ORLANDO, Fla. – A new hotel in Orlando is offering the latest in cutting-edge technology, making it a leader in the wellness, technology and hospitality industries.
The Lake Nona Wave Hotel opened in December 2021.
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Jessi Blakley, the vice president of Lake Nona, said it is the centerpiece of the community.
“It’s been dubbed the savviest, most technologically-advanced hotel not just in the United States, but in the world,” Blakley said.
The hotel is 17 stories, making it the tallest building in Lake Nona. It offers spectacular views of the growing area.
Inside the hotel, there are unique pieces of art and technology showcased on every floor.
“It’s not just technology for technology’s sake, but it’s technology that improves our lives,” Blakley said.
Blakley said the Lake Nona Wave Hotel is for everyone, from visitors to business travelers, as well as residents who want to check out the offerings.
James Tattersall, the director of sales and marketing at the Lake Nona Wave Hotel, took News 6 on a tour. A guest’s experience begins when they step into the lobby, known as the Lake Nona living room. Tattersall said it’s designed to feel like a residential living room where guests and residents can interact.
The biggest feature of the lobby is a wall of art displaying 300 unique pieces. Above the welcome desk is a kinetic art piece that changes in color and form throughout the day.
“It’s a constant piece of art that every time you arrive or depart from the hotel it’s something a little bit different,” Tattersall said.
Guests can walk through the lobby and stop by the Living Room bar or spend time sitting beneath a two-story-tall pink Dogwood tree. Next to the bar is seating on a stadium staircase.
“Trying to evoke those tech campuses in California and Silicon Valley, bringing out that campus-style seating so if guests are working from here in the day you can relax, take a chair up on the staircase,” Tattersall said.
Guests can take a stroll through the 40,000-square-foot sculpture garden. It features a dozen world-class art sculptures and unique seating areas. There is also a private pool for hotel guests with cabanas available.
There are four bars and restaurants on the property that offer a variety of cuisines and cocktails.
BACÁN is open for dinner and the menu features food inspired by Latin and Southern American cooking. Haven Kitchen is open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. The restaurant is designed to bring the outdoors indoors and the food is Mediterranean-inspired. The Haven Lounge will be a cocktail lounge that will open Thursday, Friday, and Saturday nights. It will serve small plates, a creative cocktail menu, and offer live entertainment. The Living Room Bar also serves light bites and drinks.
You may also meet “Rosie” the robot butler who will serve your meals.
“She uses lidar technology and she really takes that service level to the next place and it’s utilizing that technology in a way that’s smart and thoughtful and again provides that seamless experience for the guests in a really fun way,” Blakley said.
There are 234 guest rooms in the hotel. The starting rate is $309 per night.
Each guest room is equipped with its own Toto smart toilet. It self-cleans, the seat automatically opens, and it features a heated seat. The guest rooms also have iPads used to control the lighting and temperature.
Guests can upgrade to stay in one of the six WELL+Tech rooms. These special rooms feature additional high-tech amenities, including smart beds that adjust as you sleep and moisturizing sheets.
“You can control the firmness of the bed, you can control the temperature of the bed, and you can even set an alarm on the bed that will gently rock you awake in the morning,” Tattersall said.
The entire hotel is covered with 225,000 square feet of View Glass, which is an artificial intelligence glass that automatically changes tint throughout the day. Blakley said this creates a better night’s sleep.
“Studies have shown it gives you back approximately 16 minutes of sleep each night, so guests who are here are getting a better experience, their circadian rhythm is more on point and they’re sleeping better, and they probably don’t even know that’s what they’re experiencing when they are here,” Blakley said.
Blakley said as technology changes and evolves, so will the Lake Nona Wave Hotel. She said it will continue to offer the most advanced amenities.
“We are the smartest, most technologically-advanced hotel in the world and we want to remain that way and we want it to be the shining star and really the centerpiece of our Lake Nona community,” she said.
Making it a leader in the wellness, tech, and hospitality industries.
“This really elevates and just adds a new dimension to the hospitality landscape here in Orlando,” Blakley said.