Universal Orlando temporarily closing two hotels as COVID-19 keeps tourists away

Two on-site hotels at the Universal Orlando Resort — Loews Sapphire Falls Resort and Universal’s Aventura Hotel — will be temporarily closed beginning on August 21, leading the resort to consolidate hotel reservations at fewer properties.

Loews spokesperson Jennifer Hodges told Theme Park Tribune:

“We continue to evaluate our offerings and have decided to consolidate our hotel operations as we manage through current conditions. We will be operating the Hard Rock Hotel, Loews Royal Pacific Resort, Cabana Bay Beach Resort and Universal’s Endless Summer Resort – Surfside Inn and Suites and temporarily suspending operations at Loews Sapphire Falls Resort and Universal’s Aventura Hotel as of August 21. Guests with reservations at Sapphire Falls or Aventura will be accommodated at our other hotels.”

Loews Portofino Bay has remained closed even as the resort reopened in June. The other half of the Endless Summer Resort, Dockside Inn & Suites, has yet to welcome guests, as its planned March 2020 debut was delayed indefinitely by the coronavirus pandemic.

According to guests with future reservations at Sapphire Falls and Aventura that spoke to Theme Park Tribune, Universal is offering some incentives to stay on-site.

For Aventura guests, the offer is to move the reservations to Cabana Bay Beach Resort and receive a $50 hotel dining credit. For stays booked at Sapphire Falls, guests can upgrade their reservation, free-of-charge, to either Hard Rock or Royal Pacific, both of which include the Unlimited Express Pass for everyone in your room.

Loews did not specify when it will reopen the closed hotels.

Since Universal Orlando reopened in June, crowds have been sparse as COVID-19 has kept tourists away from Orlando. Cost-cutting measures that have been implemented since reopening include two rounds of layoffs and temporarily shuttering six attractions.

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