Loews & Universal Break Ground on 1,800-Room Cabana Bay Beach Resort

By Georgiana Mihaila, Associate Editor

Loews Hotels & Resorts and joint venture partner Universal Parks & Resorts have broken ground on one of the largest hotels currently under construction in the U.S—the 1800-unit Universal’s Cabana Bay Beach Resort.

The hotel will be built on a 37-acre site within Universal Orlando Resort and adjacent to Universal’s Islands of Adventure—just off Hollywood Way and Turkey Lake Road. Pricing information, opening timeframes and room on-sale dates have not been released, but according to the official announcement, the Loews Hotels & Resorts-operated hotel is scheduled to open in 2014.

The new hotel will be themed differently than anything else currently available at Universal Orlando, by evoking the driving vacations many Americans grew up enjoying with their families. The developers plan on giving it a hip, vintage look, accented with bold design, dramatic, clean lines, bright, period colors and touches of neon.

Universal’s Cabana Bay Beach Resort will offer two distinct experiences within the development’s multiple buildings: 900 family suites, capable of sleeping six, that include kitchen areas; and 900 standard guest rooms offering both moderate- and value-priced accommodations.

When the developers first announced the project, in July 2012, they stated that the new hotel will allow families to choose between value pricing or the higher level of benefits and service that come with staying at other on-site Universal Orlando hotels such as Loews Portofino Bay Hotel, the Hard Rock Hotel and Loews Royal Pacific Resort. It will provide early park admission, proximity to Universal’s Islands of Adventure and Universal Studios and resort-wide charging privileges, but it will not offer complimentary Universal Express Unlimited Access.

Universal’s Cabana Bay Beach Resort is the fourth hotel in partnership with Universal Parks & Resorts.

“Universal’s Cabana Bay Beach Resort project is a key component in our development plans,” said Paul Whetsell, president and CEO of Loews Hotels & Resorts.  “Our partnership with Universal is integral to our growth as we strategically expand Loews Hotels.”

Loews Hotels & Resorts’ new Orlando hotel development groundbreaking news followed the announcement of the company’s most recent hotel acquisition, the 356-room Madison Hotel in the heart of Washington, D.C.

Image Courtesy of Universal Orlando Resort