It was 30 years ago this week that Simon’s first book was published, and led to a career in Orlando travel-writing that continues to this day. The Brit Guide to Orlando & Walt Disney World was unique in that it was aimed purely at the UK market to Central Florida, which no-one (surprisingly) had tried before. Our “little project” has since led to half a lifetime in the travel world, with book sales in excess of half a million, and counting!
There have been other travel adventures, to be sure, including trips to Alaska, Hawaii, Chile and Slovenia, plus our epic Year On The Road RV adventure, which this blog is named for. But Orlando has always been the abiding driving force, a constant in our world of regular globe-trotting.
The Brit Guide was always Simon’s specialty, though, an ever-evolving collection of user-friendly content, images and style that owed a lot to his newspaper background, but added his own personal experiences as a holiday-maker to the overall mix. In 2004, it led to him moving from the UK to Florida, to continue his love affair with the destination (and meet the love of his life!), which branched out into coverage for a wide range of media, including the BBC, the Telegraph, Independent and Sky Travel.
There were more books, online content aplenty and, of course, social media. Simon has appeared on TV, radio and various podcasts, and continues to write for a number of different outlets, despite now being in his Medicare years (which he hates!). Happily, there is also a new Orlando book in the offing, picking up where the Brit Guide left off in 2024. We’ll have more about that in due course, but, in the meantime, our new book – 111 Places in Orlando That You Must Not Miss – continues to be another major strand to the Veness Travel Media output, and something that has been really well received here in The City Beautiful.
All in all, it has been an action-packed 30 years of Orlando and much, much more, and we hope to bring even more to you in the next decade or so (God willing). So, just because the Brit Guide faded away last year, that doesn’t mean the end of our relationship with British visitors. It will just be re-born in a whole new package. Just like Orlando does every year!
The grand entrance to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Ministry of Magic. Truly epic.
If there is a most epic section of Universal Orlando’s new Epic Universe, it has to be the Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Ministry of Magic. From the moment you step inside this most immersive of worlds, you are transported to an authentic 1920s version of Paris that is breathtaking to behold. And that’s before you take in a single attraction or food or beverage sample. There is a stunning array of design, detail and imagination everywhere you look, and an inherent beauty to the artistry that surrounds you. This seven-minute snapshot video (hopefully) encompasses all that is best about this extraordinary theme park:
And there’s that word again: Beauty. This is an utterly beautiful park, with an astounding level of detail that is all-encompassing. It feels like no expense was spared to create a vivid and lasting impression of imagination and creativity, and it all culminates in this one world from the Potter-verse. Universal absolutely caught lightning in a bottle with their first two Wizarding Worlds, but this one is on a whole different level of immersion, not so much a theme park as a time machine that transports guests to another time and place. Just sit back and enjoy the journey…
The rich, astonishing, beautiful look of Ministry of MagicThe inside detail of Ministry of Magic. Just look at the detail in that floor!21st century Florida or 1920s Paris? You decide…!It just might be Paris, hey…?
While there’s no Brit Guide for 2025 (scroll back to January’s entry for those sad details), we can use the blog to update a few things that we think are worth highlighting this year, and here’s something for the repeat-visitor factor…
Orlando is all about amazing experiences. From the theme parks to the supermarkets, everything is larger than life and twice as exciting. So it makes sense that anything new is going to grab our attention and demand we check it out. Things like the new Apéro Bar at the glorious Conrad Hotel just outside Walt Disney World.
You know you’ve arr5ived somewhere special when you drive up to the swish Conrad Orlando hotel, which is part of the mammoth Evermore Resort, with its Crystal Lagoon
It’s no real surprise that a fancy hotel will have a just-as-fancy feature bar or restaurant, whether it’s a classic Disney hotel restaurant like Citricos at the Grand Floridian or the fabulous steaks of A Land Remembered restaurant at the Rosen Shingle Creek Resort on Universal Boulevard (still the best steaks we’ve had in Orlando).
Funnily enough, the bars at some of these hotels have tended to be something of the Cinderella of their food and beverage line-up, with far less attention paid to an elegant pre or post-dinner beverage experience than the dinner itself. That has changed a bit in recent years with the advent of eye-catching venues like Universal’s rooftop Bar 17 Bistro and the fantastic AC Sky Bar at the AC Hotel in downtown Orlando, but it is still a bit unusual for hotels to lavish their full decorative might on the lobby bar, or similar.
The rooftop vibe at Universal Orlando’s magnificent Bar 17 Bistro
Applause for Apéro
The Apéro Bar absolutely smashes that failing into little tiny pieces. Not only does it provide the kind of chic, eye-catching venue that wouldn’t be out of place in a James Bond film, it goes the extra mile in providing drinks and food items that are as good as the setting itself, which evokes a blissful Italian Riviera ambiance by day and by night.
We’re no strangers to the occasional cocktail or two; it’s an Orlando speciality that goes back almost to the opening of the theme parks themselves. But Apéro goes much further in offering an all-round icon of high style for that special evening out. Even the glassware is a distinct cut above the usual martini and rocks glasses that we’re used to seeing.
To start with, it occupies an ideal location within the Conrad, on the lower level looking out over the spectacular crystal lagoon at the heart of the resort, a seeming ocean of brilliant blue that disappears into the distance. (For the record, the lagoon covers a whopping eight acres and is the brainchild of a South American company that uses proprietary technology to create super-size pools. This one is big enough to accommodate paddle-boarders!).
The fabulous view from the Apero Bar’s lagoon-view location
The airy space that Apéro occupies is also designed to invoke an al fresco style while keeping everyone super-cool in its cosy air-conditioned confines. The venue features warm woods and gold accents, notably in the unusual lamps that range across the marbled bar top and the moody ceiling lighting that casts a particularly golden glow over proceedings. The rectangular bar has seating on all four sides, with a lowered section at one end that encourages casual dining.
What’s on the menu?
Ah yes, the menu. It probably comes as no revelation to find excellent cuisine at a five-star hotel, but the Apéro menu is carefully curated to provide some of the best tastes – in both drinks and dishes – that the hotel offers, without going to the formality of the main dining room. We find holidays are more conducive to the laid-back vibe of upscale bar food, and we especially enjoy small-plate bar dining when accompanied by delectable drinks.
A setting fitting for 007 himself – the super-chic bar-lounge of the Conrad Orlando’s Apero Bar
And the hotel’s chefs really know how to turn on the style when it comes to some magnificent mixology and Mediterranean-inspired dishes that hit all the right notes for flavour without overdoing the bulk.
We’ll start with the drinks (as you do!), and freely admit that we were treated to some real highlights. The cocktails are divided into five sections for Negroni (four notable variations), Sbagliati (or unusual mixes of Negroni that would be considered “happy accidents” by most mixologists), Spritz (all with sparkling elements of some kind), Americani (a quartet of classics) and Spirit-Free. The Svegliato is a delicious coffee negroni, while the Banana Splitz is just outright fun! There is also a notable Italian wine selection that is sure to appeal to connoisseurs.
Ready for a cocktail? The Apero Bar boasts fab Italian-influenced concoctions, like their Birra Americano – a mix of Nardini Bitter, Mancino Vermouth Chinato, Alchermes, Cardamon and Lager Foam
There are just 11 food menu items, and three desserts, but they run the gamut of relatively simple salads, pizza, chicken wings and a signature burger (albeit all with a stylish touch) to fab burrata, arancini, Italian tuna poke and a superb cheese charcuterie board. We found the chicken wings, burrata and tuna poke absolutely delicious, while nearby fellow diners sang the praises of the arancini and charcuterie.
For dessert, we were tempted by both the Bread Pudding and Tahitian Vanilla Crème Brulee, but our barman, Francisco, insisted we try the Rocher, and boy was he ever right! This outrageously decadent over-sized ball of chocolate Frangelico semifreddo, salted caramel, chocolate cake, chocolate fudge sauce and macadamia nuts is simply our new favourite dessert anywhere in Orlando, and there’s a fair bit of competition for that.
The highlight dessert – that outrageously delicious, chocolate sensation Rocher
The Deets
Apéro Bar is open from 2pm to midnight Monday-Thursday and 1pm to midnight Friday to Sunday, with food served from 2.30pm to midnight every day. There is only valet parking at the hotel, but the rate is reduced to $10 for guests dining at Apéro.
In summary, this is far and away one of the most elegant – and downright tasty – bars we have sampled in Florida, or anywhere else for that matter. It has masses of style, and the tastes to match. And, for that special occasion or anniversary celebration, it takes some beating.
Veness Travel Media 