JW Marriott Bonnet Creek Review
The JW Marriott Bonnet Creek is the newest resort at the Bonnet Creek resort complex near the Disney parks in Orlando. Having opened in July 2020, the resort still shows very little signs of ageing. I had had my eyes on this property for a while and finally got to enjoy a quick stay recently. Overall, this resort lives up to the JW Marriott name, which I find to be one of Marriott's most consistent brands. In this JW Marriott Bonnet Creek quick hit review, we cover why this resort is a great option for those craving some luxury while visiting the mouse.
Location
The Bonnet Creek resorts are the closest resorts to Disney without being “on property” at a Disney resort. This makes it very easy to reach all of the parks within about 10-15 minutes. The resort offers shuttles to the Disney parks, though the schedule varies daily.
Some Bonnet Creek resorts are considered to be an “official” Disney World Resort, which includes offering early admission to the parks. Unfortunately, the JW Marriott is not among those resorts with early admission.
JW Marriott Bonnet Creek Review: Booking Cost
Since Marriott Bonvoy uses dynamic pricing instead of a fixed award chart, award prices at the JW Marriott Bonnet Creek are unpredictable. I have seen rooms costing less than 50,000 Bonvoy points per night and well over 100,000 points per night.
Cash rates typically start in the $400 range and can get quite expensive in high season or busy weekends. The resort is part of the Amex Fine Hotels + Resorts program, which offers multiple benefits for those with the Amex Platinum or Business Platinum cards.
JW Marriott Bonnet Creek Review: Executive One Bedroom Suite
As Bonvoy Platinum Elite members, we received a complimentary upgrade to an executive one bedroom suite. The suite was absolutely lovely, with the subtle elegance that is characteristic of the JW Marriott brand. The tones and decor throughout were muted without being bland, and accent lighting throughout the different areas were an excellent touch.
The suite had a large living room and a separate bedroom, both with floor-to-ceiling windows. The living room featured a comfortable pullout couch, a reading chair, a writing desk near the window, and a separate half-bath near the entrance. The living room also had an adjoining door to a room next door, making this an excellent set up for larger families.
The bedroom was even larger than the living room. The king bed was flanked by elegant bedside tables and a modern sofa sat next to the window. The room also had a little stool that magically kept my wriggly toddler in place for getting ready in the morning.
The bedroom's walk-in closet was huge and featured elegant accent lighting. The bathroom has a sizable tub, a walk-in shower, and a spacious vanity.
Property/Amenities
The JW Marriott Bonnet Creek offers lots of amenities, including two pools, a spa, fitness center, mini golf, and a kids club that features a climbing wall.
We spent some time at the family pool, which overall was nice but fell short of expectations for a luxury resort. The pool and surrounding area was rather unremarkable with no distinguishing features. That said, we still had a good time in the pool, which was busy but never felt crowded.
Pool side service was good, with friendly servers checking in on guests consistently without being obtrusive.
The adults-only pool was near the family pool and was rather small, with the pool bar standing between the two. Having the bar between the two pools helped dampen the sound of children from the family pool. But it was still odd to see the adults-only pool basically adjacent to the family pool.
JW Marriott Bonnet Creek Dining
The resort offers multiple dining options, along with a bar and a deli/coffee shop both located in the lobby. Palm Cove is the poolside bar serving American fare. Unreserved Food Bazar is the resort's main restaurant open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and has an outdoor beer garden attached to it. Illume is the rooftop bar that offers Japanese food and fireworks views. Sear + Sea Woodfire Grill is the resort's steakhouse, which has been Michelin recommended for the last 3 years in a row.
We ordered some food and drinks from the Palm Cove pool bar one afternoon. The quesadillas were pretty good, while the guacamole tasted pretty bland. Food and drink pricing was as expected for a luxury resort.
As Platinum Elite members, we received complimentary breakfast at Unreserved Food Bazar. The rich breakfast buffet offered lots of options, including lots of different pastries, cold cuts and cheeses, fruits and yogurts, scrambled eggs, a variety of breakfast meats, pancakes, and waffles. There was also an omelet station and a crepe stand. Service was attentive and friendly.
The check made it clear that our breakfast was complimentary and we just had to write out our room number and sign.
JW Marriott Bonnet Creek: ToP Thoughts
The JW Marriott Bonnet Creek is an excellent option for those looking for luxury while being as close to the Disney parks as possible. With the exception of the pool area, the property exudes elegance without being over the top. In contrast to the Hyatt Regency Grand Cypress Resort nearby, which caters to families, this resort appeals to both those traveling with and without little ones.
