Inside Universal Helios Grand Hotel at Epic Universe

With the grand opening of Universal Epic Universe last month also came a shiny new hotel designed and located especially for guests who plan to spend a lot of time at the brand-new Orlando theme park. 

Universal Helios Grand Hotel, co-owned by Loews Hotels, officially opened on May 22 after a soft launch on Apirl 16. Guests who stay at the hotel get a separate, dedicated entrance to Epic Universe and early park admission.

“Through this partnership, we’ve been able to do something very special: offer an experience that is unique in the theme parks matched by a remarkable time in the hotels,” Jonathan Tisch, executive chairperson of Loews Hotels, told media at an opening reception for the hotel. “We stand here in this lobby – Mediterranean inspired, you look over Celestial Park, five different lands – and the combination of Universal and Loews shining brightly today and will continue for years and years to come.” 

Travel Market Report toured the 500-room property’s dining, accommodations, and amenities. Here’s an inside look at the key areas of Universal Helios Grand Hotel, which seamlessly integrates into Epic Universe.  

Lobby and Flora Taverna

The ground-level lobby features light, airy interiors and a lounge area with floor to ceiling windows and doors leading out to the pool area. The entire hotel is Mediterranean themed, which you feel immediately walking through the doors. 

All-day restaurant Flora Taverna is accessible right from the lobby. For breakfast, lunch, and dinner, guests can dine beneath the flowers strewn through the ceiling and among the olive trees inside, or outside on the terrace.  

“We built that seamless connection from outdoors to indoors and showcase that very light feel of the Mediterranean,” said Holly Fuller, social media manager for Loews Hotels, adding that Flora Taverna features an open show kitchen that includes a live cooking pizza oven, cooking grills, and a gyro station. 

The lobby area has a retail shop and the Aurora Market, the grab-and-go coffee and food option, as well. The first level is also home to the hotel’s fitness center and game room. 

Pool and Lotus Lagoon

Universal Helios Grand Hotel sports a large pool area that includes 18 private cabanas, Lotus Lagoon, outdoor activities, and plenty of lounge chairs. The zero-entry pool stretches far back – on one side of is the cabana area and hot tub, and the other is for organized activities. 

The pool’s grand cabanas have TVs, ceiling fans, table and chairs, lounge chairs, and a private safe. They also come with a complimentary fruit and soda/water platter.

There’s cornhole, big Connect Four, and other games on the other end of the pool; plus, the hotel hosts movie nights. Lotus Lagoon is the bar and grill, where guests can order food and beverage poolside. 

“In Greek mythology, the Lotus eaters were people in the Odyssey who consumed the fruit and the flowers of that plant and that induced a blissful state, so that’s what we’re trying to create here [at Lotus Lagoon],” Fuller said. 

Rooms and Suites

Out of the hotel’s 500 rooms, there are 35 suites and 34 ADA-compliant rooms. More than half of all accommodations have views of Epic Universe. Rooms are decked out with conceptual artwork inspired by the moon phases. There are also family suites with How to Train Your Dragon-themed kids’ rooms. All accommodations have complimentary Wi-Fi, turn-down service, and room service. 

Bar Helios

The top floor bar has become a hotspot for post-theme park drinks and bites to eat. Bar Helios was “designed to be comfortable, stylish, and high above everything,” Fuller said, and it consists of a circle bar, intimate dining area, and al fresco dining area. 

Offerings here include wagyu beef sliders, charred octopus, beef skewers, seafood towers, sashimi, and inventive desserts and cocktails. The Shattered Rose, for example, is an interactive dessert that has gotten some buzz on social media.