City Smarts: You’ll know you’ve traded in the ordinary everyday routine for the time of your life, the minute you set foot in glitzy Palm Beach. With stretches of breathtaking beaches, posh resorts, pampering spas, high-end boutiques, and chic restaurants, the 16-mile long barrier island has long been a playground for the rich and famous, celebs, and those who just want to play. I happen to fall in the latter category. No matter where you fit in, Palm Beach will fulfill your fantasy of an ideal escape.
With an average annual temperature of 78º and approximately 234 days of sunshine per year, the easternmost town in Florida boasts 160 world class golf courses, snorkeling, and diving and water sports. The city of a little over 8,000 residents swells with tourists year-round.
It’s hard to imagine work in such a paradise setting. Yet, the folks in Palm Beach flaunt an $84 million state-of-the-art, 350,000-sq. ft. Palm Beach Convention Center, which hosts world-class conventions, meetings and events.
Lux Lodgings: The Breakers Palm Beach (
http://www.thebreakers.com) is a magical retreat, a luxurious world unto itself. Reigning as one of country’s most iconic resorts, 140 acres of amenities allow you to easily sojourn here ─ without leaving the grounds. First, recondition your mind. This isn’t merely ‘a hotel.’ The Breakers is a cosmopolitan beachside palace ─ an intriguing melding of ultra-modernism seeped in historic elitism. The enchantment begins in the Imperial Suite – overlooking the ocean. At 1,700 sq. ft., the lavish mega-master suite with its private living room, 8-seat dining space, and private balconies permitted me room to roam for a divinely sedentary week. Walking the grounds is a main attraction. The Mediterranean-style beach club imbued the spirit of St. Tropez. Majestic ceilings in every ballroom mimicked intricate ceilings found in magnificent European architecture. A bedazzling collective of over 22 venues are offered for meetings.
Another chic indulgence is Palm Beach’s first beachfront boutique hotel, The Omphoy Ocean Resort. A sharp contract from the Breaker’s, but running a competitive tie for best place to stay, The Omphoy is intimate and swank. Think: where James Bond would stay. If you’re looking for state-of-the-art solitude in an oasis of architectural splendor then The Omphoy wins. Offering 134 guest rooms and suites with private balcony that practically hug up to the Atlantic or Intracoastal Waterway, the calm is unrivaled. The Omphoy’s 8,000-sq. ft. Exhale Spa provides among the best pamper services in the country, and the Meditation Garden lends a tranquil space for you or your group to reflect, deliberate or muse over new projects. Ideal for small groups up to 125, the Omphoy offers eight indoor and outdoor venues (5,150 sq. ft. of event space).
The Power Palate: The most lavish breakfast in town is at The Circle, known for the Breaker’s Sunday Brunch. The extravagant buffet exhibited every morsel imaginable to start the morning while the menu sported enticements like Mango White Chocolate Chip Pancakes and Ricotta Stuffed Crepes. The Top of the Point Restaurant (another Breaker’s site) rendered a bird’s eye view of Palm Beach and an eye-full of fine cuisine choices. Sauté of Local Snapper along with Sautéed Spinach was luscious but light. The best in contemporary Asian cuisine can be experienced at Echo
(www.echopalmbeach.com). I could have made a meal off of my appetizer, Tempura Vegetables. BUT temptation won, and I discovered that there was tummy-space for Thai Curry Chicken and sneak-bites of hubby’s Thai Roast Duck. The Omphoy’s two eateries, Malcolm’s and The Terrace, unveil some of the most artful and mouthwatering dishes in Palm Beach. Be daring! Malcolm’s Octopus is a tantalizing delight on the appetizer line-up, and the Wild Bass is cooked and showcased to perfection.
The VIP Treatment:. An 80-minute Orchidèe facial at the Breaker’s Spa not only left me looking refreshed, but lulled me into a mid-day nap. At the Omphoy, I basically hung out a “do not disturb sign” and rejuvenated in the meditation garden for two glorious hours!
Crowd Pleaser: Book your group for a cruise on the Manatee Queen, to view the largest spot of condensed wealth in America! Nothing like inspiring a crowd to make money than to show ‘em the palatial properties that dot the Intracoastal Waterway.
http://manateequeen.com
Doing Biz In™ examines ideal destinations for business and play. Publicist/travel writer Regina Lynch-Hudson has developed articles, and destination marketing concepts for countless airlines, venues and tourism boards.
www.thewritepublicist.com