The 2017 Palm Beach Experience

The Palm Beach “season” has lingered this year, thanks to a cold spring in the Northeast. If you are thinking of heading to PB for a little R and R before the Hamptons summer kicks in here’s the latest from this always posh resort.

Where to stay: Eau Palm Beach. The Chinese president Xi Jinping stayed here last month when he pow-wowed with president Trump at Mar-a-Lago. Perched on a seemingly endless pristine beach on the Atlantic Ocean and surrounded by lush tropical gardens, this glamorous resort and spa was reimagined from its previous identity as the Ritz-Carlton by iconic designer and author Jonathan Adler. He gave the resort’s rooms, suites and public spaces a chic new blue and white color scheme, spotted with dashes of yellow, as an homage to the brilliant Florida sunshine. “Palm Beach is lemon sorbet for the soul,” Adler says of the refurbishment, “and the rooms needed to communicate that. The hotel is right on the ocean, so that inspired the palette. I adore blue, yellow, and white because that’s what a vacation should be: sea, sun, and sky.” The designer also commissioned pieces by contemporary artists, including Leila Jeffreys, Donald “Drawbertson” Robertson and Jenna Snyder-Phillips, to enhance the rooms. “The art in hotels is usually an afterthought, whereas the first thing I thought of for this project was the art.” Said Adler.

The hotel also offers an extremely spacious (42,000 square foot)  Eau Spa. I spent a day being pampered here and I thought I was at the Golden Door or Rancho Le Puerta. Other amenities at the hotel include Har-tru tennis courts, two swimming pools and a family activity program: Among the offerings: a sea-life exploration excursion and a pirate-ship-themed playground with mini rock-climbing walls. Young guests can also create their own rock band in the hotel’s state of the art DJ studio or dance at Coast, a social space for teens.  

For dining the hotel offers a lavish breakfast buffet with a great view of the ocean from the terrace .The modern-American Angle restaurant has fresh line-caught fish, dry-aged prime beef, a nice selection of cocktails and an extensive wine collection. Try the tamarind glazed short rib or the decadent black truffle lunette as the sun goes down. The house sangria, prepared tableside, is an indulgence you won’t regret. The swanky lobby-side Stir Bar also serves as a lounge, where you can sip a signature beverage on the open-air terrace or in colder weather around the cozy fire pit. On Friday and Saturday nights, the Asian offerings of local celebrity chef Sushi Jo attracts the foodie crowd before a live DJ spins mixes for the late night revelers.

For more information: eaupalmbeach.com  888-277-1102  The hotel was featured on the Condé Nast Traveler’s Top 10 Best Resorts in Southeast Florida.

What To Do in Palm Beach

Eau Palm Beach is 15 minutes away from Worth Avenue;, Palm Beach’s premiere shopping street, as well as the area’s best restaurants and nightspots. Dine at the iconic Ta-Boo, have drinks at The Colony and if you know a member, have dinner at Mar-a-Lago, once the home of cereal heiress Marjorie Merriweather Post and her daughter, Dina Merrill.  Check out renowned chef Clay Conley’s menu at Buccan and Daniel Boulud’s Café Boulud at The Brazilian Court Hotel. The Breakers Hotel has a hot new spot called HMF, named after oil tycoon Henry Morrison Flagler, that attracts the “bright young things” of Palm Beach society. Head to the PB Boys Club to rent a paddle board before you head out to the beach and you might want to consider spending time at the Alchemist Gastropub, which serves bacon instead of nuts at the bar, and brings out an attractive late night crowd.