Close Menu
Inside Universal
    Facebook X (Twitter) Instagram YouTube Threads
    Thursday, June 19
    Trending
    • Knott’s Berry Farm kicks of a summer of fun with Ghost Town Alive
    • Universal shares more details on the Universal Monsters coming to Universal Horror Unleashed in Las Vegas
    • Universal Mega Movie Summer Arrives at Universal Studios Hollywood
    • Dudley Do-Right’s Ripsaw Falls refurbishment set for October 2025 at Islands of Adventure
    Inside Universal
    Facebook X (Twitter) Instagram YouTube LinkedIn Threads
    • Home
    • News
      • Hollywood
        • Photo Updates
        • CityWalk Hollywood
        • Halloween Horror Nights – Hollywood
        • Events
      • Orlando
        • Photo Updates
        • Universal Studios Florida
        • Islands of Adventure
        • Epic Universe
        • Universal’s Volcano Bay
        • CityWalk Orlando
        • Universal Resorts
        • Halloween Horror Nights – Orlando
        • Events
      • Japan
        • Photo Updates
        • Events
      • Singapore
      • Beijing
      • Other Universal Destinations
      • Outside Universal
        • Walt Disney World
        • SeaWorld Orlando
        • Around Orlando
        • Disneyland Resort
        • Knott’s Berry Farm
        • Around California
    • Forums
    • Inside Universal Podcast
    • Features
    • Merchandise
    Inside Universal
    Home»Universal Orlando»Universal Resorts»SNEAK PEEK: Universal Stella Nova Resort at Universal Orlando

    SNEAK PEEK: Universal Stella Nova Resort at Universal Orlando

    January 20, 2025 Universal Resorts By Brian Glenn
    Share
    Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Pinterest Email Reddit Copy Link

    Universal Orlando recently invited media members on-site to tour their newest hotel, Universal Stella Nova Resort, before it officially opens this week.

    Once it officially opens, Stella Nova will be Universal’s ninth hotel and the first of three hotels opening this year in its new Epic Universe resort area. By this Summer, Universal will boast a line-up of 11 hotels with 11,000 rooms, all offering something different for the guests depending on their style and budget.

    Stella Nova Resort and its sister resort, Terra Luna Resort, opening in March, boast a combined total of 1,500 ultramodern guest rooms. They fall into the Prime Value category, which provides guests with hotel options at an affordable price point.

    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. Some of the space images found throughout the lobby were actually supplied by NASA.

    However, 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.

    The hotel entrance

    Russ Dagon, SVP of Resort Development at Universal Creative, believes that the hotel’s tiles make it among the largest stainless steel buildings in the world.

    He joked that they only installed nine tiles on the first day and were “a little scared” about how long the rest of the installation would take. “We quickly picked up the pace, and everything turned out great,” laughed Dagon.

    Dagon views Stella Nova as a boutique hotel, explaining, “It’s one segment of our market and one specialized product that appeals to very specific guests.”

    And that’s something to remember: This hotel offers quite a bit for being the lowest-tier category in Universal’s arsenal. Its amenities include Early Park Admission, which allows guests to access one of the three (eventually, four) theme parks up to an hour before the park opens, complimentary transportation to and from the parks, resort-wide charging privileges, and more.

    Guests will “probably be drawn by the value price point” alongside all the resort amenities we offer, said Dennis Quinn, SVP, Hotel Commercial Strategy – Universal Orlando.

    All 750 rooms in Stella Nova are 315 sq feet and feature double-queen beds with spaceship-style windows that can comfortably sleep up to four guests, with two options for views – Pool Side and Standard, which looks in Epic Universe’s direction. The only accommodation difference is for those with ADA-necessities.

    Rooms also include a flat panel TV, basic coffee maker, mini refrigerator, and more than enough outlets and USB ports to charge laptops and phones. Universal has even provided Stella Nova branded toiletries – with “Cosmic Ember” scented shampoo, conditioner, and soap.

    The views may be a topic of discussion among guests, as some areas of the “outside world” are very visible from the pool view rooms and the pool area itself. A simple row of trees can resolve the issue, and it’s possible it may still be the plan, but during our visit, it was quite open and obvious. As far as the Epic views, they’re more than reasonable for a Prime Value hotel. Plus, the Epic Universe view isn’t Stella Nova’s selling point – it’s Helios Grand Hotel’s hook.

    Due to the lobby’s height, the 3rd floor features a unique experience called the Star Bridge. Since Universal couldn’t build rooms in the area because the lobby was directly below, they added a star effect to the ceiling. It’s nothing fantastical, but it’s a great little touch—and it will surely be a popular social media photo spot.

    Star Bridge

    The pool deck is massive, featuring more than enough space for guests, and includes a 10,000 sq. ft. pool, a kiddie splash pad, and a hot tub. The Galaxy Bar, the pool’s bar, looks absolutely fantastic and will be a very popular hangout spot.

    Other amenities at Stella Nova include a game room, fitness center, and a Universal Studios Store, which features a ton of new Epic Universe merchandise and is seemingly Stella Nova exclusive for the time being.

    The Galaxy Bar, the pool bar.

    Stella Nova Resort offers a variety of unique dining options for guests looking to have a meal or grab a quick snack in between visits to the parks, including:

    • Cosmos Cafe and Market – the quick service restaurant features made-to-order American classics for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, plus a selection of grab-and-go items.
    • Galaxy Bar and Galaxy Grill – Guests can enjoy burgers, quesadillas, and salads at these walk-up service pool bars and grills. Plus, guests 21 and older can purchase cocktails, beer, and wine.
    • Nova Bar – the hotel’s lobby bar will offer specialty cocktails curated with unique ingredients, along with the classics.

    Not everything was open during our visit, so we could only sample a few bites from the Cosmos Cafe. In short, we enjoyed the breakfast, especially the stuffed croissant, but we’ll have a more in-depth review after our stay this week, during which we can try other options.

    Something to note if you’re planning to stay at Stella Nova during its opening: Bus transportation to the North Campus, AKA the current resort, will take a little longer due to ongoing road construction as they finish Epic Universe. Detours will be in effect until the roads are finished.

    The lobby

    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.

    11 Hotels. 11 Stars. 🙂
    Star Bridge
    Stella Nova branded scents!
    The hotel’s carpet
    Universal Studios Store
    Check-in Desk at Lobby
    Lobby and Nova Bar
    Stuffed Croissants
    Monkey Bread
    Banana Walnut Pancakes
    Hot Honey Chicken Pizza
    Cosmos Cafe Seating Area
    Cosmos Market
    The lobby
    Check-in Desk at Lobby
    11 hotels. 11 stars. 😉
    Epic Views
    Pool
    The Galaxy Bar, the pool bar
    The Entrance
    Epic Universe First Look Hotel loews NASA new News pool Resort Room Sneak Peek Stella Nova Terra Luna Tour Universal Orlando Universal Stella Nova Resort
    Share. Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIn Tumblr Email
    Previous ArticleWhat’s Happening at the Universal Parks – Week of January 20, 2025
    Next Article Dates announced for Halloween Horror Nights 34 at Universal Orlando
    Brian Glenn
    • Facebook
    • X (Twitter)
    • Instagram

    Brian may be reached at brian.g@insideuniversal.net - Editor-in-Chief

    Related Posts

    Knott's Berry Farm

    Knott’s Berry Farm kicks of a summer of fun with Ghost Town Alive

    June 18, 2025
    Other Universal Destinations & Experiences

    Universal shares more details on the Universal Monsters coming to Universal Horror Unleashed in Las Vegas

    June 18, 2025
    Events

    Universal Mega Movie Summer Arrives at Universal Studios Hollywood

    June 17, 2025
    LATEST POSTS

    Knott’s Berry Farm kicks of a summer of fun with Ghost Town Alive

    June 18, 2025

    Universal shares more details on the Universal Monsters coming to Universal Horror Unleashed in Las Vegas

    June 18, 2025

    Universal Mega Movie Summer Arrives at Universal Studios Hollywood

    June 17, 2025

    Dudley Do-Right’s Ripsaw Falls refurbishment set for October 2025 at Islands of Adventure

    June 16, 2025

    Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey refurbishment set for November 2025 at Islands of Adventure

    June 16, 2025
    About Inside Universal

    Inside Universal is a website dedicated to covering Universal Parks & Resorts, specifically Universal Studios Hollywood and Universal Orlando. Our team of editors is committed to providing fact-based, non-sensationalist content that educates and informs our readers while still focused on having fun.

    Inside Universal aims to maintain a rational perspective, allowing us to offer commentary, news, and analysis about Universal Parks. Our mission is to provide you, the reader, with accurate and in-depth reporting to the best of our ability. This is our goal - nothing more, nothing less.

    Facebook X (Twitter) Instagram YouTube LinkedIn Threads
    JOIN THE DISCUSSION ON OUR FORUMS
    If you’re looking to have your Universal-related question answered, or if you’d simply like to chat about the park’s future developments, Inside Universal's forums is the Internet’s leading unofficial forum dedicated to Universal Studios Hollywood and Universal Orlando. MEI Travel
    Facebook X (Twitter) Instagram YouTube LinkedIn Threads
    • About Us
    • Masthead
    • Contact
    • Legal
    • Privacy Policy
    © 2025 All Rights Reserved - Inside Universal is not affiliated with Comcast, NBCUniversal, Universal Parks & Resorts, or Universal Destinations & Experiences. You may not copy, redistribute, publish, sell, or otherwise make the original contents of this website available to third parties unless you have received prior authorization from Inside Universal.

    Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.

    This website uses cookies to improve your experience. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish.Accept Read More
    Privacy & Cookies Policy

    Privacy Overview

    This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience.
    Necessary
    Always Enabled
    Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
    Non-necessary
    Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.
    SAVE & ACCEPT