s_flyer

hi,
can anyone recommend (or is there) a true luxury resort in south florida? someplace that has a great fitness center, spa, beach, tennis, great rooms, great service and actually feels like a resort rather than a huge hotel/condo tower with some of these facilities (acqualina, for example)?
thanks!

Tanyam99

Generally, I think Ritz Carltons do pretty well in S Florida and would recommend the following:
RC Naples Beach Resort. True resort hotel, Gulf front, tennis courts, several pools etc. Very god Kids' Club that has a marine facility, which they all seem to love. This is one of RC's "grande dames" and provided you are not there at Xmas/ New Year OR Spring Break time this is an excellent hotel. The Club Floor is very good indeed. The only drawback is that the standard rooms feel quite small (around 425 sq ft) and bathrooms are tiny by modern standards -they have shower in tub, for example.
The RC has another hotel in Naples as well - the Golf hotel. You can still access all the Beach hotel facilities (and use a shuttle to get there) but this hotel is newer and has larger rooms and bathrooms. Having said that, the suites are most unattractive and not worth the spend.
In Sarasota (better beaches than Naples), the RC has a city hotel with an excellent beach club that is about 7 mins' shuttle drive away. However, imho, this hotel's standards are starting to slip and they have lost some of their best staff of late.
Further up the Gulf Coast is a less luxurious but still is a very comfortable hotel, Loews Don Cesar at St Pete's Beach. Good sized suites (at low prices), very pleasant service, 2 pools, great beach location; the sand is like sugar up there.

Over on the Gold Coast, I would also recommend these 2:
RC Fort Lauderdale; not such a resort hotel (but beach front) - fabulous roms and suites, very glossy and glamorous. V good RC service.
RC Key Biscayne - beach front, the largest tennis facility in any hotel in Florida. Good apartments as well as rooms - might be better for a family?

Hope these help. I have stayed in all of these pretty recently.

Kagehitokiri

beachfront, tennis, no residences
- FS palm beach 210 rooms (2 tennis, 11K ft2 spa)
- RC palm beach 270 rooms (3 tennis, 42K ft2 spa)

(RC naples & key biscayne = 450 rooms = 50% larger than acqualina)
(breakers = 540 rooms + 48 apartments + "ocean" members/children)

elitetraveler

The Breakers comes to mind.

bigmerv

Just wanted to know if anyone has any updated thoughts on this?

Also, very curious, but have always wanted to visit one of the islands such as Captiva or Sanibel, but there don't seem to be any luxury properties on any of them...am I missing something, or are all the good properties limited to villas?

Thanks.

PurpleTravel

I agree with the Breakers- it's the largest in Palm Beach by a lot, but in my opinion the facilties (golf course, tennis, gorgeous beachclub area with 4-5 pools, world class spa, etc), but truly luxurious and intertwined in the character and history of the island.

The Four Seasons and Ritz in Palm Beach are great too- but far out of town from Palm Beach and just less commanding in their presence. The Ritz has an absolutely fantastic Spa called Eau Spa - one of the best I've been to in the US.

I have pics from Palm Beach here with lots of facilities pics of beach, pools, spas, structure of the 3 hotels...hope it helps! http://www.flickr.com/photos/purplep...7611704152729/

Kagehitokiri

since weve moved on from OP >

- breakers, even though its MUCH bigger than FS (2.8X) and RC (2.2X) ?

- is there a set limit for ocean memberships and children per membership?
(annual, 5/6 month summer, 2 month trial) 2010 summer app >
http://www.thebreakers.com/i/downloa...pplication.pdf incl re children >
- does breakers club (27 rooms) have private checkin?

i dont understand why they dont have a wing/etc with private pool.

robyng

I agree with the Breakers - simply because it's one of a kind. A real historic property. Most of it is very beautiful.

Only 2 cons I can think of. Many older rooms - although updated - are small. For the biggest best rooms - get those in the newer oceanfront addition (which isn't that new). Also - the place is *very kid friendly* - especially in the summer (when many families from central Florida come to visit for a weekend at the beach).

But so are the other "luxury" hotels in that area - and the Breakers has at least 3 pools - kid pool - regular pool and lap pool. So you stand a fighting chance of getting away from the kids. Basically - all of these luxury properties will allow a family of 3-4 to stay in a single room. So - if you visit in the summer - beware. It will not be a romantic destination for a couple trying to celebrate an anniversary.

The tennis is excellent - as is the golf (2 courses - the one at the Breakers - the Ocean Course - is the oldest in Florida - an old Donald Ross course that *is* - in part - on the ocean). L'Escalier is an excellent restaurant (by Florida standards). Stay away from the Italian restaurant unless you have kids and want pizza.

There is a new "luxury" resort in the area - Omphoy. Don't know anything about it except it's a 100% non-smoking property.

Sanibel and Captiva are great fun - especially for shelling - which is much much better in the winter than in the summer - I used to go shelling there a lot when I lived in south Florida. I would pretty much avoid the Gulf Coast in the summer (we're hot here on the Atlantic coast too - but not quite as hot).. No luxury properties there. Best bet is usually a rental condo that has been renovated within the last 10 years! My favorite time of year to visit Sanibel/Captiva is on or about the winter solstice. When the shelling is great to fantastic. The bugs are minimal. You can bike ride - go kayaking or canoeing. The Gulf will be too cold for swimming - heated pool might work. But it can get chilly there that time of year. Robyn

bigmerv

Thanks so much for all the replies. The Breakers does look lovely.

I was wondering if anyone had any recommendations for a luxury condo on Sanibel or Captiva?

We will take your advice robyng and head there in February or early March to avoid the bugs and heat (our other option was April).

Cheers.

Fontaine

Let me add a vote for the Fairmont Turnberry. It has everything that you are looking for - except the beach is located off property (they have a free shuttle to the beach, and at the beach they have a beach club with a pool, restaurant, chairs, showers). I have stayed there for the last three New Years and have been gererally pleased with the resort. Two bonuses for me: when the beach is cold/windy, the two pools at the resort were much warmer, more comfortable. And there is a large mall across the street with a multiplex cinema - always handy for at night or a rainy day. I have not needed a car. Is it a true luxury hotel? The bathrooms are great, with a large, separate marble shower, the toiletries are nice, and there is a changing area with a lighted mirrior, etc. Turndown is by request only - but they did not miss a night. The food was good in all of the restaurants. They have a large family pool (lazy river type) and a quiet, adult pool.

nba1017

Depends on what you're looking for. I can speak to the Palm Beach area, of which four hotels are of note:

Breakers: The 'old guard' of Palm Beach. It's a beautiful and expansive old property with shopping, restaurants, its own golf course, and the works. The location is also ideal--it's right in town, so if you don't have a car, this is the place to be. The Breakers 'can' be right for just about anyone. I'd say that it's not best for younger couples, people looking for some relaxation by themselves, and anyone who really needs an 'intimate' experience from a resort.


Four Seasons: The Seasons is located on the ocean, along the long cluster of apartment blocks that line the sea. It's definitely a more mature hotel than the others listed, in that less kids are present. The local standard is that the higher up ocean drive you go, the more exclusive the lodging gets., and the Seasons has a bit of that vibe. With that being said, it's still a beautiful hotel. Tip: try Benny's on the Beach diner, located on the pier just south of the hotel.


Ritz Carlton: The Ritz is further down ocean drive and appears to cater more to families than the Seasons, though perhaps as much as the Breakers. They just did some work on it, and the new spa is really, really phenomenal. However, I'm not a fan of the pool layout, which is placed in the center of the three-sided rectangle property. It has a bit more of a 'see and be seen' vibe than I like at a resort. Restaurant is quite good. It is worth keeping in mind that the Ritz is a good 15 minute drive from the town of Palm Beach, though Lake Worth is just over the bridge if you're younger and are into more casual bars and joints.


Omphoy: The Omphoy is the first new hotel to open in Palm Beach in forever; it's where the old Hilton used to be. The hotel has a South Beach vibe to it, however I find it to be quite pretentious and overhyped. The restaurant is a bad imitation of trendy NYC/Miami dining, and the pool in the parking lot borders on tacky, given the rates charged. As its next door to the FS, I would choose the FS every time.

robyng

April in Florida is still quite nice. Perhaps ideal (although shoulder rates don't start until 5/1 and summer rates don't start until 6/1). So I wouldn't rule it out (especially considering that we have had a cool/cold winter so far). For me - the ocean is too cold for swimming in the winter (even in south Florida). And - after living in Florida for almost 40 years - well I guess I'm used to the heat. YMMV.

FWIW - my favorite room in the hotel is called an oceanfront junior suite (I've never stayed in a suite in the hotel before). It really isn't a suite - just a very large corner oceanfront room. But it's listed under suites on the website (and all the floor plans are on the website too). Are you planning to play tennis or golf? Robyn

socalterp

Any thoughts on the Gasparilla Inn on Boca Grande? Apparently an older, historic hotel.

Looking for a Mem Wknd trip, most likely with our 2 year old. As nonstop flights from CLT to much of the Caribbean have gotten extremely expensive, looking at Florida as an option.

Gasparilla Inn was suggested, as were Tranquility Bay and Duck Cay in the Keys. Have stayed at the RC South Beach and MO in Miami, but that was before kids.

robyng

Can you live with the dress code at the Gasparilla Inn?

http://www.the-gasparilla-inn.com/acc_dress.php

You might want something more casual if you're traveling with a toddler. Robyn