If you want to visit a tropical destination without leaving America, South Florida is the place to choose. While Miami is famous for its beaches and bays, it is a typical big city that may not be ideal for everyone.
Palm Beach is a better option if you want a quiet place away from city life. Known for its high-value homes with a mix of modern and Art Deco styles, the city is an oceanfront paradise and one of Florida's most desirable places. Here, you'll find world-class golf courses, top polo, and soothing fresh air from the ocean.
With many beautiful beaches along the Atlantic coast with scenery that appears too good to be real, you can kick back and enjoy the views or indulge in polo, golf, and yacht cruises.
Exploring Luxury Shopping on Worth Avenue
This part of South Florida has a storied past and visiting a place like the Flagler Museum should help you learn more about the history. While you're here, you should visit Worth Avenue (the most famous street in Palm Beach), where you'll find world-famous luxury brands and art galleries.
Any great vacation city should have good dining options, and Palm Beach doesn't disappoint. No matter what you like, you'll find cuisine to suit your taste. So, with all that available, the only thing left is the right place to stay.
It should come as no surprise that the city has world-class options. But which should you choose? Below, we explore the best luxury hotels in Palm Beach.
The Breakers
Founded in 1896, The Breakers is the most lavish hotel in Palm Beach. The oceanfront property has a grand driveway lined with large palm trees and beautiful evergreen lawns. Pictures don't do the building justice. You will be impressed before you walk through the front door. Historically, it attracted the wealthy and famous across the U.S.'s booming East Coast, seeking the best service money can buy.
Today, The Breakers has rooms and suites that rival what you'll find at the world's top hotels. Some of these have sublime views of the Atlantic Coast that make you never want to leave. Even if you don't stay in one of these rooms, the private beach at the back of the property is open to all guests and is as good as any other beach in Florida. In addition, the property has superior suites with large living spaces and balconies.
If you want the best of the hotel, the Flagler's Club is the place to stay. Described as offering "limitless Luxury," this part of the hotel includes 21 rooms and suites recently updated by Tihany Design. Guests at the Flagler's Club can access services like a Tesla house car with a driver, private lounge, and unique dining options.
In addition, guests can enjoy golf, racquet sports, and four pools. Family activities here include time at the nine-hole mini golf course and the video game lounge.
The Colony
The Colony is a chic and classic boutique hotel. First opened in 1947, the flamingo pink Art Deco building is just a block away from Worth Avenue. If shopping is your main goal, this hotel may be your best option. It's also about a two-minute walk to South Ocean Boulevard, so you can enjoy views of the Atlantic Ocean and the beach as often as you please.
Known to have hosted presidents and royalty over the years, the hotel has restaurants and a bar that blend with its interior and exterior spaces. In addition to being a top hotel in Palm Beach, The Colony also hosts events by top designers, including Ferragamo, Dolce and Gabbana, and Oscar de la Renta.
The team of hosts cater to guests' every whim. Visitors can arrange for a butler to help with their needs at the beach. This service is perfect for setting up umbrellas or getting gourmet bites in branded YETI coolers with plates, napkins, and ice brought to the oceanfront
Guests can also rent custom bicycles for rides along the waterfront or ask the hotel for on-demand drivers to get them to any location in the Palm Beach area.
The Brazilian Court
The Brazilian Court is another must-stay classic, offering a combination of 1920s glamor and privacy. Housed in a Spanish stylish building, this 80-bedroom property prides itself on being Palm Beach's most private hotel. It is the perfect retreat for anyone who wants to escape the hustle and bustle of daily life.
The Brazilian Court has a variety of suites, lush fountain-adorned courtyards, and a notable pool. While enjoying the warm weather on one of the designer chaise lounges, guests can rely on the attendants to deliver all they need, including food and beverages the eateries on the property.
The hotel's best-known attraction may well be Café Boulud. If the name sounds familiar, it's because the award-winning restaurant is named after the owner, celebrity chef Daniel Boulud. Opened in 2003, Café Boulud has become one of the most popular places in Palm Beach. It has a tastefully furnished dining area famous for its iconic sea shell ceilings and velvet/leather upholstery furniture. The restaurant delivers fine dining few places in Palm Beach can match.
The hotel also offers an art gallery showcasing original pieces. If you like what you see, the good news is the art is for sale. You can pick up your favorite pieces to add to your private collection. Other perks include The Brazilian Court Salon, offering world-class spa treatments, bicycle rentals, and complimentary trips around the city in a BMW SUV. The hotel also has a beach experience that offers the best Palm Beach.
Four Seasons Resort Palm Beach
The Four Seasons Resort Palm Beach is a five-diamond, five-star resort at a prime location on South Ocean Boulevard. Stately rooms and suites with ocean views are on offer to ensure a memorable stay. The oceanfront location is ideal for sipping on the hotel's garden-inspired cocktails and enjoying casual dining experiences.
The hotel regularly arranges various experiences to help explore the surrounding region. Guests can enjoy private poolside cabanas where butlers cater to their every whim or take tours of the nearby Everglades wildlife sanctuary by private airboat. Beach beds are also available for getting that vacation glow.
Polo fans can take lessons the hotel offers or simply enjoy the action from the sidelines while treating themselves to a chef-prepared picnic. If your trip aligns with the Palm Beach polo season, you'll get an opportunity to enjoy exclusive experiences with top polo players.
You can also go on a yacht cruise along the Intercoastal Waterway or use the concierge service to identify great snorkeling locations in the Atlantic.
Eau Palm Beach Resort & Spa
Eau Palm Beach Resort & Spa is an oceanfront retreat with lavish living spaces and world-class spa treatments. The hotel has large guest rooms with private balconies, generous suites, club-level rooms where you'll have your own private concierge, and the ground-level Eau Lanai Terrace Suites. The suites give guests quick access to the hotel's two swimming pools and a private patio. Perks offered by the hotel include private poolside cabanas, a kids' club, and no-cost bicycle rentals.
Guests have more than 42,000 square feet of "playful rejuvenation" facilities available to them. Here, they can enjoy massages, facials, body scrubs, and the occasional naughty cupcake.
Dining options include the Angle Steakhouse. The restuarant offers locally grown produce along with prime meat and seafood in a nicely decorated dining room.
The Boca Raton
The Boca Raton is a multi-award-winning hotel founded in 1926. The bold architecture of the main building welcomes guests to an enclave that offers the best coastal living has to offer. While not within Palm Beach proper, it's only about a 40 minute drive away.
Several accommodation options are available, including elevated Tower rooms with harborside views, adult-only accommodation in the Yacht Club, and bungalows for extended stays. You can also stay in the iconic Cloister, where The Boca Raton experience started.
Various restaurants are available on-site, catering to all tastes, including The Flamingo Grill, Beach Club Lounge, and The Supper Club.
The Harborside Pool Club features three pools, a 450-foot lazy river, water slides, cabanas, and a personalized butler service. If you're traveling with children, they'll appreciate the 5-story water slides, Kids Splash Zone, and "Kiddie Cabanas."
Other activities available to guests include golf at a championship-level course in the Boca Raton Club, tennis, pickleball, and various water sports.
White Elephant Palm Beach
Relatively new to the hotel scene in Palm Beach, the White Elephant is a boutique hotel offering that personal touch you may not get at a larger 5-star hotel. Housed in a 1924 Mediterranean building with a contemporary touch, the hotel’s interior was overhauled by Boston-based Elkus Manfredi Architects. This resulted in a beautiful finish with woven rugs, hardwood floors, and neutral colors.
The hotel has 13 rooms and 19 suites, with two top-of-the-line penthouse suites at the top of the building. Named the Park and Palm Suites, they feature terraces with views. Winner of the “Best Suite” award by Gold Key Awards for Excellence in Hospitality Design, the suite is bound to spoil you more than many others in Palm Beach.
Dining options include Palm Beach’s version of Nantucket favorite Lola 41. Here, you’ll be treated to seafood and cocktails from a creative menu. Other options include poolside dining with sunny-weather treats and refreshing cocktails.
Perhaps the best thing on offer from The White Elephant is the concierge service with pre-arrival services, including restaurant reservation and transportation.
Palm House
Newcomer to the luxury stays scene in Palm Beach, Palm House is a 79-room boutique hotel on Royal Palm Way. Like other choice hotels on the island, it is just steps from South Ocean Boulevard and the beach. It’s also just a 10-minute walk to Worth Avenue, where you can enjoy some retail therapy.
Dining is a major part of the Palm House experience. The hotel’s signature venue serves Japanese-Peruvian cuisine created by Nobu, combining traditional Japanese technique with bold Peruvian flavors.
Guests can enjoy breakfast, lunch, dinner, and weekend brunch there, while the Palm Bar offers signature cocktails to go with a relaxing evening. Other highlights include the dramatic Sunset Pool Deck and first-class concierge services.
Among the hotel’s standout suites are the 1704 sq ft Flagler One Bedroom Suite and the 2-level 1982 sq ft Presidential Suite, which boasts of an Alaskan King bed, two terraces, and a standalone dining area.
While Palm House may not have the rich history of some of the other top hotels in Palm Beach, it fits right into the elegant, old-money vibe that resonates across the island. Palm House is quickly earning a reputation as one of South Florida’s most worthwhile luxury stays.
PGA National Resort
The PGA National Resort is a hotel that builds on the appeal of golf. While the hotel is up north in Palm Beach Gardens, its offerings make it worth considering, as it's less than 30 minutes from the center of Palm Beach. The hotel's claim to fame is the six world-class golf courses which will deliver a golf-centric holiday few other places can match.
However, that's not all the PGA National Resort has to offer. The hotel also has many amenities that elevate it beyond a 'golf hotel'. Dining experiences include the 1950s-style Butcher's Club serving succulent cuts, the Honeybelle offering classic Floridian cuisine, and Birdie's Diner for all-American food.
The resort also offers guests hard-to-match curated luxury experiences. These include a pickleball clinic by celebrity coach Matt Manasse, and the BLADE aviation service with trips within South Florida using its fleet of seaplanes, jets, and helicopters.
