Marriott Doral Golf Resort And Spa Rating: 4.0 Pearls

Doral, Miami, Florida

Fancy cars at the entrance

With 693 rooms, five restaurants, multiple shops, an enormous staff, and dozens of amenities -- all spread out across 650 acres -- the Doral is a veritable city-within-a-city. And they do everything they can to keep you and your money within those city limits, an effort made easier by the resort's location 30 minutes from the ocean in a town, Doral, that offers nothing in the way of sites or cuisine. (See location section, below.)

It says a lot about the Doral's versatility, not to mention its quality, that it garners accolades every year not just for its golf courses and spa, but also as a top family destination and meetings and conventions site. I was there in late April -- not exactly peak season -- and yet the resort was quite active, playing host to a number of conferences. A sampling: a Bank of America retreat, the Eighth Annual Stars & Stripes Summit, and the Royal Bank of Scotland International Series Luncheon. (Presumably there weren't any good golf locales in Scotland to convene at -- or maybe the execs just needed to get out of town.)

The Doral is pretty, but it's neither gorgeous nor particularly romantic. (It loses a lot of points on those fronts for being in Florida but not on the beach.) Cheesy soft rock plays on the radio at Champions restaurant ("If You Don't Know Me by Now", anyone?). Little kids chase each other through the lobby as middle-aged suits discuss cutbacks in Java, the coffee shop. And the airplanes roaring into Miami International every 10 or 15 minutes don't help the ambience.

Yet the resort's broad appeal is undeniable. When I commented on the friendliness of the service at breakfast one morning, the woman next to me, who visits the Doral at least once a year, said, "The service is always like this." She was there with her family, in town from New Hampshire. Her kids love the Blue Lagoon water park; her husband chooses it for his business conferences largely because its gym is open 24 hours. She was indulging in the spa treatments for the first time. "It's like a little hidden secret," she said of the resort. "Don't tell anyone." Too late.

Friendly concierge attendant

Check-in was cordial and efficient but nothing special. The clerk gave me a map of the property and explained how to get to my room, but that was it; given the size of the resort and all its features, I would have appreciated a more detailed orientation. I also expected them to offer me help with my bags, especially since my room was in a building located a good walk from the lobby.

Because of that introductory experience, I wasn't expecting much. To say that the service the rest of my stay exceeded my expectations would be an understatement; I was impressed throughout, and occasionally blown away.

The Doral is staffed primarily by young people who like to chat up guests, seem happy to be working there, and go out of their way to make small gestures that will improve your stay.

• Be sure to pick up a copy of the "Today's Moments" one-sheet at the concierge desk. It provides the basics, like hours of operation, at the various restaurants, pools, etc., as well as the lowdown on special events taking place that week.

Also note: Several guests who stayed at the spa villas complained that there wasn't any turndown service in those rooms. Don't be caught off-guard: The villas at the spa are time-share-like suites designed more for longer stays; thus, housekeeping is not included.

View on a Larger Map

It's a 15-minute, $25 to $30 cab ride from Miami International to the Doral (the resort does not offer a shuttle). But since it's west of the airport, that means it's about 30 minutes (and $40 to $50 by taxi) to the coast. Some guests do take day trips to the beach or head to South Beach for the nightlife, but most, understandably, just stay on campus and take advantage of everything the Doral has to offer.

As for what to see, do, or eat in the immediate vicinity ... not much. A walk along the busy six-lane road takes you to a strip mall and a nearby Hooters. Sweet!

The Garden View Room

You have two basic options at the Doral: standard rooms in the main part of the resort or villas at the spa, which run $100-$200 more. The standard rooms are situated in 10 three-story buildings (called lodges) that form a horseshoe around the resort's centerpiece, the Blue Lagoon and its pools; the spa villas are off to the side, by the first tee of the Gold Course. (For a helpful map, click here.)

With the exception of the views from their respective balconies, the three room types in the main resort -- golf-view rooms, partial golf-view rooms, and garden-view rooms -- are more or less the same. They range in size from 440 to 490 square feet, and feature identical layouts and furniture. Overall, nothing to write home about, but as long as you don't expect high design or high tech, you should be OK.

All the rooms feature Marriott's new Revive beds, complete with 300-thread-count linens and nice, soft pillows. The sheets were a little starchy for my taste, but the mattress was comfy.

The bathrooms are small but certainly not cramped, and the showers have excellent water pressure. The soap is generic, but the other bath products are orange-and-ginger-scented Bed, Bath, & Beyond Aromatherapy brand.

The TVs show about 30 channels, including HBO. The one in my room was a 38" LG flat-screen, but apparently they are still working to make the same upgrade in all the rooms.

I had a second-floor partial golf-view room in Lodge 6. "Partial" is the operative word, as the only part of the golf course I could see from my balcony was a concrete underpass the carts use to get from one side of the road to the other. I would have been better off opting for a garden-view room, which is cheaper. And if you want a room with plenty of natural light, you'll most likely have to spring for a golf-view room.

Lobby area at The Spa

The spa, which was named the Best Spa in Miami by the Miami Herald in 2007, offers private and group fitness classes, in addition to all the standard spa services. There are also three beautiful pools: a lap pool, an indoor pool, and a lovely adults-only outdoor pool, which is accompanied by a waterfalls hot tub.

Staying at the spa villas gives you access to the entire resort; the reverse, however, isn't true. If you're merely a guest at the "regular" resort, you can use the pools, but you need to purchase an all-access day pass ($25; $10 after 4 p.m.) to access the spa gym and the various classes the spa runs throughout the day (Pilates, yoga, etc.). Of course, whether you're a guest at the spa or a standard guest with an all-access pass, any actual spa treatment costs extra.

Which brings me to the treatments, which are the reason many people come to the Doral in the first place. In addition to the standards, the spa offers Ling Triple Peel Facials (80 min., $185), Anti-Gravity Face Lifts (80 min., $220), Ultrasonic Microdermabrasion Facials (50 min., $170), and many other options, including one I'd just as soon skip myself, the Lymph Drain (25 min., $90).

The spa's fitness center is as well-equipped as any, with dozens of strength-training and cardio machines (which feature personal TV screens), two sets of free weights, and multiple other stretching and strength-training devices. The fitness class schedule is seasonal (ask for a copy at the front desk), but you can expect four to five classes Monday through Saturday and one or two on Sunday.

Famed Blue Monster Golf Course

The links here are are exceptional. Winner of numerous honors, including being named one of the 75 Best Golf Resorts in North America by Golf Digest, the Doral features five world-class courses, including the Blue Monster (named for the oversize lake in the middle of it), Greg Norman's Great White, and Raymond Floyd's gold course.

The Doral also plays host to a Jim McLean golf school. Expect to pay a pretty penny for private lessons, but free lessons are run for one hour Wednesday through Sunday afternoons.

The only downside to the golf? The prices. Upwards of $175 per round in high season. For more on rates, which vary by season and by course, click here.

Water slide at Blue Lagoon Water Park

Even if you're not at the Doral to take advantage of the golf or spa, you'll still have plenty to do. Without a doubt, the centerpiece of the resort, both geographically and activity-wise, is the Blue Lagoon, a sprawling water park -- a water complex, really -- located within quick walking distance of any of the rooms. There's something for everyone at the Blue Lagoon. For the grownups: drink service at Bungalou's and plenty of lounge chairs; for their offspring: the Camp Doral kids' club, with its activities and kiddie pool. And for everyone -- OK, for kids and certain Oyster reporters -- the 125-foot Blue Monster Slide.

The 24-hour gym is well-stocked with shiny new equipment, including a dozen LifeFitness cardio machines, half a dozen Cybex strength-training machines, and a set of free weights. There's also a 2.5-mile asphalt jogging path around the golf courses.

Regrettably, Internet access (wireless in the lobby and wired in the rooms/suites) costs an extra $15 per day.

Note: The gym listed in this section is different from the gym mentioned in the Luxury Spa section. Ditto for the pools. If you're staying at the "regular" resort (as opposed to a villa at the spa), you need to purchase a $25 day pass ($10 after 4 p.m.) to access the spa and its gym; treatments and classes are extra.

Also Note: The website mentions that tennis is available, but the courts are located 10 to 15 minutes away by car, and it costs an additional $20/hour per person to use them.

We need not, but I will anyway:

Camp Doral, for kids 5-12, includes swimming, arts, fishing, karaoke, sports, and more, and runs $80/day.

Kids' menus are available at most restaurants, which is crucial because you're stuck eating all your meals at the resort.

The Doral even makes golf family-friendly: after 3 p.m., club rental and greens fees are free for adolescents (or anyone under 15 who can play 18 holes) when they're accompanied by an adult.

The well-maintained grounds

If we're talking the usual -- carpets, linens, furniture, etc. -- my bedroom and bathroom were extremely clean (no stains to speak of). Unfortunately, housekeeping left me a parting gift -- two, actually -- in the form of dirty wet washcloths hanging on a towel rack and the shower curtain rod. Pretty nasty. Given the cleanliness of the rest of the property, I'm inclined to count that as an anomaly. Then again, when a colleague of mine visited the Doral last fall, she found hair on a pillow case in her room, so perhaps housekeeping needs to be more thorough. I also found used matches and a host of stains on the floor of my balcony.

Yet for a property with so many different regions and features -- pools, walkways, lawns, and so on -- overall it's quite well-maintained.

Dessert at Champions Bar and Grill

The good news about the food situation at the Doral: You won't lack for options. There are six restaurants on-site, each with a different style and price range, plus a coffee shop, golf snack shacks, and several poolside drink stands.

The bad news is that the food situation is entirely at the Doral. In other words, don't bother leaving campus, cause there isn't much -- just a strip mall and a Hooters down the street.

It's difficult to estimate how much you'll spend on grub, but count on it representing a significant portion of your overall tab. I was at the Doral by myself, and I only ate at the now defuncy Windows on the Green once, and food still accounted for almost half the money I spent.

There's no need to delve into all the on-site options here (for that, click here). But here's the lowdown:

Terrazza's makes an excellent breakfast. They offer a buffet or a la carte meals, but you might as well go for the buffet, since it includes everything on the a la carte menu anyway.

Champions Bar & Grill offers standard American fare -- nachos, chicken fingers, etc. -- and most of it is pretty disappointing. But unless you want to shell out big bucks for every lunch this is pretty much your only option.

The aforementioned Windows on the Green was the white-tablecloth place. It has now been replaced with Latin restaurant Mesazul. Described as 'casual elegant,' this restaurant serves up items as sophisticated as new age lechon asado to your basic 16 oz. rib eye while setting you back a pretty penny.

Java Zone serves coffee and various other overpriced Starbucksish concoctions. Bungalou's Bar & Grill serves up sandwiches at the water park. Stop by Bossa Nova for cocktails and tapas.

Spa guests can get a bite at Spa Pritikin Restaurant, open for lunch and dinner.

The spa gardens, one of several outdoor ceremony options

• Wedding Size: Up to 1,000 guests

• Extra Fees: While the hotel does staff certified wedding planners, their help can cost extra. Also, note that the service fee is a bit steeper here than at most other resorts -- 24 percent.

• Wedding Packages: The standard dinner package ($119 to $139 per person) includes passed hors d'oeuvres, a salad, an entree, a wedding cake, and five hours of an open bar (add another $10 to $12 per person for better-brand liquor). On top of this, for another $1,500 to $2,500 (the site fee), you get a dance floor, a stage, a bridal suite, and various discounts for the guest rooms, at the spa, and on the golf course.

• Ceremony Locations: The hotel has numerous indoor spaces, such as the Windows on the Green restaurant or the massive Legends Ballroom, as well as outdoor spaces, such as the beautiful spa gardens; site fees from $1,500 to $2,500.

• Reception Locations: Numerous venues to choose from, both indoors and outside; note, however, that any outdoor receptions must end by 10:30 p.m.

• Photographers and Videographers: The Marriott does not have an in-house photographer or videographer, but you can hire your own and the hotel does not impose an extra fee.

• Music: Outside musicians are welcome at no extra fee

• Food: Options include buffets from $95 as well as a more eclectic "tastes of the world" buffet for $120 that includes cuisine from Asia, Spain, Italy, India, and Austria (for dessert); plated dinners from $75 with kids' menus from $25. All special diets can be accommodated, and it's worth noting that the Doral is one of the few Miami resorts with a kosher kitchen.

• Drinks: An open bar starts at $24 for the first hour and costs $8 for each additional hour. Also, note that there's an additional $150 fee for each bartender, which covers three hours (it costs another $50 for each additional hour). Hosted drinks range from $9 to $10 for wine and cocktails and $7 to $8 for beer.

• Cakes: Cake is included in the standard wedding packages, though there are various upgrades available.

• Spa Treatments: Full menu of services, including hair and makeup

• Honeymoon Suite: The Master Suite is a popular choice among newlyweds.

• Airport Transportation: The hotel does not provide airport shuttle service, but Miami International is only seven miles away.