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by
Jeff Voth
"It's
almost eleven o'clock; do you know where the ducks are?"
As
strange as this question sounded coming from the well-dressed woman stepping off
the elevator, it is one heard countless times each morning by the staff of the
Peabody Orlando. The
twice-daily red carpet procession of the ducks is a long-standing tradition at
the hotel. Though it is nowhere near as dangerous as the running of the bulls
in Pamplona, Spain, it is equally as renowned in the South. Unlike bull running
however, if anyone were to be gored in the procession, it would be strictly by
accident and most likely consist of only a minor scratch caused by a stray Gucci
handbag. The
history of the ducks is an integral part of the overall Peabody experience. The
tradition began in the 1930's when Frank Schutt, the general manager of the original
Peabody Memphis and his good friend Chip Barwick, Sr. returned from a hunting
trip in Arkansas. Both avid outdoorsmen, they decided to pull a prank and place
live ducks in the beautiful, but otherwise uninhabited marble fountain of the
hotel. The
reaction by guests was magical, and so the tradition has continued at both the
Memphis and Orlando properties to this day. Teams of Peabody ducks are rotated
every few months, with five ducks always in residence. At the end of each appearance,
the ducks are ceremoniously returned to their $100,000 penthouse Duck Palace for
refreshments. The
duck theme isn't confined to the marble fountain found in the main lobby of the
Peabody Orlando. Duck art is placed throughout the hotel and each room is graced
with the presence of duck shaped soap and hotel notepaper. Not surprisingly, you
won't find duck on the menu at the Peabodys. The
Peabody Orlando is a four-star, four-diamond hotel. It also boasts the only four-star
rated restaurant in Orlando, named, (what else) the Dux. A member of the prestigious
Preferred Hotels & Resorts Group, the 27 story Peabody Orlando graces the
Florida skyline offering 891 rooms, 58 suites and 57,000 sq. ft of meeting space.
The
Peabody Orlando is considered by many to be the finest hotel in Orlando, having
won numerous awards of significance. This includes making the 2004 Travel &
Leisure top 500 list. From the
moment you enter the driveway of the Peabody Orlando, it seduces you with lush
vegetation and the pleasing sounds of cascading water. The décor of the
hotel can be described simply as magnificent. Ceramic columns and marble floors
blend together with brass accents and fine art to create a rich tapestry of elegance
and sophistication.
(CONTINUE...)
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