Want Florida resort that offers quiet, beach, pool, pampering - help me narrow it down pls!
Mar 15th, 2007, 02:43 PM
#21
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escargot,
must chime in here and second The Breakers. You are the second person I am recommending it to today. My mother and I go every year in April and have a fabulous time for many of the reasons that you are looking for. Here are my reasons why...
PBI is an easy little airport and I think the drive time is about 20 minutes to The Breakers.
The Breakers has 4 fab pools with the option of renting your own personal bungalow for the day. You can have massages in your bungalow or at the relaxing pool side spa. Great lunch options poolside as well.
There are over 5 restaurant options on site from The Seafood Bar, The Flagler Steakhouse and L'Escalier to keep you happy at night. There's a sushi/funky restaurant called Echo as well but we've never been there. People rave about it. After dinner you can have a drink at The Seafood Bar (always a fun little crowd) or in a quiet corner of the Tapestry Bar right off the lobby.
We see very few children when we go in April, and, I would guess since school is still in session in May you would find this to be so as well.
If you are tempted to go off site one night for dinner, I would recommend Cafe Boulud (about 5 minute drive) for an intimate, sophisticated dinner outside in their courtyard with fountain!
We've been to The FS and Ritz in the Palm Beach area and they don't compare in our minds with the ambiance and warmth of The Breakers. To me they seem just like a Four Seasons or Ritz in any other city in America. For unique old world Florida charm, you can't go wrong with The Breakers.
Good luck with your decision!
must chime in here and second The Breakers. You are the second person I am recommending it to today. My mother and I go every year in April and have a fabulous time for many of the reasons that you are looking for. Here are my reasons why...
PBI is an easy little airport and I think the drive time is about 20 minutes to The Breakers.
The Breakers has 4 fab pools with the option of renting your own personal bungalow for the day. You can have massages in your bungalow or at the relaxing pool side spa. Great lunch options poolside as well.
There are over 5 restaurant options on site from The Seafood Bar, The Flagler Steakhouse and L'Escalier to keep you happy at night. There's a sushi/funky restaurant called Echo as well but we've never been there. People rave about it. After dinner you can have a drink at The Seafood Bar (always a fun little crowd) or in a quiet corner of the Tapestry Bar right off the lobby.
We see very few children when we go in April, and, I would guess since school is still in session in May you would find this to be so as well.
If you are tempted to go off site one night for dinner, I would recommend Cafe Boulud (about 5 minute drive) for an intimate, sophisticated dinner outside in their courtyard with fountain!
We've been to The FS and Ritz in the Palm Beach area and they don't compare in our minds with the ambiance and warmth of The Breakers. To me they seem just like a Four Seasons or Ritz in any other city in America. For unique old world Florida charm, you can't go wrong with The Breakers.
Good luck with your decision!
Mar 15th, 2007, 03:24 PM
#22
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Here is where I am at today, although I've yet to bounce off my husband:
Ritz Amelia Island moved to the probably not list because they tell me that while they are renovating the spa, it will be finished they "expect" by early April so certainly all complete by first week in May.....I don't know, this makes me leery. Construction, in my experience, never finishes on time or at least not all the tiny detail/ finish work/etc even if it is the Ritz.....
Also, although the weather should be lovely everywhere in May, I am more assured in Naples or Palm Beach... so I am making my final 'comparison list' but am on hold at Naples Ritz and waiting to hear from Breakers. Flights are wide open so I am not worried about coordinating that and we can move a day or so either way
Bermudafan... especially b/c of your name...and anyone else who wants to chime in...
today someone said to me 'how about the
Cambridge Beaches in Bermuda - they have everything you want -
so I looked at that, as we had always stayed at the Reefs or Elbow Beach when in Bermuda as a couple and it looks fabulous and while they don't have an opening beginning on the 10th, they do two days later, so I can move it forward.....
any thoughts or am I tempting fate as far as weather in Bermuda that early in May?
Ritz Amelia Island moved to the probably not list because they tell me that while they are renovating the spa, it will be finished they "expect" by early April so certainly all complete by first week in May.....I don't know, this makes me leery. Construction, in my experience, never finishes on time or at least not all the tiny detail/ finish work/etc even if it is the Ritz.....
Also, although the weather should be lovely everywhere in May, I am more assured in Naples or Palm Beach... so I am making my final 'comparison list' but am on hold at Naples Ritz and waiting to hear from Breakers. Flights are wide open so I am not worried about coordinating that and we can move a day or so either way
Bermudafan... especially b/c of your name...and anyone else who wants to chime in...
today someone said to me 'how about the
Cambridge Beaches in Bermuda - they have everything you want -
so I looked at that, as we had always stayed at the Reefs or Elbow Beach when in Bermuda as a couple and it looks fabulous and while they don't have an opening beginning on the 10th, they do two days later, so I can move it forward.....
any thoughts or am I tempting fate as far as weather in Bermuda that early in May?
Mar 15th, 2007, 05:28 PM
#24
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Not exactly what you are looking for, but check out Aventura -
http://www.fairmont.com/TurnberryIsle/
Great spa, restaurants, hotel, pampering. Rooms are not oceanfront - you have to take a shuttle to their private Ocean Club - but it's a wonderful place for your "total recovery"
http://www.fairmont.com/TurnberryIsle/
Great spa, restaurants, hotel, pampering. Rooms are not oceanfront - you have to take a shuttle to their private Ocean Club - but it's a wonderful place for your "total recovery"
Mar 15th, 2007, 05:50 PM
#26
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Well the decision has been made.
(Starsville you are funny, 'retail therapy for my recovery' - THAT, my dear friend, I've been doing!
Once I was well enough to shop, but still couldn't drive, my girlfriends made sure we made excursions to the local shops- nothing like a few new goodies for my trip
- Turnberry would be a lovely option- but wanted something new and my in-laws used to live there -
SO. Ritz Amelia Island didn't want to chance the spa renovations being done -
Cambridge Beaches meant changing the dates too much -
BREAKERS here we come -
the beach bungalows they have was a huge tipping point for me b/c I will have to watch sun exposure still for post surgery scar so it was nice to have that sun/shade combo for me without it just being an umbrella -
if our experience is one quarter as nice as speaking to them on the telephone was - then I'll be thrilled ! We have our room reserved, our beach bungalow across from the relaxation pool for a few of the days, made our spa treatment appts for the others and marked my calendar to make our dinner rezzies one month out - plus, easy distance from the airport -
Never mind the retail therapy Starsville.....planning the vacation just did wonders for the recovery
THANK YOU to all of you who gave wonderful recommendations. I have such a list now on each of these places and their offerings, our next few get a ways will require just a phone call !
Again, many thanks for taking the time to help out.
(Starsville you are funny, 'retail therapy for my recovery' - THAT, my dear friend, I've been doing!
Once I was well enough to shop, but still couldn't drive, my girlfriends made sure we made excursions to the local shops- nothing like a few new goodies for my trip
- Turnberry would be a lovely option- but wanted something new and my in-laws used to live there - SO. Ritz Amelia Island didn't want to chance the spa renovations being done -
Cambridge Beaches meant changing the dates too much -
BREAKERS here we come -
the beach bungalows they have was a huge tipping point for me b/c I will have to watch sun exposure still for post surgery scar so it was nice to have that sun/shade combo for me without it just being an umbrella -
if our experience is one quarter as nice as speaking to them on the telephone was - then I'll be thrilled ! We have our room reserved, our beach bungalow across from the relaxation pool for a few of the days, made our spa treatment appts for the others and marked my calendar to make our dinner rezzies one month out - plus, easy distance from the airport -
Never mind the retail therapy Starsville.....planning the vacation just did wonders for the recovery
THANK YOU to all of you who gave wonderful recommendations. I have such a list now on each of these places and their offerings, our next few get a ways will require just a phone call !
Again, many thanks for taking the time to help out.
I will be near there (Singer Island) for the next 2 weeks. Going there for dinner.
May 22nd, 2007, 12:16 PM
#36
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Thanks to all of you for your help - we had a marvelous time at the Breakers - it was perfection to the nth degree.
Trip report is up if you are interested in details -
http://fodors.com/forums/threadselec...1&tid=35003284
thanks again.
Trip report is up if you are interested in details -
http://fodors.com/forums/threadselec...1&tid=35003284
thanks again.
