Loews Sapphire Falls Resort
Loews Sapphire Falls Resort is one of the more recent additions to the Universal Orlando properties. This beachy, beautiful, relaxing resort is amazing for so many reasons! Here, you are on island time, and there is no better time than that! Your body may be in Orlando, but your mind feels as if you are far off in the Caribbean, relaxing in the middle of the tropics.
I recently had the chance to stay at Loews Sapphire Falls Resort on a Universal Orlando visit. While I was there for work, and to learn more about the parks, I was SO excited to learn that our accommodations would be at this beautiful, beachy resort. It lived up to all my expectations, and I can’t wait to share my thoughts with you today!
General impressions of Loews Sapphire Falls Resort
First, Loews Sapphire Falls Resort is practically brand new. This resort opened in 2016, and three years later, it still feels absolutely brand new! It still has that new hotel smell, the property is fantastically clean, and the rooms are sparkling! You immediately feel as if you are on at tropical getaway the moment you arrive on property. One aspect I really love is the bright, airy colors and theme. Theme at a resort is important to me, and I expect a resort such as this to have something special about it, in comparison to the other Universal Resorts. Much like the Walt Disney World resorts, the theming is part of the experience.
Loews Sapphire Falls did not disappoint in terms of feel and vibe. The huge, paper lantern and beach ball chandelier in the lobby welcomes guests right away. You can’t miss it! The aqua, turquoise, whites….those bright beachy colors definitely set the tone for an upbeat, relaxing, and fabulous experience for guests. This vibe continues into the guest rooms, and all over the resort. I’ll touch on this later!
Secondly, the location of Sapphire Falls is stellar. If you look at a map of Universal property, it is almost RIGHT in the middle of everything. This is one thing I love about Universal overall…the property is SO manageable. Loews Sapphire Falls is walking distance to Loews Royal Pacific. And the water taxi ride to Citywalk is like 7 minutes. Or, if you prefer to walk to Citywalk, it is about a 10-minute walk. So close! Plus, the fact that you go through security before you board the water taxi is a huge plus! The cascading waterfalls in the water taxi are are beautiful, and so welcoming when you arrive back from being in the Universal Parks.
What amenities can I expect at Sapphire Falls?
The pool at Loews Sapphire Falls is absolutely incredible. First, it is the one of the only pools on property with a water slide. Aside from Sapphire Falls, only Hard Rock Hotel and Portofino Bay have slides. Secondly, it is the largest pool on Universal property. This is one of those hotels where I would splurge for a good view. Waking up to this beautiful pool with the Hogwarts Castle in the distance just can’t be beat. We took advantage of some poolside food and drinks, and it was all great!
The service was fabulous, attentive, and they do offer some extras at the pool. There is a sandbar area, so you can walk from one side of the pool to the other with just getting your ankles wet. Secondly, they offer complimentary water, towels, chair covers, and swim diapers. Guests who want to take a very long break from the parks, or work in an entire pool day, will want to seriously consider booking Sapphire Falls.
Around the pool area you will find a full gym, pool tables, ping pong, as well as a hot tub and splash pad for little ones.
Is this resort family friendly?
This resort is so family friendly! As I mentioned above, the pool area is perfect for all the kids AND parents to enjoy! Sapphire Falls also has 83 suites, and they are perfect for families. Plus, the resort is easy to navigate and the rooms lead to an interior hallway. I always appreciate this about a hotel. The dining options are fantastic as well. They have a full service restaurant ~ Amatista Cookhouse ~ which serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner. There is a nice little Quick Service location, as well as a Starbucks. And as with all Universal onsite hotels, there is a Universal Studios store right in the hotel lobby.
I also think it is great for families because it is affordable, yet you have great amenities. The ONLY thing that makes Sapphire Falls a “non premium” resort is that they do not offer Express Pass. So in terms of Universal standards, it is a “Preferred” Resort. I think families will appreciate the small conveniences such as the water taxis, amazing pool area, and close proximity to the parks for the lower nightly rate.
What do you like about the guest rooms?
The guest rooms are absolutely beautiful. Well, maybe I think so because they are my favorite color scheme! The turquoise, aqua, greens, and whites with a little bit of coral smattered in make them just beautiful. I love the white wood panels on the headboards, and the tile and carpet work well together.
In these rooms, the sink area is separate from the shower/toilet area. However, my one complaint is there is only one sink. That is NOT anything that would keep me from staying here, but something I noticed since I often travel with my family of 5. On the flip side, there is plenty of storage, a mini refrigerator, and a nice size entry way….those are the things I appreciate in a resort room! The rooms definitely are a relaxing area at the end of the day, and we had a great experience with our room being cleaned in a timely fashion, as well. These rooms very much reminded me of our room at Margaritaville ~ Orlando. Which we also loved!
Overall, the atmosphere of Loews Sapphire Falls is exactly what you need if you are looking for a relaxing theme park vacation. It offers you the best of both worlds ~ theme park proximity and a relaxing environment. I am a self proclaimed resort snob, and this one is up on my list of favorite Orlando resorts. I hope your family can enjoy it on your next Universal vacation!
