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Back story: Originally built in 1958, the 39-story Diplomat was rebuilt in 2002. Managed and operated by Starwood Hotels and Resorts, as of January 2010, the property now encompasses the former Diplomat Golf Resort & Spa. Guests can board the complimentary shuttle to experience either the soaring tropical ambiance of the beachfront location, or indulge in a round of golf or a spa treatment at the golf location on the Intracoastal Waterway. Staycations are key here, with a host of activities designed to entertain from the smallest of children to the busy corporate traveler.
Just for fun: The hotel's Director of Fun arranges activities for corporate guests, such as a 3, 5 or 10K run along Hollywood Broadwalk, as well as activities designed to bring families together. These include complimentary 'smores night and movie nights at the pool featuring a 36 foot blow up screen, bounce houses and water slides for the kids, with a poolside massage therapist on call for mom and dad, and many special holiday activities. Easter brings a petting zoo and an egg hunt accommodating 2,200 people, while winter holidays feature a life-sized gingerbread house in which guests enter for morning coffee and pastries then exit into Santa's workshop.
Eat, drink and be merry: For a romantic evening or special occasion, try Hollywood Prime. The resort's signature steakhouse, Hollywood Prime, offers melt-in-your-mouth steaks and a large selection of wines. Don't miss the extraordinary creamed spinach side dish. Other dining venues include AiZiA, with a contemporary Pan-Asian menu, RIVALS Waterfront Sports Grill, and BarSu Lounge featuring infused Sake martinis.
Just for kids: The Director of Fun also oversees Westin Kids Club, offering traditional activities such as sand and sugar art, to the much loved parent's night off, when children are treated to tours of the hotel's Presidential suite, then don chef's hats to help prep food in the kitchen. Dinner means sitting at the chef's table and instructing the chef's on such important issues as how many French fries to prepare. This is followed by stargazing through the hotel's large telescopes.
Sleep well: Almost every guest room offers either an Intracoastal Waterway or Atlantic Ocean view. Ten-layer Heavenly Beds are featured in every room, as are Heavenly Bath products, granite and marble bathrooms, in-room safes large enough to accommodate lap-top computers, Bose CD player/radios and in-room movies. Two Presidential suites are on the 36th floor. With 2,550 square feet each, the suites both have over $1 million in appointments.
Going green: The Diplomat is a designated property with the Florida Green Lodging Program, and USGBC LEED EBOM Registered property. In-room recycling, water conservation, dimming controls and timers on lights and air conditioning are a few of the hotel's initiatives. There is also an extensive outreach program with approximately 700 vendors, suppliers and charities to which worn hotels goods are recycled or donated.
Attractions: The Hollywood Broadwalk is a short distance away, or check out the shops and restaurants of downtown Hollywood and the Arts Park at Young Circle. Gulfstream racetrack and casino is nearby, with its 450 simulcast screens for year-round wagering on all the nation's top racetracks, and The Village at Gulfstream Park has an array of international shops, restaurants and cafes.
Celebrity cache: At one time a favorite of the Rat Pack and celebrities such as Bill Cosby, Sammy Davis Jr., and Judy Garland, stargazers have also spotted the likes of Madonna, Demi Moore and Ashton Kutcher at the Diplomat.
One refreshing destination with two unique experiences. Choose beachfront surf and sand or a more intimate stay surrounded by manicured golf course greens and an indulgent full-service spa. Breathe in the scents of lemongrass ginger with green tea and indulge in the calming effects of the full-service Spa at The Diplomat. Challenge yourself with an early morning tee time on the 18-hole golf course, managed by Troon Golf®. Take a tennis lesson, charter a fishing boat, ride a Jet Ski or just relax in a poolside cabana. Experience all that one of the premier Fort Lauderdale Resorts has to offer.
The Verdict: In Hollywood, all the rave is over the new Westin Diplomat Resort & Spa – a modern, 39-story, ultra-deluxe tribute to the sea. Its connecting twin towers resemble sails. Its lobby fountains and cascading waterfalls mimic subtle currents. And its beckoning pools, with one crossing over the other, guide you toward the unending horizon of the Atlantic Ocean.
Package Notes:
Prices are per golfer based on 2 persons sharing a Standard Room - includes all taxes. Prices are subject to change without notice. Accommodations and golf are subject to availability.
Accommodations:
898 guest rooms and 100 suites
Type of Suites:
Superior Room (380 sq. ft.)
Deluxe Room (380 sq. ft.)
Grand Deluxe Room(380 sq. ft.)
One Bedroom Suite (700 sq. ft.)
Corner Suite (712 sq. ft.)
Governor Suite
(1,500 sq. ft.)
Presidential Suite (2,500 sq. ft.)
Dining:
Rival's Waterfront Sports Grille
The Café
Splash Poolside Grille & Bar
Hollywood Prime
Aizia
Bar Su
The Links Restaurant & Lounge
Activities:
Tennis Club:
10-clay courts, pools & locker rooms, lessons
Marina:
48 slips with vessels up to 100 feet in length
Pools and Beach:
1-pool of 120 ft
1-pool of 240 ft
Hotel beach
Golf:
Westin Diplomat Country Club
Meeting/Event Space:
Accommodates groups of:
8 to 8,000 people
Largest Meeting Space: 50,000 sq. ft.
Indoor Meeting Space: 200,000 sq. ft.
Indoor/Outdoor Meeting Space: 300,000 sq. ft.
Location:
Located 10 miles from the Fort Lauderdale/Hollywood International Airport and 30 miles from the Miami International Airport.
Accolades:
2009, 2008, 2007, 2006, 2005, 2004, 2003 –
AAA Four Diamond
Florida Trend Top Hotels
& Resorts – 2010
2007 & 2008 – Meeting & Conventions Gold Tee Award - Meetings & Conventions –2009, 2008, 2007, 2006, 2005, 2004
Paragon Award Winner - Corporate Meetings & Incentives Magazine 2009
Corporate & Travel Incentive Magazine's "2010 Greens of Distinction"
What do you need to know about TPC-Myrtle Beach, beyond the need to bring your 'A' game? Here are five tidbits that might enhance your enjoyment of the South Strand layout.
Hit it high – Generally speaking, the greens at TPC are elevated and well bunkered, so you aren't going to have much success trying to run the ball up. Make sure you iron game is sharp and be prepared to fly numerous bunkers on your way to the green.
Tournament Tested – TPC is one of Myrtle Beach golf's biggest challenges and it has the resume to prove it. The course has hosted the PGA Senior Tour Championship, the finals of the Golf.com World Amateur Handicap Championship, and every spring it hosts the General Hackler Invitational, one of the nation's best collegiate tournaments. Take the time to check out the clubhouse memorabilia.
One of a Kind – In recent years Myrtle Beach golf courses have collected honors like a kid receiving candy on Halloween, but TPC is the only course in the area to earn 5-stars in Golf Digest's prestigious "Best Places to Play" guide and one of fewer than 25 layouts in the nation to earn the distinction.
Yes, that is Dustin Johnson – Rising PGA Tour star Dustin Johnson calls TPC-Myrtle Beach home. In addition to practicing and playing at TPC, the three-time winner on tour has been known to hang around the clubhouse. Don't be shocked if you see him, but he's just one of the guys in Murrells Inlet.
That's a wild turkey, not a drink – TPC-Myrtle Beach is built on 369 acres, much of it wetlands, which means the course has plenty of breathing room and there is ample wildlife. Wild turkey roost in the swamp to the left of ninth tee and there are an abundance of deer, alligators and fox, among many other animals. Enjoy the scenery.
By Chris King on May 4, 2010
The TPC-Myrtle Beach is one of the Grand Strand's bluebloods.
It enjoys the benefit of a premium brand, superior design (the team of Lanny Wadkins and Tom Fazio is tough to beat), and it's the home course of Dustin Johnson, a three-time winner on the PGA Tour. Throw in a bevy of national honors, and it's not hard to see why the facility is so highly regarded.
Identifying the three best holes on a course that has hosted what was then the Senior PGA Tour Championship and gets a regular workout from Johnson is a challenging task, because the candidates are plentiful. We asked course owner Chip Smith to identify the best of the best at TPC-Myrtle Beach and he complied, with an assist from Johnson.
The three best holes at TPC are:
No. 5, 158-yard, Par 3: Despite being TPC's shortest hole, the fifth is one of its most challenging, particularly from the tips where the tee shot requires a long forced carry over water. The green is wider than it is deep, so your margin for error is limited. A bunker in the right front looms for players not playing from the tips, as does a bunker in back of the green.
"There is almost a false front on the front of the green," Smith said. "It's a tough little shot because the green is narrow. The right side of the green is always better than short because of the lake."
No. 17, 193-yard, par 3: The words island green and TPC have almost become synonymous because of the famed 17th at Sawgrass, and No. 17 at TPC-Myrtle Beach is a reasonable approximation. The primary differences? The 17th in Myrtle Beach is a peninsula green surrounded by water on "only" three sides and it's approximately 50 yards longer. The 17th is TPC-Myrtle Beach's signature hole and with an almost constant wind, it represents a significant challenge. "Because of the distance, I think it's a little tougher than 17 at Sawgrass," Smith says. "Now I've never stood on 17 at Sawgrass on Sunday with $1.4 million on the line either (laugh)."
No. 18, 538-yard, par 5: The 18th, with a creek running along the right side of the fairway and a large lake on the left, is Johnson's choice as the course's best. It's a classic risk-reward hole. Players that can snuggle up to the creek before it runs out to the lake can get home in two, but there is considerable risk. Half of the green is exposed to water and with the rough surrounding it shaved, it's not an easy green to hold. One person who doesn't have to worry about length is Johnson. What does one of the PGA Tour's longest hitters use to reach the green on his second shot? "Depending on which way the wind is blowing, anywhere from a 5 or 6 iron to a 3-wood," he said. For the mere mortals among us, an iron on the second shot when attempting to reach the 18th green is out of the question!
