Just a reminder that Orlando can look like this. Not a theme park in sight.
Honey and I slipped away for a long weekend at The Ritz-Carlton Orlando Grande Lakes, and after years of visiting Orlando for work, family vacations and, of course, Disney and Universal, I was reminded all over again how much I love experiencing this sunny destination in a completely different way.
I feel like this is a good place to pause and say that if you DO want theme parks, The Ritz-Carlton Orlando, Grande Lakes is the perfect luxury home base for Universal Orlando. I love Universal’s Premier Resorts for the benefits they offer, but when it comes to the actual hotel experience, they simply cannot hold a candle to this one. If luxury accommodations, exceptional service, fabulous dining and a true resort experience are priorities for your vacation, this is where I’d stay and is where I put many of my clients.
With nonstop flights from cities all over the country and The Ritz-Carlton only about 20 minutes from the Orlando airport, this may be one of the easiest luxury long weekends you can take. We left Atlanta on Thursday and were settled into our suite with absolutely nowhere we needed to be in no time.
And that was pretty much the theme of the weekend.
Thursday
We checked into the most beautiful Executive Suite and were greeted with an incredible welcome of Veuve Clicquot, sweets and charcuterie. If you know me, you know they had me at bubbles.
Our suite was wonderfully spacious, with a separate living area and a balcony overlooking the lake. I poured a glass of champagne, put on my robe and spent part of the afternoon reading outside.
We intentionally hadn’t made dinner reservations for our first evening because we wanted the flexibility to see how we felt after traveling. We wandered downstairs to Highball & Harvest and were able to walk right in. The restaurant focuses on Southern-inspired food with ingredients sourced from local farms and the resort’s own garden, and it was the perfect easy start to our weekend.
After dinner, it was back upstairs and off to bed without an alarm set for the next morning. That alone felt like vacation.
Friday
We woke up at 9 a.m. NINE. For this lifelong early bird, sleeping until nine without an alarm may have been the most luxurious experience The Ritz-Carlton provided all weekend. Breakfast was included with our stay, so we headed back to Highball & Harvest and thoroughly enjoyed a leisurely breakfast before changing into swimsuits and claiming our spots by the Ritz pool.
We floated, read, had lunch poolside and thoroughly embraced having nowhere else we needed to be. The property actually has a huge amount to do, but sometimes the best resort day is the one where you don’t do any of it.
Eventually we headed to the lobby lounge and pulled out a brand-new mahjong card game I’d brought along. We enjoyed a little happy hour and played a few rounds before getting ready for dinner. I am SO excited about this one and will be sharing much more very soon. Stay tuned!
That evening we had dinner at Knife & Spoon, the Ritz’s signature steak and seafood restaurant from Chef John Tesar. The restaurant is currently Michelin recommended, and it made for a wonderful date-night dinner without ever having to leave the resort. (Still dreaming about that Caesar salad. Big regrets on the coffee cocktail at 8PM. LOL)
One of the things I love most about Grande Lakes is exactly that. Once you’re there, you really can put away the car keys and settle in.
Saturday
By Saturday morning, we were officially operating on resort time. Honey slept in and I enjoyed coffee on the balcony. We headed down for another lovely breakfast at Highball & Harvest, where we were greeted by name on our second morning. And that right there is The Ritz-Carlton difference. There is a reason the company’s service philosophy begins with “Ladies and Gentlemen serving Ladies and Gentlemen.” The service is polished and attentive without ever feeling stuffy, and those little moments of recognition throughout a stay are what make a luxury hotel feel special.
After breakfast, we traded our robes and pool chairs for a little adventure and headed out on the resort’s Eco-Tour. This was such a neat way to experience a completely different side of Orlando. Grande Lakes sits on more than 500 acres, and the two-hour guided Eco-Tour takes guests by all-terrain golf cart through the property before heading onto Shingle Creek by kayak or canoe. Shingle Creek forms the northernmost headwaters of the Florida Everglades, and along the way there are opportunities to spot some of Central Florida’s native wildlife. It is easy to forget you’re in Orlando when you’re paddling through quiet waterways surrounded by Florida wilderness.
After our morning adventure, we headed to Vitale, the café tucked inside The Ritz-Carlton Spa, for lunch. I cannot visit this property without ordering their blue crab salad. I love it so much that I’m not particularly interested in trying anything else.
Then it was spa time. I have been fortunate to visit some truly wonderful spas over the years, and The Ritz-Carlton Spa at Grande Lakes remains one of my absolute favorites. Every massage I’ve had here has been exceptional, and this visit was no different. We’ll talk much more about the spa in my full resort post, but suffice it to say that if you send me here for a weekend, I am going to find my way to that treatment table. After massages, some tea in the coed relaxation room, sauna, steam room and hot tub, we spent the rest of the afternoon at the spa pool.
Fully relaxed, we eventually made our way back to the suite to get ready for our final dinner. This time we ventured all the way next door to the JW Marriott for dinner at Primo. After two nights of wonderful meals at the Ritz, it was fun to experience another restaurant within the larger Grande Lakes resort without actually having to leave the property.
After dinner, we took a long sunset walk back toward the Ritz and enjoyed the beautiful grounds as the day faded away.
We finished the evening back on our balcony, where we could watch the fire dancer and fireworks below from the comfort of our suite. It was such a fun way to end our last full day and another reminder that Orlando doesn’t have to mean racing from one attraction to the next.
After the show, we decided to put the swim suits back on and close out the night at the pool! We squeezed every last ounce of fun out of the day!
Sunday
We slept in again on Sunday morning, enjoyed one last leisurely breakfast and eventually packed our bags for home.
A few hours later, we were back in Atlanta with enough time to unpack, get organized and prep for the week ahead. And that may be one of my favorite things about this particular getaway! We didn’t need a week. We didn’t need a complicated itinerary. We didn’t even need a rental car once we arrived. In just a few days, we enjoyed fabulous meals, slept late, floated in the pool, explored the Florida wilderness, spent an afternoon at one of my favorite spas and had plenty of time to simply be together.
I spend a lot of my professional life talking about Orlando’s theme parks, and I love them dearly. But every now and then, it’s nice to remember that Orlando can look like this too. Five-Star service, a robe on the balcony, champagne in hand and not a theme park in sight. That’s a version of Orlando I will happily return to again and again.
Planning a Ritz-Carlton Orlando Getaway
This is exactly the kind of resort where firsthand experience makes a difference. Having now stayed at, toured and booked The Ritz-Carlton Orlando, Grande Lakes many, many times, I can help you think through not just where to stay, but how to make the most of your time here.
- Firsthand experience and expertise to help determine whether The Ritz-Carlton is right for your trip, whether you’re planning a couples’ getaway, family vacation, girls’ weekend, spa escape or a luxurious home base for an Orlando theme park vacation
- Guidance on choosing the right room, suite, Club Level accommodation or Residence based on your group, budget and plans
- Personalized recommendations for length of stay, dining, spa treatments, pool time, golf, activities and how much to plan versus leaving plenty of time to simply enjoy the resort
- Help incorporating The Ritz-Carlton into a larger Orlando vacation, including Disney or Universal, or planning it as an easy stand-alone luxury getaway
- Assistance with transportation, dining, activities and all the little details that bring the trip together
And, when you book your stay with me, you’ll also enjoy these additional benefits:
- Upgrade on arrival, subject to availability
- Daily breakfast for two at Highball & Harvest
- $100 resort credit to enjoy during your stay
- Early check-in and late check-out, subject to availability
The best part? You can enjoy all of these benefits while also having me in your corner to make sure you’re booking the right accommodations and creating the right kind of Ritz-Carlton Orlando experience for your particular getaway.
Let’s Travel and My Services
As a Premier Level Advisor with Glass Slipper Concierge, I’m proud to be recognized for delivering the highest level of service, expertise, and personalized care in the industry. I leverage my personal connections and firsthand knowledge to design bespoke vacations for the most discerning travelers. Travel is an investment, and I’m here to ensure you receive the very best value for your time and money. Whether you’re celebrating a major milestone or simply seeking a well-deserved escape, it’s an honor to be part of the memories you’re making.
Click on About to learn more, and Let’s Plan to get started!
