A retro beach motel or Epic Universe's own hotel. Universal Cabana Bay Beach Resort, from about $180, if you want a Family Suite for six with a kitchenette, at extra cost, a lazy river and buses to Epic Universe; Universal Helios Grand Hotel, a Loews Hotel, from about $580, if you would rather have a gate off the lobby into the park, with a ticket, and midday breaks in your room.
Universal's retro beach-motel resort for families: suites for six with a kitchenette, a lazy river, bowling and early park entry.
$From about $180 a night
Choose Universal Cabana Bay Beach Resort if
Universal trips with children
Families of five or six
Epic Universe on a budget
Pool afternoons between park days
The catch
Extras add up: self-parking is $26 plus tax a night, tubes for the lazy river are sold rather than lent, and Galaxy Bowl charges for its lanes, which must be booked.
Epic Universe's own hotel, at the end of Celestial Park, with a gate into the park off the lobby.
$$$From about $580 a night
Choose Universal Helios Grand Hotel, a Loews Hotel if
Epic Universe trips with children
Early starts and midday breaks
Families of four in one room
Rooftop drinks over the park
The catch
The rooms are small for the money. The entry Standard 2 Queen Beds room is 325 sq ft (30 m²), a fifth guest needs a $35-a-night rollaway, and on a February weeknight the Park View room costs about $200 a night more.
Universal Cabana Bay Beach ResortUniversal Helios Grand Hotel, a Loews Hotel
CouplesFamilies
Beach & pool optionalBeach & pool central
Smart spendSplurge
IntimateLarge resort
QuietLively
Central & walkableRemote escape
Explore outsideStay at the hotel
Universal Cabana Bay Beach Resort
Area
Universal Orlando, United States
From the centre
12.5 km
Airport
28 min from MCO
Price band
$
Typical rate
From about $180 a night
Rooms
2,200
Opened
2014
Pool
Outdoor
Beach
None
Spa
No
Adults only
No
Restaurants
2
Parking
Yes
Selected by
Independent research
Last checked
October 2026
Universal Helios Grand Hotel, a Loews Hotel
Area
Epic Universe, United States
From the centre
12.3 km
Airport
22 min from MCO
Price band
$$$
Typical rate
From about $580 a night
Rooms
500
Opened
2025
Pool
Outdoor
Beach
None
Spa
No
Adults only
No
Restaurants
1
Parking
Yes
Selected by
Independent research
Last checked
October 2026
The verdict
A retro beach motel or Epic Universe's own hotel. Universal Cabana Bay Beach Resort, from about $180, if you want a Family Suite for six with a kitchenette, at extra cost, a lazy river and buses to Epic Universe; Universal Helios Grand Hotel, a Loews Hotel, from about $580, if you would rather have a gate off the lobby into the park, with a ticket, and midday breaks in your room.
Good questions about Universal Cabana Bay Beach Resort vs Universal Helios Grand Hotel, a Loews Hotel
Universal Cabana Bay Beach Resort or Universal Helios Grand Hotel, a Loews Hotel?
A retro beach motel or Epic Universe's own hotel. Universal Cabana Bay Beach Resort, from about $180, if you want a Family Suite for six with a kitchenette, at extra cost, a lazy river and buses to Epic Universe; Universal Helios Grand Hotel, a Loews Hotel, from about $580, if you would rather have a gate off the lobby into the park, with a ticket, and midday breaks in your room.
Is Universal Cabana Bay Beach Resort worth it?
Book Cabana Bay for a Universal week with children: a Family Suite for six with a kitchenette, a lazy river, a bowling alley and early park entry. Budget $26 a night for parking and plan on the bus to the gates. A huge, cheerful retro resort built for families doing Universal, where the suites, the lazy river and the bowling alley earn their keep between park days. Expect crowds and long walks, and a suite for six at a moderate price.
Does Universal Cabana Bay Beach Resort have a pool or a beach?
It has an outdoor pool. There is no beach; the nearest is a drive away.
Is Universal Helios Grand Hotel, a Loews Hotel worth it?
Book Helios Grand for a trip built around Epic Universe: in through the lobby gate at opening, back to the room at midday and the fountains from the window at night. Pay for a Park View 2 Queen Beds room, and accept a small room and a bus to the other parks. A new 500-room hotel built into Epic Universe, where the park is the point: you walk in from the lobby and the park-view rooms look straight into it. Expect a family crowd, small rooms for the money and a bus or a car for everything beyond Epic Universe.
Does Universal Helios Grand Hotel, a Loews Hotel have a pool or a beach?
It has an outdoor pool. There is no beach; the nearest is a drive away.
The family one