Universal Helios Grand Hotel will be ‘crown jewel of Epic Universe’
Universal Helios Grand Hotel, opening in 2025, will have its own exclusive entrance to Epic Universe and a rooftop bar overlooking the park.
Universal Helios Grand Hotel will set a new standard for Universal Orlando Resort’s portfolio of overnight accommodations, creating a new category of resort properties, boasting an exclusive entrance to the new Universal Epic Universe theme park, and introducing kids’ suites themed to “How to Train Your Dragon.”
When Epic Universe opens in 2025, Helios Grand will be attached to the park’s central hub. The hotel is a collaborative effort between Universal Creative and Loews Hotels & Co. Universal Orlando shared new details about the 500-room Helios Grand on Aug. 22, 2024.
Helios Grand’s exclusive entrance to Epic Universe
As previously shared, Universal Helios Grand Hotel will have its own dedicated entrance to Epic Universe. Hotel guests will enter Epic Universe from the opposite side of the central hub, Celestial Park, as all other park guests.
When most park guests step into Epic Universe, Super Nintendo World will be immediately to their left and How to Train Your Dragon – Isle of Berk will be immediately to their right. When Helios Grand guests enter Epic Universe, The Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Ministry of Magic will be on their left while Dark Universe will be on their right.
Photos by Matt Roseboom
Photo by bioreconstruct
New tier of luxury
Universal Helios Grand Hotel will be “the crown jewel of Epic Universe and the pinnacle of Universal Orlando’s hotel experiences,” according to Universal. As such, with the opening of Helios Grand, the overall Universal Orlando hotel options are now recategorized, with Helios Grand sitting at the top in the Signature Collection.
Inside the Helios Grand hotel rooms
Standard Rooms
- Standard Room with two queen beds (325 square feet)
- Standard Room with one king bed (340 square feet)
- Standard Room Deluxe with two queen beds (415 square feet)
Suites
- King Suite with one king bed and one sleeper sofa (495 square feet)
- “How to Train Your Dragon” Kids’ Suite with an unspecified number of beds, including two twin beds (525 square feet)
- Celestial Suite with one king bed and one sectional sleeper sofa (740 square feet)
- Hospitality Suite with one king bed and one roll-away bed (1,200 square feet)
- Presidential Suite with one king bed and an unspecified number of additional sleeping options (1,500 square feet)
The “How to Train Your Dragon” series is an appropriate selection for Helios Grand’s Kids’ Suites, as one of Epic Universe’s five “worlds” is How to Train Your Dragon – Isle of Berk, which will feature an outdoor roller coaster, a water blasting ride, and an indoor theatrical production. (Elsewhere throughout Universal Orlando, the resort offers “Despicable Me” suites a Portofino Bay and “Jurassic World” suites at Royal Pacific.)
Club-Level Rooms
- Club Standard Room with two queen beds and one roll-away bed (325 square feet)
- Club Deluxe Room with two queen beds and one small sleeper sofa (415 square feet)
Dining at Helios Grand Hotel
Helios Grand will be home to several unique dining experiences, the arguable standout among them being Bar Helios, a 360-degree rooftop bar overlooking Epic Universe.
Note in the rendering below how each of the portals leading into Epic Universe’s different worlds emits a spotlight into the sky.
Bar Helios will be Universal Orlando’s second rooftop eatery, joining Bar 17 Bistro at the top of Aventura, which provides views of Universal’s existing parks.
Helios Grand will also include Flora Taverna (a table-service restaurant with Mediterranean comfort foods overlooking Celestial Park), Aurora Market (a coffee shop), and Lotus Lagoon (a poolside bar and grill).
Universal Helios Grand Hotel amenities
Universal Helios Grand Hotel amenities will include a zero-entry pool, cabana rentals, a hot tub, a fitness center, and a game room.
In addition to the dedicated entrance to Epic Universe, Helios Grand will also provide complimentary bus transportation to Universal CityWalk (from which guests can then walk to Universal Studios Florida or Universal Islands of Adventure) as well as to Universal Volcano Bay.
Additionally, Helios Grand guests will have access to early entry at Epic Universe, a perk that will also extend to Universal’s other 10 onsite hotels.
Guests staying in club-level rooms at Helios Grand will have access to a private lounge.
Theming
The architecture and theming of Universal Helios Grand Hotel will complement the area of Epic Universe it’s connected to, the galaxy-focused Celestial Park. Universal said the hotel’s interior will evoke “the palace of Helios, the Greek god of the sun, adorned with beautiful details of celestial patterns, dazzling constellations and elegant yet casual Mediterranean design elements.”
Opening date and pricing TBA for Universal Helios Grand Hotel
Universal Orlando has not announced an opening date, a sales launch date, or room rates for Universal Helios Grand Hotel at the time of this writing (nor has the company announced an opening date for Epic Universe itself).
Discover Universal, the official Universal Orlando blog, teased on Aug. 22, 2024, “Bookings will be available soon.”
Policies at Universal Helios Grand Hotel
Check-in time
Check-in will be at 4 p.m. and check-out will be at 11 a.m.
Parking at Helios Grand
A parking garage will be located adjacent to Universal Helios Grand Hotel.
Guests staying at Helios Grand overnight will be charged a parking fee of $33 per vehicle, per day (or $42 per vehicle, per day for valet).
Guests not staying overnight at Helios Grand and simply visiting for other purposes will be charged a parking fee of $50 (or $47 for valet, though that comparison seems abnormal and may be a typo). Note that Epic Universe itself will have its own parking lot at the opposite end of Celestial Park, closer to the park’s main entrance.
Helios Grand cancellation policy
Guests will receive a full refund if cancelling their stay at Helios Grand at least six days in advance of their check-in date.
Guests will be charged a cancellation fee of one night’s room rate if cancelling their stay five days or less in advance.
Helios Grand pet policy
Pets will not be allowed at Helios Grand. Pet-friendly Universal Orlando hotels include Portofino Bay, Hard Rock Hotel, Royal Pacific, and Sapphire Falls.
Behind the scenes with Universal artists
Hear artists from Universal Creative and leaders from Loews Hotels & Co discuss the development of Universal Helios Grand Hotel in this behind-the-scenes video:
Virtual fly-through video
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