Our stay at Universal’s Helios Grand had us steps away from Epic Universe. In this post I am sharing the recap of our stay and review of Universal’s Helios Grand Resort.
Universal Helios Grand Resort reviews have been mixed, and for good reason. From the location to the price and included perks, there are definitely pros and cons to staying at Helios.
Ultimately it is going to depend on a few things that you need to consider when planning a Universal vacation. For my family of five, it ended up being a really good choice but I may not always stay there.
Let’s get into my Helios Grand Resort Review to help you decide if it is a good choice for your Universal trip.
Helios Grand Hotel Review & Recap of STay
I have been watching the development of Epic Universe and the Epic Universe hotels since they first broke ground, and Helios Grand was one of the things I was most excited for.
Helios Grand was going to be the first hotel inside a theme park at the Universal Orlando Resort and the minute you walk through the lobby doors you can see Epic Universe directly out the window.
There is no gate to walk through once you exit the hotel because you are waking directly into Epic Universe. Ticket and security is located inside Helios Grand so once you are through there you are inside the park.
This is the biggest pro to staying at Helios Grand. You are minutes away from the park. If you want to take a rest, your room is most likely a shorter walk than the parking lot.
We were also the first people to enter the park. Guests start lining up between 7:30am-7:45am to be among the first guests let into the park for Early Entry. During our visit we were waiting inside the park for early entry by 8:05am and were walking to our first attraction of the day around 8:50am.
Be prepared to wait a bit without any shade. It is worth it to be among the first in the park but in the summer it is hot!
The location and feeling of being inside Epic is really impressive and the selling point of staying at Helios.
On our August trip to Universal we stayed 3-nights at Helios and spent 2 days at Epic Universe. It was one of the hottest August we have ever visited and being able to go to our room to take a break from the heat was a big bonus.
For this trip we didn’t spend time at Universal Studios Florida or Universal Islands of Adventure, if we did we would probably plan a different Universal hotel to stay at.
I’ll share more later in this post about why you might not want to stay here as well as less expensive Epic Universe options but I want to share the details of the hotel first.
Perks of Staying at Helios Grand Hotel
- Dedicated entrance to Epic Universe
- Early Park Admission to all theme parks.
- Complimentary Transportation to all Universal theme parks and CityWalk.
- Does Not include Express Pass with your stay. Express pass must be purchased as an add-on.
Helios Grand Resort Rooms
Helios Grand has standard rooms, club level, and suites at the park. The rooms offer park views, pool views, and there is a How to Train Your Dragon Kids Suite. For our stay we were in a pool view standard room.
The rooms are nicely decorated with hues of blues and purples. Epic Universe and all of its hotels follow a space-celestial theme.
The 325 square foot room has 2 queen beds and can fit up to 5 people. We had to order a rollaway bed for each night and it does include an extra charge. It was $35.00 at the time of our stay.
Overall it was fine. Not a lot of space for 5 people, including 3 teens, but the beds were comfortable and we felt the room was fine. There is also a coffee maker and small mini-fridge in the room.
Average Nightly Rate
Most people want to stay at Helios Grand if they are visiting Epic Universe because of the location, but it does come at a higher cost.
The average nightly rate is around $600+ a night. This fluctuates depending on time of visit and if you can book when special savings are offered. Check the latest nightly rates for Helios Grand.
On our trip our nightly rate was around $350.00 a night and this was because we used our annual pass discount. It is worth comparing cost of an annual pass if you are visiting Universal for 4 or more days. AP holders receive great discounts that may work for your trip.
Helios Grand Resort Dining
The dining at Helios Grand is fine, although we wished they had a casual dining option like Stella Nova Resort does. We ate most of our meals inside the park and made reservations for a breakfast buffet at Flora Taverna on our last day.
I didn’t eat at Bar Helios or the Aurora Market because of our schedule. Aurora Market gets very busy in the morning for coffee and quick grab and go breakfast sandwiches.
- Flora Taverna – sit down that offers breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Review Coming Soon!
- Bar Helios – top floor, great views of the park
- Lotus Lagoon – poolside
- Aurora Market- grab and go
Helios Grand Pool
Helios Grand Pool is really nice and feels luxury. As guests enter they are offered complimentary sunscreen, towels, and cucumber water.
The pool does not have a water slide but there were lawn games, a nightly movie in the pool, and plenty of chairs for guests.
Around the Resort
The resort is not very large. As you walk in the lobby you will find Flora Taverna to your left and the entrance to Epic Universe to your right.
As you walk to the elevators to your room you pass the gift shop and Aurora Market. Beyond that is the fitness center, game room, and entrance to the pool.
Upstairs on the top floor is Bar Helios and guests can go up to the viewing deck without a reservation.
There is also laundry and parking at the resort. Self parking is $36.00/night for hotel guests. If you are a day guest parking is $125.00/day.
My Final Thoughts
Before we left for this trip I was on the fence about staying at Helios. We could spend a lot less money at another resort but ultimately we wanted to experience the hotel inside Epic Universe. And I don’t regret that decision.
That leads to the question- would I stay at Helios Grand again? The answer depends on which parks at Universal we will be spending time at as well as the rate for our visit.
If we were only visiting Epic Universe and were on a budget I would stay at Stella Nova Resort. It is a value resort and has a walking path to Epic Universe.
If we are planning to do all of the Universal parks I would consider staying at one of the Endless Summer Resorts. These are conveniently located between Epic Universe and the Universal Orlando parks.
Helios Grand has some cons, cost being the big one, but the location is what really sells it. The hotel itself has a subtle theme that offers a wow factor and the staff is incredible. We really enjoyed our stay.
It would be great if in the future it includes express passes like the other signature hotels at the resort, but as of yet nothing has been announced. The other signature hotels do not offer express pass to Epic Universe, only Universal Studios Florida and Islands of Adventure.
Bottom line is if Helios is within your budget and you are spending time at Epic Universe you may want to consider a stay.
If you are overwhelmed with planning or just want someone to make all the reservations for you consider using a travel agent. Our friend Nikki at Royal Treatment Travel is amazing and has helped us plan and book many of our trips. She finds the best deals and her service is complimentary for most theme park vacations! It is a win-win. Learn more here.
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Leah has been planning and writing about Universal trips since 2016. She loves finding the best places to eat and stay during her visits to the park. Leah enjoys the little details that make visiting the parks so immersive and special, and sharing that with her readers.
