The 10 Best Hotels In Palm Beach

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Terry Ward, Contributor

Forbes Vetted

If Florida has a gold coast, it’s the roughly 40-mile stretch of coastline skirting the Atlantic Ocean from Jupiter in the north to Boca Raton in the south on the barrier island of Palm Beach. A little over an hour’s drive from Miami, Palm Beach boasts some of the country’s wealthiest zip codes—don’t be surprised by the many mega yachts and oceanfront mansions, both par for the course here. Alongside well-heeled people watching, Gilded Age architecture and a sophisticated bar and restaurant scene, you’ll also find yourself just as swept away by the area’s incredible nature along the golden beaches and mangrove-lined canals and inlets of the Intracoastal Waterway.

The storied town has become a top destination for those seeking a sunny and chic getaway, resulting in an impressive hotel scene. The best hotels in Palm Beach are no strangers to world-class service, exceptional dining and sublime spa and wellness offerings right up there with the best in the country. No matter what town in the county you visit, you’re sure to enjoy top-level golf with salt-tinged breezes, paddleboarding through pastel-hued sunrises and some of Florida’s most spectacular coastal backdrops. Here are our picks for best resorts in Palm Beach for 2023.

• Best Hotel In Palm Beach Overall: White Elephant Palm Beach
• Best Boutique Hotel In Palm Beach: The Ben, Autograph Collection
• Best Hotel In Palm Beach For Families: Opal Grand Resort And Spa
• Best Luxury Hotel In Palm Beach: The Breakers Palm Beach
• Best Hotel For Couples In Palm Beach: The Brazilian Court Palm Beach
• Best Hotel For Golfers In Palm Beach: PGA National Resort
• Best Spa And Wellness Hotel In Palm Beach: Eau Palm Beach Resort And Spa
• Best Beachfront Hotel In Palm Beach: Four Seasons Resort Palm Beach
• Hotel With The Best Amenities In Palm Beach: The Boca Raton
• Hotel With The Best Views In Palm Beach: Palm Beach Marriott Singer Island Beach Resort And Spa

Best Hotel In Palm Beach Overall: White Elephant Palm Beach

White Elephant Palm Beach

Who Will Love It: Fans of the Nantucket outpost in search of all-season sun and fun

All-Star Amenities: In-room Nespresso machines; Turkish towels; poolside ice cream cart; complimentary bikes

What Not To Miss: Cruising around Palm Beach on your own or with a driver in the hotel’s fleet of complimentary BMWs

Location: Palm Beach

There was a collective gasp of joy all the way from Nantucket to Palm Beach in 2020 when this Florida outpost of a beloved New England boutique hotel opened its doors. With just 32 keys (unlocking the hotel’s 13 rooms and 19 suites), the 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 and close to the shopping and dining along palm-lined Royal Poinciana Way. 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 decor’s dominant black, white and natural wood tones. Marbles tiles in the bathrooms, luxe Pratesi linens and bronze elephant door knockers are among the many sophisticated details you’ll find at every turn. 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.

Best Boutique Hotel In Palm Beach: The Ben, Autograph Collection

The Ben, Autograph Collection

Who Will Love It: Boutique hotel devotees who want to be able to walk to everything in downtown West Palm

All-Star Amenities: Rooftop heated saltwater pool with private cabanas; a book butler to deliver books to your room; complimentary beach cruiser bikes

What Not To Miss: Sunset cocktails at Spruzzo overlooking the yachts along the Intracoastal Waterway

Location: Downtown West Palm Beach

For a relaxing and luxurious 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 boutique 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 rooftop saltwater pool patio, complete with outdoor firepits. 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.

Best Hotel For Families In Palm Beach: Opal Grand Resort And Spa

Opal Grand Resort And Spa

Who Will Love It: Families who want to park the car for their stay and have a walkable vacation with tons to do

All-Star Amenities: Onsite kids club; yoga classes on the pool deck with complimentary tea; 24-hour fitness center with TechnoGym equipment; residential-style villas; Nespresso coffee machines in all rooms

What Not To Miss: Dawn-patrol paddle board session to see the serenity of the beach at sunrise

Location: Downtown Delray Beach

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 in the adorable little beach burg of Delray 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 (standup 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.

Best Luxury Hotel In Palm Beach: The Breakers Palm Beach

The Breakers Palm Beach

Who Will Love It: Travelers in search of peak oceanfront luxury

All-Star Amenities: Oceanfront adults-only and family pool with private poolside bungalows; world-class spa; Florida’s oldest golf course; oceanfront Seafood Bar

What Not To Miss: The decadent Sunday brunch at the Circle Room

Location: 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.

Best Hotel For Couples In Palm Beach: The Brazilian Court Palm Beach

The Brazilian Court Palm Beach

Who Will Love It: Couples looking for quiet luxury within walking distance of Worth Avenue and the beach

All-Star Amenities: Complimentary electric Linus bicycles; quiet courtyard pool shaded by towering palms; lounge chairs and umbrellas at the beach; game room; complimentary house car

What Not To Miss: Romantic dinner on the terrace at Cafe Boulud

Location: Palm Beach

Part of what makes the barrier island and town of Palm Beach so alluring is its immaculately landscaped setting of homes owned by millionaires (and billionaires), all within an easy stroll of beautiful beaches and the uber-luxe shopping along Worth Avenue. The best part? You don’t even need to stay in an oceanfront property on the island for a taste of Palm Beach’s very, very good life. 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.

Best Hotel For Golfers In Palm Beach: PGA National Resort

PGA National Resort

Who Will Love It: Golfers who want to make their family feel just as excited for a stay, too

All-Star Amenities: Banyan Buddies Kids Club; vacation homes and cottages (in addition to rooms and suites); six golf courses (including five championship ones)

What Not To Miss: Challenging the three-hole “Bear Trap” at the Champion Course

Location: Palm Beach Gardens

Luxury golf resorts are hardly 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 onsite 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, and a retro ice cream shop called The Big Drip.

Best Spa And Wellness Hotel In Palm Beach: Eau Palm Beach Resort And Spa

Eau Palm Beach Resort And Spa

Who Will Love It: Travelers who require their massages and facials with as much style as possible.

All-Star Amenities: Champagne butlers; kids and teens clubs; oceanfront fire pits; 12-seat omakase restaurant, 42,000-square-foot spa

What Not To Miss: A treatment–any treatment–and lots of downtime after to kick back and relax at the spectacular spa

Location: Manalapan

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.

Best Beachfront Hotel In Palm Beach: Four Seasons Resort Palm Beach

Four Seasons Resort Palm Beach

Who Will Love It: Luxury lovers who want to fall asleep to the lull of crashing surf

All-Star Amenities: Complimentary kids program; complimentary bikes; onsite water sports team; house car to transport you locally, tennis clinics and lessons; teen game room; poolside pop-ups

What Not To Miss: Couples massage in a private spa suite with its own steam room

Location: Palm Beach

About six miles south along the coast from Worth Avenue and Palm Beach proper, 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.

Hotel With The Best Amenities In Palm Beach: The Boca Raton

The Boca Raton

Who Will Love It: Active families and couples who would be happy if they never had to venture off-property at all

All-Star Amenities: Golf; tennis; pickleball; lazy river; yacht charters from the private marina; cabanas and daybeds at the private beach club

What Not To Miss: A complete day of relaxation after the Alhambra Citrus Body Ritual at the Moorish-inspired Spa Palmera

Location: Boca Raton

Florida has its fair share of historic pink-hued palatial resorts, but one reigns supreme for a sophisticated beach vacation. 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 steals the luxury accommodation scene in tony Boca Raton, with more than 1,000 rooms and suites spread across various buildings and 337 tropical acres.

Guests can request to stay at the property’s oceanfront Beach Club, tucked just back from the dunes, at the adults-only, all-suite Yacht Club on the marina, and in the original Cloister building, among other options. The resort’s vast amenities are too numerous to pack in during a long weekend, but you can always try. Between mezze and cocktails at Marisol Greek restaurant, 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, a racquet club with 16 tennis courts and six pickle ball courts and boat rentals, surfing lessons and catamaran cruises for guests to enjoy.

Hotel With The Best Views In Palm Beach: Palm Beach Marriott Singer Island Beach Resort And Spa

Palm Beach Marriott Singer Island Beach Resort And Spa

Who Will Love It: Families and couples craving a luxe residential feel with perfect views

All-Star Amenities: Luxurious one and two-bedroom suites with sweeping ocean views

What Not To Miss: Infinity pool, lagoon pool and waterslides

Location: Riviera Beach

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 179 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.

The hotel’s two pools include a lagoon-style option with waterslides that’s a favorite among families as well as a more mellow oceanfront infinity pool with private cabanas and a Tiki Bar where the blenders whir up frozen concoctions. When you’re not at the pools or beach–snorkeling or snuggling around the fire pit come early evening–make time for a treatment at SiSpa or settle in at the hotel’s oceanfront restaurant, 3800 Ocean & Lounge, for fresh Florida seafood and ocean breezes.

Is It Better To Stay In Palm Beach Or West Palm Beach?

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.

What Is Palm Beach Best Known For?

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.

What Is The Best Month To Visit Palm Beach?

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.

About Terry Ward, Your Palm Beach Guide

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.