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Sapphire Falls Resort – general information
If Loews Sapphire Falls Resort is the start of your vacation adventure, you’ll be captivated by this island-themed retreat, with Caribbean vibes throughout and a timeless tropical atmosphere. In July 2016, this became the fifth resort hotel to open at Universal Orlando (following Cabana Bay Beach Resort‘s opening in 2014), with rooms available at a lower price point in the Signature Collection hotel category while still a bit upscale from the Prime Value and Value Inn and Suite tiers.
Designed to appeal to both families and conference attendees, Sapphire boasts 1,000 guest rooms and 114,000 square feet of meeting space. That said, this hotel connects to Royal Pacific Resort via a covered walkway, giving guests easy access to the amenities and meeting space at both resorts.
All the rooms at Sapphire Falls exude tropical holiday charm, with ocean blues and greens, accented with natural wood-toned furniture and fixtures, and complete with shiplap headboards for the beds. Standard rooms have 321 square feet of space, whereas the suites start at 595 square feet and go up to 1,294 square feet. The standard two-queen rooms sleep up to five guests ($25/day rollaway rental needed for fifth person), while standard king rooms sleep up to four guests on a pullout sofa. Prices for standard rooms range between $222 and $914 per night. Free WiFi is available for up to four devices per room, but faster WiFi is available for $9.95/day. Pets are permitted with a $100 pet fee (restrictions apply).
Like its sister hotel, Royal Pacific Resort, Sapphire Falls has 1,000 guest rooms, including:
- Standard rooms
- Lagoon-view rooms
- Pool-view rooms
- Kids Suites
- King/Sapphire Suites
- Hospitality Suite
- Presidential Suite
The central feature of Sapphire Falls is the waterfall that flows into the shared waterway of the Universal resort hotels and lends the hotel its name. Throughout the resort, you’ll find plenty to explore:
- A 16,000 square-foot pool with two white-sand beaches, a hot tub, a children’s water play area, a slide, poolside games, and more
- The Kalina Health & Fitness Center is complimentary for guests
- Enjoy the latest arcade games at the Calypso game room
- The Universal Studios Store offers sundries, guest necessities, newspapers, and magazines, as well as Universal and hotel logo merchandise
- Walking and jogging paths are available around the resort and designated dog walking areas
Here, you’ll find four different dining options, plus 24-hour room service. Visit Amatista Cookhouse for sit-down service at breakfast, lunch, and dinner that features Caribbean-inspired cuisine, along with popular favorites. As the main bar and lounge for Sapphire Falls, Strong Water Tavern offers rum tastings, tapas, and other beverages. For quick service or grab-and-go, check out the New Dutch Trading Co. and the poolside Drhum Club Kantine.
Sapphire Falls Resort is connected to CityWalk and the theme parks via the waterway, which means that guests at the hotel have the option of using quick and convenient water taxis to get to and from the parks. Alternatively, guests can walk the meandering garden path, which has its own security screening and entrance into CityWalk. To learn more, visit our distance from the parks page.
What are the top vacation planning tips for Sapphire Falls Resort?
An important thing to be aware of when planning a stay at Sapphire Falls Resort is that guests staying at this hotel do not receive complimentary unlimited Express Pass access or priority seating at select restaurants. While Express Passes are widely regarded as the single best benefit of staying at Portofino Bay Hotel, Hard Rock Hotel, and Royal Pacific Resort, you’ll still find plenty of perks, including:
- Water taxi service from the Sapphire Falls dock to CityWalk
- Early Park Admission
- Complimentary package delivery to your room
- Resort-wide charging privileges with your room key
- Complimentary scheduled transportation to Volcano Bay, SeaWorld, and Aquatica
- Access to the other amenities at Universal’s other resort hotels, including the pool areas (this excludes the pool areas at Endless Summer Resort and is subject to change, so please verify when you make your reservation). For more on pool-hopping around Universal Orlando, please see our adventures in pool-hopping article.
Since all resorts located at Universal Orlando are operated by Loews, they all feature the same cancellation policy: if you cancel your reservation six or more days in advance, you will receive a full refund. If it’s anything fewer than five days beforehand, however, you will be charged one night’s room rate, plus tax.
How much does it cost to park at Sapphire Falls Resort?
As with all Universal Orlando Resort hotels, Sapphire Falls charges a parking fee for both day guests and those staying at the hotel overnight. Hotel guests pay $36 (plus tax) per vehicle per night for self-parking and $45 for valet. For anyone visiting during the day, five minutes or less is complimentary, up to 30 minutes is $10, and anything over that is $50 for the day. Valet for non-hotel guests is $47.
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