SunTrust Plaza is the new home of SunTrust Bank downtown and beginning on the 18th floor of the same building, the new AC Hotels by Marriott. And up there is the home of the AC SkyBar.Brought inside by the wind and rain of an earlier evening cold front passing through Orlando, the DJ booth was relocated to a spot near the elevators. Normally it would be outside on the terrace.Here we found Friday night resident DJ Willie (USA).The 18th floor is actually the hotel lobby. At one end is this attractive bar.While the other end is home to the hotel’s Reception.In between is a huge lobby space with plenty of table and sofa seating areas.But what’s most impressive is the outdoor balcony.It remained empty last night due to the weather but otherwise this is going to be a “go to” spot downtown!Across I-4, a great view of Amway Center. We’ve been to their 180 Skytop Lounge (lit up in red) many times but the views from their 5th floor perch are nothing like this view from the 18th floor!DJ Willie was playing vocal and nonvocal House last night. We know him best from his prior residencies at The Groove in Universal CityWalk and at Atlantic Dance Hall at Walt Disney World. Even the interchange between I-4 and TOLL SR408 is romantic from up here! T AC Skybar at AC Hotel by Marriott will be a great place to bring a first date and you don’t need to be a hotel guest to visit. Garage parking is $15 but you can park elsewhere downtown and it’s a short walk over.HÄOS On Church is a new venue located where Lions Pride recently operated but best known as the prior homes of Bliss Ultra Lounge and originally, Phineas Phoggs Balloon Works disco as part of Church Street Station.At this late hour, people were dining and the bar was occupied as well.Many evenings they offer live entertainment ranging from music to cabaret to burlesque. Some events require tickets and some do not. You can find their schedule here. It’s not a dance club though like predecessor Bliss Ultra Lounge as seen in this file photo where a DJ booth occupied that same corner and we saw DJ’s such as Armando (pictured), Willie Morales & Cato K.The upstairs has been completely redone as well and looks impressive.It overlooks the entertainment stage below but they can pull heavy curtains to block this off and offer a different entertainment option simultaneously up here. There’s a lot happening again on Church Street so come check HÄOS out!Sadly Frosty’s Christmastime Lounge is no longer with us. The front of that former venue has been replaced with Stokes while the rear section is now Fuel.We found DJ Raedo (USA) in the booth playing Hip Hop into both venues.The bar was busy during our visit but nothing like we used to see at Frosty’s. LINKThe beautiful original ceiling is still here!On the other side of the arcade, Swiggs remains the okayest bar in town!DJ C-Money (USA) in the booth playing Hip Hop.No dance floor here; people just bounce to the music where they’re standing!The bar here too was pretty busy last night.We first met C-Money back in 2010 when he DJ’d at Circa Lounge in downtown Winter Park. Hard to believe it’s been more than 10 years. LINKThere’s never a cover charge at The Patio, except on nights they have a cover charge such as Sundays.Resident DJ Parry (USA) in the booth on Friday & Saturday nights playing mostly Hip Hop & Top 40 hits. It started off kind of empty on the dance floor.But got pretty crowded within the hour.With the cold front passing through, it sometimes snowed!Sometimes even bubbles were falling!Spotted in the booth with the DJ: Doc JohnSpotted on the dance floor: This group having fun. Nice!Spotted next to the booth with the DJ: Madeline The Shot GirlOMG, DJ Parry actually playing some EDM!Everywhere I went last night, a good time was had by all.
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