Arnold Palmer's Bay Hill Club & Lodge
Home of the annual Arnold Palmer Invitational, this luxury resort features a full-service spa, salon, pool and tennis courts as well as several restaurants and lounges. The 70 guest rooms in the Lodge offer elegantly appointed rooms, suites and guest houses surrounded by the championship golf course.
The junior olympic-size pool is open dawn to dusk, providing plenty of opportunity for lap swimming, participating in an aqua fitness class or simply relaxing poolside with snacks and beverages served by Terrace Cafe.
Schedule a match or lessons on one of the four HarTru or two DecoTurf tennis courts. Professional instruction is available through the full-service tennis pro shop. The state-of-the-art fitness center offers a variety of exercise classes for all fitness levels as well certified personal trainers for individual sessions.
At the end of the day, unwind by a cozy fireplace with drinks at the Members Lounge, enjoy the casual atmosphere and light dishes of the Bay Window Room or the upscale ambiance of the Grill and Classic Dining Rooms.
Arnold Palmer's Bay Hill Club & Lodge
9000 Bay Hill Blvd.
Orlando, FL 32819
(888) 422-9445
bayhill.com/Home-1.html
Omni Orlando Resort at ChampionsGate
Set amid 36 holes of championship golf and the David Leadbetter Golf Academy, the AAA Four-Diamond resort is ideal for golf enthusiasts, business or leisure travelers. The 720 guest rooms and suites as well as the villas provide luxury amenities and high-speed wireless Internet access.
The resort features two championship 18-hole golf courses designed by Greg Norman and a continuous golf cart shuttle service to and from the course and academy is provided. In addition to golf, there are 15 acres of other recreational attractions, including a formal pool with private cabanas, a family pool with a corkscrew water slide and water tower, and the 850-foot Lazy River with shooting water cannons and a waterfall.
For off-site entertainment, a complimentary shuttle provides transportation to all of the Walt Disney World theme parks. After a long day on the links or exploring the area, treat yourself to a relaxing European-style spa experience or unwind in one of five restaurants located on the property.
Omni Orlando Resort at ChampionsGate
1500 Masters Blvd.
ChampionsGate, FL 33896
(407) 390-6664
omnihotels.com/FindAHotel/OrlandoChampionsGate.aspx
Grand Cypress Resort
Conveniently located adjacent to Walt Disney World and with access to 45 holes of Jack Nicklaus Signature-designed golf, the luxury resort offers a fun-filled vacation for the entire family. Situated among 1,500 acres, the elegant AAA Four-Diamond villas are equipped with large flat-screen televisions, high-speed Internet access, large deluxe baths and include scenic views of the waterways or fairways of the North Course from private terraces.
In addition to the Golf Club and Grand Cypress Academy of Golf, the resort features a racquet club, health club and fitness center, rock climbing wall, jogging paths, bike trails, nine-hole mini golf and an Audubon Society Nature Preserve with boardwalk walking tours.
Children will enjoy the waterfalls and water slides in the two resort pools and may also be enrolled in one of the camps for kids, while adults can pamper themselves with an in-room spa treatment. The resort also offers extensive dining options, including seven full-service restaurants, three lounges and two poolside snack bars.
Grand Cypress Resort
1 N. Jacaranda
Orlando, FL 32836
(877) 330-7377
grandcypress.com
Disney's Polynesian Resort
The smoke-free, tropical-themed resort is one of eight Disney deluxe resort hotels located within the Walt Disney World Resort. As such, destinations throughout the resort including theme parks and water parks, are easily accessible by bus, monorail, boats or walking paths. Select from guest rooms and suites with scenic views.
All accommodations include cable television, Internet access and upscale bath toiletries. Babysitting services are also available upon request. Dining options on site include three restaurants specializing in American and Polynesian cuisine as well as a Polynesian feast at the Spirit of Aloha Dinner Show. The resort provides a variety of recreational activities for the entire family, including two pools, three beach areas, surrey bike and watercraft rentals, a children's activity center and access to a health club and spa. The Nanea Volcano Pool features a 40-foot-high volcano with a waterfall and tubular water slide.
Go fishing, boating, waterskiing or parasailing on Bay Lake and Seven Seas Lagoon and see the musical electric water show held nightly at the lagoon. Both the Disney Magnolia Golf Course and the Disney Palm Golf Course are located nearby.
Disney's Polynesian Resort
1600 Seven Seas Drive
Lake Buena Vista, FL 32830
(407) 939-6244
disneyworld.disney.go.com/resorts/polynesian-resort/
About The Author
Betsy Bender is a media consultant with experience in publishing, event management, media relations, digital media and television production. Specializing in entertainment, travel and sports, Bender has worked with high-profile personalities, facilitated publicity campaigns for network television programs and traveled to more than 100 cities in eight countries, including Russia and Australia.
