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Gaylord Palms Resort and Spa is a beautifully themed luxury hotel located just one mile from Walt Disney World property. This over-the-top resort will amaze you with its lavish 4.5 acre indoor atrium, which is glass-enclosed and air-conditioned for comfort. The atrium includes four sections, each representing a different region of Florida: Key West, St. Augustine, the Everglades and Emerald Bay. Without leaving your hotel, you can wander through the misty Everglades, party on a boat in the Keys, explore a Spanish fort, or even watch live alligators being fed in the atrium waterways! The theming is so remarkable that I think it even exceeds some of Disney's Deluxe resorts.
Gaylord Palms is a convention hotel, so you can expect to see large groups of business people at times. You may find some areas closed off temporarily for private events. However, when I stayed here I thought the occasional inconvenience was far outweighed by the fantastic amenities, high-end accommodations, excellent restaurants and exciting ambiance. I also love the fact that it is a 100% non-smoking property.
Standard guest rooms at Gaylord Palms offer either one King bed or two Queen beds. Rooms feature comfortable mattresses with luxurious linens and an executive desk with chair. King rooms also have an oversized lounge chair. Guest rooms are decorated to reflect the atrium area in which they are located, so a room in the Key West section will have a different decor from a room in the Everglades section. Florida View rooms overlook the lush tropically landscaped grounds. The upgraded Atrium View rooms overlook the magnificent interior atrium of the resort. All Atrium View rooms have balconies.
Additional amenities in every room include a ceiling fan, refrigerator stocked daily with bottled water, in-room computing system with high-speed Internet access (included in the resort fee), two dual-line telephones with voicemail, doorbell system with LED display for housekeeping service, alarm clock equipped with CD player, in-room safe with AC outlet to accommodate and recharge laptop computers, remote control television with cable, coffee maker, and full size iron and ironing board. In-room pay-per-view movies, music service
and pay-per-play game systems are available.
Bathrooms are luxurious, with granite vanity, high-end bath amenities, full-length mirror, magnifying makeup/shaving mirror and hair dryer. Most rooms include double sinks and some rooms include a granite tub and glass shower enclosure.
At Gaylord Palms Resort and Spa, you can enjoy multiple dining and drinking options including Old Hickory Steakhouse, serving dinner in a whimsical Everglades setting, and Villa de Flora, featuring seasonal market-inspired Mediterranean cuisine at breakfast, lunch, dinner and a fabulous award-winning Sunday Brunch. There's also a new "South Beach style" sushi bar called Sora, open for lunch and dinner. My personal favorite is Sunset Sam's Fish Camp, marked by the mast of a 60-foot sailboat, where you can enjoy Florida and Caribbean favorites and seafood at lunch and dinner.
Looking for a fun night out? Check out Auggie's Jammin' Piano Bar, where you can sing along to dueling pianos every night. Or spend some time at the indoor/outdoor H2O Sports Bar and Grille, where you can catch the big game and choose from a fresh mix of American favorites at lunch and dinner, plus enjoy a full poolside bar.
Want a quick bite? Inside the atrium you can enjoy a light meal or snack from Java Coast, serving coffee drinks, fresh bakery items, sandwiches, salads, wine, and beer. There is also a Haagen-Dazs location. And of course there is 24-hour room service.
It would be difficult to get bored at Gaylord Palms Resort and Spa. There are two pools: the family-oriented Marine Pool with Clearwater Cove, featuring a zero-entry pool, pool slide, pop-jet fountains, sand play area, and hair-wrap station; and the adults-only South Beach Pool, an art-deco pool environment reminiscent of Miami's trendy South Beach. Coquina Dunes Recreation Park, located between the hotel and convention center, includes the two swimming pools as well as an executive putting course, bocce, croquet and volleyball.
In addition to the family pool, there is lots for kids to do. They will enjoy viewing a special habitat in the St Augustine atrium that is home to 15 juvenile alligators and 30 native species of turtles. There are also sand sculpture displays in the Key West area, the Castillo de San Marcos fort and some funky Everglades shacks (fun for exploring) and lots more. La Petite Academy Kid’s Station offers top-notch childcare if you'd like to enjoy an adult night out.
In the mood for a little pampering? The Canyon Ranch SpaClub is a beautiful spa and salon facility offering massages, facials and more.
Want to work out? There's a fantastic 4,000 square foot fitness facility with plenty of cardiovascular equipment, the Smith Press System for body-building and a Pilates® program.
Like to golf? Reserve time at Falcon's Fire Golf Club, an 18-hole, 6,900 yard, par 72, Rees Jones-signature course. It's located only 5 minutes away from the hotel and complimentary transportation is provided for guests with a reserved tee time.
There are multiple souvenir shops plus a sundries shop for any basic items you may need, such as snacks, soft drinks, books and magazines, health and beauty aids, film and disposable cameras.
There are valet laundry and dry cleaning services available.
The hotel has a well-equipped business center with computer workstations,
copying, faxing, etc. If you need to pick up a car, there's a Hertz
rental car desk. Self-parking costs $12 per day; valet parking is $18 per day.
Gaylord Palms Resort and Spa offers scheduled
shuttle service to and from the Walt Disney World theme parks, which is included in the resort fee. A shuttle from Gaylord Palms to Downtown Disney is also available. The free shuttle is first-come, first-served and picks up guests at the Transportation Lobby. Guests can receive an updated shuttle schedule at the Concierge’s desk.
If you need a lot of transportation flexibility (for instance,
you have small children with you and/or you want to return to
the resort every afternoon for naps) or if you want to be able to visit restaurants in the area, you will want a rental car.
Looking for something really different to do this summer? Check out the Summer Treasure Hunt Challenge at
Gaylord Palms,
May 2 - August 28, 2008.
Guests compete for a $10,000 grand prize!
Every year during the winter holidays, Gaylord Palms hosts a unique experience called ICE!, featuring a 9° F environment filled with amazing hand-carved ice sculptures and even ice slides.
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