Gaylord Palms Resort and Spa

Description:

• It's a convention center in disguise, but the Gaylord Palms appeals to vacationers, too, and is not your run-of-the-mill resort. It could be considered a destination unto itself, offering its own entertainment, fabulous dining, shops, and recreational facilities. The 4 1/2-acre octagonal Grand Atrium topped by a glass dome surrounds a miniature version of the Castillo de San Marcos, the old fort at St. Augustine. Waterfalls, lush foliage, live alligators, and a rocky landscape complete the feel.

  The resort and its rooms are divided into themes: Emerald Bay, a 362-room hotel within the hotel, has an elegant air; St. Augustine captures the essence of America's oldest city; Key West delivers the laid-back ambience of Florida's southernmost city; and the Everglades uses a misty swamp, snarling faux gator, fiber-optic fireflies, and tin-roofed shanties to muster a wild-and-wooly air. The rooms are spacious, beautifully decorated, and well appointed (the soundproofing, though, could be a bit better); each has its own balcony. The kids' pool features a huge eight-legged octopus water slide, and cabanas at the adult pool have Internet access. And if you need to unwind further, try the 20,000-square-foot branch of the famous Canyon Ranch SpaClub. As is befitting a luxury resort, the service is impeccable; yet it's also extremely friendly and welcoming, not standoffish, as is the case at many other resorts of this class.

  Facilities: 3 restaurants; 4 lounges; babysitting; supervised children's program; concierge; concierge-level rooms; health club; 2 outdoor heated pools; room service; spa; free transportation to Disney parks; transportation to non-Disney parks for a fee.

• © Frommer's 2012

Awards:

Frommer's

•  Very Highly Recommended 2010