Introduction to Sapphire Falls and AMEX Platinum Benefits
Disclaimer – You do need to be an American Express Platinum cardholder to receive these benefits.
Hold onto your butts… the current annual fee for this card is $895 – yikes! The great news is that if you are active duty military OR the spouse of one, the annual fee is waived!
Loews Sapphire Falls is a BEAUTIFUL on-site hotel at Universal Orlando Resort. It now falls within the “premier” category of Universal Orlando Hotels – despite not including an express pass like the other premier hotels.
Regardless, this hotel is a great choice if you aren’t concerned about having an express pass. And depending on when you visit, you might not need to worry about an express pass.
Photo credit: loewshotels.com
This Caribbean-inspired hotel features a stunning beach area, lush landscaping, and a beautifully themed pool, creating a serene atmosphere ideal for relaxation and entertainment.
Even though Sapphire Falls does not include an express pass, it does include my absolute favorite transportation option at Universal Orlando – the Water Taxi.
Just like its sister hotel, Portofino Bay, American Express Platinum Cardholders receive exclusive benefits when you book directly through Amex travel. While Portofino Bay falls under the Fine Hotel and Resorts (FHR) category, Sapphire Falls is under The Hotel Collection (THC). Cardholders can save up to $500 dollar bucks (more on that below) AND potentially receive other hotel perks.
How Do I Save $500 at Sapphire Falls?
We’re going to be saving money on two of the most expensive parts of a Universal Studios trip – hotel and food!
The beautiful thing about Amex Platinum credits is that they are (mostly) automatically applies to your account. There are a lot of benefits that make you click the “enroll now” button (for some reason), but then it’s smooth sailing.
More specifically, travel credits are actually pretty good right now since they increased the overall value.
All you need is your semi-annual Fine Hotel and Resorts credit and your quarterly Resy credit!
$300 FHR Amex Credit
The $300 Fine Hotels and Resorts/Hotel Collection statement credit is the largest portion of saving $500 at Sapphire Falls.
Amex advertises this as their $600 annual credit – but this is actually two separate $300 semi-annual credits.
So you can get $300 automatically credited back to your account on qualifying stays from January – June and from July – December.
Still – this is wayyyy better than the previous $200 annual credit!
Fine Print
The annual FHR/THC credit can only be applied to prepaid bookings and MUST be booked through the Amex travel portal.
The upside is that the credit is usually automatically applied within a few days.
Photo credit: loewshotels.com
$100 On-Site Credit
We all know food can be VERY expensive at theme parks and their resorts – and Sapphire Falls is no different!
This is why one of my favorite Amex benefits is the $100 on-site credit.
In my experience, this is typically a dining credit that can be used at on-site restaurants. *Double check which ones!
You simply charge your food to your room and the hotel will credit your final bill up to $100. It doesn’t have to be used all at once, or at the same restaurant.
It should be a breeze using the on-site credit at Sapphire Falls.
*The front desk will likely let you know how the credit can be used. If they don’t tell you – definitely ask!
$100 Resy Credit
Another updated Amex Platinum benefit is the $400 annual Resy credit. This translates to a $100 credit at participating Resy restaurants every quarter (Jan – Mar, Apr – Jun, Jul – Sep, and Oct – Dec).
Usually there are several options to use this $100 Resy Credit without leaving Universal!
Right now, there are 2 restaurants at Portofino Bay, 1 at Hard Rock, 3 at Royal Pacific, 2 at Sapphire Falls, 1 at Cabana Bay, and 2 at Epic Universe. Plus SO many near the resort.
This benefit is great because you can use it at SO many other restaurants.
You can hop on a water taxi and go eat at The Hard Rock Hotel or Portofino Bay.
Head over to Royal Pacific (right next to Sapphire Falls) and eat at their sushi bar.
Or go bowling and eat some food at Cabana Bay’s bowling alley, Galaxy Bowl.
The only catch is that you have make sure the Resy credit is active through the Amex benefits. This is fairly simple and Amex will walk you through setting it up.
This is the gist though:
- Make sure you’re enrolled (with your card linked in your Resy profile). Your membership and benefits page should look like this:
- Make sure the restaurant has the “Qualifies for Resy Credit” statement.
- Then you simply pay with the eligible platinum card!
Some sources online say you have to make a reservation through Resy. This has not been my experience.
I just pay with the eligible and linked card in my Resy profile. Within a few days I am credited $100!
Extra Credit
I kid you not – no pun was intended.
Even when it does take a few business days for credits to post, it is usually dated for the day of purchase. Hopefully this translates to being able to use this credit back to back – at the end of a quarter and the beginning of the next.
So bonus points if you can use two of these $100/quarter Resy Credits in one week! That would be a total of $600 in savings! Looking at you end of March, June, September, and December trips.
And please let me know if a back to back Resy credit has worked for you before!
Dining Options at Loews Sapphire Falls Hotel
One of the reasons I love staying on-site at Universal Orlando is because of the food. Especially when it comes to the premier hotels, the food is usually so delicious.
Sapphire Falls has 4 dining options on-site: Amatista Cookhouse, Strong Water Tavern, Drhum Club Kantine, and New Dutch Trading Co.
Fancier Options
Amatista Cookhouse is what I would call the main, full service restaurant at Sapphire Falls. Here you can find a bright Caribbean themed restaurant with beautiful water views.
Amatista features fresh, locally-sourced ingredients paired with tropical flavors and are open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. And they are currently eligible for the Resy credit.
Strong Water Tavern is exactly how it sounds. You need to check this place out if you are into rum! They are only open in the evenings but here you can find a looooong list of vintage and specialty rums. Reservations are recommended according to their website.
Don’t worry, they also have more Caribbean-inspired food so you aren’t drinking on an empty stomach! And they have live music Friday and Saturday nights – which is good to know whether you enjoy live music or not. Oh and they are also currently eligible for the Resy credit too!
Less Fancy Options
As usual, the pool bar is my favorite of the dining options. The Drhum Club Kantine serves a selection of snacks and beverages poolside, perfect for relaxing by the pool or just grabbing a quick bite.
It is typically easier for me to find more budget friendly menu items at the pool bars. Think chicken tender plates, brick oven pizza, sandwiches, nachos, etc.
Pro tip: Order off the kids menu! It’s usually plenty of food and I have never been told I’m too old.
Last is the New Dutch Trading Co. This is where you’ll go for quick bites, sweet treats, and coffee drinks. Summer of 2026 prices are around $14 for a sandwich and around $5-6 for a coffee.
Regardless of where you eat, don’t forget to utilize the on-site resort credit and Resy credit(s)!
Additional Amenities and Experiences for Amex Platinum Cardholders
Although the travel credit, on-site dining credit, and Resy credit are the primary benefits most people care about, there are still a few more possibilities!
Since Sapphire Falls is a Hotel Collection resort, staying here comes with slightly fewer benefits than at Portofino Bay.
The main difference is that early check-in and late check-out are not guaranteed, but given if available. This is obviously a great perk for maximizing the time you have at Universal Studios.
You can always check-in in the morning (as early as 7 am) and use their luggage drop off service (highly recommend!). And if you absolutely need your room ready earlier than 4 pm – make sure you call the front desk before your trip to confirm availability.
Similarly, you can confirm late check-out with the front desk. But if it is not available, they will also hold your luggage the day of check out.
I have used the luggage storage service almost every trip – and it is SO convienent.
The last perk is receiving a room upgrade if available!
Although these aren’t guaranteed, they are always a welcomed benefit!
Conclusion
A trip to Universal Orlando Resort can be very expensive. But if you plan accordingly, and far enough out, it is possible to save money.
One of the best ways to save is by using all the benefits Amex platinum offers.
Utilizing as many of these benefits as possible will result in saving $500 (maybe even $600 if you can use two Resy credits) on your next trip to Universal!
Please feel free to ask any questions, I’m here to help!
And if you liked this article, be sure to read my Fine Hotels and Resorts at Portofino Bay article!