[NFBF-L] Hotel Map Description for State Convention

[Florida Statewide Chapter Secretary]

Hello Florida,


Many of you may be wondering about the hotel layout and how to get around.
No fear; the hotel map is here! This narrative map provides a guided
description of the hotel, including the lobby and meeting rooms.


The map committee and I have done our best to make it as clear and accurate
as possible. At this time, information about the guide dog relief area is
not included. Once that location is determined, we will promptly share
directions on how to find it.


Attached, you will find the hotel map in four formats: MS Word, HTML, PDF,
and TXT. The TXT version is especially useful if you would like to load it
into a Victor Reader or another audio player.


If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out. You can
email me at *statewide at nfbflorida.org*.


We look forward to seeing you at the state convention!


Best regards,
Jose

-- 
Jose Bohorquez, Secretary
Florida Statewide Chapter - National Federation of the Blind of Florida
"We know that blindness is not the characteristic that defines you or our
future. Every day we raise the expectations of blind people, because low
expectations create obstacles between blind people and our dreams. Our
collective power, determination, and diversity achieve the aspirations of
all blind people."
-- NFB Belief Statement
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2025 National Federation of the Blind of Florida State Convention Hotel Map
Hilton Orlando/Altamonte Springs
350 Northlake Blvd
Altamonte Springs, FL 32701

Introduction
	Navigating a hotel can be one of the biggest challenges of attending a state convention. This guide is here to make that process easier. We encourage you to take time to explore the hotel and get familiar with its key landmarks. If you need help along the way, don’t hesitate to ask the hotel staff for assistance. A lobby tour may also be offered; check the convention agenda or Florida Internet mailing list for updates. This guide provides a general overview to help you get started. While it’s not a detailed blueprint, it’s designed to give you a basic sense of the layout and help you feel more comfortable moving around. A summary is provided at the end of the guide.

Starting at the East Entrance
	When learning a new place, it helps to begin with a reliable reference point, somewhere you can return to and use to build your mental map of the space. For this hotel, the east entrance serves that purpose. It’s located on the east side of the building and is likely where rideshares and vehicles will drop you off. If you’re walking, it’s also the most direct entrance from Northlake Blvd.
	Outside the East Entrance, you will find yourself in a walkway with a variety of plants and hedges. If you’re facing the sliding glass doors that lead into the building, you’ll find a long bench to your right along the wall, perfect for waiting on a ride or just taking a moment to relax. On your left, a few sculptures add an artsy touch to the area.
	That artsy feel continues inside the hotel. You’ll notice ornate furniture and decorative sculptures throughout the building, including near the elevators and on the sixth and seventh floors. Now that we have taken some time to admire the entrance, let’s step out of the weather and head inside the hotel.

Entering the Hotel
	Once you step through the east entrance, you’ll find yourself in the main lobby. The space is both wide and deep, roughly forming a large square. The entrance is now behind you, and ahead lies an open area filled with seating options: couches, armchairs, ottomans, and standard chairs and tables, surrounded by indoor plants that add a touch of greenery.
	To your right is the bar and restaurant area, and on the left side, you’ll find a small grab-and-go pantry for snacks or drinks.
From this reference point, you have three options: you can walk left, right, or continue straight ahead keeping the carpeting on your right. Like any good explorer, we’ll guide you through each path, starting with the left. But first, a quick tip for navigating the lobby.
	For the smoothest walking experience, we recommend sticking to the tiled floor. While the carpeted areas provide the most direct routes to several destinations, they are filled with furniture that can be difficult to navigate around. Unless you’re looking to sit, it’s best to avoid the small carpeted areas and stay on the tile.

Heading Left from the Entrance
	Let’s begin moving. With the east entrance still behind you, turn left. Now, the entrance is on your left, a cluster of chairs is on your right, the restaurant and bar are behind you, and the front desk is straight ahead.
	As you walk forward, the first thing you’ll notice on the left are the luggage carts. While this hotel does not have bellhops, staff may still be able to assist you with a cart if you’re carrying a lot of luggage; don’t hesitate to ask.
	Continue forward and you’ll come to a small seating area with couches on your left. As you pass them, the path begins to curve slightly right. Following the left wall, the next stop is the grab-and-go pantry.
	Let’s turn into the pantry briefly. This is a carpeted, compact space enclosed on three sides, with shelves lining some of the wall. A counter can also be found in this space. These shelves hold snacks, and on the left side, there’s a fridge stocked with drinks such as soda, iced tea, and water. To purchase something, just take what you want and pay at the front desk. The pantry is open 24 hours a day. Now let’s exit the pantry and place it to your left as we continue forward.
	Up next is the front desk, where you can check in, ask questions, and pay for items from the pantry. The front desk is made up of three desks. We’ll now keep the front desk to the left as we first veer right away from the desk to avoid the line and then veer back slightly left and continue along a wall.
	Soon, you’ll pass an abstract sculpture with water-like patterns, surrounded by plants and additional seating. Keep following the wall and you’ll find yourself approaching the south entrance hallway.
	Let’s pass the South Entrance hallway and stay on the left wall. You’ll soon come to an opening on the left; this is a lounge area with tables, chairs, a TV, and an ATM machine.
	Let’s take a moment to visit the lounge to find the ATM. To reach the ATM, enter the space and follow the left wall. Be mindful of the furniture along the way. The machine is straight ahead. For blind users, please note that using wired earbuds will offer the best experience for accessing the machine’s audio features.
	Leaving the lounge, return to the main path and keep the lounge to your left. As you continue walking, you’ll find a set of double glass doors on your left; this is the Board Room, which is hotel employee space. Keep going and you’ll pass Banquet and Convention Services. The Braille sign for this space is labeled oddly as "ffiretffiret"; this is not a typo but how it appears.
	Next, you’ll reach the Dogwood Meeting Room, and just beyond that is a small hallway on the left that leads to a keycard-only access door. Finally, you’ll arrive at a carpeted area; this marks the beginning of the breakout rooms section, which we’ll explore later. For now, let’s retrace our steps and return to our starting point at the east entrance.

To the Right of the East Entrance
	With the east entrance behind you, turn right and follow the right-hand wall. Soon, you’ll come to an opening that leads into a hallway; let’s take a moment to explore it.
	Inside this hallway, there is seating along the right wall. In addition, on the right wall, you will find a buffet counter. On the left-hand side, across the buffet counter, you’ll find a set of restrooms. Continue straight ahead and you’ll arrive at the Royal Palm Room thought asset of double doors, the large ballroom where our reception and banquet will take place. You will know that you are in the Royal Palm Room when you feel carpeting. Now let’s step back out to the main area, returning to the hallway’s entrance.
	With the Royal Palm Room now behind you, turn right once more and walk forward. You’ll soon feel carpeting; this marks an entrance to the U-Lounge and U-Restaurant area. With that noted, let’s return to our starting point at the east entrance.

Straight Ahead from the East Entrance
	With the east entrance behind you, walk straight ahead on the tiled floor. On your right, you’ll pass a series of small, carpeted seating areas with chairs and coffee tables. These seating areas are spaced out, separated by sections of tile.
As you continue forward, you’ll notice a break in the carpet, a wider section of tile that opens up to the right. If you turn right here, you’ll enter the U-Lounge and U-Restaurant area, located approximately 20 to 30 feet from the main path. This is a large, carpeted space with a bar, restaurant, and scattered tables and chairs. You can also reach this area by continuing right past the hallway that leads to the Royal Palm Room. Be sure to avoid the giant columns along the path.
	Just past the restaurant area and also about 20 to 30 feet to your right from the main path is Cool Beans, the hotel’s coffee bar. One way to find the café is by listening for a  fridge noise. Unlike the restaurant, this area is not carpeted. It features a counter where you can order Starbucks coffee and a selection of pastries. You’ll also find a microwave available for guest use.
	As you keep walking forward on the tile, you’ll eventually encounter more tables and chairs, which gradually guide you to the left. This gentle curve brings you closer to the elevator area, which we’ll explore next.

Getting to the Elevator
	There are two main routes to reach the elevators from the east entrance.
Route 1: Front Desk Route
	With the east entrance behind you, walk toward the front desk. Once you reach the desk, turn around so the desk is behind you and continue walking straight ahead. You’ll pass several carpeted seating areas with chairs, as well as some columns. Keep going, and eventually, you will arrive at the elevators directly in front of you.
Route 2: Banquet Services Route
	Starting again with the east entrance behind you, head towards the front desk. Walk past the desk and then veer left. Along this path, you’ll pass the hallway with the south entrance, the lounge, the board room, and then the banquet and convention services room. Remember this room? It has a braille sign with a large typo, but it’s likely intentional because there’s a fire alarm directly above the sign.
	With the door to this banquet and convention services room behind you, continue walking straight ahead for a short distance, and you’ll arrive at the elevator hall with the elevators to the left.

Elevator Hall
	The elevator hall is a corridor with three elevators lined up along one wall. Nearby, you’ll find a trash can and a tactile sculpture of a human figure affectionately called Freddy by the convention planning committee and hotel staff. The best part? Freddy is fully tactile, making it accessible to us.
	Fun fact: You’ll find six of these Freddy sculptures on the sixth floor and seven on the seventh floor.

Meeting Rooms
	Let’s return to the east entrance. With the entrance behind you, turn left and follow the left wall. You’ll pass the grab-and-go pantry, the front desk, the south entrance hallway, the lounge, banquet services, and the Dogwood meeting room.
	Continue following the wall until you reach the carpeted breakout rooms prefunction area. All the breakout rooms are located on your left. Along this stretch, you’ll pass the following rooms in order: Mobley, Conference Host Office, Baron, Conrad, and Waldorf.
	Keep walking past these rooms, and soon you’ll step onto a tiled floor. Directly ahead, you’ll see a wall with doors: the fitness center is the first door straight ahead, the pool entrance is to the right, and restrooms are on the left.
	Let’s turn around and head back to the carpet. Continue following the carpet until you reach the tile area near the elevators. From here, turn left and walk straight into the Crystal Foyer, another carpeted area. As you enter the Crystal Foyer, veer toward the left wall. There, you will find a set of restrooms.
	Return to where you entered. The foyer features a large opening between tile and carpet shaped like a lowercase “v.” Straight ahead is the Crystal Ballroom, the hotel’s largest ballroom, divided into two halves separated by a thick wall divider. The first half, Crystal A, B, and C, serves as the exhibit hall. The second half , Crystal D and E, functions as the general session room.
	Let’s start with Crystal C, the first section straight ahead as you enter the carpeting. Turn left so Crystal C is on your right. Continuing straight, you’ll pass Crystal D and E. Across from Crystal E, you’ll find the Chamber Room, where registration and packet pickup will take place. Just beyond the Chamber Room is a glass door; this is another entrance to the pool area.
	Returning to Crystal C, put it on your left. Continue straight, and on your right, you’ll find Capital 1 and Capital 2, which serve as breakout rooms. These two sections are separated from each other by a large wall divider. Across from Capital 1 is Crystal B, and across from Capital 2 is Crystal A.

Hotel Navigation Summary
Going Left from the East Entrance
* Follow the wall: pass luggage carts, the grab-and-go pantry, the front desk, and lounge (ATM inside)
* Continue past the Board Room, Banquet Services (braille typo: "ffiretffiret"), and Dogwood
* Reach the Breakout Room Prefunction Area (Mobley, Host Office, Baron, Conrad, Waldorf)
* At the end: fitness center (straight), pool (right), restrooms (left)
Going Right from the East Entrance
* First hallway on the right leads to restrooms and the Royal Palm Room (used for reception and banquet)
* Entrance to bar and restaurant carpeted area found straight ahead after Royal Palm hallway.
Going Straight from the East Entrance
* Stay on tile, avoid furniture-heavy carpeted seating areas and giant columns
* On the right:
o 20–30 feet: U-Lounge and U-Restaurant (carpeted, tables and bar)
o Just beyond: Cool Beans coffee bar (Starbucks, pastries, microwave, no carpet)
* Continue straight to reach more chairs and a leftward curve that leads to the elevators
Getting to the Elevator
* Route 1: Walk straight with front desk behind you; avoid columns.
* Route 2: Walk straight with banquet services door behind you with “ffiretffiret” brail sign
* Elevator Hall: 3 elevators, trash can, tactile human sculpture named “Freddy”
?? Meeting Rooms Overview
* Breakout Room Area: Access by turning left from east entrance and following the wall or by putting elevators on right, going straight to banquet services, and turning right.
* Rooms: Mobley, Host Office, Baron, Conrad, Waldorf
* Crystal Foyer and Ballroom: Put elevators on the right, go straight leaving elevator hall, then immediately turn right after elevator hall
* Restrooms located by veering left upon entry to the carpet
* Carpet and tile form a “v” shape
* Crystal Ballroom:
o Crystal A, B, C = Exhibit Hall
o Crystal D, E = General Session Room
* A thick divider separates the two sections
* Other Rooms Nearby:
o Chamber Room: registration and packet pickup (across from Crystal E)
o Capital 1 and Capital 2: breakout rooms, divided by a wall
* Across from Capital 1: Crystal B
* Across from Capital 2: Crystal A
* Pool access via glass door near Chamber Room

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