Shades of the south seas: lush, leafy and laid-back, Royal Pacific Resort brings a touch of the tropics to Central Florida - Universal Orlando

Dinner entrees at Tchoup Chop ($18-$32) include macadamia nut-crusted Atlantic salmon with ginger soy butter sauce and spit-roasted, Hawaiian-style chicken with sweet corn sesame bread pudding, soy-pineapple glaze, and stir-fried bok choy and baby carrots. The grilled double pork chop is served with ginger-roasted sweet potatoes, tamarind barbecue glaze, and spiced green apple chutney.

The popular appetizer dumplings, presented in a rattan box, are filled with ginger-flavored pork and served with sesame soy dipping sauce. Every table gets won ton and rice chips with spicy Indonesian-style peanut sauce.

Favorite desserts are the macadamia nut pie with homemade vanilla bean ice cream, coconut creme brulee, banana cheesecake with crushed banana syrup, and warm pineapple upside-down cake with caramelized ginger ice cream.

Emeril's famous Cajun-Creole cooking takes the spotlight at his original Orlando restaurant in Universal Orlando's CityWalk, a shopping-dining-nightlife complex outside the gates of the two side-by-side theme parks. CityWalk, a short boat ride or walk from the Royal Pacific, is open to the wee hours and features a 20-screen cinema as well as lively clubs.

With CityWalk so close, resort guests have a wide range of dining choices, from Jimmy Buffett's Margaritaville to basketball-themed NBA City. Other options include Motown Cafe, NASCAR Cafe, and the world's largest Hard Rock Cafe.

Universal Orlando's 650-room Hard Rock Hotel, like the cafe, is filled with rock 'n' roll memorabilia and boasts a massive pool with a waterslide and 12speaker underwater sound system. Nearby is the stunning, 750-room Portofino Bay Hotel, Universal's first onsite hotel, modeled after the Italian Riviera village of Portofino.

Guests of all three Universal Orlando resort hotels get priority access to rides and shows at Universal Studios and Universal Islands of Adventure, bypassing the regular lines. They also enjoy priority seating at select Universal Orlando restaurants and may use their room key card to make purchases throughout the fun-filled complex.

FAST FACTS

Name: Royal Pacific Resort

AFFILIATION: Loews Hotels manages this Universal Orlando on-site property, which opened in 2002.

LOCATION: A 53-acre in Orlando, Florida, adjacent to University two distinct theme parks

ACCOMODATION: 1,000 guest rooms in three yellow-stucco towers feature Dutch colonial-style furnishings, a vintage travel poster, and a decorative wooden panel carved by a Balinese artist. All rooms have a king or two queen beds, hair dryer, coffeemaker, safe, and iron and ironing board. Guest on the Royal Club floor enjoy the services of a concierge and ironing board. Guest on the Royal Club floor enjoy the services of a concierge and a lounge serving continental breakfast and afternoon beverages and snacks.

FACILITIES: Five restaurants and lounges; two retail stores; fitness center; putting green; game arcade; Mariner's Club children's center with supervised programs; pool courtyard with children's wading pool, beach area, two whirlpools, beach volleyball, and other activities.