For me, the excitement starts on the long escalator ride to street level from the Universal City Metro stop. It builds as I walk along the sky bridge over Universal Hollywood Drive and start the ascent up the hill. And it peaks when finally, that familiar sight pops into view: The Minion.
Yes, the giant, one-eyed, yellow Minion, the breakout species from the Despicable Me film franchise, looms over Universal Studios Hollywood. It’s the signal for me that I’ve arrived at the grounds of “Jurassic Park: The Ride” and “Halloween Horror Nights,” the visual cue that is quickly becoming as iconic as those mouse ears an hour or so south in Anaheim.
In the area around the park, visitors will find a bounty of hotel options. From the most luxurious to the most budget-conscious, we narrowed that list to 10 Universal Studios Hollywood hotels that will be a pleasure to return to after a day of amusement park fun.