Immediately, the drive up to The Ritz-Carlton Orlando, Grande Lakes feels quintessentially Florida, with towering palm trees lining the entrance. Although, Orlando travelers most commonly visit theme parks this trip will be a little different. Tucked away 20 minutes from theme parks is The Ritz-Carlton Orlando, Grande Lakes, but a trip here is like a theme park of it’s own. With the main theme being relaxation.
The smell was unlike anything I’d ever experienced. Walking into the Ritz-Carlton, the staff opens the door, and I inhale the scent of fresh flowers. It feels like I’m walking into a bouquet. The lobby is drenched in white marble, and I am already feeling at ease.
Upon check-in, I am greeted with a glass of champagne. Then, heading up to my room, I lay my suitcase down and walk to our balcony. It’s warm. The month of August is one of the hottest months of the year, but I don’t mind. I am eager to find the pool and cool off tomorrow. The white marble isn’t limited to the lobby, and the bathroom is bright and white too.
Deciding to stay in tonight, I shower and use their Philosykos toiletries. My favorite part of the room was of course, the oversized cotton bathrobe. You can always tell a hotel’s quality by its bathrobes. These were thick and towel-like, exactly what I was hoping for.
The next morning, I start the day off by sleeping in. A goal for this trip is to unwind. I am not rushing anything. When I do wake up, my only plan for the day is to lounge by the pool. Before heading there, I grab a coffee at the hotel’s in-house coffee shop, First Drop, and order an iced honey latte to sip by the pool. It’s only 10 am, and the temperature is already rising; it’s the perfect day to swim. Palm trees surround the pool, with gentle fountains creating the soothing sound of flowing water and adding to the relaxing atmosphere.
Right away, after I pick a loudge chair to call my own for the day, the staff asks if I want them to set up my chair with towels. I say yes, and someone comes over and provides a towel for the chair, one for my head, and one to dry off. The Ritz is a beautiful property, but what makes it truly luxurious is the service. The staff kept coming by to make sure I was comfortable and if I wanted to order anything from the Bleu Pool Bar. I ordered a salad and sipped on the berry-infused water and open my book. Laying by the pool far away from home and the internet I feel my stress and thoughts of life at home slip away.
After finishing my book, I decide to head to the other pool at the JW Marriott that Ritz-Carlton guests have access to. It’s a short 5-minute walk from the property, and although the service isn’t the same, the JW Marriott has a lazy river and three slides for guests to enjoy. I want to keep the relaxation going and get in the lazy river. The aqua-colored pool against the creamy orange hotel in the background felt almost like stepping into a picture-perfect backdrop.
Keeping the pool day going, I ordered a poke bowl at Knife Burger before heading back to my room, eager to shower and slip back into the cozy robes.
The next morning, I feel more ambitious and want to visit the on-site gym. I have been doing a great job keeping my workout routine at home, and I don’t want to lose my streak. Working out is so great for my mental health as well, so I believe it is also a part of my goal of a stress-free few days.
Yesterday’s goal was to unwind; today’s is fun. The gym is located next to the spa and is unlike many hotel gyms I have seen before. It’s huge. The gym has every dumbbell weight needed, several machines, treadmills, and even another private room to stretch in. The best part of the gym is the lap pool in the back so that you can work out in true Florida fashion. I opt for a few arm workouts before closing it out with cardio. The gym offers complimentary energy drinks, Gatorades, and protein bars to boost your workout gains. I snag one on the way out to eat on the path back to the room.
That’s the thing about the Ritz-Carlton that makes is special. You don’t have to think about those extra things you normally have to think about. You don’t need to bring water to the gym, sunscreen, or towels to the pool. The Ritz-Carlton provides everything.
Already in the cardio headspace, I want to check out the mountain biking trails on the property. Given the Florida heat, it’s much better to go in the morning before the sun is fully peaked. Again the staff provides water, sunscreen, and bug repellant. The check-in process was easy to get the mountain bikes. I just need to sign a waiver saying if I injury myself it;s my own fault. Fair enough. Every room gets a complimentary bike rental for two bikes up to an hour, but the worker insisted that if we were late, it was no problem; they just wanted us to enjoy.
The entrance to the mountain biking trails is close to the pickleball court, but instead of turning right, I accidentally go straight and am glad I did. The residences near the hotel, next to a lily pond, are so lovely. It was like riding through the cutest neighborhood on the block. I bike for a minute longer before I turn around to search for the actual entrance to the trail.
It’s been several years since I went mountain biking in college, and I almost forgot the complete rush it gives me. I was familiar with the type of trails, but I was now quite ready for it. The trail winds and turns sharply. I needed to go fast to keep up the momentum, but be careful as I went around each curve. At first, I started cursing the trail, feeling like at every turn I was going to fall. At one point, my bike was an inch away from slipping on the wood planks and full-on crashing, but I kept going. The trail is only two miles, and I make it in and out. After such a nice, relaxing day yesterday, I was eager for a little adrenaline.
Warm from my double-header workouts, I make it out of the trail and want to cool off by the pool, but this time I am dying to do one thing. Take on the waterslides. There are three waterslides at the JW Marriott next to the lazy river: The Current, The Rapids, and The Chute.
I channeled my inner child and grabbed a tube to take down the slide. The Rapids can be for tandem or single riders on a tube. It’s moderatly fast but the lights on the inside are what make it trippy. The second slide I tried was a little more intimidating because it is a body slide, no tube needed on The Current. The Current is also moderate with lots of turns, and at one point the slide goes entirely black and for a moment it was a little scary, but nothing as scary as The Chute.
The last slide, The Chute, is the fastest slide. At the very top of the slide, you can’t even see what comes next. It almost feels like standing at the edge of a mountain, with the drop hidden from view.
Fear drenched my body, but I kept thinking about the young boy who rode the slide before me. He had to be around eight years old, and if he could do it so could I. I didn’t give it too much thought before I crossed my arms across my body, and I was down the slide. What a rush! It was quick, scary, and very fun.
I want to end the day with one more activity on the property: pickleball. My partner and I can be competitive, so this is perfect for us. We are evenly matched and ready to keep score until the last point. You can take tennis lessons on the property, but included in your stay is a one hour time slot to either their pickleball/ tennis courts. Even though it’s 5 p.m., the Florida heat is getting to us. We play a short two-out-of-three before needing to cool off again by the pool.
That’s the thing about Florida heat that surprised me. Although it was the hottest time of the year, it didn’t stop me from spending my trip outdoors. The days are sunny and long, with only the chance of a short rain shower in the afternoon.
Deciding to head back to the Ritz-Carlton pool for a sunset swim was a great idea. The crowds are gone from earlier and we basically get the pool to ourselves. We watch the sun go down and the sky turn pink before getting out of the pool, and our toes are all pruny.
Not wanting to get ready for dinner, I DoorDash sushi and eat it in bed while watching The Princess Diaries and thinking about my perfect day with seemingly princess treatment at The Ritz-Carlton Orlando, Grande Lakes.
But before I got back into bed, I noticed that the bed had been made again. I got in it for a moment in the afternoon. I asked my partner if they made it. After they said no, I realized the staff doesn’t just clean the room once a day, like usual hotels; they come twice. A prime example of what sets the Ritz-Carlton apart.
Overall, my stay at the Ritz-Carlton Orlando, Grande Lakes was nothing short of luxury and the ideal spot for a relaxation vacation.
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