Royal Palm Club

Royal Palm Club Review

This gem feels like an update on a colonial Maugham tale, down to the eccentric expats, rumors of royal visits, and wildly eclectic yet elegant decor. Though it technically operates as a "private membership club," anyone can call for reservations. The gingerbread-trim house, swallowed up in elaborate gardens, reputedly hosted Queen Elizabeth II and Princess Margaret during their 1962 trip. The interior features a marvelous mosaic bar (casual wine-and-pasta or pizza dinners are served here and at the downstairs poolside bar), stone walls, hardwood floors, stained glass, Turkish throw rugs, Indonesian kites, and 17th-century French sideboards. The enclosed patio, doubling as the main dining room, enchants with sweeping Caribbean views and fluttering butterflies. There are special evenings, such as the all-you-can-eat Italian and Chinese buffets and Tuesday film screenings. Four-course set-dinner menu choices might include garlic shrimp over linguine in a light Parmesan-cream sauce or slow-roasted pork tenderloin in orange-marmalade sauce. The peripatetic co-owners include the delightful Trevor Stephenson, who will regale you with his "lifestyles of the poor and infamous" anecdotes.