Tripadvisor gives a Travellers’ Choice award to accommodations, attractions and restaurants that consistently earn great reviews from travellers and are ranked within the top 10% of properties on Tripadvisor.
Tripadvisor gives a Travellers’ Choice award to accommodations, attractions and restaurants that consistently earn great reviews from travellers and are ranked within the top 10% of properties on Tripadvisor.
The coolest hotel on the planet. Live like a star and get treated like a celebrity with impeccable surroundings, laid-back attitude and show-stopping service. Supremely talented chefs offer culinary nirvana from a famed steakhouse to delicious American classic cuisine. The sweeping California mission-style design welcomes you to escape to a sensational world with a palm-lined swimming pool featuring underwater music, incredible memorabilia and amped-up recreation featuring live music—including some famous names. Your stay here rocks even more, because you get all the exclusive benefits of staying at Universal Orlando.
Star ratings are intended to indicate the general level of features, amenities, and services to expect. This property is classified according to Giata.
Places to stay are graded on a 0-100 scale. The higher the grade, the easier it is for travellers to find restaurants and things to do within walking distance.
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The Hard Rock Hotel Orlando delights guests with its vibrant, music-themed atmosphere and the convenience of being a short walk from Universal. Club level amenities and the Express Pass inclusion are highlights, though the hotel's value is questioned due to outdated rooms and high costs.
Travelers enjoy the spacious rooms and comfy beds, but cleanliness and upkeep sometimes fall short. Reviews are mixed on service, with commendations for staff helpfulness contrasting with concerns over room service and responsiveness.
Location
Convenient
Atmosphere
Lively
Rooms
Dated
Value
Expensive
Cleanliness
Mixed
Service
Inconsistent
Amenities
Satisfactory
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Nice hotel. Not quite luxury, but very nice. Furnishings worn but clean. Staff professional. Fun, musical atmosphere and decor. Small arcade on-site. Large, outdoor heated pool (no indoor pool) with fun waterslide and lifeguards; also shallow with max depth of about 4.5 ft, I believe.
Of the Signature Collection hotels (which cost more) this is likely the best one due to its smaller size and location. Very close walking distance (or short complimentary water taxi ride to City Walk) to the gate of Universal Studios and City Walk. Being a Signature hotel, an unlimited Express Pass to the park is included for all registered guests without extra charge (this is the biggest selling point of the Signature hotels).
Since we got out of the room late morning, it was nice to get text messages from the cleaning staff asking if/when they can come back to clean the room which worked out very well. This was appreciated. Self-parking available which can fill up in the afternoon.
Restaurant by the pool with friendly staff and decent food and drinks. There was a DJ at the restaurant and the music can be a bit loud, but it was good music (it is the Hard Rock, after all).
Overall, would definitely consider staying here again on a future trip to Universal.
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Date of stay: December 2024Trip type: Travelled with family
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Hard Rock Hotel Orlando, Guest Services / Front Office at Hard Rock Hotel Orlando
Responded Jan 1, 2025
We were honored you rocked out with us! From the awesome memorabilia to our team of Rock Stars, we strive to create an experience that truly rocks. Thank you for the stellar review, we look forward to welcoming you back again soon. Rock On!
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I was in Sep/23 with my family. The idea of using this hotel when we visited the Universal parks attracted us because it offered the Express Unlimited Pass. And this benefit is truly wonderful, I recommend evaluating the possibility of staying in one of these superior category hotels on your trip to ensure you skip the line. The hotel is next to City Walk and you can walk to the parks. It is an old hotel, with old carpet and switches, but everything is well maintained and taken care of. The carpet is super clean and has no odor, I was even curious to know how they manage to keep the space so impeccably clean. The pool is very large, not deep, has a waterslide for children and has underwater sound! Cool. you can rent a fender guitar to play in your room. Rent is free, but you need to leave a deposit of 1000 dollars...
Negative point: expensive parking! You pay for your entire stay. The cost of drinks at the pool is also expensive, The only advantage of this hotel is the express unlimited, but I advise you to calculate the difference between the hotel and the parking fee to really validate whether it is worth it.
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Date of stay: September 2023
Value
Location
Service
Trip type: Travelled with family
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
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We had a very nice 3-night stay at the Hard Rock. It was pricey but everything worked, the staff was very kind and helpful, and the location (for visiting Universal) was perfect. The beds and linens were very comfortable and housekeeping kept things really squared away. We had breakfast all 3 mornings at the Kitchen (their main on-site) restaurant and were taken such good care of by Marie, Jean, & Shana. I would love to come back some day.
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Date of stay: April 2024
Value
Rooms
Location
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep Quality
Trip type: Travelled with family
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Hard Rock Hotel Orlando, Guest Services / Front Office at Hard Rock Hotel Orlando
Responded Apr 11, 2024
Thank you for taking the time to write such a rockin' review. The Universal Unlimited Express Passes and close proximity to the parks can't be beat. We look forward to welcoming you to the Hard Rock Hotel soon!
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As seasoned travelers who have explored a myriad of accommodations worldwide, our family embarked on our first stay at a Hard Rock Hotel with mixed expectations. Known for their vibrant atmosphere and music-inspired themes, we anticipated an enjoyable stay but were met with several disappointments that overshadowed the experience.
Upon arrival from a Disney hotel, where we were unable to launder our clothes, we encountered our first major issue: the laundry facilities. Directed to the 4th floor due to the 2nd floor's full capacity, we were dismayed to find the washers in a deplorable state. Covered in grime and neglected maintenance, they were unfit for use. Despite multiple attempts to escalate the issue to the front desk, including requests for a supervisor, our pleas went unanswered for an extended period. Resorting to using a dry towel to remove visible filth from the machines ourselves highlighted the severity of the cleanliness oversight.
Thankfully, amidst this ordeal, an employee named Shelly demonstrated exceptional empathy and initiative. Recognizing the situation, she promptly intervened with gloves and disinfectant spray, salvaging what could have been a complete washout of our laundry efforts. Her dedication and understanding stood out amidst an otherwise disappointing service encounter.
Moving to our accommodations, we initially encountered temperature issues in our assigned room, which persisted even after a room change, despite assurances from management. Subsequent attempts to alleviate the discomfort, such as the provision of a fan on the final night, fell short of resolving the underlying problem adequately. Coupled with the unsuitable sleeping arrangements for our family—a queen bed for our daughters and an ill-fitting roll-away bed for our tall son—the experience fell far short of the comfort we expected for a nearly $4,000 three-night stay.
Our dissatisfaction extended to interactions with the front desk supervisor, Phillis, who acknowledged the lapses in service provision but offered only a token $25 credit for our laundry ordeal and a $200 deduction for the room inconvenience. Such gestures felt inadequate given the magnitude of our discomfort and inconvenience during what was supposed to be a relaxing family vacation.
In conclusion, our stay at the Hard Rock Hotel left a lasting impression, though regrettably not for the right reasons. The combination of unhygienic facilities, inadequate room amenities, and subpar customer service underscored a stark contrast to the standards we've come to expect from reputable hospitality providers, particularly given the premium price point. While Shelly’s efforts were commendable, they were unfortunately overshadowed by systemic shortcomings that marred our experience.
For travelers seeking a seamless and enjoyable stay, particularly those accustomed to the exemplary service of Disney properties or comparable resorts, we regrettably cannot recommend the Hard Rock Hotel based on our disappointing encounter.
Rating: 2/5 (Poor)
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Date of stay: August 2024Trip type: Travelled with family
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Hard Rock Hotel Orlando, Guest Services / Front Office at Hard Rock Hotel Orlando
Responded Aug 4, 2024
Thank you for taking the time to submit a review of your recent stay at the Hard Rock Hotel at Universal Orlando. We are disheartened to hear about your experience as it falls short of the world-class service, we pride ourselves in providing. I will be reviewing all of your comments with our management team as we are always looking for new and innovative ways to create a wonderful experience for our guests. We hope to get the chance to welcome you back the next time your travels bring you to Orlando.
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I’m writing this review whilst still staying at this hotel. First off, the positivity, superb location for the parks. Literally 5 minute walk from the back gate to universal studios. Hotel is very clean. Rooms are also very clean. Housekeeping is very accommodating if you wish to have a lay in bed later they will clean the room later on. We are staying in room 7089 which is a club room. I don’t think the club room is worth the extra cost. The food you receive is ok. Nothing special. That’s if you can fight your way through the crowds of children surrounding the buffet area.
The negative……we were told upon check in that there are building works happening between 9-5pm daily on the floor below. This wasn’t advertised when booking our stay. The noise is absolutely dreadful. Major drilling for hours on end. Came home from the parks one afternoon to find there was no running water for 4 hours. We asked reception why we weren’t told and we were just told that the receptionist at check in should have given us a piece of paper to explain the times when the water is off. This is really poor for a hotel chain like this. We’ve paid just over $4000 for this stay and the only benefit of this hotel is having the express pass. Otherwise, it’s probably more worth while to stay on Idrive and say 50% on your costs.
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Date of stay: January 2025Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Hard Rock Hotel Orlando, Guest Services / Front Office at Hard Rock Hotel Orlando
Responded 4 weeks ago
Thank you for your feedback about your recent stay at the Hard Rock Hotel at Universal Orlando. We sincerely apologize and are disheartened to hear about your experience as it falls short of the world-class service, we pride ourselves in providing. At your earliest convenience we would like to invite you to contact us directly so we may discuss your stay in more detail. We can be reached at hardrockcustomerservice@loewshotels.com. Thank you.
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- Location - close to park - Fast Pass included which is essential to a decent day at the parks - Fun atmosphere with live DJs at the pool on certain days - Kids loved the water slide - Great staff from the front desk to the pool, we had a great experience with the people working here - Onsite restaurants not bad, much better than anything you'd get in the park or at City Walk - Room was large and easily fit the 5 of us
One con - OLD. It's a little disgraceful how bad our initial room was. Cloth furniture was stained with what looked like grease. Furniture including chairs and sofa couch were torn. Things in general are dented, dinged and scratched. The last straw was the stains on the sheets. They looked like rust or blood stains though I really don't know. The whole room felt gross, skeeved us out, especially my wife.
To the staff's credit they changed our room and moved our luggage immediately but....come on. They're charging up to $1200 a night for these rooms, they should be clean and look a bit better than the roadside motel off 95 for $57/night. The new room was an exact replica of our original but very clean with new furniture. They probably should've provided an upgrade but gave use some drink tickets instead.
Overall, it's a fun property with a great location IN DESPERATE NEED OF A RENOVATION!
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Date of stay: November 2024
Value
Rooms
Location
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep Quality
Trip type: Travelled with family
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Hard Rock Hotel Orlando, Guest Services / Front Office at Hard Rock Hotel Orlando
Responded Dec 13, 2024
Thank you for taking the time to submit a review of your recent stay at the Hard Rock Hotel at Universal Orlando. We are disheartened to hear about your experience as it falls short of the world-class service, we pride ourselves in providing. I will be reviewing all of your comments with our management team as we are always looking for new and innovative ways to create a wonderful experience for our guests. We hope to get the chance to welcome you back the next time your travels bring you to Orlando.
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While I had high hopes for a pleasant experience, I must admit that my overall impression was less than satisfactory.
Firstly, it was evident that your staff was stretched thin, trying to handle a large number of tasks with limited personnel. This affected the efficiency of the service provided.
The rooms, in comparison to most 3-star hotels, were rather average. To add to the disappointment, I was part of a large group, and there were several issues with our accommodations. Some of our rooms were delivered late, and in my room, I noticed a bent lamp. Additionally, there was an unsettling incident where a dirty underwear was left on hallway the floor for at least an hour. Furthermore, there were instances of double bookings in some rooms, causing other guests to enter our rooms, which were already occupied. Some rooms were handed over unclean, with noticeable hairs on the shower walls.
Considering the amount you charge per room, it struck me as surprising that there were no complimentary amenities to make guests feel appreciated. For instance, the fact that I had to pay $7.99 plus taxes for a water bottle just to make coffee in my room seemed excessive. I was half-expecting to be billed for toilet paper, given the situation.
The overall impression I took away from my stay was that the hotel may be overrated. Consequently, I decided to switch to La Quinta Inn, where I found the rates to be significantly more reasonable. One night at this hotel pays almost five nights on La Quinta. Notably, their service was more personalized, rooms were cleaned promptly, and breakfast was included, with the added convenience of being able to take it to go. I was pleasantly surprised to find complimentary coffee readily available.
The only feature that held some appeal at Hard Rock hotel was the fast pass, though I was unable to utilize it at the parks due to its limited availability within the reservation period.
I urge them to seriously consider ways to show greater appreciation for their valued customers, as my experience left much to be desired.
Thank you for taking the time to consider my feedback, and I hope this can contribute to improving the quality of service at their establishment.
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Review collected in partnership with this hotel
Date of stay: September 2023
Value
Rooms
Location
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep Quality
Trip type: Travelled on business
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
We stayed at hard rock hotel New Year’s Eve. It was a special family treat for one nigh as over £920 for on night. The room was quite dated but a reasonable size and clean. The good thing is this allowed the family fast passes for the rides at universal. We had to purchase the universal pass first but this saved us hours queuing for the rides. We considered spending New Year’s Eve at the hotel but they wanted over $110 per person for a party in the foyer. Obviously everyone else felt this was overpriced too for the location so no one appeared to turn up, only DJ. After midnight it was full (think they opened it FOC eventually?) We had been offered breakfast at “the kitchen” when checked in for $32 each which we considered but unsure if we’d be up in time. The lady said we could pay the following day should we prefer to do that. At 10am we went to the kitchen, happy to pay the $32 each for breakfast buffet. We were now informed $65 each!! More than doubled overnight!! Needless to stay if it hadn’t been for the fast passes we would have been most upset with the experience. Not likely we’d stay or recommend this hotel again.
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Date of stay: December 2024
Value
Rooms
Location
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep Quality
Trip type: Travelled with family
Room Tip:Â The pool was very nice
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Hard Rock Hotel Orlando, Guest Services / Front Office at Hard Rock Hotel Orlando
Responded 4 weeks ago
Thank you for taking the time to submit a review of your recent stay at the Hard Rock Hotel at Universal Orlando. We are disheartened to hear about your experience as it falls short of the world-class service we pride ourselves in providing. I will be reviewing all of your comments with our management team as we are always looking for new and innovative ways to create a wonderful experience for our guests. We hope to get the chance to welcome you back the next time your travels bring you to Orlando.
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What an amazing time we had at the Hard rock hotel, we stayed for 2 nights as part of a 10 night family holiday, we wanted to be close to the action of the parks, rides and restaurants for the time we were there. First impressions when we hit the lobby was omg that lovely scent, the foyer had such a lovely fragrance and was clean and shiny. All the staff were really helpful from the reception to the people taking care of our luggage. We loved the rock memorabilia that was dotted around the hotel, was nice to have a mooch around spotting different bits and bobs. Our rooms were a great size, with 2 double beds, tv and fridge etc. Nice decor in the rooms, clean and fresh every night. The beds were so comfy after a long day in the parks. The grounds are well looked after, lovely palms and a great pool scene with a DJ playing some great music. All you can eat buffet was great, something for everyone, we loved the monkey bread! $30 something dollars but well worth it, even tried some grits. Pool bar snacks and drinks were really good, kids portions were huge! We caught the boats to the parks most days as it was a fun way to arrive at the parks. You can walk to the parks through the gardens within 6-7 mins, be careful in the rain as I slipped on one of the wooden bridges. There is security checking bags etc in and out of the parks which makes you feel safe, be aware you cannot buy alcoholic drinks and go through security, we had to down a couple of margaritas in the rain to get back through. Our stay at the hard rock was so great, my family really loved it, not forgetting the fast passes that come with the rooms booked, this was one of the best bits, we got on all rides before lunch. At the end of your stay the hotel will clip your room key/fast pass into a guitar pick, so cool.
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Date of stay: August 2024Trip type: Travelled with family
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Hard Rock Hotel Orlando, Guest Services / Front Office at Hard Rock Hotel Orlando
Responded Aug 22, 2024
Thank you for your rockin' review. We are thrilled your family was able to take advantage of Universal Unlimited Express Passes, they really do take the parks to a whole new level. We look forward to welcoming you to the Hard Rock Hotel soon!
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Very disappointed with this hotel, not even close to a 5 star hotel, I’ve stayed in rooms that cost a quarter of what the Hard Rock Hotel Orlando does and were much cleaner and all around nicer. The maid staff all need to be fired and start from new. Attached are photos of how disgusting our room was, holes in walls, loose wall plugs, stains everywhere on the curtains, floors, walls were covered in stains and our pillows as well as comforters had stains including blood stains. The other comforter that wasn’t stained had several melted burn spots on it, I threw this comforter on the floor and told concierge we would like it replaced and why, several hours later come back into our room and the exact same comforter had been taken off the floor in the corner and put back on bed. It wasn’t until I brought the comforter down and showed them the holes that it was actually replaced and all we got in return was a sorry. For the cost you can stay at muuuch cleaner hotels. Honestly many of the rooms need to be completely demolished and built anew. STAY FAR AWAY! My entire family 11 people got sick staying here and several have sinus infections, very likely mold in all of the air vents, if they don’t take the time to clean the walls or bed than I seriously doubt any of the air systems have ever been touched.
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Date of stay: March 2024
Value
Rooms
Location
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep Quality
Trip type: Travelled with family
Room Tip:Â Spend your money elsewhere
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Hard Rock Hotel Orlando, Guest Services / Front Office at Hard Rock Hotel Orlando
Responded Apr 8, 2024
Thank you for your feedback about your recent stay at the Hard Rock Hotel at Universal Orlando. We are disheartened to hear about your experience as it falls short of the world-class service, we pride ourselves in providing. At your earliest convenience we would like to invite you to contact us directly so we may discuss your stay in more detail. We can be reached at hardrockcustomerservice@loewshotels.com. Thank you.
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San Antonio, Texas847 contributions556 helpful votes
As said a Barista but not a full Starbucks menu. However we went to the full-up Starbucks at City Walk by the Theater -- full-up and super fast service. Also there are full-service Starbucks in the parks but they get quite busy in the morning.
There are more places to choose from in the Orlando area.
PRICE RANGE
C$794 - C$1,376 (Based on Average Rates for a Standard Room)
ALSO KNOWN AS
hard rock hotel orlando, hotel hard rock, hard rock resort, hard rock orlando, hard rock cafe hotel orlando, universal hard rock hotel
LOCATION
United StatesFloridaCentral FloridaOrlandoFlorida Center
NUMBER OF ROOMS
650
Prices are the average nightly price provided by our partners and may not include all taxes and fees. Taxes and fees that are shown are estimates only. Please see our partners for more details.
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