Bonnet Creek Blog

Quite a lot has happened since I last wrote. We opened on October 1, 2009 with a formal Opening Celebration in the lobby of the Waldorf Astoria Orlando.  I have to say that 24 hours leading up to opening was some of the most exciting (and exhausting!) of our careers.  When morning came, we all came to work dressed in our best suits with fresh smiling faces ready to greet our very first guests. We had an impressive lineup of dignitaries and Orlando’s finest in attendance. Notable mentions included Governor Charlie Crist and Mayors Richard T. Crotty  and Buddy Dyer. The event had a wonderful turnout and the hotel was buzzing with the excitement of opening – we even warmly welcomed a walk-in at the Waldorf Astoria Orlando right in the middle of the opening ceremony! Two women walked in a little confused as to what was going on and took a suite on the spot so we treated them to a glass of champagne to join in our festivities.

Ribbon Cutting at Waldorf Astoria Orlando

A few weeks later, we were back in celebration mode with a Grand Opening Gala at the Waldorf on November 12, 2009. It was the social event of season and special guests flew in from all over the country just for the event – we had more than 500 guests in total. The night began with cocktails and appetizers in the elegantly appointed Grand Ballroom. It was the first time we saw the ballroom all dressed up and it was absolutely stunning. After cocktails we moved into the Floridian Ballroom at the Hilton for dinner and a grand performance by the Orlando Ballet.  The piece, Homage, was created just for the opening and complemented by a rain wall backdrop and beautiful National Geographic imagery. Words cannot even describe how unbelievable this performance was! It was truly breathtaking. After this incredible performance we were served pan-seared beef tenderloin and roasted Maine lobster as we were welcomed by the First Lady of Florida, Carole Crist, and Hilton Hotels CEO Chris Nassetta. We then moved outside to enjoy an impressive array of desserts under the stars on The Island – I can still taste the amazing hot chocolate that was served to keep guests warm in the cool November air. The evening concluded with a magical fireworks finale. Guests did not want this spectacular evening to end so everyone moved inside to Peacock Alley and enjoyed cordials while discussing their favorite moments of the night.

Orlando Ballet performing Homage

We hosted Kyle & Stacey from the Orlando CVB’s 67 Days of Smiles campaign. We showed them the ultimate Orlando hotel experience with fabulous dining, a poolside cabana, a wonderful suite, and topped it all off with an exhilarating helicopter ride over Orlando’s attractions.

Before we knew it, the holidays were upon us and the hotels were decked out with all the holiday trimmings. We welcomed 2010 with a grand celebration for our guests on property in the various restaurants including Bull & Bear Steakhouse and La Luce. Over the past few months we’ve received many awards and accolades, most notably: ALIS 2009 Development of the Year and Third Best New Public Course of 2009 by Golf Magazine.  

Donna's Culinary Presentation on My Fox Orlando

Locals are loving the cuisine at Bonnet Creek and critics are giving it rave reviews. Our La Luce famed chef, Donna Scala, delighted morning viewers on My Fox Orlando with a culinary demonstration of how to make her famous meatballs – in the words of the very charismatic Donna, “It’s all in the balls!”. You can watch the video here to see what she meant. 

Just last week our Bull & Bear Steakhouse was featured by Orlando Sentinel’s Heather McPherson and noted as an “exceptional newcomer” in the 12th Annual Foodie Awards.

The Orlando weather is beginning to warm up. We are not used to these chilly temperatures – but that hasn’t stopped our guests from jumping into the 3-acre lazy river or enjoying our Signature Cabana Pool which have been heated to a cozy 80 degrees.  It’s wonderful to walk around the property and see our guests enjoying the resort – many of us worked for so long just imagining how our guests will react.

We look forward to seeing you all at Bonnet Creek soon!

First day at Employee Cafeteria

The hallways are packed with people unloading items for the rooms and transporting laundry back and forth. Who knew there was so much laundry before a hotel opens!  And did I mention that from one end of the back of house to the other is about a mile? So we are all getting lots of exercise!

Thirteen men and 2 hours later, the 300 pound grandfather clock was installed in the Waldorf and chiming the same chime as the famous lobby clock in New York City has since 1931.  It is the centerpiece of the lobby and really does make a grand statement! All the artwork has been delivered and is almost finished being hung.  In fact, Bonnet Creek houses the largest private collection of commissioned artwork in Orlando from artists all over the world and offers something exciting for every taste from traditional to modern.  (More to come on that in a future blog posting) 

The Lobby Clock at Waldorf Astoria Orlando

The cabanas went up just the other day at the Signature Cabana Pool and are just waiting to provide some shade and relaxation.  The 700,000 gallon lazy-river has been filled and ready to go; however, don’t let the name fool you, it would be more appropriately called an “action-river” with its power the equivalent of a 737 jet engine!  

Lazy River at Hilton Orlando Bonnet Creek

Chefs from all over the world have joined our team and are working diligently on finalizing the menus for our 12 fantastic restaurants, bars, and room service.  We are all just waiting for the employee tastings to begin
 

As you can see there has been a lot going on here at Bonnet Creek! Be sure to check out our packages at Waldorf Astoria Orlando and Hilton Orlando Bonnet Creek. Become a fan on Facebook and follow us on Twitter for regular updates. (pssst….we are giving away one night every day until our opening to a lucky Facebook fan so be sure to join!!!)

Find Bonnet Creek on Facebook

Today marks our 90 day countdown to the Grand Opening of Bonnet Creek! On October 1, 2009, the first-ever newly built Waldorf Astoria will open in Bonnet Creek, Orlando’s newest luxury destination.  The 497 room property will be like no other in Orlando and is looking spectacular.  The work that has gone into making this hotel making it the finest in Orlando is stunning: marble floors and graceful archways, a steakhouse with floor to ceiling wood paneling cut by hand, delicate iron work featuring art deco design, domes with crystal chandeliers, and an exquisite clock at the center of the lobby modeled after the legendary original in New York City, all make this hotel superb.  Hilton Orlando Bonnet Creek is also spectacular located next door to Waldorf Astoria Orlando and connected by the 150,000 square foot convention center.  Bold and contemporary, this is a Hilton with a new, vibrant personality. 

To celebrate the 90 day countdown to our Grand Opening, we have launched our Facebook Page with a fantastic giveaway - one-night FREE to each of our first 90 fans! All you have to do is become a fan of our Facebook Page and we will send you a certificate good for a one-night stay at Hilton Orlando Bonnet Creek! You can’t beat that!

Welcome to The Bonnet Creek Blog!  We have created this blog to keep you up-to-date on all the exciting happenings at Bonnet Creek, Hilton’s largest project to date.  As you probably know, Bonnet Creek is Orlando’s newest luxury destination.  It is a 482-acre site of natural woodlands and protected wildlife surrounded on three sides by Walt Disney World^® Resort.  Bonnet Creek is truly stunning: an oasis in the middle of the excitement of Disney.  It features two hotels: Waldorf Astoria^® Orlando, the first-ever newly built Waldorf Astoria since the legendary landmark in New York City, and Hilton Orlando Bonnet Creek.