Dateline: Orlando

I would not be surprised if I have a previous blog post with this same title.

After all, this was not my first trip to Florida.

It was my first trip to the Ritz Carlton, which I think only opened in 2008. Sadly, unless we hit the lottery, it might be my last. Still, it was a lovely stay, especially on the company's penny!

A Room...
I had two "executive size" beds, which were around the size of a full. I'm one of those bad hotel guests who sleeps in a different bed each night if I'm there for multiple nights.

Hey, I figure I got them, might as well use them.

There were the nice touches you would expect, like turn down service with chocolates. The first night it was two dark chocolates, which I don't really eat. But the second night was one dark one milk. The third night I was in the room when the lady came. She asked if I needed anything and I said, "Milk chocolate?" and she gave me a little stack. Sweet!

Also, I liked that coffee/tea maker was in a little chest, so it was all attractive and subtle until you needed it. Of course, I might be easily impressed.

Speaking of impressed, hello, what a lovely bathroom! (There are pictures in my Flickr stream.) It was all marble. There was a tub on one side, a separate stand up shower on the other, and the toilet was behind another door for privacy. (Not that it mattered since I was alone.)

And a robe and slippers to use during your stay. Since it was a business trip, I didn't get to spend much time in my lovely room.

With a View of Critters
Still, I was very excited to see I had a balcony with this lovely view of the courtyard, lake, and golf course beyond.

In my time at the hotel I saw a bunny; two little lizards; a froggy; a small, long legged white bird with a long, curved orange beak; and a fat, long-necked, black bird that might have been a wild turkey.

A co-worker told me an alligator lives in the lake on the golf course, but I didn't see it. Considering everyone seemed to be spending the week yanking my chain, the alligator story was probably a lie. (insert sinister music here.)

Every morning I swiped breakfast off the show floor and ran back to my room to eat on my balcony.

The first morning I heard, "I guess the balconies aren't private," from above. Turned out the Deadline Setter's room was a floor above and one room over from mine. Despite the fact that we had both gone back to our rooms for a quite start to a busy day, we ended up calling back and forth to each other.

No one complained, so I guess we were ok. Makes me wonder whether the company had to pay extra for them to let me in. hehehe

And a River
As it was a business trip, there wasn't really time for fun (or knitting!) but we did our best.

The first night the Other Associate Editor, the Guy in the Art Department, his helper, and I went down to the Lazy River on the grounds of the Marriott next door. But there was a massive thunder and lightening storm, so we couldn't swim.

Actually, when the storm let up, around 10 p.m., we dove in anyway. But a hotel worker/lifeguard lady appeared out of nowhere and kicked us out.

The second night we succeeded in a few laps before we had to go in for a staff meeting.

That inner tube? $7! For as much as it cost to stay there, they couldn't lend us an inner tube?

Well, we got our money's worth because the Deadline Setter actually bought it, then handed it over to me when she left. So, ha!

The Guy in the Art Department brought it home in the truck with all our equipment. It's on her desk now, but she hasn't been in the office to find it. hehehe.