Conrad Orlando

Conrad Orlando opened on 18 January 2024 at 1500 Eastbeach Way, inside the 1,100-acre Evermore Orlando Resort, less than three miles from a major theme park resort. It is the Conrad brand's first hotel in Orlando and its second in Florida. The 433 rooms and suites face an eight-acre lagoon, with architecture by HKS and interiors by Anderson/Miller.

The place

Evermore Orlando Resort covers 1,100 acres in the 32836 postcode, a short drive from the Disney parks. The hotel stands at 1500 Eastbeach Way, around Evermore Bay, an eight-acre lagoon with a large pool complex. A 500-acre nature preserve borders the property.

The concept

HKS designed the architecture and Anderson/Miller the interiors. Both took Florida's natural springs and the neighbouring preserve as their reference rather than the theme-park look of the surrounding hotels. Organic shapes and flowing, water-like lines run through the public areas, in natural wood and regional limestone. The lobby holds an installation inspired by a wooden Chris-Craft boat, and the corridors carry local water-themed art.

The resort around it combines the hotel with vacation homes. Dart Interests, whose chief executive attended the ribbon-cutting, is the developer behind Evermore.

Of the 433 rooms and suites, 61 are suites with one to three bedrooms, with freestanding soaking tubs and outdoor living space. Ten Family Suites have a private bedroom, a living room with a sofa bed, two twin bunk beds and pocket doors. Poolside rooms and suites are designed as extended cabanas, and four Deluxe Water Garden rooms open on a private patio with access to the Water Garden. Premium Suites have full kitchens and dining areas, while the Conrad and Presidential Suites face the water by day and the theme-park fireworks at night.

Rooms use Frette linens and Byredo bath products and have a minibar and a Nespresso machine.

Dining & wellness

Five venues were announced. Sophia's Trattoria serves Southern Italian cooking from traditional recipes and seasonal ingredients. Apéro is the lobby bar and a Riviera-style cocktail lounge, with piazza-style dining and a menu built on the spritz, and a beverage programme by Giancarlo Mancino. Papaya Club is Polynesian in style, with tropical cocktails by Paul McGee and Asian-inspired dishes served at the table or brought to cabanas and loungers. Little Spoon is an all-day café with pastries, gelato and sandwiches.

Ceiba, the rooftop restaurant, serves contemporary Mexican cooking and agave spirits and was scheduled to open later in January 2024.

The Conrad Spa Orlando has 11 treatment rooms, saunas, steam rooms and a Serenity Lounge. Outdoors, a 12,000 square foot Water Garden has a cold plunge, a vitality pool, a hot plunge, four private treatment tubs and sound-bath stations. Skin care comes from Noble Panacea, with Lotus Wei's Florida flower elixirs and Medicine Springs mineral sprays and oils.