JW Marriott Orlando & Hospitality and Restaurant Summit 2021

I feel like I am writing our blogs every week. Time flies by so quickly sometimes it is really hard to know what day it is! Can anyone else relate?

21FHD was part of the Hospitality & Restaurant Summit 2021 in Orlando, FL. The event is organized by the Opal Group, and they invite industry professionals and manufacturers to participate. This year Taylor and I were invited as speakers, and we were thrilled because we love to talk about what we do! Our topic of choice for this event was "Experiential Environments, Sustainability: Expectations of the New Generations."

We are constantly learning about the evolution of the hospitality industry and how we need to design for future generations. For our research, we decided we should reach out to a young travel influencer that didn't have a huge following. This made her, in our opinion, the best person to learn from, as her experiences are uninfluenced by brand partnerships and therefore more genuine. Her name is Helena Trujillo and her IG handle is @helen.trujillo. She gave us great insights into what young Millennials and Gen Zers are looking for when they book their trips (and confirmed that they travel a lot). Here is a little peak into her IG but make sure to follow her to see more!

We stayed at the JW Marriott Orlando Bonnet Creek Resort & Spa. The hotel is located in a great area close to Disney and about 13 miles from the airport. You can see the Disney World's nightly fireworks from your room or even better, from their rooftop bar! It is a very spacious and comfortable hotel and gives off a vibe of casual luxury. The interiors are contemporary and minimal but make an impact due to all the detail and textures.

Taylor fell in love with the leather pockets used to store wine bottles at the lobby bar. It is a really good idea and it makes the bar feel very high-end and luxurious. See what I mean about those little details?

The neutral color palette throughout the property gives a sense of tranquility and exudes comfort. All of the spaces are well illuminated because of the big floor to ceiling windows and beautiful lighting concepts. At night, the lighting is perfect for enjoying a drink at the bar as it feels very lounge-y and intimate. There are a variety of restaurants in the hotel so if you are hungry, you don't even need to leave the hotel for a great meal. We had lunch and watched some Formula1 at "Unreserved," the poolside bar & restaurant, our first day there and thoroughly enjoyed the atmosphere!

The designers did a great job creating drama and separation of space with their focus on the ceilings. The juxtaposition of the wood beams, mixed materials for the accents, and lighting created points of interest visually, while also creating intimate seating groups throughout the expansive lobby space.

Not only did we love the atmosphere but we also loved the design of the "Unreserved" restaurant. I mean, do you see all that black & white? How could we not?! The tile gives so much personality and character to the space, it is beautiful! The mix of luxurious materials, like leather and terrazzo, continued from the lobby into the F&B spaces; however, they had a bit of a twist that catered to the more "casual" feel of the space.

Another aspect of the property that is important to mention is the architecture of the building. It is so interesting to the eye! Everywhere you look, inside or out, you see so much movement due to the intentional use of curves and layers. This also helped to elevate the super neutral color palette so it was never boring or flat.

The guest rooms are spacious and well lit because they also have floor to ceiling windows. This is how you get that great view of the fireworks we mentioned earlier! The beds are comfortable, Taylor gives the pillows a 8 out of 10. The bathrooms had great lighting, lots of counterspace (a MUST), and were super luxurious offering both a large shower and soaking tub. Who does not enjoy having both in the room? Unfortunately, I did not have time to try out the tub; although, I wish I could have because the lavender bath salts they offer would be perfect for a nice relaxing bath! My only recommendation if you stay there is to avoid staying in room 1610 if you can. It is on the top floor which is great, but there was some type of equipment right on top of my room and the noise was not pleasant. Taylor was across the hall and had no issue, just my luck!

We went to Downtown Disney and Disney Springs, only about 15 minutes from the hotel, for dinner to Jaleo. Jaleo is a Spanish restaurant that offers tapas and paellas, founded by Jose Andres, a recognized Spanish-American chef. I am a fan of Spanish food and I always look forward to enjoying all the different dishes they offer. The shrimp paella and croquetas de pollo were by far our favorite dishes! We also loved the fun and vibrant atmosphere. It felt appropriate for Downtown Disney while still maintaining a sense of maturity and elegance.

Well, that wraps up our Orlando adventure. With 2021 coming to an end way too quickly we are already looking forward to our 2022 travels! We know the new year will bring opportunities for more trips, and we are excited to continue to share our experiences with you. We'd love for you to keep following along and hope our unique perspective gives you some helpful insight for the next time you book a place to stay! Until next month, cheers!