What's in a name? In the crowded resort landscape of Orlando, content is king, and the story often begins with the sign out front. As I explore the grounds of my temporary home, I realize just how appropriate its name really is.
I'm a native Floridian, yet there are many places across this great state that I rarely visit. The posh resorts of Naples and Palm Beach, the tropical landscape of the Florida Keys, and the melting pot that is South Beach, are all favorite, but rarely seen corners of my Sunshine State. Reunion Resort, true to its name, "reunited" me with these favorite Florida locales.
The weather was a bit gloomy as we made the drive into the resort, but I was too distracted by the lush surroundings and the magnificent looking golf holes to care. MJ asked me several times to keep my eyes on the road, and my protests of "Yeah but did you see that hole?" didn't seem to carry any weight. We arrived to The Reunion Grande and were immediately greeted by several attendants eager to extend us a warm welcome.
We pulled up a chair to the registration desk and were given a brief rundown of the resort, and what lay ahead for the weekend. I'm not usually a fan of seated front desks in hotels, but it fits the laid back nature of Reunion.
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| The Front Desk |
Before heading to the room, I gave myself the nickel tour of the lobby area. There are no TVs airing cartoons, or sound systems playing Zip-A-Dee-Do-Da on repeat. The view from the verandah is the only channel, and the music comes via grand piano. This isn't Orlando...it's Naples or Palm Beach. I asked the concierge to reserve a couch for me through the weekend, but interpreted the puzzled look on her face to mean they don't exactly reserve lobby couches.
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| The verandah |
Somehow I missed when the desk agent said we had a two-bedroom villa, which may have been a good thing because it preserved the surprise until I opened the door. It took a while for my jaw to close as I sauntered around our weekend digs which were bigger than our actual home.
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| The Living/Dining Room |
It wasn't just the size that made me want to permanently move into this villa. The tile floors of the living room, granite counter tops and stainless appliances in the kitchen, and one of the most comfortable beds I've experienced in a resort may have also had something to do with it.
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| The awesomely equipped kitchen. |
MJ also had a daily debate with herself as to which jacuzzi tub to utilize. And then there was the view, which was also worth a couple million bucks, allowing us to see the fireworks from Disney each night.
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| Yes, I think a view of the driving range is worth $2 million. |
While Reunion is first and foremost a golf resort, there is plenty to keep the non-golfer occupied as well. From tennis to volleyball and 11 pools in between, if you find yourself bored at Reunion, then you obviously didn't get out of bed.
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| This was taken after I tried to break |
One of the the numerous pools is also dubbed the "Water Park," complete with slides, a lazy river, and an awesome kids area. While it may not be on the scale of those which charge for admission, the Water Park is one of the better resort pools I've experienced.
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| The Water Park |
A unique feature to Reunion is that the property is 100% cashless, and gratuity is not accepted. Similar to the approach used by cruise ships, your room key is used for most purchases on property, and a service charge is automatically added to the bill. The only exception I found was the game room. Can you claim to have charged a game of air hockey to American Express, because I can...
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| Lazy river and a water slide in one...mind blown. |
There are numerous dining options throughout the resort, however the most impressive was Eleven, located on the roof of Reunion Grande. Eleven combines another million dollar view with a bit of South Beach flair to offer one of the most unique dining experiences in Orlando. But more on that later...
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| The dining room at Eleven |
After spending nearly 3 days at Reunion, one thing in particular stood out as being consistently great....the beautiful landscaping. The lush foliage throughout the resort transports one to the Florida Keys, and the beautiful colors seem to be found at every turn. Even the buildings themselves join in the fun, tossing aside boring a drab colors for those which are quintessentially Florida.
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| Webster's defines Florida as....This. |
As is often the case, our stay at Reunion was much too short, but we covered a lot of ground during our visit. The resort not only removed us from reality for a few days, but took us on a journey to all the places that define the Sunshine State.
Whether you're on vacation, hoping to unlock that person you wish to be in the real world, or a Floridian looking to reunite with this paradise we call home, you'll surely find it at Reunion.
So what's in a name? For the Reunion Resort...everything.
~Insert Dude-like Closing Here~
Deej
Special thanks to the Reunion Resort for hosting me for Deej's Florida Swing. As always, all opinions are my own.
