Universal Aventura Hotel — Hotel in Orlando

I've had to shorten this review and will list on tripadvisor, had such a positive stay here google is restricting the amount of words used.

For my sons 13th birthday we went to Orlando, a place I've always loved and wanted him to experience the same. We stayed at 3 hotels for our two week vacation, and Aventura was by far our favourite. First impressions are being very open spaced, floor to ceiling windows with lots of light in both lobby and the rooms. There are 6 lifts, so you won't have to wait long for one becoming available, all operated inside by a touchscreen keypad. A very helpful lady named "Genesis" checked us in, perfectly well explained to us about the hotel and the shuttle transfers etc. We were a little early for checking in, but safely left our bags with the attendant and was updated perfectly well via text message when the room was ready.

The food options at their named "urban pantry" are great, we had breakfast there every morning, be it an all American breakfast, or simply croissants and cereal. When ordering freshly cooked food, you're given both a receipt and a buzzer which will go off once your food is ready to collect (place the tracker with it's silver pins face down on the table so you can see/hear it buzz more easily). The main dinner meals were excellent, so much so that one evening after enjoying the "Steak plate" I had to walk back to the cashier desk, and give compliments to the team of chefs. Absolutely delicious.

The rooms all have a tablet which operates the lighting and TV, amongst other useful information provided to you. Which takes a day to get used to but still works well, pressing "BRIGHT" to turn all lights on, and pressing again to turn them all off. The A/C can also be controlled using the tablet, but just use the standard wall controller above it for quicker use. We had an issue with 2 lights not working, when reported they were fixed that same day when we came back from the parks. On the roof on the top floor 17, is a bar named "bar 17 bistro", we never are or drank there but did take in the night time views one evening where you can see all the firework displays in the distance of Disney.

There are a few shuttles going to City walk for universal and islands of adventure, and also a shuttle to epic. We used the epic shuttle, which was perfectly fine. We opted to either walk along the garden walk which takes around 15mins, or you can walk across to Sapphire Falls which is what we did the majority of the time using their water taxi service.

Checking out on the day as sad as it was after such a great time, was extremely easy with an email sent to us enabling you to checkout online. The only one negative thing I can think of to improve is the outdoor games near the pool. There is a free table tennis game with bats and balls, but everything else has a card payment machine. However we had no idea how much those games cost with no prices on them, so didn't bother swiping a card for an unknown fee.

Overall, I have no doubt we will check the room prices for Aventura first before any other hotel in the universal Orlando area. There isn't much of a theme at this hotel, if any, it's simply a modern clean feel with little robots cleaning floors which can even deliver items to your room (which we never did), and thinking about it there was not many families with children staying here at all from what we saw because of this perhaps modern clean feel. Some people may moan about these facts and want to be in imagination land, but for me this was perfect after being out all day. I loved how chilled and calm the whole place was after a busy day at the parks, there were plenty of dining tables available at all times. Volcano Bay is literally a few minutes walk away also which is extremely convenient, where busses are dropping off guests you can see from the dining area, with a tunnel that goes underneath and into the...

I booked directly through the hotel, and felt like I was sold a lemon. All other hotels were booked, and our flight wasn't for an entire week. We were stuck, and tried to make the best of it. Check-in was quick and painless. There are multiple elevators to get to your floor, but depending on the time of day and foot traffic, will depend on how long you are waiting. The longest we waited was probably 10 to 15 minutes. The rooms are definitely more of a techy-modern style, and you can control everything from the room tablet: lights, TV, and even requesting certain things without having to leave your room (towels, blankets, pillows, stuff like that.) The beds were uncomfortably hard and small (they are not standard-size queens due to the size of the rooms. This was per a staff member.) It was a full bed, at best, so keep that in mind when trying to figure out who is sleeping where and when deciding what to book. The rooms were even smaller, and unless you are a duo or traveling solo, you will be bumping elbows with everyone trying to move around. Housekeeping did come, but they would turn the thermostat down every single day, leaving the room freezing when we returned from the parks, which stinks for someone who gets cold easily. However, they were proficient at re-stocking towels and making the bed (sheets were not changed, or dirty because there was always hair). I did not feel comfortable saying anything, because when we initially asked for a certain amount of pillows, we were told they ran out until we asked the front desk, and then they suddenly weren't within a span of 5 minutes. No matter how high we turned the temperature in the room, it never got warm, maybe lukewarm at best. Bring blankets, the ones here were thin and scratchy. The food was high in price, and quantity was a hit or miss of who was making your plate. Not a lot of healthy food or drink options, so I'd suggest instacart if you have a specific dietary need. I did not hear other guests during our stay while in our room, and the front desk staff are probably the main pros I found in staying here, as all the hotels onsite offer park transportation, so it is not something that makes them really stand out. Bus rides to CityWalk were pretty consistent. If you want to take the boat, you can hop over to Sapphire next door. The room has a small fridge (no freezer) and does not hold a lot of cold items. There is not a microwave in the room (was told there would be), but they do have a 24/7 one downstairs. If you are not a fan of the cold, you are going to need a jacket, as they keep the entire place on the lower temp side: lobby, hallways, etc. However, if you like the cold, you should be comfortable and have no issues. The "free" Wi-Fi is slow as molasses. Think old-school dial-up. If you want something better, you have to pay extra. Very "nickel-and-dime" vibes. The pool was okay, but the positioning of the building does block the sun most of the day, so be prepared for not much heat but an ample amount of shade. There was always a lifeguard on duty, and I give them full credit and appreciation for paying attention. Starbucks here closes at 6pm, so if you are hoping for something after visiting the park, you either need to come back early, or walk over to Cabana- open until 8pm. For Starbucks app users, they do not allow you to use stars to pay for anything. You must use cash or card, but you can use the Starbucks app if you have a card or giftcard saved/loaded. Rooftop bar was pretty good for drink options. There was a specific elevator you could use to get there, which was a nice option to skip the rest of the foot traffic from other guests trying to get elsewhere. I cannot comment on the other amenities offered by the hotel as I did not use them. The hotel is definitely more of a place to just sleep, not relax, and is a one-time stay for us.

Overall: 8/10 customer service 2/10...

Aventura Hotel at Universal Orlando – A Standout Experience!

I stayed at Aventura Hotel from February 9th to 13th, 2025, while working as a graphics operator for a corporate event. Expecting a typical resort packed with screaming kids strapped into grubby Minions backpacks, I was pleasantly surprised by Aventura’s sleek, modern, and sophisticated atmosphere. The expected grubby backpack tots were actually hard to spot all week!

Check-in was smooth, with a reasonable $20 hold for incidentals. As a frequent traveler, I appreciate hotels that don’t require a $500 deposit for services I never use. Aventura gets it.

The beautifully landscaped grounds and open-air lobby made a strong first impression, with polished stone floors so reflective they could double as mirrors, high ceilings, and panoramic windows overlooking the pool. High-speed elevators ensured minimal wait times, which is always a relief after a long day.

My room had a Manhattan-meets-IKEA aesthetic—sleek black and white decor, warm wood accents, and soft indirect lighting. A touchscreen tablet controlled lighting, temperature, TV, and hotel services, making everything feel effortless. Storage was thoughtfully designed, with a spacious dresser, a large armoire stocked with premium wooden hangers (not those ridiculous anti-theft nubs that are useless when you need to air-dry something in the bathroom), and a large, alcohol-free, empty mini fridge -- another frequent traveler highlight, as I bring certain dietary snacks with me. The whisper-quiet HVAC held a steady temperature, and while my view technically included the parking deck, the twinkling Orlando cityscape beyond was a nice bonus. Soundproofing was solid—freeway noise was reduced to a faint hum, easily masked by the entertainment system.

The fitness center was outstanding for a hotel of any size, with plenty of well-maintained treadmills, steppers, and universal (small "u" 😂) machines. Towels were fully stocked, and—surprisingly—a working scale was available, something oddly rare in hotels. The pool area had a boutique South Beach vibe, with a pristine deck, attentive (and very human) lifeguards, and a relaxed atmosphere perfect for non-swimmers who just wanted to soak up the Florida sun.

Aventura’s location is fantastic, with a lush, paved walkway leading to Universal’s CityWalk (about a mile away) and a complimentary Pacific adventure-themed water taxi back to Loews Sapphire Falls Resort, just across the driveway from the Aventura lobby. Even guests with mobility concerns will find it easy to enjoy the property fully, and CityWalk is accessible for wheels or walkers of all varieties.

The lobby offers a solid range of dining options with a food court aesthetic, from stone-fired pizza and sandwiches to a stylish bar with a classic European vibe. I arrived during the Super Bowl and observed the lobby bar lively yet still classy. Grab-and-go snack food prices were surprisingly reasonable for a high-end hotel in a major tourist destination—a 10-inch Italian sub was $12, and a 20 oz bottled soda was $5.

Service was consistently excellent. Staff were friendly, engaging, and professional, clearly taking pride in their work. Even the floor polishers greeted me warmly, which says a lot about management’s approach to hospitality. When hourly staff feel valued, it shows.

Aventura’s location makes it an easy choice for Universal visitors, but it’s just as well-suited for business travelers. With quick access to the Orange County Convention Center, Rosen Resorts, and even Disney destinations, it’s positioned well for any Orlando trip.

Would I stay here again on my own dime? Without hesitation. Five stars...