking each guest what they were in line for. He went to each guest individually, greeted them and offered assistance. When he got to me, for some reason he decided to address me and the white lady in front of me at the same time. I started to state why I was there, then the lady in front of me started talking about why she was there. He decided to focus his attention on her issue. So basically I was skipped/ignored. This wasn't a simple mistake - it was very intentional. He diligently went to each person behind me but decided not to have the same diligence when he approached me and ultimately decided that the white lady in front of me was more important. So I ended up waiting longer and ultimately just waiting on the next available person at the desk. Fast forward to why I was there and having to stand in that long line for the second time anyway... I booked 3 rooms for myself, my parents and my sister. I booked all the rooms at one time, paid with one credit card, and used only my contact info for the reservation. I booked this several months in advance of our stay and at some point after the reservation I was prompted to enter the names of the individuals staying in each room. I entered the info as instructed. Later on, I called the number listed on the reservation to make sure that it was noted that I needed a wheelchair accessible room as I was traveling with my 85 year old grandmother and also that I needed the rooms to be connected or at least next to one another. I arrived on checkin day, gave the front desk rep my ID and credit card and explained that I wanted to check in for my three rooms. The lady immediately told me that she could only check me in for one room because the other rooms were in other people's names and it is their policy to only give out room keys to the individuals listed on the reservation. I explained to her that this was ONE reservation, with ONE a point of contact (me), ONE form of payment (mine), so it didn't make sense why I could not check in the rooms. She kept telling me that this is their policy. After going back and forth with her, i asked to speak with a manager. The manager came out and said he just needed to see my ID and he would make a one-time exception for me and allow me to check in for all the rooms (so kind of him to ALLOW me to check in for rooms I'm paying for, right!?). The lady began checking in the rooms and I asked her to double check that they would be located together. She said they would not. The rooms were all on different floors. I explained to her that this was not what I requested. She then made another call to the manager and then told me they were "fully committed" for the night but would be able to get new rooms that were connected asap the next morning. We waited around the next morning for a call to switch or rooms but the call never came. So on our way out, i stopped by the desk, stood in line again, to find out the status of the new rooms... the rep had no idea what I was talking about although someone else told me it was being noted. After checking with management, they told me to move our stuff to one room and they would text me to pick up keys when the other rooms were ready. Of course that text never came. We arrived back at the hotel around 4/5pm and still did not have the other 2 rooms. I stood in line again, which is the time in which I encountered the man who thought they white lady's issue was more important. So basically we went half the day without 2 rooms that we were paying for. Other than this huge issue and the staff's constant disregard for me and my family, the wheelchair accessible room itself was subpar compared to the other rooms. The beds were extremely uncomfortable. The bathroom did not look nearly as nice as the other rooms and the location was very far from elevators and exits which doesn't seem very ADA friendly. I do want to acknowledge the positives about this hotel: The hotel itself is nice and very conveniently located if you'll be enjoying the Universal parks during your stay. When you walk into the lobby, there is a relaxing and inviting feel that hits you. The lobby is beautiful and although there were many people there when I arrived, it did not feel overcrowded. The amenities on the property are great. We really enjoyed sitting by the pool and ordering food and drinks. The ride on the water taxi was surprisingly relaxing and scenic, especially at night!

We had a biz convention here and it was NOT Las Vegas - which provides the world class business convention venues. However, this hotel's proximity to Universal Studios and the associated restaurants was a big plus. There was a "Strong Water" bar/restaurant off the lobby and it was okay but expensive. Bring your family here if you are for a convention / biz meetings here - as they can easily get to the Universal Studios by water taxi - and probably don't need a rental car.

You know that feeling of walking into a place and immediately taking a deep breath and your first thought is, "Ahhh, feels like vacation." Yep, that's exactly what happened to me upon walking into Sapphire Falls. The lobby is high-ceilings, grandeur with giant windows overlooking their pool/waterside area and you even have a glimpse of the Islands of Adventure tower in the distance, it's quite the view! This place literally screams vacation. The pool is really big and all of the beach chairs are parked on actual beach sand, there's a water slide and tiki bar and ping pong tables and other outdoor activities. For those who are interested, they also have an incredibly nice and sizable workout room, haah. Just hanging out at Sapphire Falls would be a complete vacation. However, it IS a Universal Studios resort, so why not hit the theme parks while there?? They actually have a water taxi right over to Citywalk where the park entrances. There's also a walking path from the hotel over to Citywalk that takes about 15 minutes. Now, I can't quite give Sapphire 5 stars because of how much they charge for every little thing. It may be a super nice and convenient resort but they certainly do try to trick you into spending every extra cent they can. There's no free parking- you pay per night. Also, no free breakfast which is fine, but if you eat at their dining room it's $25 per person. Oofta. And there are lots of other extra fees you can pay for more perks, which I know is normal at a lot of resorts but I'm still not a fan. In our room we even had 2 water bottles sitting on our desk for "free", except if you drink one you'll get charged $8 PER BOTTLE. So you really will want to watch things like that. But all in all this places smells, feels, looks and tastes just like vacay!

The best hotel we've ever stayed at!!! Amazing hotel with a huge pool and water slide. The drum club restaurant by the pool is awesome- great food! They have a DJ by the pool on weekends and sometimes Thursday and Friday where they play fun music and have games for kids. The staff at hotel were all so friendly. Rooms were clean! Clean bedding! Friendly housekeeping. We definitely want to go back!!

I have to say... i loved this hotel! I got to stay here because I was attending a conference on site, the 2021 International Association of Special Investigative Units (IASIU). This is one of the best hotels I have ever stayed in. Here is why: Firstly, the hotel staff is very friendly and helpful. Secondly, the amenities really are one of the main reasons to stay in this hotel. Universal Studio store located inside the hotel make getting souvenirs for family back home very convenient. It has bars and restaurants on site. There is a large video arcade to either entertain your kids or the kid at heart. There is also a water taxi at the hotel that takes you to and from Universal Citywalk, free of charge! Universal Citywalk is a lot of fun, and not having to worry to park or drive to it is a huge perk! Thirdly, the pool is amazing... you have to go Fourthly, the conference area is spacious and comfortable. Usually conference food is hit or miss... many hotels don't give their best food to those attending the conference. The food given to conference attendees was amazing. I especially loved the food given the first night at the welcoming party... that pork was delicious! Fifthly, the room are comfortable, appealing and well decorated This hotel has it all! If you are looking for a great hotel in Orlando, definitely consider staying here!

Very clean hotel with great offerings including arcade, gym, pool, restaurants within. Loved the easy access to the water taxi to get to universal. The price of hotel was great compared to its peers...what I wish I would've known is that the universal pass is automatic in the Loews portifino. It's worked into the price essentially but worth matching if you have 4 family members staying for several days. Ultimately, they are the same kind of luxury hotels. The rooms are basically identical. Just the theme of the resort. Sapphire felt very luxury. My only complaint is the rooms are very tight for 4 people. The beds weren't super comfortable. They were pretty firm and not cushioned. I would still stay again but would certainly consider two rooms as my kids get to the age where they need a bit more space. Very nice hotel for the price we paid!

The service at this hotel is excellent. Everyone is welcoming and smiling, and frankly go above and beyond to make your stay comfortable and happy. The pool is such a great vibe / scene! We were served immediately upon sitting and a bucket of beer was out 5 minutes later (affordable too!). Great music, and loads of seating (not to mention the pool is HUGE). Rooms are spacious with enormous TVs, comfy beds . . . We ended our vacation here and wish we could have added even one more night of fun. Boat runs regularly to universal. Can't beat location for universal as well as outlet shopping. Highly recommend, will be back!

Loews loves pets!! this is a beautiful hotel. Right when you enter the lobby you get an amazing view of the parks across the water. Between the proximity, the view, the amazing pool, food options, as well as being pet friendly. This is one of our favorites!! we love all the Loews hotels on property. The only downside to this one is that you do not get the express passes when you stay here. However, it is such a great option still, you can take the boat from this hotel to the Parks. The walking trails garden walk that leads from Sapphire to Royal Pacific and onwards is a beautiful walk for the morning, and we love to do it with out dog. we love the dining options; Amatisa as well as Tavern on property. We love how pet friendly Loews is as pets are allowed on the outdoor restaurants as well as the lobby and trails. They give you a doggy care bag when you check in! We will return to Loews Universal Property again!

I have stayed at this resort twice, and it has been a great experience both times. First, my family spent five nights here this summer as we visited Universal theme parks. Our stay got us early admission to the parks, which made a real difference in our ability to enjoy the parks prior to the full open. The hotel is beautiful with a grand and breath-taking entrance. Rooms were sizeable, clean, and comfortable. During our summer stay, our room overlooked a small green space (looked like a space for weddings or events), the bus pick up, and the conference center. We drove, and it was easy to park and get in and out of the parking garage. The in-room coffee was not my favorite, and putting only two caffeinated pods per day in the room was not enough for our family! But we always got some extra pods at the front desk and learned to hit the New Dutch Trading Company as soon as they opened for espresso drinks that had a bit more of a punch. We took the water taxi at least once or twice a day to go back and forth from the parks. They were quick, reliable and easy. We walked a few times, as well. The walk was beautiful and not too long. The walk was especially great after a big meal. I used the fitness center daily and thought it was a great facility. I brought my own yoga mat for our summer trip and did Apple Plus Fitness yoga in the fitness center with no problem - I just set up in an empty spot between some of the weight machines. The gym always had people in it throughout the day, but it was never crowded. The pool was beautiful and fun. I rode down the water slide with my 9 year old many times and loved it as much as he did. Lots of options for poolside lounging, both in and out of the sun. Cabanas are available for rent. I thought we might want one, but we were fine without it. Great gift shop. Loved Dutch Trading Company for coffee, sandwiches (the Italian!) and snacks. Other restaurants looked great, but Amatista was closed for most of our summer trip. About four months later, I was thrilled to learn that a conference I would be attending for work would be held at the same resort! This time, I got a room with a pool view, which was lovely! Used the gym again daily, but this time used their floor mats so I wouldn't have to take my yoga mat on the plane. I stuck with my Dutch Trading Company coffee and this time had a lovely dessert at Amatista (I had bread pudding, but I heard the rum cake is where it's at). The conference facilities were great - very easy to get around with beautiful ballrooms for sessions. The conference meals provided by the hotel were OUTSTANDING every day. In short, it was a great stay, and we would certainly consider staying here again for work or pleasure!

A beautiful hotel with superior service. The hotel is exceptionally clean. The beds are comfortable dressed with higher end linens. The restaurants are great with some off the beaten path menu items. But you'll find enough choices to satisfy everyone. There's a giant pool area with cabanas, bar, and activities. Convenient complimentary water taxi to theme parks and City Walk. Don't skip it. It's an attraction in itself. We were a party of just adults. We felt neither out of place nor overwhelmed with familes. Sapphire Falls is a wonderful theme park resort. We had a perfect stay from check-in to checkout.

This was my 4th time staying at this hotel since 2021. Not only is the hotel great, the ladies that work at The Dhrum Club are amazing. Best bartenders I've had in Orlando.... Nikki, Tina, Christy and Crystal!!!! Wonderful personalities- down to earth, can keep an engaging conversation going. I will keep coming back and being Their regulars for as long as they work here! I want to thank the four of you for always taking care of my friends and I. Always making the experience tiers better than expected! Cheers!

Very disappointed. BE SURE TO ALWAYS CHECK YOUR ROOM BILL PRIOR TO DEPARTURE. I spoke to front desk concerning the $14.95 room charge. There were several rooms with the same last name. I felt they may have accidentally misplaced it onto my room. Front desk wasn't having it and did not remove the charge. I don't have kids nor need an inner tube. I then received a nasty email from: Padraic McVeigh Assistant Front Office Manager Loews Sapphire Falls Resort Sapphirefallscustomerservice@loewshotels.com 407-503-5000 Stating I "DID IN fact purchase an inner tube and had to pay for it". Very nasty. I however will not pay for it and open a valid charge back. Save yourself the head ache and try another hotel.

My wife and I stayed here when we went to Halloween Horror Nights at Universal Studios. Upon arriving we noticed that the staff was friendly, polite and professional. This hotel is pet friendly which was nice because we were able to take our dogs. When we checked in we where given two sets of dog gift bags from the hotel. Each bag included (2) dog bowls, (1) door sign, (1) souvenir dog tag, (1) dog dish floor mat, and some dog treats. We thought this was a nice touch. When we got to our room, it appeared to be clean. The room was a little bit small and dated. The Bathroom setup was small. We did not spend much time in the room though. However, when we were in the room we ordered room service once, it was late like 2 am and the food was not that good. The menu was very limited. If it does get late, room service is 24 hours or you can door dash the food to the lobby and pick it up there. We also did door dash one night for dinner because everything around us was booked for dinner reservations plus the weather was bad and we did not want to leave and get soaked. The resort had 3 places to eat inside but you may need to make a reservation for the main restaurant. (1) place is located in the pool area and is only open while the pool is open, and the other place is kind of like a little food shop with snacks but they also have some hot food you can take with you. The Bar also offers tapas to enjoy while you drink. The bar specializes in drinks made with rum but they also have beer and other liquor. The hotel also has a big arcade, a nice size swimming pool and a big exercise room. The resort has a boat ride Universal City walk which takes you to the front entrance to (2) of the parks. There is also shuttle buses that will take you to the main entrance for City walk at the parking garage. There is another shuttle bus that takes you to Volcano Bay, which is Universals water park. Overall, we would stay here again.

Went to a conference here. Huge pool. Well run event. Rooms were cold. The internet/ wifi was coming and going but was good overall. Food and snacks were good! There's a ferry and bus to city walk/ universal. Parking was 50$ if not validated!

We stayed in Rm2145. Wi-Fi was out and hard to get reception from the rooms location. I have 2 little kids and it would have been nice to have a step stool for them to reach the sink like other family-friendly resorts but they did not have them for guests.

Wow, I have stayed at this resort numerous times. I must admit that this is the first time that I not only had to wait until almost 4 o'clock to get my room but then to also get a room with stained sheets and horribly scuffed walls. I have really liked this resort in the past And all the other rooms I have stayed in have been nice and clean and very representative of the beautiful resort that sapphire Falls is. However, this stay in this room, make me feel like I am staying in a fleabag room on iDrive. But instead of paying Less than $100 a night and I drive am paying universal prices at more than five times that price. I have contacted the front desk and send photos of the stain sheets and the walls. It will be interesting to see if and what kind of response, I receive from the front desk.

This hotel was a great experience with a few flaws. First, check-in was easy. I appreciated the personal attention from the text message and contact through my phone. That was the first time I have ever had what seemed to be a personal concierge on my phone; as soon as I walked in the door, kudos and something that everyone should do in every resort hotel. I requested additional towels, and they were brought to my door extremely fast. The room was very comfortable. I'll be it a little small, but the pillows and bed were very nice the shower and amenities in the bathroom were perfect. My son loved the multicolored mirror, and the fact that we could control the brightness of the light on the mirror was a nice touch. The resort amenities were excellent, the gym was well stocked and clean, the game room was a lot of fun, and my son absolutely loved it. The ping-pong table we're nice touch, although I wish they had an extra-large checkerboard or bowling pins as an additional free item to play with on the patio area. The pool is absolutely amazing. I would say it rivals the best waterpark pools and is by far The best hotel pool I've been to in a long time. Where I think the hotel falls short is food and beverage. I went to the restaurant which required a reservation--with fine dining prices--I was expecting a fantastic meal. What I got was something that reminded me of being in a lower-quality banquet hall. The food description was great, the appearance good the selection unique but the quality suffered. I got the whole chicken, and it did not have the color I was expecting from a rotisserie chicken. The seasoning was decent but not mind-blowing. The sides were lackluster at best. I got the rice. My spouse got mashed potatoes, the salad, and the plantain; the side came out for what is billed as a shareable meal but looked like single-serve portions. My rice was severely undercooked and hard in many places. This could have been because it was 8 o'clock when my reservation to place or just a bad batch of rice. The speed of service also left. While my server did a decent job, the appetizers came out with the entrées, creating a traffic jam on the table. My son has a dairy allergy, so it was nice to see a vegan option for cheese. Although the cheese did not melt on his burger, the alternative and thought were good. Overall the food was the worst part of my state. I also got s'mores from the bar/grill at the pool. What was most concerning is that I was sold the s'more's making kit to sit by the fire pit, and a pool closed only seven minutes after my purchase. I would have instead had the salesperson tell me you may buy them, but the pool will close in seven minutes, and I would have purchased them the next day. I felt cheated because I could not have my son make a proper some more and enjoy it by the fire pit. Would I return yes because of the convenience to the park and free water taxi would I eat at the hotel absolutely not!

Love: The water taxi and shuttle bus transportation Beautiful garden walkway to universal studios Pool/Jacuzzi, waterslide Restaurants onsite Souvenir shop Gym Table tennis and pool table Room service Laundry area with multiple washers/dryers Friendly staff I enjoyed our stay here. It was quick, but lovely nonetheless. We had a big window that allowed us to witness the fireworks from universal Studios, watch the rides to check if they had been shut down due to inclement weather, and even got to see lightning during the brief thunderstorms that is unique to Florida. The rooms are cozy small and colorful. The bathroom door does not slide all the way completely shut, but offers enough privacy. Would recommend this hotel to those looking to stay close by to Universal Studios.

We had 2 rooms, one for 3 nights, one for 4 nights. One of our rooms was never cleaned. I was informed by the online reservation that rooms on the higher floors were more. Upon arrival, we received a lower floor room. The onsite person confirmed the lower floors at lower pricing. When we checked out, the room was still at the higher price and was informed all rooms are the same price. My room rates for 2 different rooms were 2 different amounts? Plus, one of our rooms was never cleaned. Housekeeping was informed and I sent text messages. All I received was an apology, which I appreciated. However, between the room price discrepancies and poor housekeeping, I was expecting some type of discount. Plus, do not check out until all your stuff is out of the room, they will lock you out. I had to get housekeeping to open the door. We have stayed a this hotel for 4 years in a row. This year was not pleasant. I will be taking my business elsewhere. I'm sure it will not hurt their revenue in the slightest. I'm highly disappointed in this hotel.

I cannot believe this hotel does not have five stars on Yelp! We just stayed here last week for our second time and absolutely love this resort. They staff is always so friendly, accommodating, and welcoming. I love the havac system they use and the smells they pump through the lobby. I am going to get a smaller version of this through my house because I would like to feel that I am here all the time. Our rooms were always cleaned nicely upon our return and we enjoy the convenience of a five minute walk to volcano bay as well as a nice 15 minute river walk to the parks. Though we have a goal to stay at every hotel on property to review and experience it, we can't break away from staying here. The restaurant strong water tavern is one of the best kept secretes of Universal. It focuses primarily on rum and tapas style dining. We have tried several things on the Menu and we have not had one bad thing yet. I thought I took pictures of it but cannot find. Many YouTubers have reviewed it if interested. I recommend coming here to eat, even if you are not staying here. One negative thing to note from this last weeks trip was that the pool was extremely dirty. I get it's Florida and when it rains pools can get dirty. But we did not see one person trying to keep up with the cleaning Overall a must stay hotel for us

This was our first time staying at Sapphire Falls Resort, and I have to say I was pleasantly surprised at the luxury resort feel for the price. Everyone was super friendly and nice. The hotel was well-maintained, beautifully decorated and very clean. The pool was very large, and heated to just the right temperature, with a more convivial atmosphere than the Disney pools.

Booked this place out of convenience and proximity to Universal Studios... The Room: Small... super small... my 12yr old commented on it said his room at home was about this size. Basic amenities however it wasn't restocked once used except for towels, shampoo conditioner and body wash. Linens weren't changed nor did they vacuum daily. They emptied the trash but didn't clean the bathroom thoroughly (I use charcoal toothpaste which left black sprinkles on the sink) Restaurants: Mediocre at best. Over priced and lacked flavor even down to the coffee. After three servings I only had to use the bathroom no perk just a diuretic.. Water Taxi: Long long long lines in the mornings and dinner time. You would think they would increase the number of water taxis during peak times especially since a perk for staying here is early park entry. Customer Service: Very pleasant, accommodating.. the manager comped my room $150 if I incurred any room charges. He understood my perspective and said they aren't at 100% due to Covid and lack of staffing.. I appreciated the effort..