Rosen Shingle Creek

Designed to mimic 1900s Spanish Revival style architecture, the hotel’s palatial exterior dominates the surrounding landscape, which includes an odd mix of palm trees and oaks. Shingle Creek, the headwaters of the Florida Everglades, runs through the property. High arches lead into the enormous lobby, where the tall ceilings are crisscrossed by exposed wooden beams. Among the conventioneers and leisure travelers coming and going between the far-flung facilities is also a family of zebra finches in a free-standing cage.

Located on Universal Boulevard just off of the Beachline 528 Expressway, the Rosen Shingle Creek is not within walking distance to any attractions, but it's easy to get around by car or shuttle. The Orange County Convention Center is a  five-minute drive from the property. SeaWorld is an eight-minute drive, Universal Studios is a 12-minute drive, and it's about 20 minutes to Walt Disney World's Magic Kingdom, Epcot, and Hollywood Studios. The Orlando International Airport is within a 10-minute drive.

The large rooms keep to the Spanish Revival style seen throughout the hotel, giving them a casual elegance. Plush beds have Egyptian cotton sheets and wooden headboards. The rest of the wood furnishings go well with the earth-tone palette, livened up by a subtle touch of richer colors on fabrics and upholstery. Ornate scrollwork and patterned carpets add detail without making the rooms too busy. The bathrooms are a bit less impressive, with shower/tub combos, though they have large separate vanity areas. All rooms have mini-fridges, coffeemakers, and iPod docks. Only the few presidential suites have balconies.

The hotel's 18-hole championship golf course has interconnecting waterways between oak and pine trees, all along Shingle Creek. The facilities are all designed to accommodate the large number of guests that the Rosen caters to, so there's no fear of crowding, though they are also so spread out that a lot of walking is required. Four different pools cover all the bases, with one for the whole family, a lap pool, kiddie wading pool, and a quiet adult pool that has private cabanas (must be reserved). The spa has a relaxation room, whirlpool, sauna, steam room, and nine treatment rooms. The attached fitness center is likewise well-equipped with treadmills, cardio bikes, circuit machines, and free weights. A total of 490,000 square feet of meeting and event space consists of breakout meeting rooms, outdoor venue space and multiple column-free ballrooms, the largest of which is 95,000 square feet. The hotel's dining is top notch, with two highly-rated fine-dining restaurants -- the upscale steakhouse A Land Remembered and Italian bistro Cala Bella -- as well as several cafes, bars and lounges totaling 15 dining/lounging options in all.