Recommend September 2012 - (Page 48)

ORLANDO’S THRILLS & accommodations keep expanding hilton orlando—a slice of paradise Ok, we’ve been slamming you over the head with the fact that staying at a Universal resort is the best way to truly take in the Universal experience, but not all families are seeking the same type of vacation, meaning some really want to get away from the razzle-dazzle of the theme parks environment. And although the Orlando area is chock-full of accommodation options, the Hilton Orlando has got to be one of the best resorts we’ve stayed at in the area. It’s not in the “thick of things,” but it is located in the “middle of Orlando’s prime theme park attractions area,” says the hotel’s general manager, Doug Gehret. “Sitting just off International Drive, we are a mile from SeaWorld, ﬁve miles from Universal and seven miles from the Disney area.” One of the notable things we noticed and commented on during our stay was the superb service—we arrived and were immediately checked in, and our baggage arrived at the room soon after (checkout was no more arduous). That’s a huge plus for a hotel that’s directly connected to the Orange County Convention Center and whose room count comes in at 1,417, although there’s never a sense of being overcrowded. According to Gehret, of those accommodations, the ones most suitable for families are those “located on the 19th ﬂoor. The Executive Lounge gives guests exclusive access to continental breakfast, nightly hors d’oeuvres and a private lounge and concierge services. Another great option is a PURE room. For families with sensitivities or allergies these hypoallergenic rooms offer air puriﬁcation systems, cleansed and sanitized surfaces and microﬁber fabrics that bring a whole new level of relaxation to a vacation. Families needing just a little more space will enjoy our Parlor Suites, made up of a deluxe guestroom plus a parlor featuring a living and dining space and additional bedding options.” And when families aren’t off exploring the theme parks, this contemporary-style hotel offers plenty of resort-style leisure amenities, our favorite being the 7,000-sq.-ft. zero-entry main pool, complete with waterslide and fountain, as well as the lazy river “that gently winds and twists alongside the pool with a design reminiscent of the lazy streams that snake through Central Florida’s landscapes,” says Gehret. There’s also a “quiet pool,” as well as a 9-hole executive golf course, a jogging track, basketball, tennis, and bocce ball courts, and The Spa at Hilton Orlando—named Honorable Mention for the 2011 Best Resort/Hotel Spa in Florida by Spa Magazine in its annual Silver Sage Readers’ Choice Award. There are also seven dining options (a must is the classic steakhouse restaurant, Spencer’s). Gehret has three hotel must-dos he recommends for guests: “Rent a poolside cabana and enjoy the pool area; visit the spa; and go to David’s Club for ice cream cupcakes.” Take it from us, they are worth every extra calorie (recommend the “baked Alaska,” with chocolate cake with Neapolitan ice cream in the middle and roasted meringue on top). Average hotel rates start at $109 per night. A Weekend Advantage package that is good through the end of the year (based on availability) offers a special room rate that includes room, Internet and parking. Let us know which are your favorite hotels in the Orlando area to book for families and why by e-mailing me directly at paloma@ worthit.com—we’ll post your responses in our Agent Speak column. Or, you can make a shout out on Twitter (our Twitter handle is @recommendmag). n 48 september 2012 seaworld According to Goldsbury, SeaWorld is ideal for “the traditional family traveling with younger children who want to make a day trip from one of the Universal or Disney resorts.” And for families seeking a more subdued theme park experience, SeaWorld does, in fact, make for a good breather in-between. It offers myriad animal shows and attractions, including shark and manta aquariums and a “ride” into the Arctic, where guests can see beluga whales, walruses and polar bears (yes, polar bears in Florida!). And for bigger kids, there’s the exhilarating Manta roller coaster, where acrophobes need not venture. This year, SeaWorld was busy debuting a new attraction, TurtleTrek, a 3D 360-degree dome theater experience that is completely surrounding and immersive. Guests are given a turtle-eye view of living in the ocean and a turtle’s life journey. Also debuting this past year was the all-new Shamu show, “One Ocean.” And a good reason to send your clients to SeaWorld in 2013 is for the much-anticipated Antarctica—Empire of the Penguin, which will include a ﬁrst-of-its-kind ride that utilizes new technology for an experience that can change from visit to visit. Travel agents note that if you book clients at any of the seven “Ofﬁcial Hotels of SeaWorld,” including Renaissance Orlando at SeaWorld and Doubletree by Hilton Orlando at SeaWorld, they’ll have access to exclusive beneﬁts, including complimentary transportation; complimentary Quick Queue Unlimited (front-of-the-line access); and exclusive access to the “SeaWorld Rescue Tour” at SeaWorld on early entry dates and every Saturday year-round. And for clients not staying at one of these hotels, we recommend you tell them to purchase the Quick Queue Unlimited for only $24.99 pp, as it grants immediate access to the most popular rides and shows, and we stress the word immediate (there is no waiting in line—deﬁnitely worth it). Archived related articles (available on recommend.com): Club Med Sandpiper Bay, Florida (April 2012) contact information Hilton Orlando: (407) 313-4301; thehiltonorlando.com or hiltontravelagents.com SeaWorld: seaworldparks.com/en/seaworld-orlando Universal Resort: universalorlando.com or universaltravelagents.com recommend.com http://www.recommend.com http://www.thehiltonorlando.com http://www.hiltontravelagents.com http://www.seaworldparks.com/en/seaworld-orlando http://www.universalorlando.com http://www.universaltravelagents.com http://www.recommend.com

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Recommend September 2012

Editor's Notes
Hotel Desk: Omni Hotels & Resorts
Tour Talk: Adventures by Disney
Disney Fantasy
Atlantis, The Bahamas
Beaches Turks & Caicos
Great Kid-Friendly Resorts
Mexico with Kids in Mind
Belize + Costa Rica = Family-Friendly
Ancestry Travel: Family Roots & Routes
Orlando
Hotel-Free Stays for Ski + Beach Escapes
Kidding Around in Asia
It's All in the Family Israel

Recommend September 2012