Aside from some of the lavish resorts in the Orlando area, Central Florida has never been known for its luxury accommodations. For many visitors and Floridians alike, Ocala registers as little more than “country of horses” and a few exits along Interstate 75.
This is changing rapidly, due in large part to the new World Equestrian Center and Equestrian Hotel.
Spread over approximately 380 acres west of the highway, this $800 million project features Disney World’s collection of horses. Riders from all over the United States and dozens of foreign countries flock here to compete in the state-of-the-art facilities, including huge air-conditioned arenas with VIP viewing pavilions. They will never have to leave the land to settle their horses, shop in high-end stores, or dine at a variety of restaurants.
But this is not just for horse owners. The so-called finest equestrian center in the country is also a beautiful resort where you can relax by the pool, be pampered at the spa, or just watch the horse and rider move as one while leaping over fences or going through the dance-like steps of dressage. .
The Ocala/Marion County area, with more than 1,200 horse farms, has long been dubbed the “Horse Capital of the World.” Miles of scenic pasture have produced six Kentucky Derby winners and 26 Breeders Cup champions, making it the logical setting for a major equestrian center.
The center opened in December 2020 after four years in operation, and is fully funded by Larry and Mary Roberts. The couple, who are originally from Ohio, started with one truck and built it at R+L Carriers, one of the largest trucking companies in the country. My friend and I recently checked into the Equestrian, the 248-room hotel that anchors the center and reflects Ms. Roberts’ sense of dramatic design.
The lobby, which has a fireplace and 24-foot ceilings, is crisp white with accents of black and gold in regional French-style furnishings. Colossal portraits of dogs – one of Mary Roberts’ favorite animals with horses – line the upper walls. Many fresh flowers.
Our room, which overlooks an outside courtyard, has two king beds and two bathrooms, one with a clawfoot tub from Victoria & Albert and toiletries from Balmain Paris. After dropping our bags, we stopped at the shops located in one of the hotel suites.
Lugano’s, with outlets in Newport Beach, Aspen, and Palm Beach, makes one-of-a-kind jewelry – some diamonds on offer are over $200,000. From there, we passed a leather goods store, Emma’s Patisserie, and arrived at Mr. Pickles and Sailor Bear Toy Shoppe. Mary Roberts lamented the fact that nowadays kids get most of their toys from Amazon, she wanted the mall to have a real toy store. This animal displays animatronic life-size animals snarling and snarling, and a rocking horse modeled after one of Queen Elizabeth’s horses. Price: $15,000.
The rest of the equestrian center is so vast that Justin Garner, Director of Hospitality Operations, gave us a golf cart ride. While the hotel lobby was packed with casual visitors in shorts, nearly everyone outside was a rider – many in tracksuits, jackets, hats and boots – walking slowly or riding their horses down the trails marked “horse crossing”.
In addition to the 2,500-seat arena next to the hotel, there are several indoor arenas, an outdoor playground, two exhibition centers, a chapel, general store, gas station, 280 RV campgrounds and 2,880 climate-controlled booths for horses (exhibitors only, not allowed up for a long time). Another hotel is planned, with 400 rooms and at a lower price than the Equestrian Hotel, whose prices start in the $400 range. An emergency medical clinic and veterinary center are also in the works, while buyers will soon have a choice of 104 3 to 9 acre home sites large enough to keep their horses.
With its well-curated grounds and multiple facilities, the center has become a popular venue for weddings and other non-equestrian events. Among them: Youth Volleyball Championship and Food and Wine Festival.
That evening, we dined at Stirrups, the center’s fine-dining restaurant that features excellent steaks, Florida seafood, and seasonal specialties like black-eyed pea salad. Other restaurants around the center include Filo’s Mexican Cantina, Ralph’s Burger and Sandwich Shop, and Viola & Dot’s Italian Kitchen and Pizzeria.
Later, we entered the hotel bar Yellow Pony. It was filled, not only with hotel guests but with Ocala residents and the developments emerging nearby. Due to its central location, the Ocala area has become a major distribution center attracting many new people and businesses.
Before leaving the next day, we spent a few hours in the shaded outdoor courtyard, enjoying the cool breeze and watching players jump over a series of 4-foot-high fences. The Knights, who were recorded by time and other criteria, came from several states including Illinois, Texas, and California.
We learned that the West Coast horse had only been shipped the day before – by Federal Express.
