Universal Stella Nova vs. Terra Luna: Which Epic Universe Budget Hotel Is Best for You?

Universal Epic Universe opened earlier this year in Orlando, Florida, and alongside it are 3 brand new hotels for guests to enjoy while being steps away (in some cases) from the park.

Of these new hotels, 2 are quite budget-friendly … at least compared to the third option. But which hotel should you choose — the Stella Nova or Terra Luna?

On paper, they are essentially identical, but each one has pros and cons that can impact your stay.

I’ve stayed at both, and I have thoughts. Let’s dive into them.

Stella Nova vs. Terra Luna

Universal Epic Universe is open and has changed the theme park landscape in Orlando.

This immersive park is Universal’s most ambitious project yet, with 5 worlds to explore and 3 new Loews hotels to charge up at. These hotels offer accommodations for all types of visitors, depending on your preferences and budget.

If you’re looking for a bit more luxury and exclusive access to the park, the Universal Helios Grand Hotel, a Loews Hotel, is the place to be.

But if you don’t need the extra perks and prefer to save a few (or a lot of) bucks, the Universal Stella Nova Resort and Universal Terra Luna Resorts could be the perfect fit.

These space-themed hotels look identical at first glance, but after staying at them both, I noticed a few subtle differences that may sway your decision on which to book.

Lobby

Both Stella Nova and Terra Luna are Prime Value Universal hotels, and from the outside, they appear to be identical. However, once you step into the lobby, you start to notice how they differ.

Although the sister hotels carry a space theme, the Stella Nova (which means “New Star”) has more of a space station feel, whereas Terra Luna (which means “Earth Moon”) features warmer earth tones and textures.

If you visit both, you first notice that the layouts are reversed. At the Stella Nova, you find reception and dining to the left, with the elevators to the right. At Terra Luna, reception and the dining marketplace are on the right, with the elevators to the left. Both feature a lobby bar straight ahead when you enter the hotel.

While they are essentially identical, just mirrored, the flow at Terra Luna feels better and has more of an open feel — especially in the dining area.

Pool

Again, the pool areas at Stella Nova and Terra Luna appear quite similar, at least on paper. However, a few small differences may make one more appealing than the other, depending on your party and how you plan on spending your time at the hotel.

The basics are all the same. Each has a massive 10,000-square-foot pool, hot tub, and lounge area. However, the pool deck at Stella Nova is much bigger and packed with an almost comical number of chairs. Combined with a sprawling concrete floor and limited shade, this area can get very hot if you aren’t in the water.

Over at Terra Luna, the pool is the same size, but the pool deck is smaller, creating a more cohesive atmosphere, especially with the hot tub connected to the pool. The grill and bar are also much closer to the hotel, so it is easy to go to and from the lobby without passing through a parking lot of chairs.

Stella Nova has a splash pad for kids, but Terra Luna has a zero-entry pool, which may appeal more to families with young kids. Both offer a small sandy area with beach games, but in most scenarios, Terra Luna will be a more enjoyable experience for most people.

Dining

Each hotel has its own food marketplace with a solid variety of options for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. For a limited service value hotel, the food and beverage selection is excellent at both properties.

While many budget-conscious hotels default to serving chicken fingers and French fries, both Stella Nova and Terra Luna serve fresh, made-to-order meals … and chicken fingers.

At Stella Nova, you can get all 3 meals at Cosmos Cafe and Market. You can order plates like bacon and eggs for breakfast, a hot-honey chicken pizza for lunch, and salmon fried rice for dinner.

Over at Terra Luna, you’ll find the Omega Cafe and Market, offering a slightly healthier menu that includes an egg-white frittata for breakfast, smash burgers for lunch, and quinoa wok bowls for dinner.

Both hotels have kids menus, a grab-and-go market, in-room pizza delivery from 5 a.m. until midnight, and pool bars with impressive drink menus — especially for a value hotel.

If you had to choose one hotel based on the food, the Terra Luna gets the slight edge for its better menu and seating layout. But you won’t go hungry at either.

Rooms

Although there were subtle differences in the previous categories, there are even fewer when it comes to the rooms.

Each hotel has 750 rooms, all of them 315 square feet and featuring 2 queen beds, but no suites. The rooms are all standardized and identical at each property, except for the backdrop above the bed.

The rooms at Stella Nova feature a galaxy backdrop, and Terra Luna features a single planet.

Despite some rather thin sheets, the rooms were very thoughtfully designed, and we had a very comfortable stay.

Location

Although the Stella Nova and Terra Luna hotels are right next to each other, one is closer to Epic Universe, so this could be a deciding factor, especially if you plan on walking to the park.

Both hotels have views of Epic Universe, so it is possible to see the park from some rooms. If you are staying at Stella Nova, you have the advantage of walking to the park if you don’t feel like taking the 5-minute bus ride.

Stella Nova has a convenient walking path that takes about 15 minutes from the lobby to the main entrance of the park. If you like to rope-drop and don’t want to rely on the bus, this could be a good option.

Terra Luna, on the other hand, has an extremely inconvenient walking path to get to Epic Universe, so much so that I would discourage most people from taking it. Despite being right next to the Stella Nova, guests at Terra Luna must walk out behind the hotel, cross a major intersection, walk down alongside Stella Nova, and along the bus route until they reach the park. All without shade.

The walk can easily take 30 or more minutes. So take the bus if you are at Terra Luna.

Hot Tip:

Both hotels and Epic Universe are about a 15-minute bus ride to CityWalk, Universal Islands of Adventure, and Universal Studios Florida.

Price

Both hotels offer a comprehensive list of benefits included with the rate, including early park admission, complimentary transportation to Universal theme parks and CityWalk, charging privileges across the resort, and more.

However, when it comes to pricing, the Universal Stella Nova Resort tends to be $10 to $30 more expensive per night compared to Terra Luna. With essentially identical amenities, the reasoning must be the proximity to Epic Universe.

With rates starting at less than $150 per night, no matter which hotel you choose, you are getting a solid deal for an official Universal hotel.

Final Thoughts

Universal unveiled Epic Universe earlier this year, and along with it came 3 brand-new hotels. Two of those hotels, the Stella Nova and Terra Luna, are Prime Value properties.

Generally, when you think of budget hotels, small pools and limited dining come to mind. But these new properties punch above their weight in all categories, regardless of which you choose.

If you had to pick one, and don’t plan on walking to Epic Universe, Terra Luna is the winner in our books, mostly for its pool layout and food, and being slightly more affordable doesn’t hurt!