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Oct 25, 2024

The 11 Best Hotels In Palm Beach 2024

A little over an hour’s drive from Miami, Palm Beach is home to some of the country’s wealthiest zip codes. Alongside well-heeled people watching, the storied town has become a top destination for

A little over an hour’s drive from Miami, Palm Beach is home to some of the country’s wealthiest zip codes. Alongside well-heeled people watching, the storied town has become a top destination for those seeking a sunny and chic getaway, resulting in an impressive—and competitive—hotel scene. At the best hotels in Palm Beach, guests will find world-class service, exceptional dining and sublime spa and wellness offerings right up there with the best in the country.

Luxury lovers should stay at The Breakers Palm Beach, the area’s most legendary address, sprawled across 140 acres of prime oceanfront property. Boutique hotel fans will enjoy the personalized service at White Elephant Palm Beach, while golfers can hit the links at PGA National Resort, one of the best golf resorts in the country. Couples will find quiet intimacy at The Brazilian Court Hotel, while the on-site kids club at Opal Grand Resort And Spa is great for families. Below, the best resorts in Palm Beach for 2024.

Suite at The Breakers Palm Beach.

The grandest of Florida’s grande dame oceanfront hotels and Palm Beach’s most legendary address, there is, quite simply, no place like The Breakers. Inextricably linked to early Florida tourism and Henry Flagler’s railroad, the family-owned property, as it exists today, dates to 1926. The Breakers undergoes renovations and improvements to the tune of $25 million each year, however, that keep it exuding peak luxury at all times. The resort sprawls across 140 acres of prime oceanfront property in the heart of the island of Palm Beach, with 538 guest rooms that include 68 suites. The most luxurious among them have balconies overlooking the crashing Atlantic Ocean that will almost make you feel like you’re staying on a yacht at sea–so decadent are the linens, bathroom amenities and expansive water views. Once you’ve finished lounging on the beach or poolside for the day, consider dinner at one of the many Breakers-owned restaurants, located both at the hotel and off-property around Palm Beach.

Exterior of White Elephant Palm Beach.

With just 32 keys (unlocking the hotel’s 13 rooms and 19 suites), White Elephant Palm Beach occupies a landmark Roaring Twenties building that dates to 1924 and sits at the heart of Palm Beach, located just inland between the Atlantic Ocean and the Intracoastal Waterway. The property’s U-shaped courtyard is the hotel’s nexus, with a pool, patio and lush nooks for lounging and recharging. Inside, a museum-worthy collection of more than 120 pieces of original art compliment the décor’s dominant black, white and natural wood tones. Marble tiles in the bathrooms, luxe Pratesi linens and bronze elephant door knockers are among the many sophisticated details you’ll find at this stylish property. Bicycles and Radio Flyer wagons are available for guests to use at no charge, as are the hotel’s fleet of BMWs should you wish to venture further afield to explore along this storied Florida coast.

Pool deck at The Ben, Autograph Collection.

For a relaxing and pampered stay within a two-minute stroll of the restaurants, cafes and nightlife along West Palm Beach’s Clematis Street, it’s impossible to beat the waterfront setting and fun rooftop atmosphere at The Ben. The whimsical property has 208 rooms but feels far more intimate, with vintage and tropical touches that mingle to unique effect. Enjoy cozy gallery-like spaces in the common areas where you can curl up with a book or cocktail, or retreat to the property’s crown jewel, a rooftop saltwater pool patio complete with outdoor fire pits. The latter overlooks the Intracoastal Waterway and sits astride Spruzzo, a sceney, open-air Mediterranean restaurant serving excellent cocktails and tapas. After sips and nibbles, consider crossing nearby Flagler Memorial Bridge for a leisurely pedal to the island of Palm Beach itself, where beaches and more shopping and restaurants await.

The Living Room at The Colony Hotel.

The Colony Hotel has drawn a fashionable crowd since opening in 1947 steps away from Worth Avenue. Following a complete guest room and suite revamp in 2022, the “Pink Paradise” is more stylish than ever. The new interiors match Palm Beach’s retro-chic vibe (think bold Schumacher textiles, wicker furniture and hand-painted de Gournay wallpaper depicting exotic animals including the hotel’s monkey mascot Johnnie Brown, the former pet of famed Palm Beach architect Addison Mizner.) Vintage nods fill the 89 plush rooms and suites alongside thoughtful amenities like soft Matouk linens, robes and slippers, custom postcards and Dyson hair dryers and straighteners. The hotel’s buzzy poolside area is anchored by the beloved Swifty’s restaurant—a destination for rosé all day and jumbo-lump crab cakes. Equally enticing is the beach within walking distance (or a golf cart ride) from the hotel. If you’re spending a few hours on the sand, have one of the beach butlers enhance your sun-bathing session with umbrellas, chairs and your favorite refreshments delivered in a pink YETI cooler.

Opal Grand resort view.

The best family beach vacations and hotels make spending time together intuitive, and nothing is better than being able to take a short stroll from your room or suite to both the beach and a properly cute beach town backing it. That’s what awaits you at the 277-room Opal Grand Resort and Spa, located oceanfront in the southern stretches of the Palm Beach area. Rooms with balconies bring the ocean views sweeping in, and residential-styles villas that can sleep up to eight people make it perfect for larger families to settle in and stay a while. Send the kids off to enjoy arts and crafts and games at Waves Kids Club while you slink off to a poolside cabana or enjoy a treatment at the resort’s holistic, two-story spa. Between the beautiful beach and water toys (stand-up paddleboards, kayaks and more), two outdoor pools and all of downtown Delray Beach at your doorstep, having fun in the Florida sun comes naturally at this resort.

Bedroom at The Brazilian Court Palm Beach.

No need goes unanticipated at the Spanish-Colonial style Brazilian Court Palm Beach, where 46 rooms and 34 suites offer the utmost in luxury replete with velvet headboards and mahogany and marble finishes. Lush tropical courtyards overflow with palms and bromeliads, and when you can pull yourself from the hotel’s posh poolside patio, it’s just a four-minute walk to the romantic vias (secreted away, art-filled courtyards) and couture shopping along Palm Beach’s high street, Worth Avenue. The hotel is home to one of Palm Beach’s most celebrated restaurants, Cafe Boulud, where you can clink glasses under cypress ceilings or a canopy of stars and gurgling fountains in the outdoor courtyard while enjoying Daniel Boulud’s famed French fare.

Guest room at PGA National Resort.

Luxury golf resorts aren’t hard to come by in the Sunshine State, where you can tee off in near-ideal conditions year round. But few can hold a candle to PGA National Resort, about seven miles inland from the Atlantic Ocean in Palm Beach Gardens, where the Champion Course, redesigned by Jack Nicklaus in 2014, plays host to the PGA Tour’s Honda Classic every spring, and another five golf courses await keen guests. Arnold Palmer designed “The Palmer” course, there’s “The Fazio,” home to one of the resort’s most challenging holes, and the beautiful undulating terrain of “The Staple,” among the resort’s other on-site courses. PGA National Resort makes a play for non-golfing guests, too, with amenities that include a 40,000 square foot spa, kids club and six outdoor swimming pools. The hotel’s restaurants offer creative, family-friendly options, including Birdie’s Diner, with mid-century decor and classic diner comfort food.

Spa at Eau Palm Beach Resort And Spa

About ten miles south of West Palm Beach in the oceanfront hamlet of Manalapan, Eau Palm Beach is best known for its incredible spa, where you can swing over a shallow outdoor reflecting pool to further Zen out following one of the many decadent body treatments on offer. Even if you don’t come for the spa’s inimitable wellness offerings (not to mention complimentary cupcakes and bubbly for spa guests), you’ll be swept away by the 309-room resort’s ocean views, spectacular alfresco restaurants and sprawling swimming pool on a terrace overlooking the ocean. Kids and teens clubs are complimentary for hotel guests, as are beach chairs and umbrellas, bicycle rentals and non-motorized water sports that include kayaks and paddleboards. Be sure to reserve one of the 12 seats at Bōken, the hotel’s esteemed omakase restaurant that’s become a fast Palm Beach favorite for its excellent sushi, sashimi and nigiri.

Poolside at Four Seasons Palm Beach.

The Four Seasons Resort Palm Beach fronts a particularly gorgeous and serene stretch of golden and mostly residential sand, surrounded by protected parks. There are 207 guest rooms and suites, but the way the property pampers you in a gorgeous natural setting makes things feel far more intimate here, whether you’re relaxing at a poolside cabana or atop one of the luxurious day beds down on the sand. The hotel brings culinary explorations to the forefront, from cooking classes in the open kitchen at Mediterranean restaurant Florie’s, to cocktails made from garden-plucked ingredients at Florie’s Bar and fresh South Florida seafood prepared with Latin flair at Seaway. Rooms and suites are decorated in soothing pastel hues that put the spotlight on the ocean views—you may want to sleep with your balcony door flung open wide to doze off to a soundtrack of rumbling surf.

The Boca Raton interior.

Florida has its fair share of historic pink-hued palatial resorts, but one reigns supreme for excellent amenities at your fingertips. Designed by legendary Golden Era architect Addison Mizner, who was behind many of Palm Beach’s iconic estates, The Boca Raton started as a 100-room hotel (by another name) back in 1926. Today, it offers more than 1,000 rooms and suites spread across various buildings and 337 tropical acres. The resort’s vast amenities are too numerous to pack in during a long weekend, but you can always try. Between handmade pastas at Principessa Ristorante, sushi at Japanese Bocce Club or French macarons at Maison Rose (among several other onsite eateries), dining goes global here. So does the 50,000 square foot Spa Palmera, a sublime oasis inspired by Spain’s Alhambra. The resort also has a private golf course within an Audubon sanctuary, a lazy river families adore, 12 tennis courts, four pickle ball courts, boat rentals, surfing lessons and catamaran cruises for guests to enjoy.

Beach view from living room at Palm Beach Marriott Singer Island Beach Resort And Spa.

Located directly on the ocean on the barrier island just north of Palm Beach proper, in the largely residential town of Riviera Beach, the Palm Beach Marriott Singer Island Beach Resort and Spa remains somewhat of a secret when it comes to the area’s best hotels. That might be because the towering 21-floor property has all-suite accommodations that are actually entire one or two-bedrooms luxury condominiums, complete with full kitchens and all the comforts of home. For the most incredible views in the area, book the 21st floor penthouse, which offers floor-to-ceiling windows and a balcony gazing down upon the Atlantic Ocean and Intracoastal Waterway.

Both Palm Beach and West Palm Beach are easily accessible from one another and offer different options for different types of travelers. Palm Beach is the best place to stay when looking for a sophisticated urban escape with access to great beaches, high-end shopping and dining and nightlife. Right across the bridge, West Palm Beach does not have a beach of its own, but is filled with excellent cultural institutions like the Norton Museum of Art and the Kravis Center for the Performing Arts. Its downtown area has plenty of shopping and entertainment at a more affordable price point than the main shopping street in Palm Beach, Worth Avenue.

Palm Beach boasts some of the country’s wealthiest zip codes and is best known as a getaway filled with Gilded Age architecture, a sophisticated bar and restaurant scene and high-end shopping, particularly along Worth Avenue. Alongside the excellent shopping, dining, and beachfront views, Palm Beach is also known for its grand estates, impeccably manicured gardens, thriving social scene and top-notch golf courses.

Due to its warm weather, Palm Beach is an excellent destination to visit any month of the year, but to avoid crowds, April and May are best. Alongside the tourist traffic that descends on the city in July and August, August is also the wettest month of the year, meaning your beach day could run into some sprinkles. September and October also offer warm, clear days and cooler nights perfect for a stroll around town.

I've dedicated my career to covering travel as a freelance writer since 2000 when I quit my first (and only) desk job to travel the world. I visited Indonesia, Fiji and Australia as a budget backpacker, and I have lived in Sydney, Southern France, coastal New Zealand and my current home, Florida, where I have visited the Palm Beach area many times. Aside from my work at Forbes Vetted, where I have written multiple hotel guides across a number of destinations, you can find me reporting on such diverse travel topics as scuba diving, educational vacations and cultural trends in publications like CNN, National Geographic, The Washington Post, Condé Nast Traveler, Travel + Leisure, AARP and many others.