If you ever need a break from the grind of living in a major metropolis, but can’t stand to travel more than a mile on Highway 101, then you need to familiarize yourself with the Hilton Universal Hotel in Universal City.

photos by Carole Lowe
Whether you’re enjoying the pool or the fantastic views of the Valley, Universal Hilton is an ideal location to spend a weekend retreat to escape the stresses of living in L.A.

It’s the ace up your sleeve for a quick retreat to forget all about traffic and the stresses of Los Angeles – which is an incredibly easy task when you’re dozens of floors above it all, looking out at the San Fernando Valley from a vantage point that’s usually only afforded to LAPD helicopter pilots. It gives you a new respect for the landscape and terrain, with views of Universal Studios Hollywood, CityWalk L.A. and the Hollywood Hills.

There’s reason to come down from the sky though, and it starts at the Seafood and Prime Rib Buffet and Breakfast Buffet. Coffee-pepper rub chicken breast or jumbo baked stuffed shrimp – words never sounded so good one after another.

You can choose from salmon, slow braised ribs with Burgundy wine sauce or oven roasted Chilean sea bass with chardonnay sauce.

Don’t miss the New York steak with black peppercorn sauce, the filet mignon with béarnaise or the rib eye with roasted garlic gorgonzola sauce.

The beauty of a buffet is the variety. In addition to the delectable meats, the buffet offers create-your-own pizza, seafood pasta, mushroom ravioli and Chinese specialties. They certainly didn’t forget about dessert either, with treats like cotton candy ready when you are.

The Universal Hilton is also the spot to direct anyone who visits from out of town. If they are into the simple pleasures, the hotel includes a large outdoor pool and whirlpool. Golf courses and tennis courts are minutes away. But for some more excitement, the hotel is one block from the entrance to Universal Studios Hollywood and offers complimentary shuttle service there everyday.

Everyone in L.A. knows that The Wizarding World of Harry Potter is open for guests to explore the Hogwarts castle. But it might overshadow some of the latest and best attractions around. The staple studio tours allow visitors to look behind-the-scenes at legendary sets on Hollywood’s most famous backlot in the world’s largest working movie studio.

The “Walking Dead” attraction brings guests through the post-apocalyptic world of AMC’s show in a fight for survival through a world overrun by hungry walkers. Or you can take the family to the “Despicable Me” Minion Mayhem attraction where guests can join Gru, his daughters and the Minions on a heartwarming 3D ride.

But for good old fashioned fun with a modern twist, guests can enjoy live music or movies, check out some of the hottest clubs or find more great food at CityWalk. It’s a three-block entertainment center with more than 30 places to eat, three nightclubs, a 19-screen theatre and more than 30 unique shops.

CityWalk is directly next to Universal Studios Hollywood. For information on CityWalk, visit citywalkhollywood.com.

If you need to do some work in between your play, the hotel includes a business center, and if you need to plan an event, it also has 32,000 square feet of space for conference and meeting rooms. Bring clients there to take advantage of the audio visual rentals, printing service, Notary Public and more.

The Universal Hotel is located at 555 Universal Hollywood Dr., in Universal City.