We’ve reached another exciting milestone on the road to the grand opening of Universal Epic Universe — the stunning in-park hotel just beyond the portals is now officially welcoming guests! Universal Helios Grand Hotel was originally set for a May 22nd opening alongside Epic Universe, but has opened early. (This is a great time to stay if you were able to secure preview tickets!)
Today, Universal Orlando Resort welcomed its first guests to its newest hotel, Universal Helios Grand Hotel, a Loews Hotel – a majestic 500-room Mediterranean-inspired escape overlooking the brand-new theme park, Universal Epic Universe. The new hotel was brought to life by the award-winning Universal Creative team and co-owned and operated by Loews Hotels & Co.
Universal says Helios Grand Hotel is the crown jewel of their hotel collection, offering guests a majestic respite between the excitement and fun at the theme parks.
Helios Grand Hotel Rooms
Helios Grand is part of Universal Orlando’s Signature Collection of resort hotels, featuring bright, inviting and warm guest rooms and suites – including How to Train Your Dragon-themed Kids’ Suites.
Dining & Amenities
Delicious dining options include Flora Taverna, Aurora Market and Lotus Lagoon.
And you won’t want to miss enjoying the food and beverages from the top floor at Bar Helios, featuring stunning views into Epic Universe.
Additional resort amenities include a resort-style zero-entry pool, hot tub and poolside cabanas; fitness center, game room, and fan-favorite merch from the Universal Studios Store.
Guest Perks
Helios Grand Hotel guests can also take advantage of a dedicated entrance to Epic Universe that is accessible from the hotel lobby (valid theme park admission required) as well as theme park benefits that are exclusive to Universal hotel guests, including:
- Early Park Admission to select Universal theme parks (which will expand to include Epic Universe beginning May 23rd, 2025 – up to one hour before the park opens – valid theme park admission required)
- Complimentary shuttle bus transportation to the theme parks and Universal CityWalk
The hotel looks fantastic from the outside. Inside, the lobby and surrounding areas look great. We had booked a room with park view – concierge level. I was disappointed by the Club Lounge which looks on the parking side and the lounge looks very ordinary.
It is indeed a great perk to have a direct entry to the park from the hotel. Almost all employees were very nice.
Unfortunately, we didn’t get to experience the concierge park view we had booked as it was never ready. At 5pm after checking for the 2nd time, we were offered a room on 2nd floor facing the parking if we didn’t want to wait!?! They kept telling us the room would be ready soon. We waited until 7pm – which the message was the same again “it’s almost ready”. At that time, we asked for a refund and just left the hotel very disappointed. It’s a shame when you think that the price for those rooms are over $900/night. You would think they would make an effort to deliver what you have booked. I had the same room booked for June and I just cancelled it.
For the rest though, we were really impressed by Epic Universe and all the different portals. It’s amazing!