REVIEW: Universal Stella Nova Resort at Universal Orlando

Universal Orlando Resort’s newest hotel, Universal Stella Nova Resort, is now officially open – transporting guests to the center of marvelous galaxies, brought to life by the award-winning Universal Creative team and co-owned and operated by Loews Hotels & Co.

Stella Nova will be Universal’s ninth hotel and the first of three hotels opening this year in its new Epic Universe resort area. The sister resort, Terra Luna Resort, opens in March, followed by Helios Grand Hotel, which opens alongside Epic Universe on May 22.

Our stay began on Opening Day, with check-in starting at 11 a.m. Upon entering, dozens of team members and executives welcomed the new hotel’s first guests. Universal also offered meet-and-greet opportunities with astronauts and Universal characters, such as the Trolls and the Men in Black (including Frank the Pug!).

The design is undoubtedly its most unique aspect. Stella Nova draws inspiration from the celestial wonders of space, showcasing galaxies and stars in vibrant teals and purples. The exterior will be its most recognizable characteristic. It features more than 140,000 stainless steel reflective tiles with a dichroic color effect, which means the hues shift based on the light and viewing angle. At night, lights on the exterior give off a “shooting star” effect.

The porte-cochère at the entrance resembles a giant spaceship, creating the illusion that it has been pulled into a black hole. Upon entering, the black hole “dissipates” into the interior, revealing expansive open spaces filled with bright whites and featuring pops of purple and blue, highlighting the curves and contours along the walls and ceiling. Some walls feature space imagery that NASA supplied, with lighting fixtures emulating constellations. It’s a sleek, modern design that meets space-age – as if Aventura and Endless Summer had a baby.

Amenities

Stella Nova falls into the Prime Value category, which provides guests with hotel options at an affordable price point while still offering some great amenities – which include Early Park Admission, Bus Transportation, Merchandise Delivery, and Vacation Planning Center.

Luggage Storage, a Fitness Center, a Game Room, a Laundromat, and a Recreation Room are also available.

The Universal Studios Store at the hotel is conveniently located at the entrance and is, presently, the only place to purchase the new (and exclusive) Epic Universe merchandise.

Unfortunately, our stay was marked by some of the coldest, greyest nights Orlando has experienced this Winter, with daily temperatures reaching no higher than 50 degrees. As such, the outdoor pool area, including Galaxy Bar & Grill, was closed for most of our stay.

To compensate for the pool area’s closure, Universal opened the recreation room and provided activities for kids, including a giant Connect 4 set, board games, and Universal films on the television.

The pool area offers plenty of seating for its 10,000-square-foot pool. The pool area also offers a decently large hot tub (popular for the short time it was open), a splash pad, a sand area, a fire pit, and several table tennis tables.

Bus transportation averaged around 12 minutes between the hotel and the main resort area. However, due to ongoing road construction, the bus is currently taking an alternate route, so mileage and timing may vary. Although the Epic Resort area is almost complete, it remains an active construction site, so please be aware of that if you’re staying at Stella Nova any time soon.

One thing that stood out was how some parts of the outside world were visible from certain hotel areas. The hotel’s entrance is next to an apartment complex. The pool area has a similar issue from certain angles, but it seems the surrounding trees need to grow taller to resolve that problem. Ultimately, it’s a minor nitpick, but it can somewhat disrupt that “vacation mode” feeling.

Room

The most important of any hotel stay, in our opinion.

All 750 rooms in Stella Nova are 315 sq. ft. and feature double-queen beds with spaceship-style windows that can comfortably sleep up to four guests. There are two view options: Pool Side and Standard, which look in Epic Universe’s direction. The only accommodation difference is for those with ADA needs. Rooms on the 9th floor offer higher ceilings, making it feel more spacious than the others, as it’s the top level.

Rooms include a flat panel TV, basic coffee maker, mini refrigerator, and enough outlets and USB ports to charge laptops and phones. Even the room’s clock provides a wireless charging dock.

The beds were quite comfy, with the mattresses falling in a “firm but soft” category that should appeal to a broad range of sleepers. The room was dark once the curtains were drawn closed, which was great when we slept in on our first night. We didn’t even realize the sun had risen until we opened the curtains.

The light switches took some getting used to, as some were motion-activated and would turn on (or off) unintentionally. This is one of those good ideas in theory that is less practical in actual usage.

One thing I wish we had known is that some rooms have bathtubs while others have a stand-up shower. As parents of a toddler, we would’ve preferred to have the option of a bathtub to make bath time more manageable, but we made it work.

Universal has also provided Stella Nova branded toiletries, including “Cosmic Ember” shampoo, conditioner, and soap, which have a vanilla amber scent.

As far as hearing noises from the room, we didn’t hear much outside of a few door slams and some kids yelling down the hallway – BUT we slept with a noise machine. I always anticipate some noise in hotels, but nothing stuck out to me during our 2-night stay as problematic.

It’s worth mentioning that each floor has six elevators, and they are impressively fast! When we summoned one, we never waited more than 15 seconds. 

Value

The most significant selling point of Stella Nova is its value. At the time of this Review, Florida Residents can book a room starting at $159 a night, with rates as low as $125 this week alone.

The amenities offered at the price point, in addition to the proximity to Epic Universe, should make this a very popular hotel option in 2025.

Food & Drink

During our stay, we enjoyed breakfast, lunch, and dinner at the Cosmos Cafe.

It might be typical opening-day issues, but the food was hit & miss. There were large crowds around lunchtime and dinnertime, so I wonder if they were unprepared for the rush. With the pool area closed, there were really only two food options: dine at Cosmos or venture out into the cold to CityWalk. Now that the initial excitement of being first has passed, I don’t expect to see the same level of crowds in the future.

Most of our breakfast choices were delicious, with the Croque Madame (sourdough bread, country ham, Swiss cheese sauce, over easy eggs) being the best. The Huevos Rancheros had good flavor and offered something different. The breakfast potatoes that accompanied most dishes were fantastic, though—they were crispy and seasoned well. The Stuffed Croissant isn’t a filling meal, but we highly recommend it if you yearn for something sweet in the early morning.

The Chicken & Waffles were OK, as they were a bit overdone and underseasoned.

For lunch and dinner, we tried various handheld options, including the Stella Burger and the Pulled Pork Sandwich and both were satisfactory. The Chicken Parmesan Sandwich would probably be the only thing I would not recommend as it was pretty bland.

The Pickle-Fried Chicken Sandwich, which we found just OK on our first try, tasted MUCH better when we visited a few days later (they also changed the fries).

Regarding other items, we ordered the Mexican Street Corn and Mac & Cheese as side dishes, which were fantastic and generously portioned. The cheesecake and chocolate cake dessert options were also tasty.

If you want to skip eating at Cosmos Cafe, the Cosmos Marketplace serves ready-to-go sandwiches, snacks, baked goods, and “proudly serves” Starbucks products. You can even get the Stella Cookie, the hotel’s signature cookie, a chocolate cookie with pink M&Ms.

Stella Nova shines with its signature cocktails. Given that Stella Nova is a Prime Value hotel, it’s impressive that each bar has its own unique menu inspired by space.

At the Galaxy Bar, they offered cocktails reminiscent of poolside vibes and drew inspiration from the constellations. We tried the Leo, which features Bulleit Bourbon shaken with muddled fresh lemon, peach schnapps, citrus-sour juice, and peach purée, Stella’s take on a Bourbon Smash. The Lyra, made with Patrón Silver Tequila shaken with muddled strawberries, citrus-sour juice, and guava purée, is essentially a sweet and fruity margarita. All signature cocktails come with a collectible Stella Nova plastic glass. Unfortunately, there is no discount on refills.

The Nova Bar inside the lobby offers a wide selection of signature cocktails. The Castor was a surprise, as it is refreshingly cucumber-forward.

The Super Nova is Stella’s version of a Boulevardier, while the Antares is another take on a Bourbon Smash. The popular drink during our 2-day stay was, without a doubt, the Black Hole, Nova’s take on an espresso martini. The drink features Weber Ranch 1902 Vodka shaken with Patrón XO Café, Braulio, and cold brewed espresso, with the martini glass sprayed with a peppermint mist.

Final Thoughts

Stella Nova Resort is a wonderful stay. Its modern rooms should meet any visitor’s needs, and is a solid choice for anyone planning a trip to Universal Orlando, offering excellent value for both location and comfort.

Would we stay at Stella Nova Resort again? Absolutely.

Guests can now book reservations or vacation packages at Stella Nova Resort and Terra Luna Resort. To learn more, visit www.UniversalOrlando.com/StellaTerraResorts.

Stay tuned to Inside Universal for all the latest news on Universal Parks & Resorts and follow along on our forums & discussion boards.

Looking to book that EPIC Universal vacation? We recommend using our friends at MEI-Travel to help plan your Epic Universe getaway, or next trip to Universal Orlando or Universal Studios Hollywood.

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