Review: Conrad Orlando

The Conrad Orlando is a breath of fresh air from most Orlando hotels and is the new standard for resorts around the entertainment district. With ultra-modern architecture and the most unique resort pool I have ever seen, it’s worth a visit if you’ve got Orlando theme parks on your list of destinations.

Let’s take a look at my review of the Conrad Orlando and everything you need to know if you are considering a stay here.

Booking

We booked our one-night stay with a Hilton Free Night Certificate that we earned upon signing up for my wife’s American Express Hilton Honors Aspire card (US). We didn’t have this hotel on our radar, but the certificate was expiring soon, and we quickly realized one of the optimizers’ curses. We found ourselves planning a trip just to use up the free night!

Living in New York City meant Orlando was an easy destination to reach. We used some TD Rewards points acquired via product switching to cover the cost of our Disney World tickets, and flights were easy to book on JetBlue using Avios via Qatar Airways Privilege Club.

To redeem a Free Night Certificate with Hilton, you must find Standard Room Reward availability, which costs 90,000 Hilton Honors points per night at the Conrad Orlando. The easiest way to find these reward nights is to pull up the hotel’s availability by month.

Even if you don’t have a Free Night Certificate to burn, this hotel represents good value for a Hilton Honors points redemption. You can often buy Hilton points at 0.005 cents per point USD, which is nearly what they’re valued at compared to cash rates.

Importantly, if you book a Hilton resort with points or a free night certificate, you won’t pay any resort fees, which can add up as the Conrad Orlando charges a $50 USD per night resort fee which includes a few benefits.

Check-in

We arrived at the Conrad Orlando late after picking up our luggage from the Walt Disney World Swan Reserve Hotel as they were happy to hold it for us while we enjoyed Disney World. The lobby is quite grand, with a massive wooden surfboard above the sliding doors and inviting sitting areas next to the front doors.

The check-in and concierge desks are beautifully designed, and we were greeted by smiling faces who informed us we had been upgraded to a Pool View King Guestroom with Balcony thanks to our Hilton Diamond status. These rooms carry a roughly $70 premium over the base Nature View rooms, so I was happy!

As Diamond members, we were given $25 USD in food and beverage credits per person per night. Hilton has a much different “Free Breakfast” Policy than all the other major hotel chains; for more on that, check out Jeff’s Hilton Honors breakfast benefit guide.

Location

The Conrad Orlando is a bit further from Disney World and Universal than other resorts.

However, it still offers a shuttle to all four Disney Parks. This shuttle is above and beyond the regular transport provided by hotels and probably the best by any points hotel.

There’s also an Evermore Trolly that will take you to the far side of the lagoon if you would rather ride than walk.

You’ll need a rental car to travel anywhere else in the Orlando area. The resort’s remote setting creates a beautiful ambiance, so it’s easy to forget you’re in Orlando. We opted to hang out at the resort and then took a Lyft to the airport.

Parking

Valet parking is the only parking option available at the Conrad Orlando and it costs $50 USD per night.

Room – Pool View King Guestroom with Balcony

We were situated in room 557 for our one-night stay, and making our way to the room, we were pleased with the modern and tasteful design of the hallways.

Immediately at the entrance, you find a small shelf for room keys and other knick-knacks you need to store. Also, the full-length mirror is to your left and is an excellent size.

The closet is well integrated into the wood paneling, and just across from that is the entrance to the ensuite. The ensuite is also accessible through a door just next to the king-sized bed.

The ensuite has a double vanity, walk-in shower, and toilet chamber.

Byredo provides high-quality amenities that you come to expect from a brand like Conrad.

The main bedroom is beautiful, and the touches of blue complement the vast blue lagoon, a landmark of the property.

There are quite a few sitting areas around the room, and the TV is directly in front of the bed. We were only staying one night, so we didn’t spend much time lounging around, but the sectional sofa was quite comfortable.

Part of your resort fee includes a reusable, Conrad-branded water bottle, which you’ll find next to the ice bucket. The room keys are smartly designed in bracelet form, so you can quickly move around the resort’s amenities in swimwear without needing to keep a key nearby.

The reception staff also gave us extra water bottles and a list of activities happening over the holiday weekend.

As mentioned in the room description, we did have a balcony which was located through sliding doors. The view of the pool was nice, but a lagoon view is the best room type here by far.

One downside to the pool view rooms is that many of them are in direct sun exposure in the morning. Anywhere except for Florida that would be wonderful, but here it made the experience way too hot to make the balcony usable. By the time the sun had shifted, it was already time for checkout.

Each room has an orange rabbit on the balcony. Maybe it’s designed to be a seat for kids, but they looked pretty funny sitting on all the balconies. Almost like an orange rabbit army!

Moving back inside, the last major piece of the room is the mini-bar, which is quite extensive. There are tons of glassware, storage, and items available for purchase.

Minibar prices were what you would expect from a resort of this level.

The lighting around the room is controlled with settings rather than traditional switches. I also found it strange that not all outlets offered USB-C connectivity.

Restaurants

Sophia’s Trattoria – Breakfast Restaurant

Sophia’s Trattoria was incredibly busy the morning of our stay. We actually had to wait about 45 minutes before being seated! Making a reservation a week before your stay would be advised, as any of the guests at Evermore Bay, not just the Conrad Orlando, can dine here. 

The outdoor seating was absolutely lovely and gave major St. Regis Kanai vibes.

You can order a la carte or go for the buffet.

We ordered from the menu and chose the French Toast and Benedict, both of which were amazing. They were well above the average hotel breakfast!

The buffet had everything you usually find at a hotel breakfast but was slightly elevated regarding the meat and cheese spread. A custom omelet station is always a welcome feature.

Papaya Club

Papaya Club is an outdoor lunch spot overlooking the lagoon. We chose to dine on the beach, but it looked like an excellent place to escape the sun.

Ceiba

Ceiba is the flagship restaurant on the Conrad’s rooftop. Unfortunately, it wasn’t open during our stay, but guests from most other properties around Evermore Bay will frequent it.

Apero

Apero is located on the resort’s ground floor and offers multiple seating options, including the lounge, bar, and outdoor terrace. We ate here after spending a full day at Disney and arriving at the hotel after 10:00 PM.

The food was solid, and our total was $64, including taxes and tip. This is overpriced, most definitely, but made less painful with the $50 F&B credits. That is the positive associated with a dollar credit rather than a set breakfast benefit—you can use it for dinner if needed!

Little Spoon

The Little Spoon cafe is just next to the check-in desks and offers stunning views of the lagoon and a host of sweet treats.

Little Spoon also offers alcohol and gelato, a true one-stop shop for every family member!

Landing

At the far end of the lagoon, opposite the Conrad, you’ll find the main dining area for all other guests around the lagoon, Landing. A table service restaurant called Twin View is open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. You’ll also find casual dining, a coffee shop, and an outdoor bar.

Facilities

Lagoon

The highlight of the Conrad Orlando is the central lagoon, which is stunning to look at and a fun place to hang out! The sand beaches are excellent, and the water is perfectly cool for a break from the Florida sun.

As guests of the Conrad, you’re granted a pretty large area to enjoy the beach and one of the quietest, low-traffic swimming areas.

The Conrad Beach offers food and drink delivery direct to your lounger. We opted for a pizza, which was above average but nothing extraordinary.

The walk around the lagoon takes about 20 minutes and offers some beautiful views of the hotel and tons of amenities for guests to enjoy.

Between Sophia’s outdoor seating and the lagoon is the most impressive sandcastle I have ever seen. Not only was it massive, but it was also themed with back-to-school details, as we visited during the long weekend of August.

Arrivals & Departure Lounge

It’s a stretch to call this a lounge—it’s more of a locker room with showers. But it was handy to have, as our flight leaving Orlando didn’t take off until 9:00 PM. We stayed at the resort until 5:00, and our wristbands worked flawlessly even though we checked out of our room at 1:00 PM.

The lounge is located across from the Pool & Beach center.

There are men’s, women’s, and family locker rooms. Each has showers, light amenities, and a dedicated changing room. At least the design of this sparse lounge is beautiful!

The Boathouse

The watersports center is located in the same building as Landing. Here, you can rent a complimentary paddle board or kayak, which is included in your resort fee. Officially, the time slot is 60 minutes, but no one is timing paddlers and a casual trip around the lagoon only takes about 30 minutes.

Here, you’ll also find a meeting space aptly named the Chris Craft room, complete with a beautiful example of the famed wooden boats.

A water taxi was nearby, but I didn’t see it in service the two days we visited.

Fitness Center

We didn’t visit the fitness center during our time at the resort, and as long as you enjoy spending time in or on the water, you should be able to get lots of physical activity at the resort without spending time in the gym.

Pool

The pool can be a hideaway if Conrad Beach is packed, but the lagoon is really the place to hang out. If you feel like splurging, daybeds and cabanas are available for a fee.

Some sandy areas are around the pool, along with jumbo Jenga, Connect Four, and a splash pad.

There’s a smaller pool next to Landing that Conrad guests can access. It has a few fun features, such as a rope swing and waterslide. Before using any of those “thrill” features, you must sign a waiver and receive a stamp.

Spa

The spa is located on the lobby level in a separate building. While beautiful and inviting, we didn’t visit other than to take a picture.

Conclusion

The Conrad Orlando was an excellent stay. It offered perfect service, a beautiful design, and a remote setting, but didn’t feel too far away from the action. I have yet to stay at the Waldorf Astoria Orlando, but this ultra-modern resort will likely be the preferred destination for most guests.

While you won’t receive the same VIP Disney Perks as the Swan Reserve hotel, the Conrad Orlando is better for a light park day or a day off between visiting the theme parks.