Gaylord Palms Resort & Convention Center

Beautiful atrium with a lot to look at and explore. They do live feedings with the animals that reside here in their enclosures. The gator enclosure is small with about 20 young gators packed in so it’s a little sad to look at but they all seemed content relaxing on the rock and heat lamps. They have restaurants that serve different kinds of foods, but a lot of the menus contain the same food. The breakfast buffet was definitely worth the 35$ per person. Room service was excellent. The pool was great, they have one section catering to adults, and another section by the water park that is more for kids. Everyone at the resort was friendly. They are a cashless resort, so only cards or room charges. Overall, I give it 4/5 stars based on the restaurants and the gator enclosure.

We usually love it here and have stayed a dozen times over the years but today was a huge disappointment. We booked for a long weekend to celebrate a big milestone birthday. We booked a specific room after carefully looking at the pictures on the website because these rooms have a pullout bed in a chair so our teenage sons don't have to sleep together. When we got to the room we were disappointed to see it did not have the chair. When we called the front desk we were told only 4 rooms have the chair. Why put a picture of that room with that accommodation if only 4 out of hundreds of rooms have it. I guess we just got lucky in the past to get the room that was pictured. We went to the front desk to see what our other options were to get our kids a room with separate beds and we were told they have nothing available with an atrium view. No adjoining rooms, no suits (either of which we were happy to pay for). I understand it is a busy weekend but none of this would have been an issue if they would use pictures that actually represent the room we will be staying in instead of falsely advertising the accommodations. We would have happily booked adjoining rooms in advance if we knew we wouldn’t have the accommodations pictured. A manager never came out to speak to us and they acted like they were doing us a favor by not charging us for canceling our stay. Super disappointed in our previously favorite resort.

Hotel check in was easy and pretty seamless. The room wasn't anything special, but it was clean and spacious. The pools/pool area was very clean, inviting, and family friendly with safety and lifeguards present. The atrium was luxurious, air conditioned and fun to walk. The scavenger hunt was a great activity (indoors) for the kids. Now, the service on the other hand was not up to par with what you'd expect at such a luxury Marriott property. The hotel/resort is suppose to be full service, with that noted, you can expect to request service countless times before anyone will arrive. Then when you bring this to the attention of the front desk, they will make your request a "priority" and then you'll still be waiting for over an hour.

I will start with the positives. First off, it is a beautiful resort and super clean. Service was great and friendly. Unfortunately, that is where it ends. We stayed as a family for a week while my spouse attended a conference. The room per night is extremely expensive. Which is fine if the hotel provided a continental breakfast, but they don’t. Every single restaurant in the venue is outrageously expensive making it difficult to have breakfast, lunch and dinner on site. $16 for just five chicken tenders? We did a grocery order to try and off set some of the breakfast and lunches just to find out we did not even have a micro wave in the room. So we had to walk eight minutes to the only microwave in hotel lobby. The kids and I planned on taking advantage of the multiple pools and water park. All the front row chairs around each pool deck were “reserved”. I looked into this “reserved” thing and found it was $40 a chair a day. Out of the week I observed maybe 15 people in the reserved chairs while the rest sat empty the whole week. That is fine as most of the time there was other chairs available until they closed down one of the main pools for an event. Once they did this, chairs became of high demand with people actually arguing over them. I can understand reserving chairs, but if they have been paid for, make them available to all paying guests. I feel for that for the amount you are paying a night, you shouldn’t be paying $40 for a front row chair, $50 for 1/2 hour on the Flo Rider. I didn’t see the Flo Rider being used much and I can only assume as to why. This is just the tip of my complaints. Needless to say, I will say that we will not be staying here again. Plenty of other resorts that accommodate their guests with out spending $200 a meal and $160 for pool chairs.

I have never in my life seen worse customer service, have never seen or had more problems with a hotel, or had more issues with a hotel than I have this past week. Every other day a new 709$ a night charge hit our card AFTER we were forced to pay the whole stay for a week on our second day. So over charging us daily, our room key stopped working we had to replace it 3 or 4 times on 3 or 4 seperate days, our luggage just got locked in our room and we are about to miss our plane because of that, and all they can do is say sorry. That's it! Not okay when everything is over place 3 times the normal prices it should be and the lobby staff was totally unhelpful. And to make matters worse my daughter cut her foot open in the pool on the cement floor of the pool and we filled out an incident report, nothing came of that. Like seriously? Worst hotel ever, a road side flop house would be a better stay. And way more professional! The maid staff and cleaning service around the hotel was awesome though. Don't stay here ever!

I recently stayed at the Gaylord Palms Resort and found it to be a luxurious and relaxing experience. The resort itself is beautifully designed, with well-maintained grounds and elegant decor that truly enhances the upscale atmosphere. The dining options, though on the pricey side, offer high-quality food that is to be expected from a resort of this caliber. Every meal was a delight, and the variety of choices ensured there was something to suit every palate. However, there were a few drawbacks. The thin walls meant I could often hear my neighbors, and little feet running up and down the halls at all hours was a bit disruptive. If you’re a light sleeper, this could be a concern. A highlight of my stay was the nightly light show, which I enjoyed from the comfort of my balcony. It was a wonderful, magical touch that added to the overall charm of the resort. My biggest gripe was the self-parking situation. The lack of clear signage made finding the lobby from the parking area quite confusing. This initial frustration could have been avoided with better directions and more prominent signage. Overall, my stay at the Gaylord Palms was a mix of luxury and minor inconveniences, but the positives far outweighed the negatives. If you’re looking for a high-end getaway and can overlook a few minor issues, this resort is a great choice.

It was an amazing experience attending a special event here held by the company I work for in the conference center. The location was perfect, the staff were great and the rooms were spotless. We were lucky enough to have a balcony view over the main area inside. It was really beautiful during the 9pm light show. Yes this resort is expensive, there are resort fees, and parking is $38, but you get what you pay for and this is top notch. It's a relaxing place outside of the theme park resort area, and it's family friendly or romantic for a couples weekend. Loved staying here!

I visited here for a weekend in Orlando, and it is beautiful. Thank you to Shaun for a smooth checkin and your recommendations. There is so much to do at this resort. I would say this is a great place for kids or a family vacation, there are many activities for them. Lots of water activities, and the pool employees have games for the kids. The bed was comfortable and the room was clean. The only thing I was not quite happy about was my luggage taking 50 minutes to be delivered to my room. There is valet for $50 per day, as well as the option to reserve 1st row pool seats for $50 per day. There are a few restaurants on the property as well as out of the resort to eat at.

What a beautiful hotel! The service here was top tier, room was quiet, pools were a blast, and the indoor area is stunning. Alligators, fish, turtles...so much to see! A fun light show and a special drone show! My main complaint is for the food options...for a hotel that seems to be very tailored towards children with the pools, there are only a couple high end restaurants. The only breakfast options are Starbucks type sandwiches or a sit down buffet...no in between. The only casual dinner option was the bar that gets incredibly packed and doesn't do takeout. I saw so many people ordering Grubhub to the hotel and complaining about the same food issue!

HUGE! Plenty of entertainment options without having to leave the resort. Room was clean and loved the natural light. Gym was a bit cramped in the weight area. Food was a big disappointment in the conference area. Small portions, meals lacked flavor, desserts were limited and when available, nothing worth eating. Overall, beautiful venue, but not worth staying if you're a foodie.

Gaylord Palms Resort seems like a nice property for kids considering the water park, but that doesn't really stand out in Kissimmee / Orlando, as nearly all the hotels within 30 miles of Disney in some way cater to kids. Considering the luxury rates, we expected better. Here's what we experienced during our 4-night stay: 1 - Small, uncomfortable beds (the 'queen' is a full, the 'king' is a queen) 2 - Many blinking lights and a noisy refrigerator 3 - Paper thin walls 4 - Dirty pools and pool area 5 - Very slow kitchen and greasy, low-quality food 6 - Construction which closed off main walkways 7 - Horrific check-in (see below)* 8 - Lost luggage (see below)* 9 - Poor staff service (see below)* *The worst part of Gaylord Palms for us by far was the service, which in most cases was bristly if not outright rude and dismissive. Check-in was an absolute nightmare - it took HOURS despite "checking in" on the app the day before and opting for a mobile key that didn't get delivered till we called for it, and once it was delivered, didn't work. We still had to wait in line for a physical key among others with the same issue. The staff blamed this on a convention, which is a strange excuse for a convention center (and telling). They seemed used to saying it. Of course, there's more. The check-in chaos was compounded by complete bell service ineptitude. We were told multiple times our luggage was on its way but it never arrived. In the meantime, the day was ruined. We were instructed to wait in our room for our luggage, so: no pool or spa, and dinner would later be left to bar seating with our young child at the sports bar. But I digress. Once we finally gave up and trekked across the resort to the bell desk, and after being ignored by bell staff more concerned with their cell phone, we learned they simply lost it and had not bothered to tell us or attempt to locate it themselves. We had to accompany a manager across two vast floors of storage to find it. We weren't the only guests down there searching. The claim check was meaningless - anyone could have claimed it. "Do these look like yours?" "No." "How about this pile over here?" Once spotted, it was still not over. It took another 30+ minutes and multiple requests to actually get it, as they required bell staff "to help". Thanks but no thanks. Check-in and bell service is basic hotel stuff. We were offered $50 for the RUINED DAY and hours lost, and they didn't even followthrough on that. It should have been a more honest "go f*ck yourself."

We stayed at the Gaylord for one night prior to going to the airport. This resort is HUGE and has a variety of options for people to enjoy. There are several restaurants (Mediterranean, steakhouse, Italian, marketplace, sports bars) to enjoy. There are also several different activities such as live animals in addition to the water parks and pools to choose from. The concierge service is extremely helpful when booking and coordinating travel. The valet service is accommodating and $50 a day vs $38 for self parking. The hotel does have shuttle service for Disney, as well. We appreciate the care provided at other Gaylords and Marriotts, and this resort absolutely met that standard.

Did not stay here but came here with my family for an event. Afterwards we took the opportunity to explore the property which was actually quite amazing. The architecture, both inside and out, was beautiful. There was a huge courtyard outside in the middle of the resort. Inside there are a number of restaurants and an area that had an indoor marina with a boat. There were banana trees in one of the indoor courtyard areas. But what really got our attention is that they have a large area where they have alligators. I have never seen anything like this indoors at a resort. I have no clue what it's like to stay here but it was a great time just walking around and exploring the property. (5 stars for the property only - Did not stay here).

We only stayed here one night, but had a great time and was able to use the amenities twice. This is because I did the web check in the day before and I got a text at 8:30am saying our room was ready. We got down there and check in was a breeze and we were upgraded due to my status with Marriott to an Atrium view room on the top floor. It was nice because we could watch the nightly light show from our room. The room was also on the side with the pool and waterpark, so that was super convenient. The room itself was nice, with a large bathroom and modern toiletries. there was a separate shower and toilet room, apart from the sink. It came with 2 bottles of water and a small fridge. The desk was small, but the double doors opening up to the balcony were a nice touch. The waterpark was great, but not too big. There were slides for all ages, a lazy river, and a more tranquil area with a long pool and a pair of hot tubs, separate from the pool itself. If you wanted a chair in the first row, you had to pay for it. I don't think the hotel was very full when we were there because a lot of these chairs sat empty, which was a shame. Nevertheless, we had a great time both days as they let you stay as long as you'd like on the day you check out. They also have a free shuttle to Disney and self parking and a resort fee of $38 each per day was reasonable for all that you get!

If you haven't been to Gaylord palms during the holidays you're definitely missing out; as a local who frequents a lot of the local happenings around Florida - the Gaylord Palms resort and convention center offers something every December called ice. With that being said, you definitely have to come visit and check it out. Since this is my second year doing Ice for our team outing since I work at the JW decided to come do ice for the holidays. This year the sculptures were Charlie Brown - Charlie brown isn't my favorite Christmas holiday but it's still kind of cute. They had it some scenes from the movie as well as a giant school made out of ice I thought that was very impressive. They also had the things that they had last year which were making your own toy, looking around at all the souvenirs and Charlie brown items, they had auntie Anne's pretzels, Cinnabon's, as well as the snow bar with all of the holiday cocktails and the snowball blast and snow tubing. For a team outing we did ice as well as the snowball blast. I believe per person ice tickets are $33-$45. You also have to pay for parking which is an extra $35 however I'm pretty sure if you eat at a restaurant there they will validate parking. For ice they give you a giant coat that will keep you warm at during the 9° that you will be walking through to see all the ice; I did not bring gloves and I definitely recommend bringing gloves. I did bring a hat and my head was very warm. If you were a local I definitely recommend you come here for like a fun date day or a date night it's very pretty at night to see all of the trees lit up. I really like with the Gaylord Palms offers and I love their food and the staff is so nice and all their holiday treats are really neat as well - 10/10

This hotel is very nice I would give it 5 stars but they have construction going on the floors above us and nowhere to move us too. They said it's 9-5 but we arrived and really wanted to take a nap and unfortunately that wasn't possible with the vibration and noise from above. Other than that beautiful hotel with lots of stuff to do inside including a water park and nice pool area.

Wonderful place we visit on and off during the year but we come back every year for ICE - our whole family gets rooms throughout. We like the resort feel with enough room in resort not feeling crowded like Disney. Close to everything and staff have always been 100% on target with service. Food is decent in all places - but we like Wreckers and the Renovated steakhouse for variety.

Attended the Ice Show (featuring Charlie Brown) for a field trip for my daughters elementary school. It was truly amazing the work the ice sculptures did to produce the remarkable characters. Dress warm as it is 9 degrees. Yes, you read that correctly. 9 degrees. Overall, highly recommend to see the ice sculptures.

Love, love, love this resort! Everything about it is wonderful. Checked in yesterday and Talia at the front desk took very good care of us. We were upgraded to a beautiful suite and got some drink and snack coupons. The resort is like a fantasy land. No need to leave the hotel. Nice choice of restaurants. There's a steakhouse, a seafood restaurant, a Cuban restaurant and a couple of casual places. Prices aren't crazy for hotel restaurants and there's something for everyone. We enjoyed tapas at the Cuban restaurant Socio and bar food at the pub Wreckers. There's a $38 resort fee and it's worth every penny. I heard there were water slides but this will give Wet & Wild a run for the money. Seven water slides, three pools spreading across 3 acres. My boys would have loved this during our Disney -Universal days. I was able to get a workout in at the fitness center and they even offer yoga classes. You can even book a shuttle to Disney. What a great last minute getaway. I'm so impressed and can't wait to come back.

I stayed here for four nights for a conference in the adjacent convention center. I heard this was the smallest Gaylord resort but I was still impressed. A few things might be a bit dated. The steak house was closed for renovations while we were there but we did try the other food places and they were mostly good. My advice is to have cocktails and go elsewhere. Check in was great and quick. Maid service was daily (even though they told us at check in that we would have to request it). We had a room with a balcony overlooking the courtyard (and the MOOR ship/restaurant). I loved just hanging out on my balcony. Regarding the convention center and food there, the staff was great and the food was inventive (read not typical conference food). The plants in all of the atriums are beautiful! The pool area was great with at least three or four areas. Every single time we went to the pool, they had to close because of the weather. My advice is to hit the pool in the morning if you can and avoid the 3 PM storms.

I stayed at the Gaylord Palms Resort & Convention Center for a conference hosted by my company. The check-in process was smooth, but there was a bit of a line as a conference had just ended and others were beginning the next day, so lots of check-ins and outs. I was very tired after a full day of travel so the long walk to my room felt like 5 miles (it wasn't). The room was nice and had the standard amenities: large-screen television, coffee station, comfortable beds, view of the outside of the resort, and a spacious and clean bathroom. I'd been looking forward to a hot bath before bed all day, so was sad to see that I didn't have a bath tub. The shower was really nice though. I was excited to explore the interior of the resort the next day! I enjoyed a very, VERY long walk to the hotel gym bright and early the next morning. The atrium / courtyard is MASSIVE! There are koi fish ponds, alligators, frogs, beautiful foliage, wood bridges, etc... it was really neat to walk through it in the dark of the morning. Had the keycard not had a fold-out map attached to it, I would probably still be lost in the labyrinth of the resort. I discovered later that there is a nifty app with turn-by-turn directions; this was SO helpful to me as I lack any sense of direction. The app also shows hours and menus for all of the in-resort restaurants, and you can book a table as well. There is also a Relâche Spa for which you can reserve services in the app. The Relâche Fitness Center offers a nice range of workout equipment including the standard items [Cardio: treadmills, ellipticals, two type of recumbent bikes, stair steppers, row machines. Weight training: free weights from very light to very heavy, pulley machines, core training machines, bosu balls, yoga mats, stability balls, etc.]. The gym was very warm though; I'm not sure if that was intentional for maximal sweat or if he AC kicks on later when more people are in the facility? I enjoyed a sweaty treadmill run and some weight training before the long meander back to my room. I found the Emerald Bay Cafe & Market robust in its offerings but very pricey. I wasn't surprised as it is a resort and right next to Disney World, but it still stung a bit. The Cafe is well stocked with drinks, grab-and-go items like fruit, yogurt, nuts, pre-packaged salads and sandwiches, a few deli items, and alcoholic beverages. They also have a small food and drink menu (mainly coffee drinks, breakfast and lunch sandwiches, salads and small bites). I treated myself to a Vanilla Sweet Cream Cold Brew during the trip, but it was very weak and over-priced. I did like that the Cafe opened at 6:00am. When I arrived back in my room after a long work day on Monday, a sweet little welcome basket awaited me. It had fruit, nuts and a green juice. Interestingly, my co-workers also received gift baskets, but with completely different items. We were comparing and realized that our items suited our personalities... I wonder how the hotel knew?! The basket was emblazoned with a G, and when I first noticed that, I thought "omg they personalize the basket with your initial, so cool!" About a minute later I realized that it has a G because the name of the hotel starts with a G. Duh. Unfortunately, my experience went downhill on the next-to-last night when I was awakened by very loud snoring from the next room. I was in an adjoining room, so I'm not sure if that's why I could hear it or if all of the walls are thin. I hardly slept that night despite using my Rainy Mood app at full volume. It happened again the next evening and I slept terribly. I don't blame the hotel, but I hope the brother next door sees a sleep apnea doctor at some point. I was eager to get home and sleep in my own bed at that point. The Convention Center was also massive, but well laid out and perfect for our event. The CC staff was wonderful and our events team was very pleased with everything.

I've stayed here twice, in a period of 6 years, and this hotel is beautiful and impressive. Customer service is great and the location of the hotel is convenient for tourists. Nevertheless, it is insanely expensive. Too expensive I would say. There are so many charges for different things that it seems that the only thing included is the complimentary bland coffee and water bottles in your room. I would say that although it is definitely worth seeing, (so impressive they deserve 5 stars in just esthetic), I am not sure I would stay here again since the prices continue to go up. Has many amenities and whole family would probably enjoy. Shout out Jesus, from housekeeping, who helped us out on our last night, from 1am-4am while my toddler was vomiting left and right. He really went out of his way to help us and did his best for us to feel taken care of. Thanks!

What a large and beautiful resort. For years I have driven past the Gaylord Palms and commented on its size. Then they added a water park and I thought that looks fun, then they expanded and I thought wow this place is just ginormous. Of course the first thing you notice is its size, but when you pull up to the front entrance the next thing I was was a revolving door with a very pretty natural display that was giving me all the Florida vibes. The from desk staff was so friendly at both checkin and checkout. Once we got to our room, the first thing I noticed was the large window letting in wonderful bright light. The bathroom and shower area were well lit and very modern. The decor was bright and very Florida in a good way. The curtain actually blocked out light which is not common in all hotels. After setting our luggage down we set off to exploring the hotel. There is essential a small wildlife area that makes you feel like you are walking through wild Florida (not the park but just Florida) and it is just fun and pretty. The shops area had almost a Vegas shops vibe and not a hotel in Orlando vibe. It was so interesting. I truly felt like I was no longer in central Florida and I loved it. The water park area has something for everyone. There are two pools and a lazy (but fast) river. The pool closest to the slides and water park has zero entry, my fave! There was a wave rider experience, slides, water play area for littles, a more calm pool set a little bit way from the fun and music, and the lazy/crazy river. I laughed and giggled my way through the crazy river trying to catch my friend and stay next to them. It was so much fun. You really do not need to leave this resort. Honestly, I recommend you don't. Don't go to the parks or anywhere else, you can have an amazing time right here.

Came to the Gaylord palms for the ICE! Event and the cirque show and honestly all of it was pretty terrible however the worst part of the stay was that the room was never cleaned. For 350$ + a night I expect AT LEAST a clean room ... There was coffee left in the coffee pot, no sugar or coffee at the coffee bar and trash wrappers on the floor. When we told the front desk they said "we had a lot of complaints about house keeping yesterday." We stopped at the water park on the way home and my son was all scratched on his back from the water slides. They need a ton of maintenance and with the price people are paying to stay here there's no reason it shouldn't be done. The only nice thing I have to say about this hotel is that the grounds are very nice and fun to walk around.

Gaylord Springs offers a unique experience with its Gator Springs featuring multiple pools, heated options, and enjoyable water slides. The rooms are spacious and impeccably clean, providing a comfortable stay. The venue's multiple ballrooms make it an excellent choice for meetings and events. However, as a vegetarian, the limited options - the Impossible Burger and pasta - are mediocre, urging a need for more diverse veggie offerings. Despite the culinary shortcomings, the overall stay at Gaylord Springs is highly recommended for its fantastic amenities, making it an ideal destination for both business and leisure. With a broader vegetarian menu, it could truly elevate the dining experience.

Very beautiful grounds that you can spend all day just walking around and taking in. We visit for ICE! often (Charlie Brown this year) which is always an amazing experience. I may come back for ICE, however the reason for my 4/5 is due to high prices for pretty much everything + the scavenger hunt event this year was awful...Something we always look forward to doing when we go to ICE was unfortunately extremely boring this year. Not to mention the ads were misleading for the prize (showing a snoopy plushie, but the prize being a lightstick thing). Not sure if I'll be doing the scavenger hunt again after that unless they go back to how cool it used to be. Besides that though, hoping they keep good themes coming with ICE in the future

Didn't stay there. BUt went to see the Ice Peanuts show which was awesome but was amazed by the hotel and its venues and its amazing decor and huge canopy covering the whole hotel. I will definitely stay here again. Loved all the Christmas decor ! Went to Sazon bat and restaurant and it was delicious. Good ropa vieja empanadas and ropa vieja platter bowl with maduros rice and beans plus a Charcurterie Plate with olives nuts serrano ham salami and manchego wow delicious and plenty with oils and jams so good!! Ps great smoked Old Fashion!

New years Eve was amazing at this beautiful resort. The gardens were beautiful, and the rooms were comfortable, and the celebration was magical. It was my wife and I last night in Florida we were invited by our niece and husband. Although we had stayed here before for her wedding a few years ago, we couldn't turn down the New Year's Eve party invitation. Everyone was so kind, and I loved the ice show they had it was beautiful ice sculptures everywhere and snow slides for the kids.

Came here for the first time to experience ICE. Since it was peanuts and my friend loves everything peanuts we had to come. Everything about that was great. We did get lost since some of the signage was confusing. But we found our way. Some things that they should really tell you before coming is that you should probably have a head covering and gloves. Our fingers were frozen by the end. And when you arrive they don't tell you that it's $37 for self parking. That's something that should be noted when you are buying tickets. The hotel was amazing and we had so much to see and look at

Sort of torn on this review... it's like a hotel amusement park almost. Had a few issues with my room that were only partially solved. Hard to find your way around though amenities are nice...plenty of restaurants though I found the food relatively lackluster at multiple spots. Decently friendly staff but also pretty pricey. Pretty main areas but rooms could use some TLC. Clean enough just dated in a few spots.

$1300 on 2 rooms, $400 on ice room and snow tube tickets and we walked into a filthy room and rooms that were supposed to be connected for our kids, not connected. 4+ hours later still not fixed Valet Parking and bell hop services were super kind and nice people and made several apologies for the current status of the hotel. I've added pictures to show half eaten peanut m&m's on the floor next to the bed, candy wrappers on the floor, fingernail clipping, crumbs everywhere, ants crawling on the tv and desk stand, handprints all over the inside of the bedroom door, skiff marks all over the walls and dresser, dresser handle broken & carpets were disgusting. This may be normal at a motel occasionally but far from standard for the Marriott. We arrived at 2pm. Called down immediately about the rooms not being anywhere near each other and were told after they made arrangements that we would be able to change rooms. We all went into the second room that was cleaner than the first one and have been waiting with 6 people in one room, our luggage and all of our stuff at the bellhop for 4+ hours. We learned there's 2 people cleaning an 1800 room hotel.

I was VERY excited to try this hotel & brand initially. This was staycation property #150 & with limited locations in the US, I had been looking forward to this reservation for months, since 2023. After spending 4 nights here, I can confidently say it's the worst hotel I've ever had the misfortune of doing business with. I really dislike negative & unproductive reviews but the overt racism & profiling I experienced here on consecutive days was utterly appalling. I was Interrogated multiple times by different staff -- including the head of security-- with statements such as "what are you doing here?" "Who is your employer?" "do you have a room?" "do you have a room key?" "can we see the key?" "I saw you limping but this entire (empty) area is reserved" This was embarrassing, degrading, & unprofessional on multiple levels for the immediate reasons. Additionally, I was here on business for a once-a-year company event with my coworkers. None of whom received this kind of treatment, all being fairer-skinned and/or non-black. Lastly, & most importantly, I sprained my ankle the week before this trip. But I was determined to make this reservation, even if that meant walking with a limp... and it did. Despite being temporarily handicapped & limping through this 66 acre architecture with ZERO accessibility programs, I was still treated as the Big Black Threat. Not once did any of the personnel I interacted with offer to assist me in getting to my destination or advise on shorter routes. They were incredibly eager to escalate a situation and have me escorted out of the convention area -- an entire atrium I had to hobble through to meet my employer, receive a badge, & do the work I was assigned. The gaping lack of accessibility for such a huge architecture rivals the amount of abject hatred displayed. If you're a minority looking for a stress & racism free stay, please look elsewhere. We are not welcome here. If you're an employer considering this area for your next event: save your PoC employees the stress+trauma & avoid doing business with this venue.

This is an absolutely great resort to visit while you're in Orlando Pros: + Conveniently located near Disney and Universal Studios + Great staff + Stunning place to relax + Built in water park - can spend the entire day lounging around the poor + Plenty of delicious food options at the hotel to choose from. + Gorgeous landscaping + Fun get away IG: @QueenOfAdventureNYC

Hey there, fellow travelers and adventure enthusiasts! We've got a special secret to share, and it's the kind of secret that warms our hearts, tickles our taste buds, and fills our days with laughter. Can you guess what it is? That's right--for years, it's been our all-time favorite hideaway, Gaylord Palms Resort & Convention Center in sunny Kissimmee! Julie's Splash-Tastic Paradise: First things first, the water park at Gaylord Palms is basically Julie's version of a magical kingdom. The moment we arrive, she's off to conquer thrilling water slides, make a splash in the pool, and giggle endlessly under the sun. And let's not forget the character dining! Dining with her beloved characters is like a dream come true for our little one. Jorge's Culinary Delight: If there's one thing Jorge can't resist, it's the mouthwatering restaurants at this resort. Whether it's a juicy steak at MOOR, a Mediterranean feast at Villa de Flora, or even just a quick bite at one of the casual spots, he's in foodie heaven! Every meal is a culinary adventure. My Year-Round Playground: Now, for me, Gaylord Palms is a treasure trove of family-friendly activities. The fun never stops, especially during Christmas when the entire place transforms into a winter wonderland! ICE!, with its intricate ice sculptures and thrilling ice slides, is a must-see. Last year's Grinch-themed event was a blast, and this year, it's Charlie Brown's Christmas--we wouldn't miss it for the world! But that's not all. The resort is always buzzing with entertainment, from character breakfasts to family scavenger hunts. It's like living in a non-stop carnival of joy. Why We Keep Coming Back: The answer is simple--Gaylord Palms has our hearts. It's not just a resort; it's our happy place, our escape from reality, and our go-to spot for unforgettable family moments. The staff always makes us feel right at home, and the convenience of being close to Orlando's major attractions is the icing on the cake. So, if you haven't experienced the magic of Gaylord Palms Resort & Convention Center yet, what are you waiting for? Join us for a splashing good time, scrumptious meals, and year-round family adventures. Trust us; you won't regret it! Stay tuned for our next ICE! adventure, because we'll be there with jingle bells on. See you at the resort, fellow adventurers! #GaylordPalmsMagic #FamilyGetaway #YearRoundFun Visit my website to see the suite walkthrough video.

Conference hall was nice and staff during the event was very friendly, but my room was covered in someone else's hair and bobby pins. There was someone else's beard hair all over the shower wall and embedded in the towels, I went down to the front desk to get a new room, they said no, they also didn't apologize, and they would send someone to "deep clean" the room in 10 minutes (at 9:00 at night) and no one showed up till 9:45. She wiped half the beard hair off the shower, grabbed the towel, and then left. Overall pretty mid experience, not the worst but definitely could have had better room standards.

We stayed at this resort for a Tom Ferry real estate coaching event. The resort is beautiful. The restaurants are ok as they have to serve high numbers of people at one time. The convention rooms were nice. They had very small alligators and nice koi ponds. I enjoyed the lush plants.

Absolutely brilliant! This place is its own epicenter. There is no need to leave the premises because it's so vast, all the conveniences are right at hand near your room, and it's a hive of activity. Shopping was a great distraction from the everyday, their stores and gift shop are worth the visit, also their restaurants, bars, & cafes give a lot of variety, so you won't get bored by that aspect of your visit. Their wildlife is so chill, and are well cared for. I spent a lot of time unwinding just watching the gators and fish, it was really peaceful. The convention center is super busy during an event, but that was a fun opportunity for meeting people... I gather most other events would be similar in nature. Highly recommend.

What a cool place to stay. The atrium is packed with stuff to look at from gators to a sail boat. Plus it was around Christmas so they had trees up all over the hotel. The water park was really cool too. The pool was kept above average temp which is nice. I hate going in a cold pool on vacation. The lazy river was not lazy at all. It had a really fast current that you floated down with a life jacket on instead of a tube. Only gripe was that there were not enough hot tubs. All of them were packed whenever I walked by.

So far this is the next to last worst hotel experience I've ever had. I'm not asking for anything special, but I did pay more for what I wanted because I knew what was available. I made two calls ahead of time to try to find out what I could do to get the room I wanted. I was told to come early, close to noon and I should be good. I asked about a room with a decent view not on the very top or bottom floors. I reviewed all available room types before paying for an upgrade. I live local and work midnights so I came to the hotel early instead of sleeping. When arrived I was met with condescending snarky tones. Our room wasn't going to be ready at all as was expected so we were sent to the pool, where there were no chairs available. We wandered around for 2 hours before getting the text that our room was available, and then found out they didn't have the room I requested. We were able to check our bags while we walked around, and the bell hop was confused because he could see that there were close to almost 300 available rooms. We ended up being stuck in this substandard room with a view of a concrete wall, even though the website doesn't show those. I have stayed in Gaylord hotels before and come to this one often for special events, so I had a basic expectation of getting an average room. At check in after we went back downstairs to discuss the issue, they tried to convince us that a cement wall was a preferred room. Seriously? So condescending. Then she said, "Well, you have to request that kind of veranda on the app." Really? All the other people in this hotel knew to specifically ask for a wrought iron veranda? Because I didn't remember that from the app. I did remember that I clicked every single button on the app to see what was available. (Later I rechecked the app and that is NOT an available option.) Then they said "well, your stay is shorter than other people, so you get this room. And we've moved you twice already." Of course this one substandard room is the only room we were ever in, so I don't know what she was talking about. I know I didn't get a discount on the substandard room, and I know I will never return here. Here are pictures of the advertised rooms, but here is the one I paid premium for and got. I will also mention that while we were at the front desk dealing with our issue, another guest was there trying to get help for her air pods that were stolen out of her room. She was in the lobby tracking them and could see they were nearby. The employee she was talking to just looked at her and offered absolutely no help?!?! This place is ridiculous!

Magical was the feeling I left with the first time I visited many many years ago and I still have that feeling every time I make my yearly visit. The landscape is picture perfect and it's another world inside the Palms, really many worlds. Keywest is so beautiful with the Moor restaurant on a huge sailboat that's on the water..with huge fish, then there is my favorite area the everglades. They have a steakhouse which fills the air with aroma and a walk around the river of grass with there own large fish and beautiful plants in a rustic swampy feel. This place is so big I can't put it into words so just visit..but..parking is now $30.00...

It's somewhat striking the mixed reviews at this Resort, after the wonderful experience my family and I had! My parents checked in for a two night stay, to visit me in Orlando and check out all their Christmas events. Everything from the friendly staff to the cleanliness of the room was superb. We experienced most of the Holiday events in the Alpine Village (which of course have a separate fee or bundled package) and they were wonderful. The ICE! Exhibit was stunning (separate Review with photos), the indoor tubing with as many re-rides as desired was very fun, and the Cirque du Soleil show was thrilling! We ate at a few restaurants (also separate Reviews with photos) and we had amazing experiences at each. The ONE con I can align with other reviews on is the parking - $30 public parking, $40 valet. Those certainly are high prices, with no flexibility. However. Once you arrive to the hotel and park, everything at the resort is at your disposal. It's so similar to any experience at a theme park. So in theory a $30 "entry fee" to see all of the resort for as long as you desire, all of the decorations, and even just walk around and experience around the resort - I believe is totally worth it! I can't recommend this resort enough, and am surprised I have never visited after living in Orlando for 6 years. My family and I are already looking at other events held here, and most definitely will be returning in the future!

We got in to our room and were happy with the size and cleanliness. Wreckers bar gave us amazing service and great food for a reasonable price. Off to a great start! Then at 7:00 Am the construction started! See the attached video for what we are talking about!! Large booming hammer drill.... And no one cared! They are doing each floor to renovate but not telling anyone about it in advance to give them the option of choosing a different hotel... then they move you which took 3 hours and re rent that room to the next unsuspecting guests! Absolutely horrendous... managers don't give a crap! Basically say it's a corporate decision and there is nothing they can do!

Stayed here for Father's Day weekend and it was amazing. At check in, we were asked if we were celebrating anything which we were, my 6 year olds bday! We later walked into a room with a backer full of treats and a big pink bday balloon! She was thrilled! We decided to stay at the hotel and enjoy the walker park the first day. That park was amazing! And they also streamed Coco on a large TV monitor that evening while we were in the pool. Service is always great here and the restaurants are amazing.

TLDR: leaves something to be desired but overall a wonderful stay. We (my husband and I and our two kids - 6 & 1) came for a quick staycation. As far as cost for the night, we are bonvoy members so it didn't seem too outrageous but it's definitely a splurge. We've so far been to the Gaylord opriland in Nashville (5 stars for that one hands down) and the Gaylord National in Maryland (3 stars, and barely at that), so we are familiar with the chain. The one thing I can say is consistent about the three is the over the top stunning interior of the hotel, and the somewhat outdated interior of the rooms. Nevertheless, in the Palms resort the room was overall quite comfortable (we stayed in a deluxe suite) and the layout was just as interesting as the other two Gaylord locations. Now the breakdown: Hotel service: 4 stars (this is a 4 star hotel so I guess that's to be expected) - leaves something to be desired. Long wait times to get anything up to your room/help, and unfortunately we got booked in the quarters that are apparently going to have scheduled maintenance the next day so despite my request and approval for late checkout, we would be without water for that time which kind of defeats the purpose since we wanted that time for the pool (especially given the loss of an hour to daylight savings). Also lose points for not giving us the heads up prior to, but otherwise friendly. Restaurant(s) service: - villa de flora: 5 star service. Unlike anything I've ever experienced before and I honestly credit it to the international wait staff they have. Shoutout to the lovely ladies at the front desk, and to waiters Ali and Ryan for making the night extra special. - Sandbar (pool service): SLOW. Almost nonexistent. Save yourself and order at the bar. - Sandbar (bar service): quick and on their feet. Food is: okay. Ingredients at the hotel de flora are definitely up there, and sandbar is just sad. lol. As far as variety, if you're a vegetarian (we are not but we have our food restrictions so the pescatarian diet is most ideal) you've got plenty of options at the hotel de flora but not so much at the sandbar. And seafood is lacking at this hotel overall. But again, the food is .. okay. Just that. Okay. Nothing wow. Hotel experience: Don't expect to get any good pool seating - EVERYTHING worthwhile is paid for at an astounding $50/chair, $200+ for day bed, and almost $600 for a tent. However, the staff who do the booking are happy to help you find free setting in some obscure part of the pool area so at least there's that. The apps don't work for about 70% of what you need them to do. Look up a menu? Good luck; it might work, it might not. Book a table? Psh maybe. Figure out where the hell you are in the hotel, sure, but how to get to where you want to go? GOOD FREAKING LUCK. Don't expect to find any staff wandering about to assist you either. Though there are signs around the hotel, they are not consistent in that some will randomly drop the entity you're looking for as you go. You can hear just about everything going on down in the atrium so though the view is nice it does come with its price. HOWEVER, despite all the nuisances, the hotel is absolutely beautiful and provides plenty of entertainment options for the family so just being here and taking in that fantastic scent when you walk in is enough to keep us coming back.

Stayed at the Gaylord Palms Resort for 1 night. The room was nice and clean, but could have had a better room offered. I was in a corner room on the second floor no terrace and would have loved to have a more romantic view. I was in a business class room for a personal stay. Lots of business guests on my floor.

Parking is up to an outrageous $38 a day for guests at the hotel!!! We have to stay here for our daughter's graduation at the state homeschool organization's convention. We're already paying $159 a night for our room. Adding on parking takes it to almost $200 a night. The worst part is that any of our family who come to graduation have to pay the same $38 rate for a few hours.

This hotel is the kind of hotel that you stay at if you plan to spend time there. If you're going to be at the park the entire time you're on your vacation this is probably not the place. This has to be one of the best Marriott locations to exist the concept behind these hotels is that everything inside is local from the trees, to the decorations, to the restaurants. They knock it out of the park every holiday, but the best is during Christmas. Between the decorations and the light show and their ice display. It really is just as magical as Disney

Went here tonight for the ICE event. Great event but parking was more than the ticket. Super money grabby and no signs saying parking cost. Kinda ruins the experience. Won't be back.

Had the opportunity to stay here during a work trip. The check in is extremely easy if you download the Marriott BonVoy app. I was able to check in through the Marriott app, which means I did not have to wait in line when I got to the hotel. The room key was linked to the app on my phone, which was so convenient not having to worry about where my room key is. The room was beautiful. Everything was very tidy, kept up, and extremely clean. I was able to feel very rested throughout my stay, especially with the comfortability level meeting my expectation. There were multiple amazing restaurants at this resort, I had tried out a seafood restaurant and a steakhouse here, and it was outstanding. I also had the amazing breakfast Buffet during my stay, definitely a must. I love the large variety of breakfast items and the service was phenomenal throughout all the restaurants. The hotel itself was absolutely gorgeous, very rainforest feel. I loved being able to walk around and seeing all the beautiful flowers and plants.

I didn't stay in the hotel, but I was at a conference here. When the conference was booked, I looked into getting one of the rooms at the discounted price and it was still way more than I was willing to spend. Well I quickly found out that parking was $38. And it wasn't per day, it was every time you left the parking lot. It quickly became cheaper to Uber. Another issue I had was that when I was with my coworkers, their room keys didn't work half the time. They probably went to get new room keys 3 times during the week. The conference room we were put in was like a garage and loud and echoing so it was hard to hear the presenter. The elevators seemed finicky. I had a hard time getting to the parking garage. When I got to the elevator and it was empty and all the floors were cleared, certain elevators still wouldn't go to the lower level parking garage exit. The restaurants in the hotel were very very good and cheaper than the Gaylord in Nashville. It would be nice if there were some desert spots. The pool was very nice as well. I just think that with some of the issues, that the hotel is too expensive for that.

I had accompanied my husband here while he had a Tech Summit to attend with his office peers. Even though I was alone for most part of the day, the resort provided enough entertainment that I didn't find myself getting bored. The property itself is huge and very beautiful. The atriums are designed wonderfully and have plenty spots for a photoshoot. Apart from an in-house gym and fro-yo shop, I also spent a lot of time at the pools and the mini water park they have inside the property. The slides, lazy river, and even the hot tubs are so much fun. A must when you're visiting here. They even had alligator and fish feeding sessions that the guests could attend, and also some Halloween themed activities for both kids and adults that I really appreciated. Overall, we had a wonderful stay here and would definitely recommend this resort to anyone visiting the area.

The outside and the interior atrium for the resort is amazing. I was here for a work conference and stayed for 4 nights and loved the different activities you can do here throughout the day. When I had time I jumped into the pool and the not so lazy river right next to the conference area, and then got back on at work. As we went in early October during the middle of the week, it was mostly free of excecc crowds and almost felt like a private pool and water park. The inside atrium had a spectacular light display at night and regualr gator feedings which was a nice experience. We were a bit let down by the quality of the room. The first room they gave us had a wet patch on the carpet, but once we brought it to attention we were given a new room promptly. The in room dining and on site restaurants were a bit pricey (Disney pricey) and did not have a lot of options so we mostly ordered in through Uber from the surrounding restaurants. All in all it was a nice stay.

ICE show bonus at the end... Be prepared for a surprise at the end...the rediculous parking charge. Did not know parking was not incuded in the ticket...it was $40!!!! TO PARK FOR 3 HOURS. Went to 2 ticketed shows while there with my husband and 2 children. ABSOLUTELY REDICULOUS and really put a damper on the Christmas fun. The Ice show and Cirque Show (30 minutes) were good, we also ate at a restaurant, Wreckers while there, the service and food were fantastic. Again spent plenty to not have been gauged on parking... Thanks Gaylord Palms-

Great hotel for families! Water park area was very nice - lots of activities for the families specially the little ones on the splash zone. The hotel has great restaurants - one of them is currently under construction; but there is still a large selection to choose from. Great kids program with pirates and characters, and the kids love the gator feeding.

Look, I've been to many of a hotels in my time. I've been here to see their annual ice event, but never stayed here, so I was excited when my husband said he booked us a night here, on our way home from vacation. When we arrived, we were directed to park on the left. Once we took the left, we circled for at least 10 minutes, there weren't any spots available, then we wound up having to park behind he conference center, which was fine, but it's a long haul when you have luggage. We arrived in the lobby and because of my husband's status with the hotel chain, we were able to go in a different line. He must have waited in line for over 40 minutes. I understand it's busy with people trying to vacation before school started, but 40 minutes solely for check-in? When we got checked in, we were told we were upgraded. I would have preferred to be in the "older" section, that's closer to the amenities, but we were in the newer section. Got to our room, and it was bright and looked pretty, but upon looking around, I noticed a lot of marks that weren't clean on the nightstands, the doors, etc. I may take a closer look at these things than others, since every time I travel, I travel with disinfecting wipes and a can of Lysol (seriously, I do). My kiddo was excited to head to the pool, since they had a waterpark for guests. The massive amounts of people at this waterpark was a bit staggering, especially for someone like me who is a self proclaimed germaphobe. There didn't seem to be any order in the lazy river, where people were pushing into others, swimming underwater, etc. Everyone was crammed in the pool area like sardines, which made the experience feel less than vacationy. We decided to go back up to the room, shower and grab a bite to eat outside the hotel, but when we got in our car, tried to scan our car to leave the parking lot, there was no parking attendant and we couldn't leave the parking lot, due to there being a gate with arm that prohibited us to leave. We were stuck for over 30 minutes, and tried the call button, which didn't work and then called the front desk on our own phones. Food is super expensive here, so be prepared to either eat at one of the many restaurants in the hotel OR go out and grab something. Onto some of the positives, the interior of the hotel is amazing. They have a replica of the San Marco Fort from St. Augustine inside, live gators, waterfalls, a schooner, etc. So I'd recommend if you're in the area, you can come inside and see all this stuff for yourself, as it's pretty remarkable. When it was time to hit the hay, we tried to draw the blinds, but one wouldn't close, which left us with a bright orange light that I stared at the whole night. Will I be back? Maybe for their annual ice event, but not to stay. Pros: -Beautiful interior of the building, with theme restaurants Cons: -Parking -Waterpark -Room wasn't totally clean -Check-in took over 30 minutes Tip: Check out their annual ice event.

Really nice resort and convention center. I had the privilege of staying here for a conference, and it was wonderful. The rooms were awesome, lots to walk around and see. I only went to the sports bar restaurant and the market but both were yummy and convenient. There was a lot under construction while I was there which was unfortunate. The pools were also really nice. I LOVE that they have an app with a map because this place is huge and I got lost often. I love the fact that they had shuttles to and from the parks and Disney springs. WiFi was down while I was there which was super frustrating but I figured it out. Overall a fantastic stay!

I didn't stay here, I stayed at the nearby Caribe Royale, but came to check it out with my bestie as she told me about this resort from a previous stay. Gotta say, its a sprawling resort, when you have a restaurant in there the size of a large ship, you know the hotel is big! It's themed like an adventure into South Florida during the age of discovery, which I think is really cool. I also think, if you have children, this is definitely a hotel you want to stay at. There are tons of activities for the little ones. For instance there is an activity where the boys are taught to be pirates and the girls to be princesses before they act out a play called Pirates and Princess. They have people from Wild Florida that lets them hold little baby alligators. There even is a Build A Bear Workshop inside this hotel. My bestie and I explored a bit and then watched this free show they have every Tuesday and Saturday at the hotel where they feed this pool full of alligators. It was interesting to see how the handler fed these gators. It was an exciting show! As i said, definitely a resort to stay at if you have kids. As for me, off to the next adventure!

Absolute scam. I spent so much money getting tickets that didn't scan & even reserved front row at the show and had to wait cause other people took our spot. I was asked to wait till they figured it out. I and my kids missed the beginning of the show cause other people took our seats and we had to accommodate..... I'm a single mom working hard to have this nice holiday vacation experience and was made to wait for people to move out of our seats. Then when I complained cause of this and our other tickets not scanning... It was a complete waste of time, vacation days to travel there. Horrible & shameful experience with management. I was mad to feel like I did something wrong. Proof of my tickets and the horrible management that shamed me in front of my kids. It was the WORST experience I've had with my kids in any trip. Absolutely the worst travel experience.