Planning a trip to Universal Orlando Resort and looking for a budget friendly hotel located close to the parks? Universal Aventura Hotel might be just what you are looking for. This modern hotel offers stunning views of all three Universal Orlando theme parks. 

It has a dedicated walkway to Volcano Bay. Plus you are just minutes away from Universal’s Garden Walk. Or you can head on over to Sapphire Falls and grab a boat to Universal CityWalk. 

Can this Prime Value Universal Hotel be the perfect place to stay while visiting Universal Orlando? Does it have everything you are looking for in a home away from home? Continue reading to find out!

Room

What the lacks in size it over does in comfort and technology. The standard room is only 314 square feet but don’t let that hold you back from booking a room. Overall, Aventura Resort is the smallest Universal Orlando Resort with only 600 rooms.

The standard room comes with two queen beds which are super comfortable. Out of all the Universal resorts I’ve stayed at so far. The beds at Aventura are the second most comfortable. Sapphire Falls had the most comfortable. 

Within the room you will find plenty of outlets and even a good amount of USB outlets. The real treat is the tablet in the room. With this tablet you can control everything in the room and I mean everything. You can control the TV. All of the lights and even order room service. The in-room tablet can also help you plan your day at Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure. 

The sink is in a separate area than the toilet and shower. As you know this makes getting ready in the morning much easier. Someone can be using the bathroom while the rest of the family is brushing their teeth or washing their face. 

We stayed on the 9th floor and the water pressure was not disappointing. The toilet had plenty of flushing power. The sink and shower also had great pressure. 

The only thing it lacked was trying to find the goldilocks zone. Trying to find the perfect water temperature was a bit of a challenge for me. Now I think this was only because I had a decent sunburn on my shoulders. 

The room also has a long desk. The chair at the desk was pretty comfortable and I spent a good amount of time in it. Next to the desk you will find a coffee maker and a mini fridge. The fridge isn’t big but it can hold a couple cans or bottles of water. 

One last thing about the room. The view was amazing from our room. Our room overlooked Cabana Bay Beach Resort and Volcano Bay. Plus If we looked down we could see the pool. Of course, your views will depend on which side of the hotel you are on and there are three  different sides 

Around the Resort

As you would guess Aventura Resort is the smallest out of all of the Universal Orlando Resorts. Even though it is the smallest. Don’t let that fool you. It packs a powerful punch in some areas.

The pool might be small but it has more than enough room. If you want to escape the sun while in the pool. You can do that hear since the hotel itself blocks some of the sun. What other Orlando Resort pools can you say that happens too?

Off to one side you will also find a little splash pad. This is a great area for young kids to play around in. They can get wet all the while you don’t have to worry about them being in a pool.

On the second floor you will find the fitness center. Inside you will find plenty of equipment to work a good sweat. The only problem is the hours. The fitness center is NOT open 24 hours.

I am an early riser and I don’t want to have to wait around till 6am to workout. At 6am I am getting ready for my day in the parks. When I get back at night from the parks, the last thing I want to do is workout. I’ve been on my feet all day and just want to relax by the pool or go to sleep.

Okay, rant over about the fitness center not having great hours. Next let’s jump into the food court, Urban Pantry. Don’t let the small size fool you. It packs a flavorful punch.

Everything we had in here was delicious. It is all made to order so you know it is hot and fresh. You may have to wait a little while but we always received everything within 10 minutes.

There is plenty to choose from too. Not only do they have burgers and pizza. You can order a variety of different stir fries. The steak with vegetables is amazing.

There is also a buffalo Chicken sandwich that is mouth watering. The hot sauce isn’t too overpowering and the chicken is nice and moist. Even the burgers were nicely cooked. Nothing we had was dried out or seemed like it was sitting in a warmer for hours.

Out of all the different food courts I have eaten at. From Disney and Universal Resorts. Aventura has the best one, hands down. None of them even come close.

If you like to sit down with a cold beer or cocktail on vacation. Universal’s Aventura Hotel has you covered with a couple of different options. You can check out Barventura or Bar Sol on the floor level.

Or you can head to the roof and check out Bar 17 Bistro. If you are looking for a great view, Bar 17 Bistro is the place for you. The 360 degree view of the surrounding area is amazing.

Of course, nighttime is the best time to check it out. However, even in the daytime the views are pretty amazing. Just plan on it being crowded the later in the day it is.

One last thing that you will find at Aventura. In the lobby you will find a Starbucks location. It looks to have everything from quick bites to your favorite drinks. I’m not a Starbucks fan so I am not sure what they are missing but it looks to have everything.

Getting to the Theme Parks

Universal Orlando Resort is a very walk friendly theme park complex. Unlike Walt Disney World you can walk to any of the three theme parks and CityWalk. Of course, just like at WDW, you can hop on a bus and get to the theme parks too.

The walk from Universal’s Aventura Hotel is around 20 minutes via Garden Walk. It is a nice walk with plenty of shade. It is also light up pretty good. Of course, there are some spots where the lighting could be a little better.

If you take the garden walk you will get into CityWalk close to Islands of Adventure.

If you don’t mind walking but don’t feel like walking too far. You could also walk to the resort next door (Sapphire Falls) and take the boat to CityWalk. The walk from the Lobby of Aventura to the boat dock at Sapphire Falls is around five minutes or so.

From there you can catch a quick boat ride to CityWalk. Or you could take the boat back to Sapphire Falls after a long day in the park. Being able to use this transportation option is amazing. Plus it is so close to the hotel.

The boat drops you off and picks you up right in the middle of CityWalk. Now all you have to figure out is if you go straight, right, or left.

The last option you have is the bus. The bus to CityWalk is right out front of the hotel. The buses run pretty often and they are almost never packed.

The buses drop you off close to the main hub of Universal’s CityWalk. All you have to do is go up some stairs and go through the main security.

Of course, you could drive your own vehicle to the theme parks. However, you will have to pay for parking. Being a hotel guest does NOT give you free parking.

So have you ever stayed at a Universal Orlando Resort? Are you planning on staying at one on your next Universal Vacation? Do you think Aventura is the right fit for you? Let us know in the comments below.

Looking for a different Universal Orlando resort to stay at? Why not check out our reviews on Cabana Bay Beach Resort, Endless Summer Dockside, Sapphire Falls, or Hard Rock Hotel. Or if you have a larger family check out the differences between the family suites at Cabana Bay and Dockside.