We recently stayed at Evermore Orlando Resort for a family trip and booked a Garden View Villa…read moreusing Hilton Honors points. As a family of three, it was an absolute game-changer. Having two full master bedrooms gave my wife and me tons of space, and our 15-year-old son loved having a proper, high-end bedroom to himself instead of a pullout couch. Points-wise, it was an incredible redemption. That said, if you're paying cash, bringing a larger group to split a flat or house would make the value even better.
The location is extremely convenient--about 25 minutes from MCO airport, 16 minutes from the Orange County Convention Center, 15 minutes to Disney, and 23 minutes to Universal.
Resort & Vibe:
The resort hits you with a serious "wow" factor right when you drive through the front gates--it feels like stepping into a lush, tropical world. We arrived early in the morning well before check-in, but Allison at the front desk was so welcoming and did a great job accommodating us while we waited.
The Lagoon & Food:
The Evermore Bay lagoon was extraordinary, especially for our teenager. Between the watersports, rope swing, and waterslide (a total 10/10 according to my son), there was endless fun. It was our first time paddleboarding, and the staff made us feel right at ease. Food-wise, we didn't expect much from a resort food court, but we were blown away by the smash burgers and Ahi Tuna Poké bowls--they became our daily go-to items. Huge shoutout to Kimmy bartending at one of the outdoor mobile vans. She brought such a bright, bubbly, positive energy to our day, even while battling the Florida heat and wasps!
The Golf Experience:
As ~20 handicappers, both courses were immaculate and a fun challenge. However, customer service was a tale of two different worlds:
Cypress Course: Beautiful layout (the Sawgrass #17 replica was awesome!). Our starter, Jimmy, was top-tier and gave us incredible island-style hospitality. Since we were playing in a foursome with my 82-year-old father, Jimmy thoughtfully suggested that if the faster group behind us caught up, we should let them play through so we could enjoy our family time without feeling rushed. Looking back, Jimmy was 100% right--we maintained a steady pace, and the group behind us never ended up pressing us anyway.
Unfortunately, Jimmy's supervisor/boss approached us from the very start with a bad attitude. When we paused to let that group pass and I mentioned, "Well, Jimmy told us..." he cut me off with, "WELL I'M JIMMY'S BOSS!" and scolded us to keep up with the group ahead. On a family resort where people pay top dollar to make memories, his approach lacked basic customer service and tact. We had a similarly cold experience with the head pro shop manager (listed as "MBYERS" on our receipt). A little warmth goes a long way.
Grand Links Course: We came back Sunday before our flight to play Links, and it was night-and-day! Before our round, I even went out of my way to swing by Cypress just to thank Jimmy again for his hospitality earlier in the week. Over at Grand Links, Vince and Caroline at the front desk set a fantastic tone, Braden had our bags dialed in, and Mike gave us a great course orientation.
After the round, Caroline went above and beyond. I realized I lost my headcover, which turned out to be found by the group behind us. Caroline immediately radioed it in, located it, and without hesitation offered to fetch it. Since we were in a time crunch before our flight, she even met us at the food court with it. That proactive service did not go unnoticed!
Final Verdict:
Evermore is world-class when it comes to the lagoon, villas, and course conditions. I will definitely be back for the golf--hopefully next time, management on the golf side takes a page out of Caroline and Jimmy's book!
