The newest jewel in Universal Orlando hotels has opened, but is it worth the price?
You know the feeling right? It’s been a long day in the sweltering Orlando heat. The step counter on your smartwatch is looking back at you with the kind of incredulity you wouldn’t think an inanimate object capable of displaying.
The dogs? They’re barking. The legs? They’re throbbing. The lower back? The lumbar region is threatening a revolt.
It’s been a long theme park day and there’s a nearly tragic hike ahead of you. Out of Islands of Adventure or Universal Studios Florida, through CityWalk and up to the parking garage where your car awaits, or back to the boats or buses ready to take you back to your Universal hotel.
The adrenaline has worn off. You’re in pain. You’re ready for shower and a bed, so you can get ready to do it all again tomorrow.
How much would YOU pay in that moment to reduce the length of that walk to just a few feet?
Universal’s Helios Grand Hotel is betting you’d pay a lot.
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What is the Helios Grand Hotel?
It’s the latest luxurious entry into the Universal Loews hotels, and maybe the grandest is scale and ambition. Beautiful in an otherworldly sort of way, like something built for an opulent space society in a sci-fi movie. The Helios Grand is meant to evoke the same feelings as Celestial Park, the centerpiece of the newly opened Epic Universe theme park. And that makes sense because the Helios Grand isn’t just near the park, it’s part of it. You step – after going through security – through the hotel’s doors and you’re in the Epic Universe world. No long trek back and forth to the car. No more hoping you get a seat on the bus or boat or Skyliner or monorail.
You walk out of the hotel and you’re there. You’re right there. Ask Google Maps directions from the Helios Grand to Epic Universe and you’re likely to just get a disappointed sigh.
Universal literally describes it as the sun shining over Celestial Park.
“A shining gateway to adventure, Universal Helios Grand Hotel isn’t just near the park; it’s the sun that overlooks it. The golden dome of the hotel reflects the Florida sunshine, a beacon for miles,” the hotel’s website breathlessly states. “You’ve entered a majestic escape where you’re immersed in the brilliance of Epic Universe day and night.”
Is Helios really THAT Grand?
Is it a “sunlit sanctuary where light, life and laughter abound?” I don’t know about all that, but it is – Borat voice – very nice. It’s a new hotel, clean and bright and pretty in a Las Vegas convention center sort of way. The celestial vibes are a little understated throughout the hotel – with the exception of the rooftop bar. There’s lots of glass and light. The design – aside from the vaguely space society themes – mostly screams “hey, can you believe these views?” and “Look how close we are to the park!” And in that respect, the design is doing its job. Taken out of its current location and placed in other locations across Orlando or beyond and the Helios goes from mind-blowing experience to that’s a “very nice hotel.”
The in-hotel dining and bar are excellent. We quite enjoyed the Flora Taverna and Bar Helios at the top of the hotel, which was stunningly beautiful.
There’s plenty of free space in the lobby too, that’s light and airy and a pleasant place to spend time waiting for your party or dinner reservation. The pool is exquisite but again, not overly themed. The rooms are in keeping with the rest of the hotel. There’s a very nice workout center and an arcade game room that’s kind of an afterthought, but that’s OK because you’re not booking this hotel for the game room.
Why are you booking this hotel? Location. Location. Location.
Seriously, whether it’s from the lower deck viewing area, or the viewing area at the top of the hotel, it’s impossible to fathom the view. Epic Universe’s Celestial Park makes for a stunning vista and the sights into the other lands are enticing and exciting. It gets you pumped up to get into the park.
How long does it take to get through security and into Epic Universe?
Honestly, it’s too early to say. The park and the hotel are each finding their equilibrium. I suspect as Universal builds data on trends, tracks the number of guests – in general terms – who want to be in the park as it opens and generally figures things out it will adjust staffing accordingly.
However, the security room isn’t that big. There’s a limit to how many people can go through. I could see some guests who have paid top dollar for close access being frustrated at having to wait.
So, is it worth it?
As always with this question, we start with a caveat, worth is relative to everyone’s financial situation. If you routinely – or even occasionally – pay more than $700 a night for a hotel room, than yes, unequivocally Helios Grand is worth it.
You’re not going to find a better combination of hotel and location in Orlando. However, if your vacation budget is more modest, can you justify paying the Helios rate? I haven’t done an extensive deep dive into pricing in different seasons and times of the year, but we priced a vacation for a random three-night stay for a family of four in July.
Prices – which include early park admission if you have tickets – start at $745 a night. It’s roughly the same as Loews Portofino Bay and less than the cheapest room at the Hard Rock Hotel. Prices at Helios extend all the way to more than $1,500 for various top-tier suites. Now, these prices do not include any ticket bundle discounts or deals, so it’s possible you can get a better rate, but I think the $745 is going to be fairly typical.
For the record, rooms at the also new Stella Nova and Terra Luna resorts start at $236 – roughly $500 less per night. That means over a week-long vacation, Helios is about $3,500 more than other Universal family hotels. For me and my family, it’s hard to justify that kind of expenditure during a family vacation. So I have to say that Helios – even though it’s an excellent hotel with a fabulous location – isn’t worth it.
It’s a nice extravagance – maybe a once in a lifetime experience – but for an annual vacation destination? I’ll take a couple of extra Advil and make the long walk to the bus.
