All you really need is love, but a little chocolate now and then never hurts!

Spoil your soul with the most indulgent things in life — chocolate, wine and romance – during the inaugural ”Waldorf Astoria Chocolate, Wine & Romance Weekends,” held exclusively for overnight guests at the Orlando resort, held every weekend throughout February 2012.

Guests who visit during the ‘Chocolate, Wine & Romance Weekends’ can enjoy several surprises and decadent diversions:

•  Bar du Chocolat: A Chocolate Extravaganza – enjoy a nightly opportunity to experience nearly 30 intense chocolate treats from Waldorf Astoria’s dynamic display of decadence.  Peacock Alley is transformed into a chocolate boudoir, offering a cocoa-infused evening of self indulgence. Guests can choose from a signature selection of sinful chocolate treats from the hotel’s talented pastry chef Kurtis Baguley, using recipes collected from the most romantic points of the globe.  Highlights include mouth-watering handmade chocolate truffles, exotic chocolate cakes, pillows of creamy chocolate mousse, and bowls of beautiful bon-bons.  Friday and Saturday Nights in February.  [Priced per piece]
• Live Music Featuring Harvestown – enjoy nightly entertainment in Peacock Alley, where our lounge trio will add spice to the night. Friday and Saturday Nights in February [Complimentary]

• Chocolate Sensation – sit back and enjoy the music in Peacock Alley while savoring a special wine glass rimmed in drizzled chocolate, filled with a specially-paired Port.  [Priced per glass.]

• Friday Night Flights: Chocolate Martinis – At Peacock Alley, enjoy a special flight of chocolate martinis. Friday Nights in February.  [Priced at $25 per flight]
• ‘Sweet Endings’ Romance Dinner – Enjoy a special four-course candle-lit dinner served in your suite by your own private butler.  Your dining experience includes a decadent chocolate dessert.  Friday and Saturday Nights in February [Served in suites only -- additional charge.]

• Sinful chocolate choices at our restaurants – Sinful. Decadent. Delicious.  That’s how you will describe dessert at Bull and Bear Steakhouse.  The travel writer for the Irish Times newspaper called the chocolate bar dessert at Bull & Bear “legendary”… after one bite.  For breakfast, we’ve upped the chocolate factor with special chocolate inclusions at the popular Oscar’s breakfast buffet, including heavenly chocolate croissants.  Fridays and Saturdays in February.
• Chocolate perks at Spa by Guerlain – Pair your spa treatments with chocolate treats (and complimentary champagne!), every Friday and Saturday in February at Waldorf Astoria Spa by Guerlain.

• Chocolate-Lovers Cabana Rental – Spend some time at the pool in a private cabana, enjoying a parade of chocolate treats delivered throughout the day, including a chocolate fondue finale. Fridays and Saturdays in February.  [Rental fee additional.  Limited quantity.]
• A Chocolate Royal Tea – Our signature Waldorf Astoria Royal Tea is re-imagined in February, with a decadent display of chocolate croissants and other tasty treats.  [February 10 at 3pm; Additional charge – advance reservations suggested]

Waldorf Astoria Orlando has put the destination on the map for luxury travelers.  Nestled within a nature preserve and conveniently accessed from within Walt Disney World property, the resort is a sanctuary from the hustle and bustle of neighboring theme parks.  Cara Goldsbury, author of Luxury Guide to Disney World, calls it “stunningly impressive.”  “Swank and sophisticated,” she continued, “Waldorf Astoria has redefined local luxury in Orlando.”

The hotel infuses timeless Jazz Age-elegance from The Waldorf=Astoria in New York City, with the vibrant and modern ambiance of Florida.  It features 498 guest rooms and suites with sweeping vistas of Disney and the Bonnet Creek nature preserve.

Re-imagined versions of famed New York City restaurants include Bull & Bear restaurant and Oscar’s.  The spa offers treatments from Guerlain, the legendary Parisian fragrance house.  Golf Channel travel writer Brandon Tucker called it “an exclusive playground for the adult-minded traveler.”

For more information on Waldorf Astoria Orlando or the Chocolate, Wine and Romance Weekends, call 1-800-353-2009 or visit us online at www.WaldorfAstoriaOrlando.com

See photos of last year’s Bar du Chocolat after the jump.

Chocolate Covered Strawberries

Chocolate Shooters: Kahlúa, Amaretto, chocolate syrup, and white chocolate foam

Raspberry tart in white chocolate shell with crystal sugar

Ivore Framboise

Chocolate Macaroons

Traditional Chocolate Truffles

Praline and Chocolate Mousse Cake, with gold-dusted blueberries

Inverted Chocolate Mélange

A ROYAL TEA
Peacock Alley
Waldorf Astoria Orlando
Friday, January 20, 2012
3 o’clock pm until 4:30 pm

Treasure time together as you nibble on finely prepared tea sandwiches and
house-made sweets, while sipping premium hot tea and listening to live piano music.
Add a glass of champagne for a “Grand Royal Tea.”

A CHOCOLATE ROYAL TEA
Peacock Alley
Waldorf Astoria Orlando
Friday, February 10, 2012
3 o’clock pm until 4:30 pm

In celebration of our Chocolate Wine & Romance Weekends,
our signature Waldorf Astoria Orlando Royal Tea is re-imagined in February,
with a decadent display of chocolate croissants and other tasty treats.
Treasure time together while sipping premium hot tea and
listening to live piano music.
Add a glass of champagne for a “Grand Royal Tea.”

$30 Adult Royal Tea
$15 Children’s Royal Tea
$35 “Grand” Royal Tea

Reservations highly recommended.  Please dial 407-597-5409.

We challenge you to find Shadi – one of our team members also running the Half (bib number 31313!).

You’ll be able to readily identify him – he’s wearing a shirt with the logo above that bears his image:

Why?    If you see him during the Disney Half Marathon, call out his name – and he’ll give you a card with a special prize and an invitation to our Here’s Shadi reception Saturday afternoon.

Watch our Facebook fan page for postings on where you can find Shadi on the race route!

If you are on Twitter, watch for the hashtag #ifoundshadi

This is all part of the fun of Marathon Weekends at Hilton Orlando Bonnet Creek.  We’ve got plenty of fun going for our guests, as we strive to be the Orlando hotel with the most enthusiastic program for Walt Disney World Marathon runners.  We’ve worked hard to make sure we are ready for our special guests — while we all have a bit of fun!

If there ever was a reason to leap out of bed in the morning, we suggest it might be the Golden Waffles served at Oscar’s at Waldorf Astoria Orlando.

This new item, featured on the destined-to-be-famous breakfast buffet at this Disney-area resort, started like many of the menu items at the hotel — with spirited debate.

“Most restaurants would be satisfied with an easy-to-prepare mix from a box and move on,” said Francis Metais, director of Food & Beverage.  “But we wanted to create something much more memorable for our guests, who are often rushing out to the theme parks.  We wanted to serve a waffle that would inspire them to pause and savor the moment.”

The team of chefs at Waldorf Astoria Orlando tested dozens of recipes before arriving on their favorite, prepared with a yeast-leavened batter.

The waffle is  light and crisp, but with an inner texture that is almost custardy.  The fresh ingredients, including whole eggs, combined with the lightness brought by the yeast, creates a lingering and delightful flavor.  Lightly dusted with powdered sugar, the use of maple syrup almost seems criminal.  Almost.

A golden dream, indeed.

Order today and enjoy this EXCLUSIVE OFFER only for our Bonnet Creek Blog readers.

Use our special promo code and receive a certificate for a complimentary round of golf (with a purchase of an additional round) at Waldorf Astoria® Golf Club.  This offer is valid for a purchase of any spa gift card of $200 or more. Offer expires on 12.31.11.

Enter promo code in the “special code” box of the online booking form:  FBOFFER.

(Note: bonus certificate will be mailed to purchaser)

To purchase the gift card, click here.

On Friday and Saturday evenings during the month of December, the Waldorf Astoria Kids Club has transformed the Astoria After Dark children’s program into a fun and exciting holiday-themed night, called “Santa’s Workshop!”

Santa’s Workshop will feature holiday activities for participants, including toy-making, Christmas tree-decorating, a hot cocoa bar, and much more! With the help of our elves, kids can even write a letter to Santa!

Santa’s Workshop participants will also enjoy dinner and dessert, while watching a holiday movies like “The Santa Clause,” “A Charlie Brown Christmas,” and “How the Grinch Stole Christmas!”

The Astoria After Dark program and “Santa’s Workshop” runs from 7 – 10p. Prices for Santa’s Workshop and the Astoria After Dark program are $75.00 for one child, $125.00 for two children and an additional $25.00 for each additional child. The program is available for children ages 5-12.

To make a reservation for Santa’s Workshop, please contact the Concierge Desk at 407.597.5450.

The WALT DISNEY WORLD® Marathon is right around the corner, Jan. 5-8, 2012.

Marathon Weekends are a magical time of the year for the team at Hilton Orlando Bonnet Creek.  Last year, we set our goal:  we wanted to be the Orlando hotel near Walt Disney World  that did the best job of caring for guests in town for Disney’s marathons.

Since many of our team members are runners themselves, we knew that hotels are sometimes challenged with meeting the needs of marathon runners… especially during early-morning runs.

We were inspired by an online post from a carb-craving runner who begged at her hotel to get a bagel at 4am, just hours before the race started.  She finally gave up — it wasn’t going to happen.

So, we put our heads together, adjusted our schedules, and provided customized services for runners during the past few Run Disney events, including transportation to the race. It’s been a task the entire team has rallied around — and our goal is for the experience to improve at every race.

This year, we decided to have a bit more fun, too.

Introducing….

Remember when I mentioned that many of our team members are runners themselves?

Shadi (pronounced SHOD-DEE) is our leisure sales manager.  He is one of those passionate runners, and will be running in this year’s Disney Half Marathon.  

You’ll want to remember his face.  

Why?  We’re about to kick off our new Facebook campaign “WHERE’S SHADI?,” where we’ll challenge you to locate Shadi in and around race day.  More details are forthcoming.  

The fun only begins there.  You’ll want to stay with us at Hilton Orlando Bonnet Creek — we’re the place to stay for Disney Marathon runners.

Watch this blog (and our Facebook fan page) over the next few weeks as we reveal more details.

Now please excuse me as I go look for Shadi.  He’s turned up missing again.

Let the fun begin!

Hilton Orlando Bonnet Creek Gingerbread House

…  an edible house, of the holiday kind.

This spectacular treat is 7 feet tall!

OK, so perhaps we should leave the prose to the masters.

A peek inside!

This year, the Christmas celebration at Hilton Orlando Bonnet Creek includes a colossal 7-foot-tall gingerbread house in our lobby!

This spectacle of holiday magic and whimsy was created by the Bonnet Creek Pastry Kitchen under the direction of Executive Pastry Chef Kurtis Baguley, with the assistance of the Property Operations team.

Bar du Chocolat

If you are looking for an unusual (and chocolate-filled) experience over the holidays, be sure to drop by Waldorf Astoria Orlando, where you will find Bar du Chocolat, a chocolate extravaganza!

At this weekend fantasy of chocolate indulgence, guests can sample a selection of approximately 30 hand-made chocolates and pastries from the pastry kitchen of Chef Kurtis Baguley.  These aren’t your normal candy counter treats, either.  You can expect to find exotic creations made in-house using recipes from around the world.

Bar du Chocolat will be offered at Peacock Alley from 6-10pm every Friday and Saturday evening through Dec. 31, 2011.  The chocolate is priced by the piece.

Bar du Chocolat, a Chocolate Extravaganza!

Although the selection will vary every day, some of the items featured in the past include:

• Mudslide Cookies
• Chocolate Bon Bons
• Chocolate Dipped Strawberries
• Flourless Chocolate Cake
• Chocolate Marquise Cake
• Chocolate Crunch Cake
• Chocolate Raspberry Cake
• Parisian Macaroons
• Chocolate Filigree Macaroons
• Pot de crème Egg Shells
• Peanut Butter Sandwich cookies
• Chocolate Nougat
• Chocolate Florentine
• Chocolate Crunch Cubes
• After Eight Mints
• Chocolate Marshmallow S’mores
• White Chocolate Sabayon
• Chocolate Sausage
• Peacock Pops
• Hot Chocolate
• Gluten-free Chocolate Chip Lentil Poppy Cookies
• Cherry Cookies
• Chocolate Bark
• Caramel Pecan Bars
• Inverted Chocolate Mélange
• Chocolate Financier
• Chocolate Shortbread Cookies
• Choc-tail Shooters
• Saboyan in the Shell
• Tartuffi Chocolatto
• Manjari Chocolat
• Chocolate Porto Elixir
• Chocolate Truffles
• Praline and Chocolate Mousse Cake
• Ivore Framboise
• Chocolate Cigar and box
• Almond Chocolate Cake
• Chestnut Manjari Dome
• Jivaria
• Triple Ganache Parfait
• Chocolate Mousse Dome
• Chocolate Granola
• Divine Brownies
• Chocolate Cloud Cake
• Dark Chocolate Almond Cake
• Flourless Chocolate Dome
• Triple Pave
• Double Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookies
• Chocolate éclair
• Creamy Chocolate Flan

Chocolate Nougat with pistachio

Raspberry tart in white chocolate shell with crystal sugar

Bar du Chocolat
Friday and Saturday evenings through Dec. 31, 2011
Waldorf Astoria Orlando
407-597-5500

As a holiday gift to you, Waldorf Astoria Spa by Guerlain is pleased to provide several complimentary programs in December.

Please join us for:

Essential Skin Care

Monday Dec. 26
Friday Dec. 30
4pm

Get back to basics in this fun and educational course hosted by our team of aestheticians and skin care professionals. Learn proper cleansing, exfoliating and masking techniques, how to select your perfect moisturizer as well as eye care tricks of the trade.

Couples Instructional Massage Techniques
Tuesday Dec. 27
Wednesday Dec. 28
4pm

Pick up some excellent massage techniques to share with someone special this New Year! You’re invited solo or with a partner, to enjoy a couples massage course for beginners. Enjoy some fabulous tips from our team of professionals that you can use to surprise and delight your loved ones. This course also covers the therapeutic benefits of massage.

The Smoky Eye
Thursday Dec. 29
4pm

Join the Waldorf Astoria Spa by Guerlain for an educational and fun seminar on getting that perfect smoky eye look just in time for the New Year. Watch as our team of skilled professionals demonstrates different smoky holiday looks and how to achieve them.

Advance registration is required.  Please RSVP by calling 407-597-5360, or by emailing valarie.maloff@waldorfastoria.com.

Looking for a fabulous holiday gift?  How about a gift certificate for Waldorf Astoria Spa by Guerlain?  Details here.