Here's a look at the best new Orlando restaurants, hotels, party rooms, corporate event venues, conference centers, and private rooms to open this winter. These new and renovated Orlando venues can accommodate groups large or small for private and corporate events, meetings, business dinners, cocktail parties, conferences, weddings, and more.
The Kessler Collection, which operates high-end hotels around the country, completed a $6 million renovation of the Castle Hotel on International Drive in October. The hotel has also joined the Autograph Collection, a group of independent properties associated with Marriott. The Castle Hotel has more than 8,000 square feet of meeting space, including two ballrooms, meeting rooms, a terrace, and a courtyard near the pool. Dining options include the Garden Bistro & Bar and Antlers Lounge. The hotel’s decor is intended to evoke a modern interpretation of a European-style castle.
The Westin Orlando Universal Boulevard will open a new conference and special event center February 20 that will add 5,576 square feet of flexible space to the resort. The largest room will be a ballroom that will accommodate 370 people for a banquet or 330 people for a meeting. When the facility is complete, the hotel will have nearly 14,000 feet of event space. The hotel is located across from the Orange County Convention Center and has 315 room and suites.
The foodie-centric Epicurean Hotel opened in Tampa December 17. The 137-room $35 million property has an 80-seat restaurant, a culinary classroom, a wine store, a rooftop bar, a full-service spa, and 5,200 square feet of flexible event space. Corporate groups can also book private cooking or wine tasting classes. The hotel was developed in collaboration with Bern’s Steak House, a Tampa landmark, and is the first newly constructed property in the United States to join the Autograph Collection of Marriott International.
Austin-based Chuy’s brings Tex-Mex dining to International Drive in February. The restaurant will be one of the first venues to open in the new I-Shops development less than two miles north of the Orange County Convention Center. Chuy’s will be open for lunch and dinner daily, with happy hour in the evening that includes the brand’s signature free make-your-own nachos bar. The 9,028-square-foot restaurant will have seating inside and on a 1,137-square-foot patio.
Kasa Tapas & Raw Bar is a new dining concept from the Bento Group, which operates several other restaurants around Central Florida. The menu is focused on small plates with global influences and there’s also a raw bar. The 6,000-square-foot restaurant in downtown Orlando has seating for 200 inside and on a patio along with a private dining room that accommodates 30 people. Kasa opened November 14.
Meltz is a new option downtown for breakfast and lunch meetings. The casual restaurant opened December 1 and specializes in sandwiches from the classics—French dip, Reuben, grilled cheese—to signature items such as the "Atomic Chicken" with roasted chicken breast, tomato, jalapeños, baby spinach, hot sauce, and provolone pressed on Cuban bread with whipped blue cheese. The menu also includes vegetarian options, salads, soups, and breakfast sandwiches. The restaurant seats 42 people and also offers catering for in-office meetings. Delivery is available for a fee.
The Ocoee Lakeshore Center opened February 1 adjacent to Starke Lake. The facility has a 3,200-square-foot banquet hall that can be divided into two rooms. The space also has a 632-square-foot meeting room as well as a lobby that can be used for prefunction activities. The facility has a covered porch and a 2,200-square-foot plaza, which both offer views of the lake. The center is owned and operated by the city of Ocoee. Outside caterers are welcome.
Host a western-theme event at the OK Corral Gun Club in Okeechobee, which opened a new 7,000-square-foot event space in October. The facility includes a small meeting room for as many as 30 people and a larger room that accommodates 300 people for a reception. Attached to the event center is a 1,200-square-foot covered patio. There are two other flexible event spaces on the property: a 3,700-square-foot clubhouse that has a covered porch with rocking chairs, and a livery stable suited for semi-covered gatherings. The club offers full-service catering and activities suitable for teambuilding such as two sporting clay courses, shooting ranges, and a fishing pond. Staff can also arrange fishing, hunting, and birding excursions in the surrounding area.
Westgate River Ranch, another western-theme property in southern Osceola County, recently completed an extensive renovation of its accommodations and event space. The resort offers more than 8,000 square feet of flexible meeting space, with 10 rooms suited for as many as 250 people and 4,500 square feet of outdoor event space. Accommodations include two-bedroom cabins, an inn, and 10 new glamping sites that offer tents with deluxe amenities, air-conditioning, and private bathrooms. For events that incorporate recreation, the resort has a ropes course, a dance hall, mini golf, a rock-climbing wall, a zip line, a mechanical bull, bungee jumping, horseback riding, golf, nature trails, and more. Guests can fly straight to the resort using the property’s 5,000-foot paved and lighted runway.
Therapy Brew Bar & Wine Lounge opened in November in downtown Orlando. Management describes the vibe as “an antidote to the crazy, hustle-bustle of downtown life.” The bar accommodates 75 people inside and 75 on a covered deck. The menu includes flatbreads, sandwiches, salads, and beer-based desserts such as Guinness chocolate pudding and a stout beer float.
