There is no short supply of hotels in Orlando. It can be quite overwhelming if you really take a look at all the options. But if you really want to know where to stay than ask someone that lives in the area. Chances are they have stayed at a few around town for a weekend getaway as well as have received much feedback on others. If you want to know where I’d stay then look no further than the Omni Orlando Resort at ChampionsGate. This 4 Diamond Resort offers both luxury accommodations and unsurpassed service that will have you leaving rested and wanting to know when you can come back.
I recently took my family on a mini vacation to the Omni Orlando Resort at ChampionsGate. We really needed some R and R after a busy school year and my husband taking his exams. We arrived at the hotel in the early afternoon on a Thursday. As soon as you arrive you feel pampered by the enormous covered drive up area and courteous bell service eagerly waiting to help you. After they take your bags you can chose to valet or park your car yourself. When they were finished I walked inside with kids while Rich parked the car.
As soon as you enter the building you are met with an open lobby with whimsical art work, steaming in sunlight as well as million dollar views all along their expansive windows overlooking the Mediterranean style pools, lush landscaping and Greg Norman Designed 36-hole Golf Course. Their check in process was super-fast and easy. We received key cards for everyone as well as adorable Camp Omni bags for the kids. We then went on a quick tour with Kelly Burnett who is the resort’s Director of Leisure Sales. She showed us around the main hotel and was such a pleasure to meet. I think that my kids asked her more questions than I did. After that the weekend was ours.
Ok, ok I know you really want the details so I will break it down into 3 easy sections: Accommodations, Food, and Activities.
Accommodations: We had 2 joining rooms, 1 with a king and the other with 2 doubles. Every room was equipped with all the amenities you would want including a small refrigerator, robes, a safe for your valuables, free wifi, makeup mirror and hairdryer. The beds were all triple sheeted and were super comfy. I really liked the ample pillows they gave you too because I sleep with 3 at home. Every room is also equipped with a large flat screen TV to enjoy some late night TV while your kids sleep. The bathrooms were spacious and the closet had ample storage space. Our room was on the 3rd floor overlooking the pools and golf course areas. The views were really beautiful and really added to the luxury feeling of the room. Our room had one thing that others did not and that is a lovely little goodie basket thanking us for coming. As far as my room is concerned I give it a 5 out of 5.
Food: The Omni Orlando Resort at ChampionsGate has many dining options both in the main hotel and out. You can jump on a golf cart and head over to the clubhouse for what I hear is a great breakfast and lunch spread. In the main hotel there are 3 main choices for a sit down meal as well as 3 additional for grab and go or poolside fun. If you are looking for a sit down mean you can check out Zen with its gourmet Pan-Asian fare, a sake bar and sushi; David’s Club which is an Upscale sports bar; and Trevi’s which is a Casual, Italian family eatery. If you are out at the pool there is no need to head inside. Just check out Croc’s, the poolside café. I would highly recommend the Fish Tacos. If you are on the go just head into Broadway Deli for a grab and go sandwich or salad as well as nostalgic candy area. Don’t leave without getting some of that amazing gelato they serve there either. And lastly in the morning if you are hankering for a hot cup of joe then head over to Morsels and get a Starbucks concoction and a sweet treat. They even serve cereal for the kids as well as juices and protein shakes.
We didn’t get to eat at all the restaurants they had to offer but we did get to check out a few. On Saturday night the hotel hosted our family at Trevi’s. The restaurant was very expansive and had a phenomenal wait staff. Every table received bread with a head of roasted garlic which was super delish. We started out with the Calamari that everyone loved. It was tender and cooked to perfection. Karolyn and Kyle both had the kid’s pasta that came with a large meatball, Rich had the Cappasante con Linguini which is the seared sea scallops with linguini and I had the Salsiccia e Peperoni which is the Italian sweet sausage roasted red peppers, onions and grated provolone served over rigatoni. Wyatt ate a bit from everyone plate. We ended the meal with a shared Tiramisu. The dinner was really delicious and the portions were ample sized. I really liked the presentation of the Tiramisu and the robust coffee flavor. It is a definite must try. Our family also tried David’s for dinner, had gelato and Broadway Deli, Coffee at morsel’s and lunch two times from Crocs. Every meal we had was very good. The portion sizes were always ample especially the children’s items and the prices were very reasonable. One thing that really stood was the Omni Kids cups. We took them to the pool with us every day and were able to get them refilled for the kids for free all day long. Kids can get dehydrates so easily in the heat because they never stop. I thought that this was such a smart offering. Food wise I give it a 4.5 out of 5.
Activities: If all they had to offer was the fitness center, Mokrara Signature Spa, 36-hole Greg Norman designed Golf Course, formal pool and family pool with water slide then that would be enough for me but there is so much more. By the far end of the Family pool there is the main entrance to my kids favorite amenity, the Lazy River. You just grab a tube and drift along the current trying to either avoid or get into the water cannon, waterfall, and water spouts as well as the unavoidable bubbling water from below. The lazy River is surrounded by lush landscaping and made for a great escape from the hot Florida sun. On weekends get your hair braided and there is a DJ that comes and plays lots of fun games with the kids and does trivia for prizes. In the evening check out the Dive in Movies offered in the formal pool. Check out their calendar of events for movie titles dates and times.
Not interested in swimming, no problem, there is so much you can do. Checkout the court sports such as volleyball, basketball and tennis courts. Want an evening gold adventure for the family? Check out the par 3 9-hole course that is great for the beginner. The course is lit and the last tee off is at 8pm. Maybe your kids want some time for themselves. Then put them in Camp Omni for the evening and have a nice dinner sans the kids. There is also the new Teen Connection that will be offering exciting activities for teens only such as movies and scavenger hunts.
This is only a taste of what you can do at Omni Orlando Resort at ChampionsGate. There is an entire calendar of events for what they call the 102 Days of Summer. From Family Sushi Rolling to Teen Spas to Sunset & S’mores the possibilities are endless. For activities I give it a 5+ out of 5.
If you are looking for an oasis from the theme parks for your vacation lodging or just a quick in state getaway then make sure you check out the Omni Orlando Resort at ChampionsGate. You could literally drive in, park your car and never leave the grounds until you checkout days later feeling relaxed, revitalized and with a head full of memories that will last a lifetime.
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*I received a free stay for review. All opinions are my own.
