Sapphire Falls now closed??

[tony67]

Looks like PB is also not available anymore through end of December as well.

HRH has cone up $20 a night for my dates - RPR over 100 - so I guess Ill book HRH - not a lot of options

Maybe with Aventura closed they will figure a way to fix the rooftop bar - it was a major disappoint overall

 

[FinnsMom7]

Looks like PB is also not available anymore through end of December as well.

HRH has cone up $20 a night for my dates - RPR over 100 - so I guess Ill book HRH - not a lot of options

Maybe with Aventura closed they will figure a way to fix the rooftop bar - it was a major disappoint overall

Curious, what didn't you like about the rooftop bar? We loved it, ended up there 3 nights in a row we had such a nice time. Only complaint was one night it was a little too breezy for what I was wearing.

 

[tony67]

Curious, what didn't you like about the rooftop bar? We loved it, ended up there 3 nights in a row we had such a nice time. Only complaint was one night it was a little too breezy for what I was wearing.

I've been more than once on multiple trips and was always disappointed with the atmosphere, staff and the quality.
The space itself is very nice and I always feel what a waste - i am a big fan of rooftop bars.
I'ts not just me - much of the staff around the parks and others I spoke too at other bars were very underwhelmed with it and had the same general opinion.
Even the bartender was hoping to go back to her previous bar.
I travel solo and always sit at the bar - so I'm sure my experience might be totally different than yours.

I find the lobby bar and Strongwater as SF a far better experience for me.

 

[Tormania]

Looks like PB is also not available anymore through end of December as well.

HRH has cone up $20 a night for my dates - RPR over 100 - so I guess Ill book HRH - not a lot of options

Maybe with Aventura closed they will figure a way to fix the rooftop bar - it was a major disappoint overall

Interesting. When we heard about the SF closure and guests getting moved to RPR where we are staying (2 nights) I decided to check room rates for our stay again and they had DROPPED $70/night. So I called and got the new, lower rate applied to our rooms. Let our friends, who are going with us, know as they have TWO rooms booked so they also got the same savings. So that helps take some of the sting out of the cost of the room.

 

[tony67]

Interesting. When we heard about the SF closure and guests getting moved to RPR where we are staying (2 nights) I decided to check room rates for our stay again and they had DROPPED $70/night. So I called and got the new, lower rate applied to our rooms. Let our friends, who are going with us, know as they have TWO rooms booked so they also got the same savings. So that helps take some of the sting out of the cost of the room.

Nice - yeah I booked and plan to check back often - there are numerous factors in that pricing - I am looking at the AP rates BTW

 

[fredandkell]

Bummed........we booked RPR back in Dec for our upcoming Thanksgiving trip cause we wanted the full unlimited EP benefits and the walking proximity to the parks. But the room was pricey for sure. If we had booked SF instead we could have ended up at RPR for much less money. I find it funny that the are moving people over as if they are putting people out by staying at the higher end properties. If had been me I would be THRILLED to get upgraded for free, lucky dogs!

LOL for those of us with phone-phobia, it was a pain. I absolutely hate calling companies on the phone. I will do anything to do transactions online instead of calling a company! (Yes, I have a problem, haha!)

 

[FinnsMom7]

LOL for those of us with phone-phobia, it was a pain. I absolutely hate calling companies on the phone. I will do anything to do transactions online instead of calling a company! (Yes, I have a problem, haha!)

Oh I am the same way.... online chat, email thread so much better. I also like having that record to make sure nothing was misunderstood and just for my own reference when I a week later forget something

 

[Tormania]

LOL for those of us with phone-phobia, it was a pain. I absolutely hate calling companies on the phone. I will do anything to do transactions online instead of calling a company! (Yes, I have a problem, haha!)

Oh I am the same way.... online chat, email thread so much better. I also like having that record to make sure nothing was misunderstood and just for my own reference when I a week later forget something

Oh it is painful for me to call and talk to customer service too. Can't tell you how many times I recruit my wife to call, I just provide her the script to talk to them. LOL!!!!

 

[ruthies12]

@tony67 I have to agree, I've been to the rooftop bar a couple times at Aventura and was underwelmed as well. Such beautiful views, but the menu leaves a lot to be desired, both the drink menu and the food menu, and the service wasn't very good either. I did like how quiet it was though, that is usually my pet peeve with bars is music that is too loud, so that part was nice.

 

[schumigirl]

@tony67 I have to agree, I've been to the rooftop bar a couple times at Aventura and was underwelmed as well. Such beautiful views, but the menu leaves a lot to be desired, both the drink menu and the food menu, and the service wasn't very good either. I did like how quiet it was though, that is usually my pet peeve with bars is music that is too loud, so that part was nice.

It is lacking something......there`s no real atmosphere there. Views are good, but once you`ve seen it oce, that`s enough....it`s not even the most spectacular of views.

We thought the cocktails lacking, not very exciting and a distinctly poor pour. Food options were lacklustre to say the least. We had been introduced to the manager who is the nicest of men, and we just couldn`t put our finger on what it was when he asked.

There is a vast area up there that is only utilised for private events, and it does look good when it`s all set up for those, otherwise, it`s a bit of a waste.

We did find the staff lacking too. Hate to say it, but once we had been talking to the manager, our service improved. Shouldn`t be that way. We made a second visit as it was suggested we might want to give it another try, but we won`t be making a third visit.

Strong Water Bar is head and shoulders above Bar17.

 

[tony67]

Strong Water Bar is head and shoulders above Bar17.

Yeah - without a doubt the best bar on property IMO - I'm a bit concerned that the staff - especially Lenny - will be gone by the time it reopens

 

[FinnsMom7]

I called again today, now that I got the official Aventura is closed email hoping for a better outcome. Nope. I understand the upgrade is extreme but I don't think its very helpful to only offer to downgrade me and offer a $50 resort dining credit when I could cancel and rebook at CBBR for 115 less than my initial reservation or to pay an additional 99 a night for royal pacific. I mentioned hearing someone was able to pay the sapphire rate and move but the rep said unless you have that rate detail or a party traveling with you that was moved there is nothing they can do. Rep said at some point they may just move me without me calling at which point I will call again. At this rate I may look to stay off property. Another 2020 disappointment.

 

[FinnsMom7]

Well over the weekend I started thinking about the fact CBBR was likely my only choice, aside from canceling or paying way more than I wanted... and then I decided to check my Hilton app... for $63 a night I can stay at the doubletree across the street.... aside from the extra hour in the am I don't feel like I am losing any on property perks... I am also now considering splitting the trip, 2 days Disney 2.5 days USO... I even went ahead and booked the Disney resort and Hilton room incase that is how I decide to go.... only 3 months away but so unsettled.

 

[ruthies12]

Well over the weekend I started thinking about the fact CBBR was likely my only choice, aside from canceling or paying way more than I wanted... and then I decided to check my Hilton app... for $63 a night I can stay at the doubletree across the street.... aside from the extra hour in the am I don't feel like I am losing any on property perks... I am also now considering splitting the trip, 2 days Disney 2.5 days USO... I even went ahead and booked the Disney resort and Hilton room incase that is how I decide to go.... only 3 months away but so unsettled.

I think you've made a good choice, Universal deserves to lose money over this debacle. Their handling of it has been quite poor IMO. Someone else was saying they were booked for Sapphire Falls for Labor day weekend and just two days ago got the email that the hotel will be closed and guess what- there are no other on property hotels open to move to! So now she has flights and park tickets and no hotel and when she called she was told oh well, so sorry. I doubt she's the only one as well for that weekend, and she was booked months ago. That kind of customer service is unforgivably bad.

 

[FinnsMom7]

I think you've made a good choice, Universal deserves to lose money over this debacle. Their handling of it has been quite poor IMO. Someone else was saying they were booked for Sapphire Falls for Labor day weekend and just two days ago got the email that the hotel will be closed and guess what- there are no other on property hotels open to move to! So now she has flights and park tickets and no hotel and when she called she was told oh well, so sorry. I doubt she's the only one as well for that weekend, and she was booked months ago. That kind of customer service is unforgivably bad.

Oh wow that is horrible! They really should be going in a combined order of upcoming trip dates and when originally booked. Also if they have even 20 people in this scenario, they should leave SF open thru mid Sept then, easy enough to move Aventura over to the other side of the parking lot. I don't see why they didn't close dockside and move them to CBBR, Aventura to SF, and then leave HRH and LRPR for all existing reservations thru mid/end Sept and then gonig forward stop new bookings for SF.

Years ago a group of us were headed to AC for a concert, week before the Golden Nugget emailed to say there was a glitch and they over booked by 40% our room was being canceled but they would move us, no charge, to a motel on the outside of town... we had booked in July for Nov ... luckily we were able to move to Harrah's but on our own they did nothing to help us.

 

[tony67]

This is really poor planning on their part - Universal should have kept SF open past the holiday weekend at a minimum - even if just for those that already had rooms booked. How they did not automatically move people is beyond me - just to be sure the rooms were allocated.
Overall they have handled covid quite well - but this is a major fail.

 

[snowpack]

LOL for those of us with phone-phobia, it was a pain. I absolutely hate calling companies on the phone. I will do anything to do transactions online instead of calling a company! (Yes, I have a problem, haha!)

I thought I was the only one like that. The phone is the last resort

 

[FinnsMom7]

This is really poor planning on their part - Universal should have kept SF open past the holiday weekend at a minimum - even if just for those that already had rooms booked. How they did not automatically move people is beyond me - just to be sure the rooms were allocated.
Overall they have handled covid quite well - but this is a major fail.

Does Universal own their resorts in the same capacity as Disney? I know some are Lowes properties so I wonder who is the "culprit" in this case.

 

[macraven]

Loews hotels

Universal holds the parks

 

[damo]

Does Universal own their resorts in the same capacity as Disney? I know some are Lowes properties so I wonder who is the "culprit" in this case.

Sapphire Falls is a Loews property. Cabana Bay, Endless Summer Resort and Aventura are Universal properties.