Why You Should Book the JW Marriott Over The Ritz-Carlton at Orlando’s Grande Lakes

I recently returned from a quick trip to Orlando, Florida. While I was there, I stayed at the JW Marriott Orlando, Grande Lakes, one of the resorts within the sprawling Grande Lakes complex in suburban Orlando.

I originally had my eye on the adjacent Ritz-Carlton Orlando, Grande Lakes, but I’m glad my stay there didn’t work out.

During my stay at the JW Marriott, I realized that visiting this property is a way to hack Grande Lakes, getting the best the complex has to offer for a fraction of the out-of-pocket cost of a stay at the Ritz-Carlton.

Let’s dive into why I recommend picking the JW Marriott over The Ritz-Carlton when you visit Grande Lakes.

Overview of Orlando’s Grande Lakes Resort

The Grande Lakes resort complex is a massive development in Orlando spanning over 500 acres with 3 hotels, a fishing lake, miles of hiking trails, preserved nature areas, an 18-hole golf course, and a small farm with a chicken coop, apiaries, and more.

It’s near Orlando’s world-famous theme parks, so if that’s why you’re in town, you won’t need to drive far to access popular parks such as Walt Disney World, Sea World Orlando, and Universal Orlando Resort.

However, based on my brief stay there, it didn’t feel like a place designed specifically for guests visiting the theme parks. It felt more like a destination unto itself, with a focus on luxurious hotels and amazing amenities for guests to take advantage of — and practically no references to Mickey Mouse.

It felt like it was built for hosting conventions, with numerous massive ballrooms and extensive services on the property, such as an on-site FedEx office store, catering to the needs of people attending or putting on events. Grande Lakes contains 3 hotels within the property:

• The JW Marriott Orlando, Grande Lakes
• The Ritz-Carlton, Orlando Grande Lakes
• Marriott’s Lakeshore Reserve, a Marriott Vacation Club property

Lakeshore Reserve is a smaller timeshare-style property, while The Ritz-Carlton and the JW Marriott are more traditional hotel properties.

Before I booked my stay at the JW Marriott, I had hoped to swing a stay at The Ritz-Carlton, as it was renovated just a few years ago and looked like a beautiful property. Plus, I was apprehensive about staying at the massive JW Marriott with over 1,000 rooms.

However, once I looked at the numbers, booking my stay at the JW was a no-brainer. After exploring the property, I’m so glad I booked the JW over The Ritz. I’d recommend anyone interested in staying at Grande Lakes do the same because you can experience the very best of the property without spending a small fortune — in cash or points — to do so.

Here’s a look at why I believe staying at the JW Marriott Orlando, Grande Lakes, is the best strategy for visiting this expansive resort.

Keep More Money (Or Points) In Your Pocket

It’s to be expected that — on average — a JW Marriott property is cheaper per night than a Ritz-Carlton.

At Grande Lakes, the lowest cash rate for a room at the JW Marriott is $195, while the lowest at The Ritz-Carlton is $350. That isn’t a tremendous gulf between the 2 rates, but keep in mind that these low rates are in the middle of the summer when people flee the heat and humidity of Florida.

During months when more tourists flock to the area, rates go up sharply. At The Ritz, nights during peak periods can soar to $1,500 or more per night!

During my stay, rates at The Ritz approached $1,100 per night, while I paid slightly under $400 per night for my room at the JW, keeping around $700 per night in my pocket while staying just feet away from the far pricier Ritz-Carlton. Plus, the rate I booked at the JW came with a daily $50 property credit and a bonus of 7,000 Mariott Bonvoy points per night.

The story is similar when paying with Marriott Bonvoy points. Rates at the JW start at 34,000 points per night, while the lowest you can pay to get a room at The Ritz is 46,000. That rate can almost double during more popular times of the year.

Depending on the time of year you visit Grande Lakes, you could save hundreds — even thousands — of dollars on your stay by choosing the JW Marriott.

Hot Tip:

If you want to stay for (almost) free at Marriott properties worldwide, learn about all the best ways to earn and then redeem Marriott Bonvoy points for maximum value.

Plenty of Luxury

At first glance, you might think that the JW Marriott can’t hold a candle to The Ritz-Carlton in terms of luxury. While the property is indeed much larger and not quite as impressive as the neighboring Ritz, it’s no slouch when it comes to providing a high-end stay.

The property underwent an extensive renovation in recent years and looked fresh and modern during my stay. The guest rooms weren’t the most posh I’ve ever stayed in, but my room was certainly a nice place to relax and sleep for a few nights. I found my room at the JW to be plenty spacious and modern, and it had a generously sized bathroom that felt sufficiently upmarket.

The public spaces were beautiful too. I especially loved the look of the soaring lobby, the bar attached to it, and the outdoor terrace that provided beautiful views all the way down to the manmade lake.

The only place the JW felt decidedly less luxurious was the pool area. This mainly came down to the fact that the pool area is a purpose-built mini water park, complete with 3 huge waterslides, a water jungle gym, and a lazy river connecting all the distinct areas of the pool.

I totally understand the reason for creating a small water park, as families traveling to the area demand some sort of attraction to keep their children occupied. But this destination pool serving more than 1,000 rooms at the JW Marriott alone frequently had a packed pool deck.

There’s a way around the busy pool if that’s not what you’re after during your visit to Orlando — I’ll go over that a bit later.

Elite Members Get Free Breakfast

This point is short and sweet, but a major one: Marriott Bonvoy Platinum Elite members and above are entitled to complimentary breakfast at the JW Marriott, but not at The Ritz-Carlton.

Unfortunately, only the continental breakfast is provided for qualifying elite members, but the upcharge to the full buffet is a very reasonable $9 per person, per day.

On-property food prices are nothing to joke about, and this perk can save you money on your next trip to Orlando — especially if you’re traveling as a family.

Guests Get Reciprocal Access to Hotel Facilities

The final piece of the puzzle is the one that sealed the deal for me and is the best way to hack your stay at the JW Marriott. Hotel guests get reciprocal access to facilities at each hotel. In other words, as a guest of the JW Marriott, I was able to use the public facilities at The Ritz-Carlton, and vice versa.

I apparently didn’t do my research thoroughly enough before I checked in, because I was shocked to hear that I could use The Ritz-Carlton pool as a guest of the JW Marriott. Indeed, it was true, and I immediately thanked myself for not splurging to stay overnight at The Ritz.

Reciprocal access enabled me to pay far less for my accommodations, enjoy a complimentary (or almost complimentary) breakfast each morning, and then escape the madness of the water park at the JW Marriott to relax by the much calmer Ritz-Carlton pool.

The JW pool deck was jammed with chairs and challenging to get comfortable without ponying up for a rental cabana.

I didn’t need to book a cabana, since I could walk just a few minutes across the property and use my key to access the more sedate and luxurious Ritz-Carlton pool.

This pool was a dream for relaxation and there weren’t many people when I visited. The lounge chairs were not only much larger but also had plush covers and were arranged largely in groups of 2 instead of long rows of chairs at the JW.

Plus, pool attendants were waiting to show me to my preferred location, set up the chairs with oversized towels, and bring ice-cold water for me to enjoy. When I got hungry, I was able to order food and charge it to my room at the JW with no problem.

In addition to this pool, JW guests have access to the shared fitness center and Ritz-Carlton spaand can access the spa pool with a spa treatment reservation. JW guests can also explore all of the Ritz-Carlton dining options.

Thanks to this generous arrangement, I got to access the best of both properties at Grande Lakes. I stayed in the less expensive (though still very nice!) guest rooms and got complimentary breakfast at the JW Marriott. I also got access to the more relaxed and luxurious environment of the Ritz-Carlton pool when I wanted to relax in the sun. I really felt like I’d hacked the system with this arrangement!

Final Thoughts

If you find yourself in Orlando and are considering Grande Lakes for your stay, take this move out of my playbook. Book your nights at the JW Marriott unless, of course, you’re traveling in the middle of the low season and can snag a room at The Ritz for a bargain.

If you book at the JW Marriott, you’ll pay a fraction of the cost for your accommodations, experience about 80% (or more, depending on your standards) of the luxury that you’d get to enjoy at The Ritz, and still be able to choose your experience when it comes to the public spaces on the property. This arrangement is especially great if you’re not traveling as a family because you can escape the relative madness of the JW water park and enjoy the quiet luxury of the pool(s) at The Ritz.

Oh, and you’ll get to eat breakfast for free, too!