NATIONAL REPORT—From theme park hotels to beachside properties, here are the latest openings in the Sunshine State.
Universal’s Endless Summer Resort – Dockside Inn and Suites
Universal Orlando Resort revealed a first look at its newest and eighth hotel, Universal’s Endless Summer Resort – Dockside Inn and Suites, which will open on March 17, 2020. The first look photos of Dockside Inn and Suites guest areas include its casual dining food court – Pier 8 Market, the hotel lobby, resort-style pool and two-bedroom suites. This first look gives guests a preview of the inspiration for Dockside Inn and Suites, designed to evoke the feeling of being surrounded by the sea from the shore and catching the sunset from beneath a pier.
Dockside Inn and Suites is the second hotel in Universal Orlando’s Value category and will add 2,050 guestrooms to the destination by the end of 2020, featuring both standard rooms and spacious two-bedroom suites that sleep up to six. Plus, hotel guests receive exclusive theme park benefits, including Early Park Admission, complimentary and convenient transportation to and from the theme parks, and more.
With the addition of Dockside Inn and Suites and the 750-room Surfside Inn and Suites, the two Universal’s Endless Summer Resort hotels will add 2,800 rooms to the destination—bringing the total room count at Universal Orlando Resort to 9,000 rooms by the end of 2020.
JW Marriott Orlando Bonnet Creek Resort & Spa
JW Marriott Orlando Bonnet Creek Resort & Spa is opening this month, marking JW Marriott’s second property in Orlando. A 30-minute drive from the Orlando International Airport and ideally located close to Walt Disney World, the resort’s social spaces and amenities include a Spa by JW, resort pool with splash pad, specialty restaurants, and 50,000 sq. ft. of event space, as well as a rooftop terrace with nightly views of theme park firework displays. Inspired by its natural surroundings, the 516-room JW Marriott Orlando Bonnet Creek Resort & Spa has been designed to promote a sense of well-being and relaxation. Design elements include indigenous woods, wicker, reeds and stone features.
Home2 Suites by Hilton Ormond Beach Oceanfront
Home2 Suites by Hilton, part of Hilton’s All Suites portfolio, has opened Home2 Suites by Hilton Ormond Beach Oceanfront. Designed for travelers who want to maintain their normal routine, all of the hotel’s 93 suites feature a full or partial oceanview balcony and a range of value, tech-focused and eco-conscious amenities. Home2 Suites by Hilton Ormond Beach Oceanfront complements the strong Volusia County tourism industry, which hosts more than 10 million visitors annually. The hotel is owned and managed by Shantoshi LLC.
Le Méridien Dania Beach at Fort Lauderdale Airport
Le Méridien Hotels & Resorts, part of Marriott International Inc., along with national real estate developer Charles S. Cohen has opened Le Méridien Dania Beach at Fort Lauderdale Airport. Taking cues from the brand’s mid-century design aesthetic, the top-to-bottom conversion of the property brings to life Le Méridien’s distinctive French heritage and the allure of the Côte d’Azur to South Florida.
Located near the city’s famed The Design Center of the Americas, the 12-story hotel, designed by David Ashen of dash design, features 245 guestrooms and suites. Throughout the exterior and interior of the hotel, guests will find references to the sky and sea with design details such as a grand oculus in the lobby that frames the sky to pay homage the glamorous era of air travel, allowing guests to stargaze and view planes passing over. The guestrooms are minimal and modern in design with touches of blue and grey to reflect the destination, features custom-made headboards with mappings of the city inlaid into the wood veneer, and local photography captured by Elizabeth Gill Lui that celebrates the diverse architecture and environment of Fort Lauderdale.
The hotel offers five culinary outlets, 25,000 sq. ft. of state-of-the-art flexible meeting space, a signature Club Lounge with views of Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport, a fully equipped state-of-the-art 1,200-sq.-ft. Fitness Center and Yoga Room, an 82-foot zero-entry pool and an outdoor terrace called the “Water Club.” It is near Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport (FLL) and Fort Lauderdale Everglades Cruise Port, as well as Las Olas Boulevard, downtown Fort Lauderdale and the evolving Dania Pointe.
Comfort Inn & Suites, Daytona Beach Oceanfront
Blue Water Development, a luxury developer specializing in commercial and hospitality properties on the East Coast, has opened Comfort Inn & Suites, Daytona Beach Oceanfront. Formerly The Mayan Inn, this fully renovated hotel is the company’s first property in Florida and brings its total number of hotels to 10.
With a bright, modern design that reflects Daytona’s vibrant coastal atmosphere both inside and out, the resort-style property features 112 guestrooms; an oceanfront pool, sun deck, and tiki hut; and a meeting space designed for business groups and weddings.
The hotel’s 98 standard guestrooms are equipped with premium bedding, a flat-screen TV, and a microwave, mini-fridge, and coffeemaker, while its 14 family-friendly efficiency suites also include full kitchens. In addition, guests staying in one of the hotel’s 76 ocean-facing rooms will enjoy a private balcony.
