KISSIMMEE, Fla.—Gaylord Palms Resort and Convention Center has debuted recently completed renovations, including a new lobby, remodeled restaurants, renovations to two major event ballrooms, and more than 1,400 of the resort’s 1,718 guest rooms.
The areas were remodeled as a nod to Florida’s Mediterranean Revival style definitive of the architecture in the area in the 1920s. The new 22,000-square-foot lobby features marble flooring and grand chandeliers with open-air check-in areas. Many lobby walls were removed to provide more natural light into the space, while white oak wood beams, stone floors, and Venetian plaster add more organic elements.
Socio, the resort’s Cuban-inspired bar and lounge, tripled in size to provide a lounge setting that now can accommodate more than 100 guests. Its neighboring coffee bar, The Cocoa Bean Coffee House, is a reinvented quick-service location with a new seating area. The resort’s signature fine-dining restaurant, Old Hickory Steakhouse, also underwent a complete, $7.25-milion renovation. Situated inside the hotel’s Everglades Atrium, it features an expanded bar and lounge area, a double-sided wine wall, and displays for the restaurant’s famous dry-aged steaks and artisan cheeses.
More than 1,400 guest rooms and premium suites were redesigned and renovated, with its new blue and green color palette drawing inspiration from the ocean. Upgrades include wall-mounted 65-inch flatscreen TVs, additional storage drawers and lighting, and new artwork. Guests can choose between a wide-angle view of the resort’s natural surroundings, a view of the three-acre Cypress Springs Water Park, or an upgraded atrium view with a balcony overlooking the 4.5-acre atrium and its winding waterways, waterfalls, plants, and Florida wildlife.
Approximately $15.7 million went into the renovation of the Osceola Ballroom and Sun Ballroom. With more than 77,000 square feet of space, these ballrooms feature new chandeliers, updated carpet, and modern fixtures to match the recently added 30,000-square-foot Coastal Ballroom.
Altogether, Gaylord Palms Resort features 1,718 guest rooms and more than 500,000 square feet of meeting space.
