Award-winning hotel debuts reimagined guestrooms and suites, lobby, signature restaurants, spa, golf course, and meetings and events spaces
ORLANDO, Fla. (December 6, 2023) – Today, the award-winning Waldorf Astoria Orlando unveils a property-wide reimagination that includes a floor-to-ceiling transformation inclusive of all guestrooms and suites, the lobby arrival experience, new design and culinary innovations at the award-winning restaurants Bull & Bear and Peacock Alley, enhancements to The Waldorf Astoria Spa and a complete restoration of the esteemed 18-hole Waldorf Astoria Golf Club. These renovations complete the property-wide renewal, which began last year with the comprehensive enhancement of the hotel’s meeting and event spaces. The reimagination, led by renowned interior design firm Parker Torres Design, emphasizes the resort’s unique geographic position, pleasantly located within the 482-acre Bonnet Creek Nature Preserve, a sanctuary from the buzz of theme parks just minutes away.
“We are thrilled to introduce the eagerly awaited completion of our reimagined Waldorf Astoria Orlando, solidifying the hotel as a top-tier luxury destination for visitors to Orlando,” said Ryan Fitzgerald, general manager of Waldorf Astoria Orlando. “Every detail has been meticulously considered, and upon its full realization, Waldorf Astoria Orlando boasts a design-forward ambiance complemented by the exceptional service and amenities our guests have come to anticipate.”
LOBBY AND ARRIVAL EXPERIENCE
Upon arrival, Waldorf Astoria Orlando guests will be welcomed by a grand sense of arrival inspired by organic sophistication and timeless luxury. White marble floors paired with a dramatic focal wall behind the front desk and a Waldorf Astoria brand clock center the space, allowing the guests to truly feel they’ve arrived at a tranquil oasis.
GUEST ROOMS AND SUITES
All 502 guest rooms, including 171 suites, were redesigned by Parker Torres, who drew inspiration from the nature reserves’ indigenous wildlife, vegetation, and twilight hours. Through this vision, the guestrooms evoke a palette of neutral tones and soft greens punctuated with sunset tones of pink and orange, captivating the guest with sophisticated organic forms and a modern-day sense of history and tradition. The Parker Torres Design team customized the artwork to complement the design features which speaks to the organic contours, shapes, and textures found in nature. Guests will continue to enjoy luxurious amenities, including exclusively curated Aesop toiletries, an in-room Nespresso coffee machine, and more.
BULL & BEAR
A new era has been ushered in for the award-winning signature restaurant Bull & Bear. Helmed by creative mastermind Chef Juan Suarez, this fan favorite for Orlando locals and visitors alike has been reimagined with playful and innovative culinary experiences. As guests step into Bull & Bear, they’ll notice a transformed space with the heightened experience of a classic steakhouse accented by notes of Mid-Century Modern era style. Hues of emerald green, white, and black peek out of the dark woods that envelop the room and welcome guests for an unforgettable culinary journey. Consistently ranked as one of the top dining experiences in Orlando, diners have inevitably chosen their favorites over the years, such as the Fried Chicken or Pasta Explosion, and while those classics are still available, Chef Juan and his team have introduced many new menu items, all with an emphasis on genuinely immersive guest experiences. From tableside preparations like the classic Caesar salad to opulent dishes including The Grand Seafood Tower or The Baked Potato, which is smothered in Jamon Iberico de Bellota, sour cream, gold leaf and topped with Petrossian Ossetra Caviar, there is no shortage of showstopping new favorites.
Executive Pastry Chef Franck Riffaud has debuted a dessert menu with signature dishes like the Ring of Yuzu, a visually stunning dish presented as a cloud of liquid nitrogen, and the Vanilla Napoleon featuring caramelized mille feuille, Tahitian vanilla bean custard, vanilla crème chantilly, pineapple chutney and coquito gelato.
The revamped cocktail program introduces a new list of libations anchored by the Smoking Bull, a tableside-smoked Old Fashioned. The menu adds The Aristocrat, a Black Truffle infused Beluga Gold Line Vodka cocktail topped with gold leaf. The wine program is equally impressive, boasting rare wines such as The Flight from Screaming Eagle and Bordeaux wines such as the Mouton Rothschild 2020 and Smith Haut Laffite. Bull & Bear allows diners access to these exquisite wines often reserved for private collectors.
PEACOCK ALLEY
This reimagined Waldorf Astoria icon now draws design inspiration from the shape of the Peacock’s feathers juxtaposed with a fresh, modern take on Art Deco Design, paying homage to the Peacock in a more discrete way. The space possesses an airy design palette with pops of color. Debuted with the renovation, the lounge features a sophisticated new cocktail menu.
THE WALDORF ASTORIA SPA
The new Waldorf Astoria Spa puts ultimate relaxation and rejuvenation at the core of every guest experience. With the reimagination comes new signature treatments and experiences, such as The Isle of Serenity Room, inclusive of the new Lemi Spa Dream tables, which combine the use of color therapy, spherical sand-like quartz, and a heated water mattress to completely envelope the body in a total sense of inner relaxation in either a couples or single guest Sand & Sea Treatment. The Isle of Serenity is not the only immersive experience the spa now has to offer. The renovation also includes the introduction of The Salt Solace Room, where guests can combine a customized massage with an inhalation experience for a full body reset. Guests can expect new treatments to roll out throughout 2024, including an expansion of the hotel’s partnership with renowned UK brand Lola’s Apothecary.
WALDORF ASTORIA GOLF CLUB
Meticulously restored over the last year, seamlessly weaving sustainable water conservation and landscaping practices with premium playing conditions, the signature 18-hole Rees Jones-designed course is a golfer’s delight. Amidst lush nature preserve greens and pristine fairways, golfers embark on an unforgettable adventure. With this restoration, the course was brought back to a more dramatic windswept character, with three holes having undergone a full redesign, returning the golf course to its original Par 72, 7,000-yard layout. The names of many individual holes harken back to the Waldorf Astoria New York, with titles such as “Starlight” for the 18th hole. Waldorf Astoria Golf Club is open to the public, available to guests and non-hotel guests, and offers best-in-class golf design, course condition, and amenities.
MEETINGS & EVENTS
Enhancements to the hotel’s meetings and events offerings were unveiled at the end of 2022 with the brand-new Central Park Ballroom, which offers an 8,000-plus square foot ballroom and nearly 2,600 square feet of pre-function space. Parker Torres led the design of this new ballroom with a focus on paying homage to both the Florida destination through ornate carpeting and drawing a connection to the Waldorf Astoria New York’s Art Deco roots. This addition brings Waldorf Astoria Orlando’s meetings and events offerings to nearly 60,000 square feet of multi-functional meeting space — inclusive of two ballrooms, two boardrooms, 13 meeting rooms, and exquisite outdoor spaces such as Signature Island and the Promenade.
For more information about Waldorf Astoria Orlando or to make a reservation, please visit the hotel’s website or call 407.597.5500.
For more information about Waldorf Astoria Hotels & Resorts, visit stories.hilton.com.
