The AC Hotel Orlando Downtown turns sunbeams into brushstrokes, seamlessly blending indoor and outdoor spaces with a design that feels like an extension of the panoramic city views.
Soaring above downtown Orlando, the AC Hotel Orlando Downtown is a skyline statement. A place that transforms the cityscape into one breathtaking panorama. With 180 guest rooms occupying a sleek 112,000-square-foot tower, the hotel redefines what it means to connect with a city from above. Akin to an urban lighthouse, the contemporary beacon shines from one of the city’s tallest buildings, calling out to travelers and locals alike to look up, venture in, and experience the city like never before.
Step into the AC Hotel’s 18th-floor lobby and it’s clear this isn’t an average hotel check-in. The space feels like an elevated observatory, offering a 360-degree sweep of downtown Orlando. The skyline is set against the lobby’s curated interiors that play with light, shadow, and sky. Tiered lanterns hang like suspended sculptures over the bar, drawing guests in with their glow and creating a soft spotlight effect that frames the bar’s space.
“The design team thought of the lobby as an observatory; a place where Orlando’s energy converges with the serenity of the sky,” explains Principal, Patricia Lopez, CID, NCIDQ, LEED AP. “The indoor-outdoor bar is central to this experience, positioned to make guests feel like they’re floating above the city. It’s the heart of the hotel’s social space, a dynamic and functional spot where design and nature coexist, with layered lighting that echoes the city’s own glow.”
The outdoor patio is an open-air sanctuary that connects guests directly to the cityscape. The bar, framed by sleek stone countertops and surrounded by comfortable high-top seating, is situated as a focal point adjacent to communal tables and lounge seating.
The interplay of light is a vital narrative throughout the hotel, changing as naturally as the progression of the day. The lighting was designed to illuminate and transform. During the day, natural light floods the lobby and rooms, casting shadows that shift and dance across surfaces. The experience is dynamic—with sunlight illuminating high-contrast details in textiles and furnishings to highlight their textures and evoke a sense of movement.
“The light is always shifting, creating a sense of evolution within the space,” notes Lopez. “It’s like watching the city breathe through the glass.”
As day transitions into night, artificial lighting takes over, casting a softer, more intimate glow that enhances the lobby’s warm tones and invites a different pace. The suspended lanterns over the bar become beacons in themselves, their light radiating across the lobby in soft, rippling patterns that mimic the city lights below.
“Nothing is out of place, yet there’s an undeniable energy that permeates the space,” says Lopez. “It’s dramatic, but it’s also undeniably calming. It’s designed to be a place to settle in and soak up the sights, drink in hand.”
The highly curated furniture selection isn’t just functional but sculptural, with tone-on-tone color blocking and layered textures that seem to mirror Orlando’s landscape. The sofas, chairs, and tables are chosen not only for comfort but also to evoke a sense of natural strata, mimicking the layers of cityscape, greenery, and sky you see from the hotel’s lofty vantage point.
Tucked within the sleek, open-plan lobby is a co-working library, complete with a curated selection of design and travel books, private nooks, and long communal tables that encourage both productivity and casual connection.
The guest rooms, much like the lobby, reflect a meticulous attention to detail that speaks to Orlando’s unique character. High above the ground, the rooms embrace the horizon with expansive windows that make the cityscape part of the décor. Layered textures bring warmth and depth, balancing the airy openness of the rooms with a sense of rich intimacy.
Project: AC Hotel Orlando Downtown
Location: Orlando, Florida, USA
Design Studio: Baskervill
Photo Credits: Photo Fusion Media
Website: baskervill.com
