At the heart Gaylord Palms is Emerald Bay, a separate 362-room area, with its own suites, boardrooms and meeting facilities, designed to be a "hotel within a hotel." The upscale guest rooms, additional services and embellished meeting facilities convey the look and feel of a boutique hotel, within the framework of a total destination resort.

Guests experience the finest in splendid amenities at every turn and intimate meeting groups can be self-contained.

With a residential ambiance, the tailored and upscale design of Emerald Bay features custom crown molding, stone entryways and highly polished walnut and mahogany finishes. Bathrooms in Emerald Bay are especially indulgent with marble soaking tubs and enclosed showers surrounded with decorative tile accents.

SUPERIOR SERVICE


Meetings and conventions are served in grand style for groups from 10 to 10,000 with 61 breakout rooms in the resort's Convention Center. Conveniently, the three ballrooms and meeting rooms are located on two levels and connected to the hotel by an enclosed walkway. The 28,690-square-foot Sun Ballroom can be divided into separate meeting rooms and the 46,650-square-foot Osceola Ballroom includes a 40-foot x 100-foot stage complete with lighting, sound and satellite feed capabilities. A third ballroom in Emerald Bay offers an additional 3,600-square foot function space.

Perhaps the most valuable amenity – the "Consider it Done" button – is located on every guest phone. This button is part of the commitment made by the hotel's 1,500 employees to meet the diverse needs of every resort guest. By pressing "Consider it Done," guests can request a wide range of services -- from common requests, like theme park transportation, to not-so-common needs, like chartering a helicopter for the evening.

Gaylord Palms also features two swimming areas, the family Marine Activities pool with its octopus water slide and the adult South Beach pool, featuring art deco styling and cabanas with high-speed Internet access. The resort is also home to several entertainment locations, shops and boutiques, including Mel Fisher's Treasures, featuring authentic treasure recovered by Fisher from the richest Spanish galleon ever salvaged.

DINING

Dining at Gaylord Palms includes three signature restaurants: Old Hickory, a traditional and serious steakhouse in a whimsical Everglades setting; Sunset Sam's Fish Camp, featuring fresh seafood and Key West fun; and Villa de Flora, a unique Mediterranean marketplace.

Most noteworthy is Old Hickory's artisanal cheese course, the creation of celebrity Chef Terrance Brennan. Diners can choose from a selection of handcrafted cheeses from Chef Brennan's award-winning New York City fromagerie and bistro; and Picholine, his celebrated West 64th Street restaurant.

© SPA MANAGEMENT JOURNAL - APRIL 2005

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