As an attendee of the IPW convention, I was excited to spend several days in Orlando speaking with airline groups, hotel companies and destination marketing organizations from around the world. Thanks to some last-minute maneuvering, I was able to stay at Cabana Bay Resort, the same hotel several international journalists were enjoying as well.

Built in 2014 to look like a classic Florida beach resort from the 1950s and 60s, Cabana Bay causes guests to feel like they’ve just experienced a giant leap back in time. From the Mid-Century Modern room décor with splashy beach details to the Zest soap and Alberto VO5 shampoo/conditioner in each hotel bathroom, Cabana Bay goes the extra mile to deliver an authentically retro experience.

© Carrie Cox

I was in room 5145 within The Continental wing and as soon as I entered, I immediately felt as if I’d entered a time warp! Rather than the typical neutral palate found in most hotel rooms, this room was decorated in bright teal and orange with hints of avocado green. The bedspread offered a groovy pattern of intertwining ovals, and the mid-mod sconces were soft white cylinders with a single strip of chrome squeezing the top quarter almost like a tube of toothpaste. Throwback furniture pieces completed the look, including painted dresser drawers with no hardware, and two neon green shell chairs with wire bases, flanking a small white tulip table.

Outside the room, the retro theme continued around the hotel’s two pools, the family dining room and the colorful, open-air lobby. The resort also features a bowling alley and arcade room, along with two large screens rolling video of California’s surfing culture, Woody the Woodpecker cereal commercials, and anything else you remember when color TV first arrived on the scene.

© Carrie Cox

Each day I walked the resort, I noticed the pools were packed, the children were happy and the adults were kicking back, enjoying beverages in beach chairs under large umbrellas. In retrospect, perhaps my time at Cabana Bay was a simple reminder: When it comes to vacations, the more things change, the more they sometimes stay the same after all.

Cabana Bay Resort

6550 Adventure Way
Orlando, FL 32819
tel 407 503 4000