When you think of Palm Beach luxury, one of the first things that comes to mind is The Breakers. World known for its first class service, stunning appearance, amazing restaurants and Palm Beach state of mind, this historic property, located just seven miles from Palm Beach International Airport, is truly a destination resort like no other in sunny South Florida.
Whether you come here for a weekend or a week-long vacation, there is so much to do that you won’t ever want, or need, for that matter, to leave the property. From a round of golf on one of the two 18-hole championship courses to a signature treatment at The Spa, you can do everything or choose to do simply nothing at all. Kids love the family entertainment center with arcade, movie room and video game room while families can also play a round of tennis on one of the 10 courts available on this 140-acre property.
We stepped out of our modern guestroom overlooking the ocean and half mile of private beach onto a small balcony (it wasn’t large enough for lounge chairs) to catch some amazing views of pelicans and seagulls flying by.
Brunch in the breathtakingly beautiful Circle Dining Room is an absolute must here. The circle rotunda room with magnificent chandeliers, hand painted ceilings and sprawling ocean views is host to one of the best Sunday brunches in town. For $90 per person, you can indulge in every kind of seafood imaginable — from shrimp, raw clams, lobster tails and claws to Florida stone crab and sushi — as well as an enormous breakfast room filled with cereals, fresh fruit, Danishes, bagels, pastries, hot sticky buns and omelets prepared to your liking.
Move onto the carving station where you will find tender and juicy prime rib, hand carved chicken and fresh ham. Desserts here are sinfully delicious and worth every calorie. We loved the peanut butter pie with chocolate cookie crust, creamy sweet cannoli and rich cheesecakes.
After a brunch this rich, we decided it was time for a bit of relaxation and headed out to the pool. There are actually five pools here complete with cabanas and bungalows and a few designated specifically for youngsters. Be sure to take a walk around the entire property during your stay. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the resort invested $250 million over the past decade. Each year, the Mediterranean-style beach club property continues to reinvest $20 million to ensure it remains appealing to future generations.
We stopped by The Seafood Bar, which hosts one of the coolest aquarium bars we had ever seen. The enormous wrap-around bar is literally a clear glass aquarium that you can put your drink right on while watching schools of colorful fish swim by. The restaurant serves lunch and dinner but we stopped in for a quick drink before heading out to the property’s signature Flagler Steakhouse for dinner.
The steakhouse is located on the second floor of the resort’s clubhouse. We opted for al fresco dining on the terrace for a panoramic view of the golf course. The bone-in filet was tender and juicy while the dry-aged tomahawk rib chop was an enormous cut cooked to perfection. Both were deliciously complemented with sides of mac and cheese gratin, gorgonzola tater tots and creamed spinach. Don’t miss the ultimate indulgence in dessert, carrot cake cheesecake — layers upon layers of carrot cake and cream cheese frosting sat atop an even more heavenly rich cheesecake all topped with walnut caramel.
Make your way through several boutique shops on property as well, including Ralph Lauren, Match (the Breakers’ latest private label concept in footwear), Guerlain, Lilly Pulitzer and Absolutely Suitable (swimwear). We stopped in before heading over to The Spa, a Mediterranean-style, 20,000-square-foot indoor/outdoor spa.
If you arrive early, relax in a steam room or enjoy a sauna before one of your treatments. The Orchidee Imperiale Facial is one of their signature treatments and features 80 minutes of masques and creams designed to smooth and brighten the skin. The hand, scalp and foot massages were a nice added complement to the treatment.
For lunch the following day, we decided to head off property to Phillips Point Club located just 10 minutes away across the Intracoastal Waterway atop the Phillips Point building in downtown West Palm Beach. The penthouse-level restaurant features modern American cuisine with an incredible view of the Intracoastal Waterway, Atlantic Ocean and Palm Beach. We enjoyed the petite Maine lobster rolls before a delicious Nicoise salad with ahi tuna and summer vegetables and chopped Cobb salad.
If you are looking for a luxe stay in Southern Florida, be sure to book a room at The Breakers — you’ll be glad you did. For reservations at The Breakers or more information, visit TheBreakers.com or call (561) 659-8440.
