New Years’ Suites Worth The Splurge
Ring in the New Year like Royalty with a Luxury Hotel Stay.
We made it. We’ve reached the end of the year, a challenging one at that, and we are ready to simultaneously say goodbye to the old and hello to the new.
If your tradition is to stay at home and pop the bubbly as the Times Square countdown ensues on the telly, consider this: The Greater Orlando area has about 150,000 hotel rooms, and many are the stuff of dreams. Why not make this New Year’s Eve celebration extra special by booking a suite for the holiday?
Dozens of hotels could be on this list; here we take a look at a few that stand out from the crowd:
Four Seasons Resort Orlando at Walt Disney World Resort
10100 Dream Tree Blvd., Lake Buena Vista | 407-313-7777 | fourseasons.com
Photo by Don Riddle/ Four Seasons
For the ninth consecutive year, the hotel has topped the U.S. News & World Report’s list of Best Hotels in Walt Disney World and Best Resorts in Walt Disney World. A happy coincidence of being down the road from Walt Disney World is that guests are treated to free nightly fireworks shows from either EPCOT or the Magic Kingdom, depending on room view.
Royal Suite
Unless you plan to book the entire 16th floor, which comprises several suites, the Royal Suite is the pinnacle of Four Seasons’ six ultra-luxury accommodations. At 3,300 square feet, it is larger than most homes. And at $23,000 for a New Year’s Eve stay, it is quite a splurge.
But Four Seasons has nurtured guest loyalty by being one of the best and not being miserly with the details of luxury.
Park View Room
For a more affordable luxury stay, with the same New Year’s Eve fireworks show, consider the Park View. The 500-square-foot Park View accommodates up to two adults and two children. We priced this at $2,320 for a NYE stay.
The Four Seasons’ Michelin-starred Spanish-influenced rooftop restaurant, Capa, is planning a special menu for New Year’s Eve, giving guests one more reason to not leave until they must.
Hyatt Regency Grand Cypress
One Grand Cypress Blvd., Orlando | 407-239-1234 | hyatt.com
Michael Stavaridis/ Hyatt Regency Grand Cypress
From its opening in November 1984, this hotel has been a breathtaking sight. It was the Walt Disney World resort area’s first five-star hotel and it has lost none of its glamour over the years.
VIP Suite
With 1,080 square feet in which to relax (or party), this is the largest of the hotel’s 46 suites. The fireworks shows at EPCOT
and the Magic Kingdom in the Walt Disney World Resort are a free feature of this hotel. We have to think its designers had them in mind at the time.
The suite is outfitted with a king bed, two balconies, two bathrooms and furniture that accommodates 12 people. And at $1,149, a NYE party is affordable when split among friends and family. Guests can keep track of the time around the world while watching New Year’s Eve festivities on the 65-inch flat-screen TV.
It’s not a party without food and this resort is home to Four Flamingos, A Richard Blais Florida Kitchen, a Michelin-recommended restaurant. The chef and TV personality has put together a menu that marries the best of coastal Florida with contemporary taste and technique.
Loews Royal Pacific Resort at Universal Orlando
6300 Hollywood Way, Orlando | 407-503-3000 | loewshotels.com
Kevin Kolczynski/Universal Orlando
Regardless of hotel room size, there are distinct benefits to staying at a premier hotel on Universal Orlando Resort property, namely early theme park admission and free Universal Express Unlimited Access—allowing guests to skip the regular lines on most rides at Universal Studios Florida and Universal Islands of Adventure.
The hotel features premium suites that range from King to Hospitality to Presidential. For the sake of the wow factor, we are going to focus on the Presidential Suite and the Jurassic World Kids’ Suites.
Presidential Suite
At 1,340 tropical-themed square feet, this is an island retreat amidst all the theme park activity. If you need it, the suite comes with a conference area and a study. But if you’re here to party, they have you covered with a large dining room, a service pantry with refrigerator and sink, one and one-half bathrooms, a hot tub and luxurious furnishings. We priced this at $2,959 for a one-night, NYE get-away.
Jurassic World Kids’ Suite
If sleeping among dinosaurs is your child’s dream come true, this 670-square-foot suite that accommodates five is where you want to ring in the new year. For NYE, the rate is $1,369.
The two twin beds in the kids’ room are shaped like gyrospheres, the glass globe vehicles used by guests to tour the land of dinosaurs in the Jurassic Park film franchise.
The room, which is accessed only through the main bedroom, is dressed like a scene from the movies, with dino tracks on the carpet and custom murals, drapes and other furnishings that depict jungle terrain and a dinosaur enclosure.
