9 Best Hotels in Palm Beach and the Treasure Coast, Florida

A tropical oasis, this boutique hotel is a hidden jungle of lush tropical plants, only a block from the beach. Each room is individually decorated in tropical prints, with rattan and wicker or sleek modern furnishings. The luxe villas have smart TVs, private patios or balconies, and dedicated Wi-Fi access. Both suites and rooms have full kitchens (kitchenettes are in the studios). Two pools, including a waterfall pool, along with a thatched Tiki Bar, plus hammocks under the palms, promise the perfect South Florida experience. Live music at the Tiki Bar draws locals as well as hotel guests. Homemade sangrias and a list of frozen concoctions are the drinks du jour. Though no restaurants are on site, there are many—along with cute shops—within the block on Atlantic Avenue.

In West Palm's charming Grandview Heights historic district—and just minutes away from both downtown and the beach—this warm and personalized B&B offers a wonderful respite from South Florida's big-hotel norm. With 17 eclectic units spread over a city block, Casa Grandview's principal "inn," cottages, and suites exemplify Florida architecture through the decades circa 1919–49 but come equipped with plenty of modern-day amenities, too. Each unit or room has its own name, personality, furnishings, and history. Grantham's Library Suite, for example, is in the former kitchen of the 1925 Spanish Mediterranean home and adjacent to the extensive house library. With the likes of Florida Craftsman cottages, 1948 art deco cabana-bungalows, and the principal inn—a conjoined 1919 Spanish-mission home and 1925 Mediterranean-revival home refitted with modern amenities—Casa Grandview keeps Florida's fledgling history in style.

The Fairfield is a good value for travelers who don't require room service or a fancy spa. It's predictable Fairfield fare: rooms are comfortable; the hotel has centers for business and fitness and an outdoor pool and whirlpool; breakfast is complimentary and includes fresh fruit and pastries. The hotel sits across from Lake Worth Beach and its small retail promenade.

Defining the Florida B&B experience, this 1925 Mediterranean-revival home overlooks a serene courtyard pool and has loads of charm and personality, while the fabulous owners provide heavy doses of bespoke service. Grandview is located on a quiet residential street, a short walk from The Square and the Kravis Center. The B&B is warmly decorated with terra-cotta floors, a coral-stone fireplace, and terraces overlooking gardens where you can enjoy breakfast. Each spacious room has French doors opening to individual patios overlooking the pool. Grandview also has two adjacent cottages available for weekly rental.

The only hotel near the polo fields in the equestrian mecca of Wellington—10 miles west of downtown Palm Beach—feels a bit like a tony clubhouse, with rich wood paneling, hunt prints, and elegant chandeliers; but inside the rooms are standard Hampton Inn fare. Recently spruced up with new carpeting, the one-bedroom apartment-style suites have sleeper sofas, refrigerators, and microwaves. Some rooms have a lake view. If equestrian pursuits are your thing, this is the place to be. Plus, it's close to some of the more off-the-beaten-path tourist attractions, including kid-favorite Lion Country Safari.

A hidden find in Palm Beach Gardens, this hotel sits on a small lake next to a residential area but near two shopping malls and close to PGA golf courses. Well landscaped, with comfortable common areas and a friendly staff greeting guests, it provides a respite for both business travelers and tourists. A pool and hot tub lakeside, along with garden seating next to a walking trail on the lake, offer relaxation. Rooms have Sleep Number beds as well as microwaves, mini-refrigerators, and coffeemakers. Ergonomic work stations, along with a 24-hour business center and free Wi-Fi, make it easy for those on working vacations. A restaurant serves three meals, including a breakfast buffet and cooked-to-order dishes; the lobby bar has comfy seating with a lake view, especially nice at sunset.

In downtown, the contemporary business hotel situated next door to the county convention center has a pool with cabanas many resorts would envy. All rooms have 55-inch flat-screen TVs, and executive rooms have a separate seating area. Free Wi-Fi is provided to all guests, and an upscale fitness center is on site. Two restaurants offer American and global menus sourced from local purveyors, while a poolside bar sates sunbathers. Several other shopping, dining, and bar choices are at The Square, across the street, and the Kravis Center, a performing arts center, is a couple of blocks away.

With a 77-slip marina, a full water-sports program, a golf course, two pools, tons of tennis courts, and children's activities, this self-contained resort is excellent for families, most of whom prefer to stay in the tower directly on the ocean. Nevertheless, the main building on the Intracoastal Waterway (or Indian River, as it is called here) has a lovely, spacious pool courtyard and shuttle transport to the beach. The rooms have quality fixtures like granite vanities, plush bedding, and soothing beach-accented decor. Wet bars are in all guest rooms, and the rooms in the beachside Sandpiper building have kitchenettes. The staff here are genuinely friendly and interested in making you feel at home—so much so that they'll organize children's activities even if yours are the only kids on the property. At the resort's golf-centric Ocean Club, you'll find 18 holes, a warm-up aqua range, and a putting green for members and hotel guests only. The only thing this hotel doesn't have is a wide range of eating options (there's an outdoor café at each pool, and there's just one indoor sit-down restaurant), but it gives you more of an excuse to try the great local cuisine.

The sleek, modern resort is home to the only waterfront dining in Boca Raton as well as light and airy rooms with views of the Intracoastal Waterway and the ocean. A wide hallway studded with modern art leads from the front desk to the jazzy BL Lounge, bathed in light from sweeping floor-to-ceiling windows, overlooking Boca Lake. On the east, dockside seating overlooking the Intracoastal Waterway is at the outdoor Seaspray. Rooms are modern, and bathrooms are tricked out, some with soaking tubs, trough sinks, and glass-walled showers. Balconies provide views of the Intracoastal Waterway and the ocean. Walk to the beach, or take the beach shuttle—the hotel provides chairs and umbrellas. Otherwise, laze by the waterfront pool sipping a cool one from the patio bar. Water-sports rentals are available here as well.