Highlights: The Ritz-Carlton Orlando, Grande Lakes

•Elegant style and architecture meet in the beautifully designed Ritz-Carlton Orlando, Grande Lakes--a 15-minute drive from Orlando attractions

•Pleasant staff members go the extra mile to provide excellent service

•Guest rooms and public areas are a visual feast

•Delicious dining in 11 venues and 24-hour room service

•Mobil Four-Star 40,000-square-foot spa, championship golf course, and large pool gives families and leisure travelers plenty to enjoy

Amenities: The Ritz-Carlton Orlando, Grande Lakes

• 584 rooms. Check-in 3 pm, check-out 11 am. High-speed Internet access. Six restaurants, bar. Children's activity center. Fitness room, fitness classes available, spa. Outdoor pool, children's pool, whirlpool. Golf, 18 holes. Tennis. Business center. Credit cards accepted.

General Impressions: The Ritz-Carlton Orlando, Grande Lakes

Located on 500 tropical acres known as Grande Lakes, The Ritz-Carlton Orlando, Grande Lakes Hotel is one of two properties (the other is J.W. Marriott) that appear to rise up like an oasis out of the landscape. Architecturally inspired by the great palazzos of Italy, this property makes an elegant statement of form and design. Located just 10 miles from Orlando International Airport, the hotel is also close to some of the best themed attractions in Florida such as Walt Disney World, SeaWorld, and Universal Orlando.

This is an ideal destination for a family vacation, business travel, mother/daughter retreat, or weekend getaway. Parents will love the RITZ KIDS program to keep their children busy with fun, scheduled activities. Both families and business travelers can relax around the well-run outdoor pool. Singles will love the pampering from the state-of-the-art spa, and golf enthusiasts can play 18 holes at the course designed by British Open Champion Greg Norman.

The Italian-inspired architecture is enhanced with lush floral displays. Sculptures grace the public spaces, while muted tones complement the room design. No detail seems to have been overlooked -- from elegantly matted and framed artwork to stunning mahogany side tables and mirrors.

Standard accommodations begin with 480-square-foot Deluxe Guest Rooms, moving up in size and amenities to The Ritz-Carlton Suites -- the ultimate in luxury and comfort. Families may find the Club Level service, which features five food and beverage presentations each day, a good alternative to the relatively high cost of dining out for every meal. Another welcome perk on that exclusive level is a personal concierge to tend to all requests.

(+) Gracious and elegant design, many fun diversions, centrally located near main Orlando attractions

Guest Services: The Ritz-Carlton Orlando, Grande Lakes

Consistent with the type of greeting I have received at other Ritz-Carlton hotels, both the doorman and valet who led me into the lobby immediately welcomed me. Baggage assistance was also flawless and my luggage was efficiently whisked away to my room. While I was waiting at the registration desk, a staff member offered me a glass of lemonade, a most refreshing gesture given the heat in Orlando. I also received a personalized note upon check-in that made me feel special and that my arrival had been anticipated.

Although the hotel made a mistake and placed me in a handicapped-accessible room and the amenity I previously ordered was not there, the staff quickly worked with genuine concern to rectify these issues. I received a call apologizing for the mix-up and shortly received chocolate-covered strawberries, a bottle of champagne, and a disposable camera (all without charge), as well as a sincere hand-written note of apology.

This hotel goes out of its way for the comfort of young and young-at-heart guests. In addition to usual kids’ activities, arrangements can be made for special dive-in movie pool parties, as well as fly-fishing classes, and horse-drawn carriage rides. The Ritz-Carlton Orlando, Grande Lakes Hotel childproofs rooms to ensure your little one’s safety.

(+) Staff members are polite, professional, and helpful
(+) Slight errors are quickly resolved with service that exceeds expectations

Guest Rooms: The Ritz-Carlton Orlando, Grande Lakes

The Ritz-Carlton Orlando, Grande Lakes offers 584 guest rooms including 56 Club Level rooms, 64 suites and two large (2,400-square-foot) Ritz-Carlton Suites. All rooms feature hand-painted Italian furniture, marble bathrooms with separate bathtub and shower, computer and fax connections, 27-inch flat screen televisions, and private balconies with scenic views of the lake, pool, and gardens. Special kids’ suites have child-sized beds and toys to feel just like home.

My room was decorated with light and airy colors and fabrics. The yellow, green, and cream hues were a nice complement to the blond furniture and hand-painted headboards. Little details were not overlooked and a nice selection of magazines were available for my reading pleasure. The bathroom had lovely décor with a marble wall, floor tiles, and vanity, although I did notice a scratch on the door and some marks on the adjoining hallway wall. Ritz-Carlton bath amenities were carefully placed on crystal and there was also a crystal ring holder. Crisp white linens were cool and relaxing, and the feather bed and comforter were all I needed to drift off to dreamland.

(+) Beautifully color-coordinated rooms, marble baths and showers, and heavenly feather beds
(-) Some visible scratches and scuffmarks on bathroom wall needed attention

Facilities & Activities: The Ritz-Carlton Orlando, Grande Lakes

The gentle scent of citrus wafted through the air of the Mobil Four-Star 40,000-square-foot spa, known for its full selection of luxurious pampering. Many health and body treatments use Florida fruit such as oranges, lemons, and grapefruit. The fitness center was one of the best-equipped facilities I have experienced with numerous cardio and strength training machines. Staff members are generally helpful and eager to please.

The outside pool is enormous and crowded, but remarkably well run. During my stay, servers were passing around complimentary non-alcoholic daiquiris and, incredibly, even made an effort to serve those in the water. This was definitely a fun venue for families or even singles traveling alone with a lazy river, steel drum music in the background, and a multitude of servers taking orders for drinks and snacks. Golf Digest listed the challenging, yet fair, golf course designed by Greg Norman among the top ten of America’s Best New Courses in 2005. Golfers receive personalized attention from their personal Golf Caddie Concierge, who will provide tips about the course, in addition to the standard ball retrieval. Carts come with GPS equipment to help golfers define yardage to the pin, as well as a feature that can be used to order lunch.

Shuttle service is provided for those wishing to visit the nearby theme parks such as Walt Disney World or Universal Orlando. If time permits, venture away from these high volume attractions and head to Cape Canaveral (about an hour) to visit the Kennedy Space Center and the Warbird Air Museum, or take a nature tour on the Indian River.

(+) On-site spa, pool, and fitness center provide ample relaxation venues, and conveniently located near numerous attractions

Dining & Lounge: The Ritz-Carlton Orlando, Grande Lakes

There are 11 dining options on the grounds of the Ritz-Carlton Orlando, Grande Lakes, serving everything from healthy juices to the juiciest steaks. At the Mobil Four-Star Norman’s, the chef prepares a fusion of Latin and Caribbean cuisines, while Ritz-Carlton’s signature Afternoon Tea is served on Wedgwood china in the Lobby Lounge. Guests will enjoy steak, seafood, and the very-popular Sunday Champagne Brunch at Vineyard Grill.

In a dining room furnished in light pine and richly upholstered fabrics, I enjoyed a peaceful breakfast. The large windows overlooking the manicured grounds of the golf course gave the room an English garden feel. Even though the service was a little slow, it was worth the wait as all items were beautifully presented. Even dishes as simple as oatmeal were served in style with brown sugar, raisins, and milk on a three-tiered glass tray.

My room service arrived on time but some of the cold items were not protected. The server was friendly and answered all of my questions about the menu. Ordering room service at The Ritz-Carlton Orlando, Grande Lakes Hotel is one of life’s pleasures and the quality of both the food and presentation were excellent.

(+) Many dining options from which to choose, with grand views and amiable service
(-) Breakfast service was a little slow at times but worth the wait

Business Services: The Ritz-Carlton Orlando, Grande Lakes

This hotel has a number of conference and meeting rooms, with a new ballroom that recently opened. Whether you are in your room or the lobby, the staff makes it easy to get connected and stay in touch. There is a charge for these services that includes a per-minute-rate in the public areas and $9.95 for 24 hours in the guest rooms. Their business center, while unattended, is adequately equipped for most work situations. A Technology Butler is on-call to help guests with their business requests.

On one occasion, I was disappointed that a staff member didn’t seem focused on my needs. Instead of checking on a Saturday FedEx shipment for me, I was given the number to call the service department. It must be noted that, during other visits, the service was quite good and the staff was helpful and accommodating.

(+) Most requests can be handled in-house through the business center or concierges
(-) Business center service might be slightly lacking when staff becomes too busy