Benefits of Staying at Hard Rock Hotel Orlando

Hard Rock Hotel Orlando is where you can live out your rock star dreams close to the Universal theme parks. We stayed a couple nights to experience the hotel and if it is a good choice for your Universal trip.

Hard Rock Hotel will help guests bring out their inner rock star! It is themed to classic rock music and the rock star lifestyle.

Hard Rock Hotel is a signature hotel at the Universal Orlando Resort. This means it is at the top of the price point and it has higher end amenities. The resort is decorated with Rock memorabilia throughout.

As a family of five it was not an obvious choice but because of the fantastic amenities we wanted to give it a try. Let’s dive into the benefits of staying at Hard Rock Hotel Universal Orlando.

Hard Rock Hotel Orlando Review

This is a quick overview of what to expect at Hard Rock Hotel. Are you ready to book? Check latest rates!

• Shuttle bus to Epic Universe
• Walking paths and boat to CityWalk, Universal Studios Florida, Islands of Adventure
• Early Park Admission
• On-site dining
• Pool and water slide
• Fitness Center
• Game Room
• Gift Shop
• Guitar Rentals

For this stay we planned a split stay at two Universal resorts. A split stay is when you change hotels during your vacation.

We did this to take advantage of Unlimited Express Pass for 3 days of our vacation and then save money on the second half of our trip with a less expensive hotel.

Plan your stay at the Hard Rock during the weekend or busy days to take full advantage of the Unlimited Express Pass.

We checked into Hard Rock on Day 1 of our vacation and checked out on day 3. This gave us 3 days of unlimited express pass and cost less than purchasing express pass as add-ons for our trip.

3 Benefits of Staying at Hard Rock Hotel Orlando

• Unlimited Express Pass
• Closest hotel to Universal Studios Florida
• Early Park Admission

Location

Hard Rock Hotel is the closest hotel to Universal Studios Florida. It is about a 10 minute walk to Islands of Adventure and CityWalk.

Guests visiting Epic Universe can take a shuttle bus to the park. Expect a 15-20 minute bus ride.

Complimentary Transportation & Parking

• Shuttle bus to Epic Universe and Volcano Bay
• Boat to the Hub at CityWalk
• Walking Path to Universal Studios Florida (with it’s own security entrance) and Islands of Adventure.
• Hard Rock Self Parking Fee: $36.00/night

Perks for Guests Staying at a Universal Hotel

• Unlimited Express Pass Included
• Early Park Admission to participating theme parks. Check latest info here.
• Complimentary shuttle bus, boat, and walking path.
• Use room key for purchases across the Universal Orlando Resort
• Merchandise can be shipped to your hotel room free of charge at participating shopping retailers.

Ticket to Parks

Tickets to the Universal Parks are not included in your stay. Be sure to purchase tickets before you arrive to save time and money at the parks.

Hard Rock Hotel Room Tour

We stayed in a standard room at the Hard Rock Hotel. As a family of five we had to request a rollaway bed at check-in to have enough sleeping space for all of us.

The rollaway bed was an added charge of $35.00 a night.

The room had two queen beds, a bathroom space, vanity, coffee maker, mini-fridge, small sitting area with two chairs, and a small closet for storing luggage.

The guests rooms are not very spacious for a family of five but it is what was expected for a standard room at a theme park. The standard rooms range from 375 to 500 square feet.

There are also deluxe rooms, club level and suites.

Average Nightly Cost

As of writing this (March 2025) the average nightly rate at Hard Rock Hotel Orlando is $550 and up. It really depends on the season you visit. Busy season, summer and holidays, has a higher nightly rate.

Book Your Stay at Hard Rock Hotel Orlando

Pool

Hard Rock Hotel features an underwater sound system in the main pool area. There are hot tubs, a 260-foot long water slide, and live music. Guests can also play poolside games, arts and crafts, and volleyball during their stay.

Amenities

Guests can enjoy the fitness center, poolside activities, concerts at the Velvet Sessions, as well as rent your own guitar to jam out to.

Discover the Sound of Your Stay program gives guests a playlist to choose from as well as a menu of loaner Fender guitars. This is a very unique amenity at the Hard Rock Hotel.

Another perk is the music memorabilia throughout the resort for guests to discover. Guests can see costumes and instruments from classic rock to pop and rap.

Dining

Hard Rock Hotel has two on-site sit down dining options: The Kitchen and The Palm restaurant. These are on the pricier side for dining but expect a quality meal.

We didn’t visit the on-site restaurants because we were at the parks most days but this is a good option for longer visits.

There is also a ice cream, coffee, and smoothie spot called Emack & Bolio’s Marketplace. Here you will find breakfast and lunch grab and go items.

If you are looking for cocktails and appetizers guests can visit the Velvet Bar. Beachclub is the poolside quick dining option.

Hard Rock does not have a traditional quick service option like the value or preferred resorts. 24-Hour room service is available.

Guests should also note there is not a Hard Rock Café on property. Hard Rock Café is a short walk from the resort at Universal’s CityWalk.

Final Thoughts

The most asked question I receive is: Is Hard Rock hotel worth the cost? This is always a difficult one to answer because everyone has personal expectation when traveling about money and budget.

There were things I really loved about staying at Hard Rock Hotel. The proximity to the parks and the Unlimited express pass were such a huge perk.

The parks were very busy and being able to skip the lines meant we could do more attractions and spend less time waiting.

We also liked the short walk back to the hotel after a busy day at the parks. For the price per night, under $240.00 a night at the time of our visit and with Annual Passholder discount, the perks of staying at the Hard Rock was totally worth it for a two night stay.

The kids also liked the pool and the waterslide. Our visit was short and they didn’t get to spend a lot of time at the pool but this would be a great perk for families that love the water.

With that being said, a family of five in a small hotel room for a week is not easy. I was happy when we switched to Dockside for our split stay and had more space for sleeping and relaxing in the room.

There were also a lot of extra fees that I didn’t realize when I booked. They included $35.00 a night for the rollaway bed and $28.00 a night for self parking, plus typical Florida room taxes.

None of these upcharges were out of the ordinary, but they are things to consider when pricing out if the resort is a good fit for your family and budget.

Prices vary depending on season, if you are a Florida resident, or if you are a Universal Annual Passholder. It is always worth comparing prices when planning your trip.

Another thing that we use a lot on vacation is the resort quick service option. We like to pick up dinner or lunch at the resort, and take it back to our room.

At Hard Rock the options were limited for quick service meals. If you prefer table service meals on vacation you will appreciate the options available at Hard Rock.

Overall I am happy we stayed at the Hard Rock Hotel at Universal. For the price, perks far outweighed any cons of staying. If you are a large family I suggest upgrading to a suite or planning a split stay.

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