The smell when you walk into the foyer of the hotel is INCREDIBLE!!! It smells so good! Like high end hotels that you think would! They actually sell it!
We absolutely love Sapphire Falls Resort. The water taxi to CityWalk is one of my favorite perks but the aesthetics and offerings are very upscale at a reasonable price. The walking path to the parks is also very nice and beautiful. Incredible review. I always love your videos. They are very thorough in a reasonable length of time.
@@lemnatins1434 both. The wizarding world areas of the parks are near the rear of both parks so you need entry to the park to get into wizarding world. Staying in a Universal Orlando hotel offers you early admission to the parks but check the schedule because it can vary.
Thanks for the beautiful video Im booked next weekend for my bday 9.11.23 where do you recommend on purchasing the tickets to the park online or at the hotel please and thanks !
I was at universal for the first time time this weekend. I stayed offsite, and on my last night I took the water taxi to Sapphire Falls just to check it out. I was there for maybe 30 minutes, but that was enough to convince me to stay there next time I go. What a beautiful and relaxing resort
This was an excellent review. Concise but thorough. There are lots of videos walking you through the resorts in real time, but this is PERFECT for a quick summary of pros and cons. Thanks!
As a Lowes Hotels fan I very much appreciate this video. My bucket list is to visit every Lowes in America. With this video I am putting Orlando a little higher on the list. Thank you so much!!
Great overview. We fly over 5 weeks today for our Sapphire Falls Wedding and Honeymoon. We have treated ourselves to a Sapphire Suite for 3 weeks. Can't wait! It's such a gorgeous hotel.
We did the Sapphire Suite and it was very nice! I do recommend asking for one that is not on the ground floor. Ours was and we had a view of the walk path. And don't forget to take advantage of the early park admission, you will need it now that the holidays are here. Also you have pool privileges at the other resorts, just take your room key. Try out the Portofino pool. That is how it was last we stayed so hopefully that has not changed...maybe call and ask the front desk to be sure.
This overview of the hotel is excellent. Last February, we stayed there. We admired it. It's difficult to find fault with it. The pool is fantastic, and the service is excellent. We will be back. Bty go next door for your morning coffee, it's got a massive Starbucks. Greetings from Ireland 🇮🇪
I stayed 5 nights at Sapphire Falls in early October 2023. It is a fantastic hotel and I had an amazing time. Highly recommended of you want a blend of theme park fun and a Carribean getaway.
We did a split stay here last August with Portofino. Loved SF. Billed as a moderate resort, it blows away any wdw moderate in cost and amenities. As does every Universal resort in each category. SF is more like a WDW deluxe in public areas and transportation. Rooms imo is more a cross between a wdw moderate and deluxe. I also prefer inside halls vs outside wdw motel style entryway. Really enjoyed SF. For more food options we walked across the street to CB! I’d stay here more often if they had express pass. Maybe a limited express pass!
excellent quality video as always! - I've always stayed off-site when visiting Universal so really great to see such a detailed review of their resorts for comparison when planning my next visit. When you've reviewed all of the on-site resorts it would be interesting to see your I-drive highlights and alternative accommodation in the surrounding areas to see how they compare!
After staying at Cabana Bay this week (which I absolutely loved by the way), I’ll be reserving a suite here next. The water taxi is a game changer for me. Such a great way to rest your feet for a few!
This is the kind of hotel that if it was owned by Disney it would be 700 dollars I night. Some of Disneys deluxe resorts (that aren’t even as good as this one) cost way more and have worse transportation. I stayed here in July, (I’ve also stayed at Disneys beach club, boardwalk, and contemporary. But to be honest, this is the best and is half the price. Even more than half the price.
We live in Sweden and I've been looking at both Disney and Universal for a future trip, but the prices and add ons at Disney has completely deflated my opinion about them... Universal seems like the obvious choice by miles when it comes to both entertainment and cost!
@@nicbarrax76 If you’ve never been to Disney, you should definitely check it out for its history and cultural status. But be realistic, because most of rides at the Magic Kingdom are no longer maintained, Epcot is a shell of its former glory, Hollywood Studios is a mess, and Animal Kingdom doesn’t have enough to fill your day. That doesn’t even begin to address the headache caused by Genie+. Set your expectations accordingly. As a long-time AP, I’ve had MANY conversations with disappointed Europeans who say, “That’s it?” I hope Epic Universe brings some of the magic Disney used to have in previous decades.
@@onehorseopensleigh yeah no, I'm not going to spend hundreds or thousands of dollars for the moneygrab that is Disney today... I'd rather enjoy a week or ten days checking everything out at Universal. Besides, the kids like Harry Potter more than the duck and the mouse... 😄 So no, we're spending our time and money at Universal when we visit. 😊
Stayed here in 2016 just after it opened and it was fantastic and absolutely loved it, I did however get it at a good rate because it had just opened, doubt I would be able to afford it now though with 2 teenagers.
We stayed is September; first time and loved it; aside from no express 😢. The pool only had one tiny section that was about 5 feet but still was a great pool.
The only thing that holds me back from staying at this resort is that it doesn't offer the Express Passes... Otherwise it would be my top pick for sure! Thank you as always for such a helpful video! 🌹
Hi Mate going for a week's break in Oct have seen both your great reviews on sapphire falls and cabana bay cannot make a decision between the 2 cost difference is negligible so in your honest opinion which would you choose for 2 adults with their 18 year old son and his girlfriend. Thankyou help is appreciated
Hi Mark! Are you planning to get a suite? Sapphire Falls is a nicer hotel overall, so I'd recommend that if the prices are similar. However, if you need a suite, CB comes in a lot cheaper from experience.
@@TheFrugalBrit cheers sapphire falls booked only 3 of us going so standard room was only about £60 each dearer for a week than cabana bay never stayed in a hotel or this area before usually get a villa in kissimmee area
It was a choice between Sapphire falls or Cabana. We chose cabana just for the lazy river, starbucks, and volcano bay. We did consider the benefits of Sapphire fall's water taxi, but were only going to use it for 1day to Universal studios. Maybe next time.
Great review. I usually stay at Portofino or Hard Rock but scored a sweet Florida resident rate for end of November. Have a king pool view room for only $157 a night . Traveling by myself so even with buying an express pass I’m still saving quite a bit . I agree Sapphire Falls is really pretty resort . Looking forward to trying it . I enjoyed your video 😎😎😎
I have recently stayed at Royal Pacific and stayed in Sapphire , my opinion is Sapphire is far better and deserves to be a premium hotel, it’s far better
@@TheFrugalBrit for the dates i want its 200$ cheaper to book sapphire as opposed royal pacific, and then the express pass is 150$ extra, so id save 50$ i think.
This seems to be quite a nice, mellow place! I would think this compares best to Port Orleans, maybe…although (since my experience runs to comparison to Vegas hotel options, as I’ve visited them SO many times over the decades it’s almost a second home) it’s also very similar to the Green Valley Ranch Resort outside of Las Vegas…I HAVE heard some surprisingly Bad reviews of Amatista, however…
We stayed at both Port Orleans and Sapphire Falls for our honeymoon recently and I'd say the two places are like chalk and cheese. Port Orleans was very laid back and mellow. We found Sapphire Falls to be pretty loud, with paper thin walls and pretty much bad service all round. However room cleaning was really good and the boat down to the parks was very handy, but other than those we said we agreed not stay there again. And yes, Amatista is nothing to write home about.
Yeah it’s hard to compare it to the DW moderates really. The waterfall bit is reminiscent of water mill at riverside though. Think it’s been 8 years since I was last in Vegas.
Didn’t stay here but visited and seemed better then pacific royal, strong water tavern was very good for food but a little pricey , falls pool is better then royal pacific for sure. Endless summer is a lot cheaper and newer per room per night. The express pass is a massive decider like you said.. I went pacific just for this as wanted it for the 2 days.. would like to try they hotel next time but probably wouldn’t stay there long because of the above points on price and express, I think endless summer resorts are better placed for the new epic park in the future
Hey FB not sure if this one’s for me ! . While obviously nice think there are better options to choose from . Having said that still a great hotel . Dax 😊
Just booked Sapphire on the strength of this video! I notice you've included gluten free ratings in your restaurant videos - did you find that this hotel decent gluten free offerings for breakfast? My wife and son are both gluten free and given these Universal hotels seem to be in a bubble of their own I want to make sure they get off to a good start each day!
The smell when you walk into the foyer of the hotel is INCREDIBLE!!! It smells so good! Like high end hotels that you think would! They actually sell it!
The 1st thing I noticed as well! I love it.
Same with the Kansas City Lowes...incredible aroma in the lobby!
What kind of aroma?
@@Lilducktator like a sweet smelling kind of flower
We absolutely love Sapphire Falls Resort. The water taxi to CityWalk is one of my favorite perks but the aesthetics and offerings are very upscale at a reasonable price. The walking path to the parks is also very nice and beautiful. Incredible review. I always love your videos. They are very thorough in a reasonable length of time.
Thank you! Yeah the location is incredible for the price.
Does this hotel offer early admission to universal park or just to the Wizardly world of Harry Potter?
@@lemnatins1434 both. The wizarding world areas of the parks are near the rear of both parks so you need entry to the park to get into wizarding world. Staying in a Universal Orlando hotel offers you early admission to the parks but check the schedule because it can vary.
Thanks for the beautiful video Im booked next weekend for my bday 9.11.23 where do you recommend on purchasing the tickets to the park online or at the hotel please and thanks !
I was at universal for the first time time this weekend. I stayed offsite, and on my last night I took the water taxi to Sapphire Falls just to check it out. I was there for maybe 30 minutes, but that was enough to convince me to stay there next time I go. What a beautiful and relaxing resort
This is the best review of a hotel ive ever seen! Just incredible. Perfect amount of info.
Amazing! Thank you 😁
This was an excellent review. Concise but thorough. There are lots of videos walking you through the resorts in real time, but this is PERFECT for a quick summary of pros and cons. Thanks!
As a Lowes Hotels fan I very much appreciate this video. My bucket list is to visit every Lowes in America. With this video I am putting Orlando a little higher on the list. Thank you so much!!
Great overview. We fly over 5 weeks today for our Sapphire Falls Wedding and Honeymoon. We have treated ourselves to a Sapphire Suite for 3 weeks. Can't wait! It's such a gorgeous hotel.
No way that’s gonna be incredible! Very jealous, hope you have the best trip 😁
@@TheFrugalBrit thank you!
We did the Sapphire Suite and it was very nice! I do recommend asking for one that is not on the ground floor. Ours was and we had a view of the walk path. And don't forget to take advantage of the early park admission, you will need it now that the holidays are here. Also you have pool privileges at the other resorts, just take your room key. Try out the Portofino pool. That is how it was last we stayed so hopefully that has not changed...maybe call and ask the front desk to be sure.
This overview of the hotel is excellent. Last February, we stayed there. We admired it. It's difficult to find fault with it. The pool is fantastic, and the service is excellent. We will be back. Bty go next door for your morning coffee, it's got a massive Starbucks. Greetings from Ireland 🇮🇪
Thank you Aidan! D’you mean the Starbucks at Aventura? Yeah I found the queue to be better there compared to all others.
@@TheFrugalBrit Yes the Aventura. Keep up the good work.
I stayed 5 nights at Sapphire Falls in early October 2023. It is a fantastic hotel and I had an amazing time. Highly recommended of you want a blend of theme park fun and a Carribean getaway.
I absolutely love your videos. I often watch them when I’m longing to go back to universal. Very informative even for a universal fan
We did a split stay here last August with Portofino. Loved SF. Billed as a moderate resort, it blows away any wdw moderate in cost and amenities. As does every Universal resort in each category. SF is more like a WDW deluxe in public areas and transportation. Rooms imo is more a cross between a wdw moderate and deluxe.
I also prefer inside halls vs outside wdw motel style entryway.
Really enjoyed SF. For more food options we walked across the street to CB! I’d stay here more often if they had express pass. Maybe a limited express pass!
excellent quality video as always! - I've always stayed off-site when visiting Universal so really great to see such a detailed review of their resorts for comparison when planning my next visit. When you've reviewed all of the on-site resorts it would be interesting to see your I-drive highlights and alternative accommodation in the surrounding areas to see how they compare!
After staying at Cabana Bay this week (which I absolutely loved by the way), I’ll be reserving a suite here next. The water taxi is a game changer for me. Such a great way to rest your feet for a few!
This is the kind of hotel that if it was owned by Disney it would be 700 dollars I night. Some of Disneys deluxe resorts (that aren’t even as good as this one) cost way more and have worse transportation. I stayed here in July, (I’ve also stayed at Disneys beach club, boardwalk, and contemporary. But to be honest, this is the best and is half the price. Even more than half the price.
Yeah if this was in Disney world, it would be at least double the price!
We live in Sweden and I've been looking at both Disney and Universal for a future trip, but the prices and add ons at Disney has completely deflated my opinion about them... Universal seems like the obvious choice by miles when it comes to both entertainment and cost!
@@nicbarrax76 plus everything at universal is within a mile radius and Disney world is bigger than 36,000 acres
@@nicbarrax76 If you’ve never been to Disney, you should definitely check it out for its history and cultural status. But be realistic, because most of rides at the Magic Kingdom are no longer maintained, Epcot is a shell of its former glory, Hollywood Studios is a mess, and Animal Kingdom doesn’t have enough to fill your day. That doesn’t even begin to address the headache caused by Genie+. Set your expectations accordingly. As a long-time AP, I’ve had MANY conversations with disappointed Europeans who say, “That’s it?”
I hope Epic Universe brings some of the magic Disney used to have in previous decades.
@@onehorseopensleigh yeah no, I'm not going to spend hundreds or thousands of dollars for the moneygrab that is Disney today... I'd rather enjoy a week or ten days checking everything out at Universal. Besides, the kids like Harry Potter more than the duck and the mouse... 😄 So no, we're spending our time and money at Universal when we visit. 😊
I love that hotel. I never stay there but I love how it looks and the smell of,flowers
Stayed here in 2016 just after it opened and it was fantastic and absolutely loved it, I did however get it at a good rate because it had just opened, doubt I would be able to afford it now though with 2 teenagers.
We stayed here it was lovely. So glad we choose this one.xxxx
Gorgeous resort 😁
This is my absolute favorite Universal Resort hotel. The Strong Water Tavern is my favorite restaurant in all of Universal!
We stayed is September; first time and loved it; aside from no express 😢. The pool only had one tiny section that was about 5 feet but still was a great pool.
I can’t wait stay there for Orlando information in December
The only thing that holds me back from staying at this resort is that it doesn't offer the Express Passes... Otherwise it would be my top pick for sure! Thank you as always for such a helpful video! 🌹
It’s deserves the express pass over royal to be honest
Very welcome, thank you for watching 😁
Hi Mate going for a week's break in Oct have seen both your great reviews on sapphire falls and cabana bay cannot make a decision between the 2 cost difference is negligible so in your honest opinion which would you choose for 2 adults with their 18 year old son and his girlfriend. Thankyou help is appreciated
Hi Mark! Are you planning to get a suite? Sapphire Falls is a nicer hotel overall, so I'd recommend that if the prices are similar. However, if you need a suite, CB comes in a lot cheaper from experience.
@@TheFrugalBrit cheers sapphire falls booked only 3 of us going so standard room was only about £60 each dearer for a week than cabana bay never stayed in a hotel or this area before usually get a villa in kissimmee area
It was a choice between Sapphire falls or Cabana. We chose cabana just for the lazy river, starbucks, and volcano bay. We did consider the benefits of Sapphire fall's water taxi, but were only going to use it for 1day to Universal studios. Maybe next time.
Great review. I usually stay at Portofino or Hard Rock but scored a sweet Florida resident rate for end of November. Have a king pool view room for only $157 a night . Traveling by myself so even with buying an express pass I’m still saving quite a bit . I agree Sapphire Falls is really pretty resort . Looking forward to trying it . I enjoyed your video 😎😎😎
I have recently stayed at Royal Pacific and stayed in Sapphire , my opinion is Sapphire is far better and deserves to be a premium hotel, it’s far better
Yeah I think if you added express passes to SF, it could pass as a premier resort. Thanks for watching 😁
Great indepth review as always 👍
Thank you Lee 😁
If you book sapphire falls cant you just buy the express pass separately still?
Yeah but it’s expensive to do it this way, especially for multiple guests 👍
@@TheFrugalBrit for the dates i want its 200$ cheaper to book sapphire as opposed royal pacific, and then the express pass is 150$ extra, so id save 50$ i think.
Great review as always!
Thank you Jordan 😁
This will be useful for me now since I am going there 😀 for the HHN and Universal Studios parks vacation bundle.
So this resort doesn’t have a food court/ quick service?
Can you come to strong water for drinks if you’re staying at cabana
You can indeed 😁
Is early acces to universal offered here?
It is indeed 😁
Will you be doing a review of The Portifino Resort soon?
Yeah hopefully November orDecember 👍😁
This seems to be quite a nice, mellow place! I would think this compares best to Port Orleans, maybe…although (since my experience runs to comparison to Vegas hotel options, as I’ve visited them SO many times over the decades it’s almost a second home) it’s also very similar to the Green Valley Ranch Resort outside of Las Vegas…I HAVE heard some surprisingly Bad reviews of Amatista, however…
We stayed at both Port Orleans and Sapphire Falls for our honeymoon recently and I'd say the two places are like chalk and cheese. Port Orleans was very laid back and mellow. We found Sapphire Falls to be pretty loud, with paper thin walls and pretty much bad service all round. However room cleaning was really good and the boat down to the parks was very handy, but other than those we said we agreed not stay there again.
And yes, Amatista is nothing to write home about.
Yeah it’s hard to compare it to the DW moderates really. The waterfall bit is reminiscent of water mill at riverside though.
Think it’s been 8 years since I was last in Vegas.
Didn’t stay here but visited and seemed better then pacific royal, strong water tavern was very good for food but a little pricey , falls pool is better then royal pacific for sure. Endless summer is a lot cheaper and newer per room per night. The express pass is a massive decider like you said.. I went pacific just for this as wanted it for the 2 days.. would like to try they hotel next time but probably wouldn’t stay there long because of the above points on price and express, I think endless summer resorts are better placed for the new epic park in the future
Royal Pacific unfortunately is more than twenty years old and is in desperate need of a massive refresh
Yeah i probably need to consider Epic Universe more when referencing location.
Hello.. rumor has it they will be adding the express passes to this resort.. 🙏🙏 that would be nice 😊
Yeah I've heard that. May have to do an updated video.
How much did you pay for a standard room? We are planning a weekend in july
Do you know how much for breakfast buffet at this hotel ?
Hey FB not sure if this one’s for me ! . While obviously nice think there are better options to choose from . Having said that still a great hotel . Dax 😊
Just booked Sapphire on the strength of this video! I notice you've included gluten free ratings in your restaurant videos - did you find that this hotel decent gluten free offerings for breakfast? My wife and son are both gluten free and given these Universal hotels seem to be in a bubble of their own I want to make sure they get off to a good start each day!
Nice review! Thanks Frugal Brit
weird question: is there amazon locker nearby? hahah
Is the breakfast buffet included with your stay?
Afraid not 😞
Alrighty no big deal. Thanks for the quick reply
8 bucks for a 16oz from what the menu read, doesnt seem bad?
Adoramos o cheiro desse hotel, vocês vendem a essência? Gostaria de te lá como lembrança da viagem.
I know it's an old video but Aventura is about a minutes walk away. Offering another very affordable food court.
This hotel dose not offers the express pass but is the best hotel even better than hard rock really good hotel maybe the best in Orlando
Yeah it compares well in many areas with the premier resorts.
Frugal Bit face reveal??
Yeah I’m in the mirror lol 😁
Ironically, Royal Pacific is the most expensive right now.
Yeah it does change throughout year which is odd
"Complementary" Express Passes. Even if you book right you're still paying for them lol
True!
Exactly. I say this all the time. They're not free, you're paying for them in the increased price per night to stay. Lol
what a great resort