If you haven’t been to Orlando yet, my hometown, you’re seriously missing out. I may be a little biased considering I’m a born and raised Orlando native, but there’s so much to do outside of the typical tourist attractions that most people aren’t aware of. Orlando has an amazing food and resort scene, and the JW Marriott Orlando, Grande Lakes is one the top Orlando spots you need to try.
The food was incredible all weekend, from our lunch by the pool to our dinner at Primo (pictured below).
Every walk way made for the perfect photo opp.
These mini cabanas by the spa pool though!! I laid here, with a drink in hand, and read my book for a few hours. So cute and cozy!
I had serious decor envy with the patio area at Whisper Creek Farm: The Kitchen. It had just rained when I took this picture so everything was a little soggy.
I took my mom to the JW Marriott Orlando, Grande Lakes for Mother’s Day weekend and we seriously had the absolute best girls weekend! I loved that we were able to drive to this resort, yet the moment we got there we felt like we had traveled somewhere hours and miles away. Our room had the coolest view over the pool area and golf course, which is where we spent our mornings sipping coffee and planning our days.
Here’s what my mom and I did during our stay:
Starbucks!!! There was a Starbucks right downstairs so I’d head down every morning to get my iced coffee, then I’d bring it up to my room and sip it while sitting on the balcony.
The day we arrived my mom and I headed straight to the spa where we had massages and tea. The spa area was so nice we ended up hanging around there the rest of the day. The spa is a MUST, you guys!! If you head to the JW Marriott Orlando you have to try and rent a cabana at the spa pool. We had a cabana for the second day of our trip and at the end of the day the staff literally had to pry us from our chairs. The food by the spa pool was top notch. I had sangria all day, which they make with ginger ale- super interesting, but great! For lunch we had the tuna salad, lettuce wraps and french fries (of course).
Lazy river!! The pool situation is every kids dream, and probably some adults too. For me, the spa pool was perfect because it was kid free, but if you’re traveling with the family the main pool is the way to go.
Each night we had dinner right in the hotel, which is a huge perk for us because we love our wine and this way we could enjoy our nights without having to pick who had to drive home.
Here’s the low down on our dinners:
The first night we headed to Primo, which serves Mediterranean cuisine from local, organic ingredients. We started off with the seasonal arancini (pictured above) and then I had the Primo meatballs while my mom had their pasta of the day. The food was beyond fresh and veryyyy filling. We definitely had to waddle back to our room that night.
Whisper Creek Farm: The Kitchen
Ok, this is a restaurant I will be coming back to again and again! This place features farm-inspired comfort food and craft beers. I have a ton of amazing restaurants right around where I live, but this one really set the bar higher. I loved the cozy seating they had, especially since my mom and I had been in the sun all day, we were really craving a comfy spot to drink and eat that night. Everything we ate and drank here was AMAZING.
We started with the lump crab salad (my moms favorite)
I had the eggplant flatbread for dinner and my mom had the barley bowl. Both of these were winners!
The cucumber cooler drink (craft cocktail) is worth driving back to this place in itself.
Last thoughts:
The service at this hotel was 5 star and we really didn’t want to leave. I would recommend the JW Marriott Orlando, Grande Lakes to anyone traveling, whether you’re a couple or family. There really is stuff to do for everyone.
Huge thank you to the JW Marriott Orlando, Grande Lakes for having me and sponsoring this post.
