Where To Stay in The Palm Beaches
by Stacey Zable /A visit to the Palm Beaches, touted as “America’s First Resort Destination,” is one filled with choices. The region is made up of 39 towns and cities and boasts 47 miles of beaches along the Atlantic Ocean. With more than 170 hotels, it’s not easy for clients to pick the ideal lodging for their visit. Travel Market Report stayed in the following properties recently, with each providing an excellent option for guests seeking an oceanfront resort vacation experience.
The Breakers Palm Beach was first built by industrialist Henry M. Flagler in the late 1800s when the area was new to tourism. Today this magnificent Italian Renaissance-style hotel, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and is a AAA Five Diamond property, sits on 140 acres of oceanfront and still welcomes luxury guests for overnight stays and Palm Beach’s high society for glamour-filled events. The hotel invests an average of $30 million annually to keep at a consistent high level the 534 guest rooms and suites, four swimming pools, 10 restaurants, indoor-outdoor fitness facility, spa, two 18-hole golf courses, and meeting and event space that has few rivals.
A stay at The Breakers is more experience than typical vacation. It begins upon entry into the lobby, where most guests can be found taking photos next to the huge fresh floral arrangement that is changed weekly, or looking up at the magnificent barrel-vaulted ceiling as one would in a European church or castle. In fact, it was hand-painted by 72 artisans from Italy in 1926, detailed with flora and fauna and figures of deities. The lobby design itself was influenced by the Great Hall of the Palazzo Carrega in Genoa (circa 1560). Outdoor courtyards continue the European feel. And don’t forget to look at the ceilings of even the event spaces. The Gold Room, for example, is a replica of a space in Venice’s Galleria Academia and boasts a gold ceiling with 260 hand-carved cherubs.
These special touches can also be seen in the dining venue The Circle Ballroom, where guests can enjoy an extensive daily buffet breakfast. This architectural beauty boasts its own 30-foot domed ceiling with eight oval fresco-painted murals and arched 15-foot windows. Work off the indulgences found at dining on-site or a short shuttle away with complimentary fitness classes as well as water sports. Families will find an arcade, basketball court, nine-hole mini-golf course, foosball, and complimentary bike rentals. Two Rees Jones designed golf courses plus practice facilities and golf academy make The Breakers a golf mecca.
Clients who want to kick an already superior experience up one more notch can be booked into the newly renovated Flagler Club. Sitting at the top of The Breakers, the exclusive private-access 21-room boutique hotel provides personalized service from pre-arrival to departure. Guests have use of a private lounge and rooftop terrace, where they can relax with food offerings through the day, as well as daily cocktail hour. A dedicated concierge can arrange any requests needed, and guests have access to chauffeured Tesla house car service, and complimentary transfers to/from Palm Beach International Airport.
For another luxury choice on Palm Beach Island, Eau Palm Beach Resort & Spa in Manalapan welcomes guests with superior service and an intimate feel within its 309-guestroom and suites set along seven oceanfront acres. The crowning glory of this AAA Five Diamond property, which is a member of Preferred Hotels & Resorts Legend Collection, is the Forbes Five-Star 42,000 square foot Eau Spa. Your clients time in this space designed with pampering and relaxation in mind begins with a wish or intention on a candle that is set adrift in the Wishing Well small pool within the lobby of the spa. The outdoor aptly-named Self-Centered Garden takes advantage of the Florida weather by inviting guests to relax on indulgent lounge chairs and swing chairs amidst water features for true me-time. Indoors, guests can unwind in the hot tub, sip on champagne, and nibble on mini cupcakes pre- or post-treatments for face or body.
Beyond the spa, two oceanfront resort pools (one adults only) invite their own relaxation moments. Guests can choose from eight food and beverage outlets. Complimentary fitness classes and fitness center plus tennis keep guests active during their stay. Inviting guest rooms boast private balconies with ocean, pool, and garden views.
For clients who want more space and residential amenities during their Florida stay, the 191-suite Palm Beach Marriott Singer Island Beach Resort & Spa is the right match for them. It also offers a chance to be a bit more removed from the busier parts area, but truly only a short drive away from all the sights of The Palm Beaches. The hotel completed a multi-million dollar enhancement project the end of 2023, including its lobby, bar, lounge, and marketplace. A new restaurant, Ona Coastal Cuisine, serving contemporary coastal cuisine with Mediterranean influences is slated to debut at the end of April. One- and two-bedroom suites feature fully-equipped kitchens, washers and dryers, separate living, dining, and sleeping spaces, and private balconies. The residential suites are ideal for families and the hotel’s Kid’s Ocean Club for young guests add to the family-favorite offerings.
The big sell for the Palm Beach Marriott Singer Island beyond the residential feel is its uncrowded private beach. There is also an outdoor infinity oceanfront pool and a Lagoon pool with two-story slide for family guests. Complimentary daily beach yoga and fitness center plus free bicycles add to the stay. Guests can enjoy the 8,500-square-foot SiSpa with its host of treatments. Besides the new restaurant, guests can dine with a Caribbean feel at the Reef Tiki Bar along the ocean or poolside at Lagoon Cantina.
Nearby attractions
All three properties are within a close proximity to some of The Palm Beaches top sights. Find out more about the area’s history at the Henry Morrison Flagler Museum. See more of Palm Beach society while strolling along Worth Avenue. View beautiful artwork at the Norton Museum of Art. Shop and dine at Downtown at the Gardens closest to Singer Island or head to the nearby Sailfish Marina to check out the impressive fishing boats and yachts. All three properties are also a short drive to/from Palm Beach International Airport. Visit thepalmbeaches.com for more on where to stay and what to do.