I have two large complaints about The Swan and Dolphin Hotel at Walt Disney World. First, they charge a lot of money for parking, which makes it difficult to just drop by and enjoy some of their fabulous restaurants. Second, they were built just a tad too close to EPCOT, so they tend to loom in the background of photos. On the other hand, that also means they’re perfectly situated between EPCOT and Disney’s Hollywood Studios. Making them a popular resort destination since they opened 25 years ago.
I’m also a fan of the architecture style brought by architect Michael Graves. Did you know that the Dolphin hotel actually represents a volcano that rose out of the ocean and that the Swan hotel was splashed with the water from the rising volcano. Check it out next time you visit. You’ll see that the causeway between the two hotels represents the water.
It was just announced that the Swan and Dolphin Hotel will be getting the largest makeover in its history. The hotel has launched a multi-phase, multi-year, $125 million redesign project that will transform every guest room in the 758-room Swan Hotel and the 1,509-room Dolphin Hotel.
“As we celebrate the hotel’s 25th anniversary, it is appropriate that we mark the occasion with a renaissance of our room product,” said General Manager Fred Sawyers. “Our guests will continue to receive the level of service and hospitality that comes with a quarter century of experience while enjoying a modern new guest room.”
The transformation, it is promised, will occur without disruption to the guest experience as the majority of guest rooms will be available throughout the process. The hotel’s public spaces, restaurants, meeting rooms, shops, pools and recreational areas will not be impacted and remain fully operational throughout the renovation.
Noted hotel and condominium interior design and architecture firm Garcia Stromberg/GS4 Studios, designers of the Conrad Hotel Ft. Lauderdale, the Waldorf Astoria’s Boca Beach Club and One Thousand Ocean condominium in Boca Raton, Fla., created the concept for the new rooms.
The new room design is inspired by the resort’s water-themed architecture. The goal was to create a serene and sophisticated atmosphere.
The guest room features upgraded furniture and all of the latest technology including large HD TVs. Additional power outlets provide corporate executives and family travelers more options for use of multiple personal electronics.
Blending an artistic combination of whites, blues and grays, the design creates a tasteful ambiance that appeals to adults while abstract artwork playfully delights children as well.
The centerpiece of the room is the famous Westin Heavenly Bed with its all-white custom-designed pillow-top mattress set, cozy down blanket, a trio of crisp sheets, goose down comforter and four over-stuffed pillows.
The design continues into a completely new bathroom, featuring a back-lit mirror mounted on iridescent glass tiles.
The project has already started at the Swan Hotel, with approximately 500 of the 756 rooms redesigned by the end of 2014. The first phase of the Dolphin Hotel rooms will begin in 2015 with the entire rooms project currently scheduled for completion by the end of 2016.
Just FYI, Valet parking is free when you dine at Il Mulino, Shula’s, or bluezoo
Nice, if you but if you have the bucks to spend on dining at those locations you can probably afford self parking too :)
We ate at Il Mulino a few years back for a friends bachelor party, and they validated our parking, so it was free. I agree that paying for parking is a waste, but most restaurants will comp it for you.
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