Loews Sapphire Falls Resort is a Signature Collection top-tier hotel offering luxury-priced accommodations within boat and walking distance of Universal Studios Florida & Islands of Adventure theme parks. This review shares room photos, info about amenities, pros & cons, and how it stack up to other Orlando and Walt Disney World resorts.
Sapphire Falls is themed as an island paradise, from the stone turret in the lobby to the bright blue accents to flowing waterfalls that cascade over lush grounds. While part of Sapphire Falls’ style is expressly conveyed, some of it is subtle. You’ll hear steel drum music, sit below a palm-lined beach, enjoy Caribbean-themed dining options, and drink rare vintage rums at the resort’s watering holes.
Sapphire Falls does not present itself as a romanticized version of an island resort, which is what you might find at a couple different Walt Disney World hotels. Instead, it strikes me as a moderately upscale hotel that you’d actually find in the Caribbean–not something that’s an imitation of the islands, but rather, that draws inspiration from its setting.
One specific architectural landmark of the Caribbean features prominently at Sapphire Falls: stone turrets. You’ll find these throughout the hotel, with the most notable examples being the hotel’s iconic spiral staircase in the lobby and outside by the pool bar. Beyond that, turret ruins are the defining visual motif of Sapphire Falls, reinforced in artwork and photos that line the walls of guest wings.
The turrets are one instance of Sapphire Falls’ several rock walls, which are one of the defining characteristics of the hotel alongside its tropical landscape and relaxing waterways. These details coupled with a cool color palette punctuate what can otherwise be a fairly mundane, modern design.
To that point, the hotel actually does quite the masterful balancing act between themed and contemporary styles. Sapphire Falls occupies a middle ground between the bland Aventura and ornately-detailed Royal Pacific, arguably pulling the best from both.
Sapphire Fall is neither a luxurious hotel nor is it a lavishly-themed resort. However, its theme and design will satisfy most guests, as will its slate of amenities and conveniences. As avid fans of themed design, we’d like to see a bit more attention to detail and less dead space, but it is generally well done. Objectively, it’s tough to fault the approach–especially with how much Sapphire Falls gets right.
Before we get going too far, we felt it was worth revisiting our Sapphire Falls review since a lot has changed…
When we originally published our Universal Orlando Hotel Rankings & Reviews, which discuss pros & cons and how the various hotels compare and contrast with one another, Sapphire Falls ranked #3. That was largely on the basis of near-flawless themed design, with relaxed atmosphere, strong rooms, water taxi transportation, and great location.
However, it was also on the basis of cost. At the time, Sapphire Falls routinely cost about the same amount or even less than a Value Resort at Walt Disney World, and was always cheaper than Moderate Resorts. Well, about that.
Here’s a fairly representative look at Universal Orlando hotel pricing for 2026:
In searching for a variety of dates as we priced out our upcoming trip in early 2026, I found this to par for the course with single-night stays.
As you can see, the only two other hotels above $200 per night are Terra Luna and Stella Nova, which are within walking distance of Epic Universe. Those two are lower-tier “Prime Value” hotels, and Sapphire Falls is–without a doubt–nicer than both. But they are, again, within walking distance of Epic Universe. That’s huge. (And for whatever it’s worth, I’ve paid less than $150/night for Stella Nova and Terra Luna.)
Sapphire Falls is more than twice the price of the next most expensive value resort, and many nights, it’s more than triple the cost of Cabana Bay Beach Resort. (Sapphire Falls has skyrocketed at the same time that Cabana Bay has decreased in price.)
Above is a look at the other end of the spectrum, with Sapphire Falls being the “cheapest” hotel of the Signature Collection. Sapphire Falls is arguably the only one of these hotels without a marquee selling point.
However, the difference is that guests staying at Royal Pacific, Hard Rock Hotel, and Portofino Bay all receive Unlimited Express Pass included with their stay at no additional charge. Helios Grand Hotel is the brand-new resort that’s inside Epic Universe, the brand-new theme park at Universal Orlando. It is expensive and doesn’t include Unlimited Express Pass, but there’s sure something to be said for overlooking Epic Universe and having a private entrance into the new park.
Sapphire Falls has neither of these things. It doesn’t offer Unlimited Express Pass, nor does it overlook Epic Universe or any other theme park, for that matter. It’s located on the main campus and is a longer walk to Universal Studios Florida and Islands of Adventure.
Sapphire Falls is no longer priced on par with Value Resorts at Walt Disney World and it doesn’t actually belong in the Signature Collection at Universal Orlando. It’s a very nice hotel, but it’s certainly not $500/night nice, and there’s no way on earth we’d opt for Sapphire Falls when we could get Unlimited Express Pass for $100/night more.
Universal Orlando uses dynamic pricing, so it is possible to book Sapphire Falls for under $500 per night. But the last time I’ve seen it in ‘moderate’ territory was before Epic Universe. If you’re on a budget, it probably makes sense to downgrade to a budget-tier hotel. If you can afford more, splurging on a luxury hotel for the in-park Epic Universe location or Unlimited Express Pass probably makes more sense.
As much as we love Sapphire Falls (and we really do!), it seems like it’s in no man’s land. The price has gotten way too expensive since Universal Orlando moved it to the Signature Collection. Again, we don’t believe it belongs there in the first place.
With pricing out of the way, there actually is a lot to love about Sapphire Falls! We didn’t want to start the review of a hotel we really like on a sour note, but 2026 room rates strike us as a deal-breaker much of the year. But if you can find more competitive rates, don’t care about Unlimited Express Pass or in-park location at Epic Universe, keep reading, because it’s possible that Sapphire Falls is still right for you!
Let’s start our tour of Sapphire Falls with the lobby. This is an expansive area, with a whimsical chandelier overhead and floor to ceiling windows at the far end of the hotel lobby. There’s a lot of space for activities, with large seating areas in the middle and large screens near the bar.
My only minor quibble here is that it could’ve benefit from a fountain or some other centerpiece to break up the space and add some personality. (I realize it already has the chandelier and stone spiral staircase, but there’s still a sense of emptiness.) Even the Poly no longer has a lobby fountain, so hard to fault the significantly cheaper Sapphire Falls on that front.
The lobby at Loews Sapphire Falls Resort is where you’ll find the front desk (obviously), concierge, rental car kiosk, vacation planning desk, gift shop, and more. All of the guest wings radiate out from here, as one would expect from a tower hotel.
The lobby is also home to the grab and go New Dutch Trading Co. and Strong Water Tavern. The former is undersized for the resort and as compared to other counter service spots at Universal.
The latter is arguably one of the best bars in all of Universal Orlando; it has a ton of personality, nice atmosphere, and good views. It’s hard to articulate why Strong Water Tavern is so good–and none of the photos I have convey it. I guess you’ll just have to take my word for its “good vibes.”
As mentioned earlier, the lobby is also where you’ll find the main spiral staircase turret, which leads down to the table service restaurant, Amatista Cookhouse.
We did dinner at Amatista Cookhouse and were generally impressed; the food definitely skews more towards ‘Caribbean comfort’ than fine dining.
This also leads out to the water taxis, which provide direct and efficient access to the parks. The boats are abundant—I spent a lot of time outside and it was rare for the dock to be empty for more than 10 minutes.
Sapphire Falls is the least expensive hotel at Universal to offer water taxi transportation. Not having to take a bus is hugely beneficial, and means being dropped off closer to the parks. It’s also more pleasant than buses.
Speaking of transportation (feet count, right?), there’s a walking path that connects Loews Sapphire Falls Resort to Royal Pacific, and then the Garden Walk to Islands of Adventure and Universal Studios Florida via CityWalk.
I personally find the Garden Walk to the parks to be lovely and something of a hidden gem, and it’s only about a 15 minute walk from Sapphire Falls. In our experience, the boats are usually faster than walking from Sapphire Falls, but being in control of your destiny or just enjoying a stroll can be nice.
(Note: Sapphire Falls is on the main campus of Universal Orlando Resort. Epic Universe is on a satellite campus, which is a decent distance from the other parks and resorts. If you’re focusing on Epic Universe, you should stay on that satellite campus. You cannot walk to Epic Universe from Sapphire Falls. The only walking distance hotels to Epic Universe are Stella Nova, Terra Luna, and Helios Grand Hotel.)
Opposite the lagoon is the biggest amenity (literally) at Sapphire Falls: the pool.
This is the largest pool area at Universal Orlando, and has an array of features: bar & grill, large hot tub, zero-entry white sand beach, fire pit, cabanas for rent, poolside activities by day for kids, and lengthy waterslide.
All things considered, I’d probably rank this as my third or fourth-favorite pool area at Universal Orlando. It’s behind only Hard Rock Hotel and Portofino Bay, plus maybe Cabana Bay due to that lazy river. (Otherwise, the whole pool and lounging experience is superior at Sapphire Falls.) Regardless, it’s a great pool.
Other amenities worth mentioning at Sapphire Falls include a rather large fitness center and arcade.
There’s also a ton of convention and special events space, if you’re for some reason reading this review to determine whether to hold a thousand-person event at Sapphire Falls.
This is probably as good of a place as any for a comparison to Walt Disney World hotels, and the obvious one is Caribbean Beach Resort. Another would be the Polynesian, but that’s a bit of a stretch and ultimately unfair to both properties.
Loews Sapphire Falls Resort is comparable to Caribbean Beach in a few ways. First and foremost, thematically. Both are inspired by the islands, and Caribbean Beach received a reimagining a few years ago to make its common areas more modern and upscale, while also adding the Skyliner gondolas to provide non-bus transportation to two parks.
The biggest difference is that Sapphire Falls is a tower-style hotel with everything consolidated under one roof, with interior hallways. This is as opposed to the clusters of motel-style buildings at Caribbean Beach Resort, which are spread out over an expansive area.
While there’s something to be said for the sprawling ‘resort’ style, it’s also fair to say most guests prefer the consolidated style of Sapphire Falls. The layout of Caribbean Beach was popular in the 80s and 90s, but will probably never be built again.
It’s also fair to say that the rooms are nicer at Sapphire Falls and being able to walk to the Universal parks instead of just relying on boats or the Skyliner is a plus. Dining, amenities, and pools are more of a toss-up; I don’t think there’s a clearcut winner in any of those categories. However, despite all of that, Loews Sapphire Falls Resort is less expensive by about 25%.
Let’s move along to the guest rooms at Sapphire Falls. This is the standard room, which is 321 square feet in size. This room offers two queen beds, separate bath and vanity areas and a wealth of exceptional amenities.
There are also a variety of suites ranging in size from 529 square feet to 1,353 square feet.
This room is slightly larger than those at Aventura (by ~7 square feet) and Cabana Bay (by ~21 square feet). It’s significantly larger than Value Resorts at Walt Disney World, and fairly comparable to Moderates.
Standard rooms at Sapphire Falls make good use of their space, and feel cozy and comfortable without being claustrophobic. It helps that there’s plenty of visual interest, colors, and textures to keep the rooms from looking sterile. (Although smaller, I prefer the rooms here to the ones we’ve had at Royal Pacific, which I don’t think utilize their space particularly well.)
These guest rooms at Sapphire Falls also offer a desk and chair, large televisions, an alarm clock with iPhone dock, in-wall USB charging ports, mini-fridge, coffee maker, and sitting spot.
The cool colors, lighting, and various details give the room a relaxed vibe, which makes it all the easier to decompress at the end of a long day. While I wouldn’t say there’s necessarily anything special about them, there are no notable weaknesses, either. They get the job done and balance theme and comfort quite well.
Here’s a look at the bathroom.
The toilet and shower is in a separate area from the vanity, which is always good for multiple people getting ready in the morning. Otherwise, not a ton to say about this set-up. It’s somewhat cramped, but serviceable.
Before we move on to the final perks, above is a room video of Sapphire Falls shot by Sarah.
The biggest perk for Loews Sapphire Falls Resort guests is early admission to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter and Universal’s Volcano Bay Water Park.
As noted above, Sapphire Falls guests do not receive Unlimited Express Pass. If that’s something you’d otherwise buy, you’ll probably want to move up in resort tiers, as the value/cost of that is tremendous.
This is Sapphire Falls’ biggest weakness–that it’s the priciest hotel at Universal Orlando to not offer unlimited Express Pass. If you need or want it–and not everyone does–the value of Unlimited Express Pass will more than cover the upgrade cost for a lot of guests.
If you’re considering that upgrade, the closest comparison to Sapphire Falls is Royal Pacific. That’s the next step up from Sapphire Falls, and although rates can vary with dynamic pricing, it’s usually the least-expensive upgrade. See our Loews Royal Pacific Resort at Universal Orlando Review for more.
If you’re considering a downgrade, we’d recommend looking at Cabana Bay Beach Resort. As noted above, room rates there have decreased as they’ve skyrocketed at Sapphire Falls (probably because Cabana Bay is the “oldest” of the modern generation of Universal budget hotels).
We’ve said before that Cabana Bay punches above its weight, offering great pools, depth of theme, a formidable array of other amenities, and more. It’s one of our favorite theme park hotels anywhere–read our comprehensive Universal’s Cabana Bay Beach Resort Review for more.
I feel less passionately about Loews Sapphire Falls Resort, but still like it a lot. Even though it lacks unlimited Express Pass, the water taxi and walking path are huge, and make the upgrade worth the money. Style-wise, I have a soft spot for Cabana Bay, but have to admit that Sapphire Falls does an exceptional job–it’s just not quite as compelling for me, personally.
With that said, there are times when I love the idea of Cabana Bay more than staying at the actual resort. Getting up early or staying there in the off-season when crowds are low is great, but Cabana Bay can be crowded and chaotic during busier times of the year. By contrast, Sapphire Falls feels more laid back and relaxed, even when busy.
Ultimately, I end up being slightly torn on Loews Sapphire Falls Resort. While I love the theme and amenities of Cabana Bay (below it) and the Unlimited Express Pass and style of Royal Pacific (above it), I also find myself wanting to do a return stay at Sapphire Falls more than either of those.
Honestly, Sapphire Falls sort of snuck up on me. Its execution is near-flawless, with relaxed atmosphere, strong rooms, water taxi transportation, and great location that make Sapphire Falls a winner. If you don’t need unlimited Express Pass (and not everyone does!) or want superior accommodations without going for the priciest options of the Signature Collection, Loews Sapphire Falls Resort is an excellent choice.
In a vacuum, Sapphire Falls ends up being one of my favorite hotels at Universal Orlando, not because there’s anything exceptional about it, but because it has minimal weaknesses. Out of a vacuum, my biggest problem is the pricing, which is what makes Sapphire Falls a non-starter much of the time.
Back when we could book Sapphire Falls for ~$200/night and Royal Pacific was double that, Sapphire Falls made sense. That’s no longer the case when it’s over $500 per night and the budget accommodations are less than half that. As much as we love it, Sapphire Falls just is not a $500 per night hotel.
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YOUR THOUGHTS
Have you stayed at Loews Sapphire Falls Resort? What do you think of it? Interested in staying here? If you’ve stayed at or even just visited both, how would you compare Cabana Bay or Royal Pacific and Sapphire Falls? Do you agree or disagree with our hotel review? Any questions we can help you answer? Hearing your feedback–even when you disagree with us–is both interesting to us and helpful to other readers, so please share your thoughts below in the comments!