On my last trip to Orlando I stayed at two different hotels - one being this one, The Royal Pacific Resort. I was only there for 4 nights but I truly fell in love with this hotel and would if I could, come back again.

The hotel:
The hotel is part of the Loews hotels and is also included in the Universal resort in Orlando. It is a 5 star hotel and is ideal for those that want luxury at the same time as being in the heart of Universal.

First impressions:
When our group pulled up here we actually were brought in by the back entrance due to the size of our group so e didn't really see the full impact of pulling up outside the main entrance. However once inside you could immediately tell the hotel was of a high standard. We checked in quite quickly considering the size of our group ( just over 70 of us!) and whilst we were waiting for keys to be dished out and room forms to be filled in I had a quick look around the lobby which although not overly large seemed more spacious due to the big windows. I noticed the gorgeous inner courtyard which is just behind the lobby and I was very impressive by how plush this looked. Also there was a gingerbread display in the main entrance with a Christmas tree due to the season it was and overall it looked very nice and inviting - I was looking forward to getting to my room!

Rooms:
I couldn't wait to see my room and I was not disappointed by it! The room was instantly appealing as you walked in due to the nice decor that although simple was very inviting. The room I stayed in had two queen sized beds which were hugely comfortable and it had an air conditioning system which could be set to hot or cold.
The rooms have large TV's that have cable and a mini bar underneath in the cabinet. There is a table with two chairs and the window to the room is quite large which has a brilliant view of the Universal park and part of the waterway where the boats come back and forth to the hotel from Universals city walk.
The bathroom was split by having the bathtub with overhead shower and the toilet in a separate room to where the sink is. The sink is right outside the bathroom with a large mirror over it and there is a hairdryer attached to the wall here too. I can see why this is a good idea as obviously somebody could be using the mirror and sink to maybe brush their teeth whilst somebody was using the toilet. It is just a little strange to see it split from the actual bathroom itself!
The hotel offers a turndown service and although they never provided a small chocolate on the pillow like other hotels have done for turndown, I still find this to be the mark of a hotel that makes that little bit of extra effort! Overall I was impressed with my room as the beds were extremely comfortable and the amenities such as the safe, toiletries provided and the room cleaning everyday made me feel like I was being truly pampered. You can also get room service 24hrs a day.

Food & Beverages:
The breakfast is served in the Islands dining room and when you first turn up in the morning they take your room number and then show you to a table. They normally took our drinks order at that point and then you were free to go and help yourself to the buffet breakfast. By the time we had collected our breakfast from the buffet the drinks would be waiting for us at our table. They would also always bring out your chosen drink selection and a glass of ice cold water even if you didn't ask for it.
The hotel has a couple of restaurants too which consist of Emerils Tchoup chop fish restaurant and Wantilan Lau which is an outdoor eatery which includes music and shows for diners. They also have the Orchid Court lounge and sushi bar where you can get a continental breakfast or hors d'oeuvres in the evening. I unfortunately did not eat in anywhere else except the Island dining room for breakfast so cannot comment on the standard of these others but, when we came back to the hotel in the evenings we noticed that Emerils was always very busy so if you did fancy eating in here I would probably recommend booking a table for it.
I really could not fault the breakfast as every morning there was plenty to choose from and the staff were excellent. The room it is served in is very nice with big tables and the staff make sure everywhere is kept tidy. I loved the food as I thought it was very tasty and I am always a sucker when there is a chef to hand to make you omelettes! I tried to tell myself to not get one every morning loaded with cheese and ham but, kept telling myself I would be burning it all off in the parks!

General hotel amenities:
The pool at the hotel is large with a fake sandy bay and a boat deck that has water jets from all angles - great for the kids to play in! I never had time to go for a swim but, when I dipped my hand in as I walked past the water felt quite warm. Not at all freezing like some places where the water is so cold nobody goes in! The hotel also has its own gym which is at a charge and there is a children's club for 4-14 year olds called The Mariners club. The hotel can also arrange for golf playing at golf universal - there are charges involved but transportation to it is complimentary.
The hotel also has a small gift shop that isn't that expensive and in the lobby there is also Internet access and telephones which is located just around the corner from the entrance.
The hotel also has business facilities and a couple of big meeting rooms including a ballroom. Because of the size of our group we had one of our meetings in here which was done quite informally and the room was quite simple in terms of decoration but had lovely thick carpets and also a bar (which we didn't have open unfortunately!). The hotel is able to arrange tickets for guest to the shows at Universal and book tables at restaurants too in City walk. Another thing worth noting that is absolutely brilliant is that they allow pets - yes and they even have dog sitting and walking available and if you are staying with your pet they will provide doggy beds in the room for you. Not to everyone's cup of tea but certainly makes a lot of visitors stay much easier! I presume they have certain rooms for guests with pets so that people who maybe have allergies would not potentially stay in a room that may have had a pet in previously.

Overall opinion:
Overall I thought this hotel was stunning. I loved the decor as it was minimalistic but, at the same time very swanky. I thought the location to Universal was excellent and the range of amenities available should you need them, were also a huge bonus. I was really chuffed with my room as I hadn't really known much about the hotel before staying here and so didn't really know what to expect. Plus a lot of pictures I had seen online and in brochures showed old room pictures from before the hotel was renovated and so I guess that was one of the reasons I had not expected it to be as nice as it was. Of course the hotel is not cheap but, for a 5 star hotel it is very good value and if you would prefer to stay at Universal over Disney then this is definitely a good choice of hotel. I would certainly love to go back one day and I would not hesitate to recommend this hotel to anybody.