Gaylord Palms Resort & Convent

Driving past this and thought we’d stop to see how it compared to the one in Nashville. Much smaller, only one atrium but very nicely decorated with lots of waterfalls, pools, alligator pond and tropical plants. There is a $40 parking fee for self parking. When we are around the Nashville area we always like to stop and walk around the Gaylord Opryland but I wouldn’t recommend doing that here since it is much smaller. If you’re staying here, it’s beautiful, but it is not a destination in and of itself. There are several shops, restaurants and eateries inside the hotel.

So relieved as I’m limited in walking due to 2 knees replaced. I was terrified to come on my husbands work trip but I did some research. We request a room in The Emerald Bay atrium and got a room on 5 th floor. Requested not too far down hall but not too near elevator . By taking the elevator down to first floor it’s only a 3-4 minute walk to Emrald Bay cafe and market for coffee, Starbucks located imside and lunch or dinner bites. Also a sundry store stocked nearby as well as Jamba and Wreckers Sports bar. There is a Cold Stone Creamery in the same area I will try tonight and also Old Hicory Steakhouse. Basically everything is literally a 3-5 minute walk from our room including conference rooms which was so easy for my husband to get to. From our balcony we can see the alligators sitting on a heated rock all day. At night there is a light show in the atrium. Our room had lots of storage drawers and the bathroom had a divided toilet room with door and two sinks in main area. Refrigerator was a good size to hold our leftovers. I wanted to access the quieter pool as they have an indoor waterpark. I just go down to the Lower level, walk out the elevator and the door straight ahead brings me out to a lovely pool area where their is a hut as soon as you enter to pick up towels. Literally as easier than I anticipated. Because it was a large convention, it broke at 12 the first day., We could not get into the sports bar. It was packed. If we want to eat again I will get there before classes get out and save a seat. Otherwise the Emrald Bay cafe is stocked with small meals, flatbreads, salads and wraps and drinks and snacks. Also Jamba a restaurant window/ kiosk has a huge menu of smoothies, bowls etc and it was also packed. We also saw a lot of Door Dash deliveries. There is lots of areas to sit in if you don’t want to go back to your room. Ubers were fast as we took one to eat lunch off sure in Celebration. Check in was fast if you are a Bonvoy member. There was a separate area. We got in late afternoon due to a plane delay. It was actually 6:30 and was astounded at the long check in lines on a Sunday night. They did say it was not usually like this and had been very quiet. Checking in we were lucky to get my complicate room request with ease, Traveling was so easy when I did not have mobility issues. But now I have to know where everything is located- it gives me a feeling of control over my anxiety. Oh and there is an app to download with all the info you will need AND the best part is you put in your destination and it gives you a walking map to get there with estimated amount of minutes! Very pleased. It’s truly a lovely resort with gracious employers. I saw several wheelchairs and felt it was very accessable with plenty of room to get around with ease. I hope this help anyone who may be planning a trip here

My experience at Gaylord Palms Resort (Orlando) was very disappointing. This was not my first time staying at a Gaylord hotel. I have visited other Gaylord properties, including the one in Dallas, Texas, where I received exceptional service. I had also stayed at Gaylord Palms before, so I arrived with very high expectations. Unfortunately, this time they were not met. Before our arrival, I requested a microwave because my daughter has autism and needs one to prepare her meals. I mentioned this when making the reservation and later called to confirm whether it would be possible. We never received a clear answer until check-in, when we were finally told that they could not provide one. We were even told that some rooms have microwaves, yet we were never offered one of those rooms or any alternative solution. We also requested a room away from the elevators and noisy areas, and I truly appreciate that this request was honored. We stayed during the Fourth of July weekend, and the hotel was completely overcrowded. The pool area was, honestly, chaotic. I felt that the water park infrastructure is simply not designed to accommodate the enormous number of guests the resort receives during peak holiday periods. The biggest disappointment was the pool staff. Overall, we encountered employees who seemed stressed, serious, and unfriendly. We rarely received a smile or even a simple “good morning.” In particular, I had a very unpleasant experience with an employee named Amina. When it was my turn to pick up towels and receive my wristband for the pool, she chose to assist the gentleman standing behind me first. The other employee working there even asked if I was with him, and I said no. Only then did Amina decide to help me. She asked for my room number in a manner that I found disrespectful. When I spoke to her in Spanish, she responded abruptly that she did not understand me. I continued the conversation in English, but her attitude never changed, and naturally my discomfort continued to grow. At the end of the interaction, I even thanked her by name, hoping it might change her attitude, but it did not. As a guest, I felt poorly treated, and the interaction left me feeling discriminated against. Another disappointment was the children’s water park. There are several play areas and slides designed for different age groups, yet throughout our entire stay we never saw all of the attractions operating at the same time. The four children’s slides were never all open simultaneously, which significantly limited the experience. In addition, several employees working in that area also appeared unfriendly, always serious and without showing any sense of hospitality. The FlowRider attraction is an additional charge. It is not included in the resort fee and costs $35 per child. I do not believe this is appropriate for a resort of this category. My daughters had never tried the activity before, and we were hesitant to spend that amount knowing that a significant portion of our vacation budget could be gone while they were simply learning. In addition: • The hot tub was not working. • The corner Pool Bar was closed on Monday, forcing us to walk across the entire water park just to find something to eat or drink. • The food quality was very poor considering the prices charged. We were even surprised that there wasn’t pizza on the menu, especially for a resort that caters so heavily to families. • Food and beverage prices were excessively high. We are talking about a resort where guests can easily pay over $400 per night, not including valet parking and the many additional resort fees. At that price point, guests naturally expect service that matches the hotel’s luxury reputation. The most beautiful part of Gaylord Palms remains its indoor spaces. The atrium, gardens, and overall décor are absolutely spectacular. However, a luxury hotel is not defined solely by its architecture; guest service is equally—if not more—important. Upon arrival, we learned that luggage carts are only available if you pay for valet parking. Otherwise, guests have no access to a luggage cart because they are reserved exclusively for valet customers. That leaves you with no choice but to carry your luggage yourself, regardless of how far your room is. We even asked about getting one of the carts, but we were told they were only available through valet parking. I would also like to recognize one outstanding employee. At the Cuban restaurant Socio, we met the Beverage Manager (or at least that is how he was introduced to us), Jimmy Huston. Within just a few minutes, he demonstrated exactly the kind of service we had expected to receive throughout our stay: kindness, professionalism, expertise, and genuine hospitality. Without question, he provided one of the best experiences we had at the resort. Unfortunately, that level of service was the exception rather than the rule. After this experience, I have no intention of returning to Gaylord Palms Orlando. It saddens me to say that because we chose this resort to celebrate the Fourth of July with great excitement, only to leave feeling deeply disappointed.