We’re making our first UOR trip next year, and debating which resort would be the best fit. Family of five, and traveling during a holiday week so Express Pass will be important. As I understand it, here are the main differences (aside from theme)
Royal Pacific Resort:
Pros:
-Location to IOA, and to a lesser extent VB.
-Short walk to Citywalk.
-My favorite theme/vibe of the three.
Cons:
-Smallest standard rooms.
-Only one sink.
-No waterslide at the pool.
Portofino Bay:
Pros:
-Largest standard rooms, with two sinks.
-Best sit down restaurants.
-Excellent pool area.
Cons:
-Location
-Size; depending on your room location you could be a long way from the main pool.
-The theme is lovely but something about the urbanism of it bothers me. I think after being in the parks all day it would be nice to return to a resort with more greenery.
Hard Rock:
Pros
-Location. Best overall proximity to IOA, USF, and Citywalk.
-Awesome pool with the longest waterslide.
-Standard rooms are average size, with two sinks.
-Love the spanish style architecture with the abundance of palm trees.
Cons
-I’m not sure if this is a con or not… but hows the volume on the music? Are they blasting it by the pool or is it just right?
-The music theme… I guess not really a con, I can take it or leave it.
While there are price differences, they are fairly negligible in the grand scheme of things. With five of us two sinks is important, and kids love a waterslide (ok fine, so do their parents). Based on that, Royal Pacific is out, despite the appealing theme. Right now I’m putting Hard Rock above Portofino; location beats the larger room size.
Anything else I have not considered?
Replies
But hey, if you're leaning towards greenery and a change of pace from the urban hustle, have you considered Si Como No resort? It's got this wild nature vibe I'm all about. Planning my own trip there soon. Check it out: https://sicomono.com/ . Just a thought! Whatever you choose, wishing you an awesome UOR adventure with the fam.