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Today I want to talk about two of Universal Orlando’s hotels: the Terra Luna Resort and the Stella Nova Resort. These two hotels are very similar but do have some distinctions. In this complete hotel comparison, I will tell you what ways Terra Luna and Stella Nova are similar and which ways they are different.
How Stella Nova & Terra Luna Are Alike
Both of these hotels opened last year, around the time Universal’s newest theme park, Epic Universe, opened. Both of these hotels are very close to Epic Universe (much closer than other Universal Orlando hotels). They are not as close to Universal’s new hotel, Universal Helios Grand Hotel, but they are much more affordable than Universal Helios Grand Hotel. That is why they are considered “prime value” hotels.
And speaking of affordability, you can book these hotels at great prices below:
Another similarity between the hotels is that the guest rooms, while not completely alike, are very similar.
Just check out the specs:
- Around 315 square feet
- Two queen beds
- Two-compartment, three-fixture bathroom
- 55″ flat-panel television with HD channels
- Mini refrigerator
- Smart room technology
- Automated air conditioning & heating
- Single coffee pod brewer
- Iron & ironing board
- In-room safe
- Hairdryer
- Telephone with voicemail system
- Completely wireless internet access
- On demand in-room movies (fees apply)
- Video check-out
- Pack and Play cribs available upon request
- Bathrooms are either shower, or a shower & bathtub combination
All of these features are found in guest rooms in both Stella Nova and Terra Luna. I can say from staying at guest rooms at both hotels that nothing jumped out as being significantly different.
How Stella Nova & Terra Luna Are Different
So the two hotels are very alike, but there are a few areas where the hotels differ. The differences are going to help you make your decision on which hotel to choose.
So we will tell you how they differ, and the “winner” of each of these categories.
Proximity to Epic Universe
As I mentioned earlier, the main advantage of staying at either of these hotels is the proximity to Epic Universe. They are both within walking distance of Epic Universe.
But Stella Nova is much closer to Epic Universe. It takes you around ten minutes to walk to Epic Universe, and there is a dedicated walkway to the theme park.
There is no dedicated walkway from Terra Luna. Basically, to walk from Terra Luna, you would need to first walk to Stella Nova, and then walk to Epic Universe. That is definitely doable. But Stella Nova is, obviously, closer.
Winner: Stella Nova
Affordability
Most likely due to the fact that it is a farther walk from Epic Universe, Terra Luna is the less expensive option. So if you don’t mind a longer walk, or aren’t planning on walking to Epic Universe, and instead would like to use the buses (which come all the time and works great, by the way), then the fact that Terra Luna is more affordable could make it much more appealing to you than Stella Nova. The difference isn’t huge, but the longer you stay, the difference in price adds up.
And once again, you can make a stay at either hotel more affordable by booking through the links below:
Winner: Terra Luna
Pools
The pools are somewhat similar. They both have pools and hot tubs.
But one thing Stella Nova has that Terra Luna does not is a splash pad area kids can run around in and get wet.
One thing, though, that the pool at Terra Luna has that the pool at Stella Nova does is that the pool at Terra Luna is a zero-entry pool.
So it really depends on which of those features sounds most appealing to you.
Winner: Draw
Theming
Both Terra Luna and Stella Nova have a galaxy or space-type theme. But each hotel’s theming is a bit different. Terra Luna focuses on the terrestrial elements of space, such as stepping on the surface of a new planet. Stella Nova, on the other hand, focuses more on things in the galaxy, such as stars and nebulae. Stella Nova has more blues and purples, while Terra Luna has more greens and golds. You can see the differences in the guest rooms and throughout the resort.
So which is better? This realy depends on personal taste.
Winner: Draw
Variety of Food
The dining options are similar at both hotels. Not only do they share a similar set up having an on-site quick service restaurant (Cosmos Cafe at Stella Nova and Omega Cafe at Terra Luna), but they also have a poolside grill right by the pool (though that is only open certain hours).
The similarities extend beyond this, though. There are specific menu items you can find at both, such as the Calzone and the Kids’ Very Cheesy Mac & Cheese.
But there are some menu items we enjoyed at Omega Cafe when we first stayed at Terra Luna that were not available at Stella Nova’s restaurant. For example, there was no delicious Hawaiian Moon Pizza or the Crispy Cod Sandwich.
So for that reason, I would say Terra Luna gets the nod for food variety.
Winner: Terra Luna
Quality Food
While they have the same menu, I would say the quality of the food I got at Terra Luna was higher than Stella Nova. I got the same breakfast item from both hotels, and the French Toast was much better at Terra Luna.
Now, perhaps I was there on a bad day. Maybe your experience would be different. But I have to tell you what I experienced, and that was superior food at Tera Luna.
Winner: Terra Luna
To Go Food Options
Now, there is one aspect of the food options where I think Stella Nova beats Terra Luna. And that is to-go options at the market. They had a lot more to-go options that work well as meals. That was great for my family when we were there because we came back late one night. We were very hungry and there were hot cheese pizzas we could just grab, buy, and eat. It was extremely convenient and was fairly affordable (for a theme park hotel in Orlando, anyway).
Winner: Stella Nova
Service
Now, I should probably start this off by saying that everyone’s experience can be different. But I felt like the service was better at Terra Luna.
Winner: Terra Luna
Conclusion
Both Terra Luna and Stella Luna are great choices for hotels to say in when you visit Universal Orlando, especially if you are visiting Epic Universe. But there are differences between the hotels if you are trying to figure out which one to visit.
Choose Stella Luna if you want:
- A quicker walk to Epic Universe
- More to-go food options at the hotel
- A splash pad area for children at the pool
- Theming
Choose Terra Luna if you want:
- A cheaper nightly rate
- More food variety at the hotel
- Better-tasting food
- Better service
- A zero-entry pool