As we get close to the start of season in South Florida, October is one last opportunity to take advantage of discounted rates at hotels in the area and get a little local travel in before the holidays. We highly recommend a stay at the The Colony Hotel in Palm Beach – also known as The Pink Paradise. This iconic hotel located just minutes from the beach delivers an unparalleled experience at every turn – beginning with the glass of Whispering Angel rosé offered as you check in for your stay. Providing exceptional service from each staff member, you will feel pampered and relaxed within minutes of entering the property, allowing you to delight in the spectacular design details. The lobby itself is gorgeously designed, with each detail thought out for your viewing pleasure. You’ll enjoy indoor-outdoor experiences at the chic Swifty’s Restaurant, offering a timeless wooden bar and indoor dining along with a lush tropical outdoor dining and bar space that wraps around the pool. The list of services, amenities and events is extensive – starting with live music pool side every Thursday-Sunday.

During your stay at The Colony you’ll be offered complimentary use of their car service from either the vintage, pink Land Rover Defender 110 or their Volvo XC90 depending on availability. You can utilize the car service to be taken to restaurants and excursions on the island of Palm Beach or just to zip around the block to the beach. The Colony’s beach set up is just as you would expect – pink and white striped chairs with matching fringed umbrellas, luxe towels and of course Pink YETI brand coolers filled with complimentary waters. You can also utilize their extremely easy texting concierge service to deliver food directly to your chair on the beach from Swifty’s Restaurant. Once you’ve had your fill of time on the beach, grab a beach cruiser and bike around the gorgeous island of Palm Beach, taking in the sights of the stunning homes, beautiful coastline and tree-lined streets. We highly recommend a visit to The Henry Flagler Museum, which was once Henry Flagler’s private residence and is now a museum filled with fascinating Florida history. You can choose to bike to the museum and at a minimum take in the view of the gorgeous grounds situated on Lake Worth, and bike down the water front pathway.

Dining wise, there are some fabulous restaurant options in Palm Beach, including Renato’s offering Fine Italian Cuisine, HMF located at The Breakers offering a variety of high-end global dishes with a dazzling atmosphere, and Café Boulud a coveted dining spot for fine French food and wine located at The Brazilian Court Hotel.  There are endless dining options, so just text your concierge what you’re looking for and they’ll be able to make recommendations. During our exploration of the island, we found two dining options that were off the beaten path but we highly recommend as we enjoyed our experiences immensely. The first was a hidden gem of an Italian restaurant called Café Via Flora, offering a charming courtyard dining experience under the stars and string lights – providing a romantic al fresco dining experience with fantastic Italian food. You can find Café Via Flora down one of the vias tucked within Worth Avenue. The second was a perfect take-out lunch option at Buccan Sandwich Shop. Located at a walk-up window on site at the fine dining restaurant of Buccan, the sandwiches are absolutely incredible and offer a quick and easy lunch option as you explore the island.

If you prefer to stay onsite at The Colony during your visit, you’ll find plenty to do including poolside trivia every Monday and Bingo each Sunday. You can of course lounge by the pool, grab a coffee at the Pink Paradise Café, or just play a round of cards in The Colony’s “living room” while enjoying a cocktail. This is one visit we loved so much that as we were leaving, we asked each other, when can we come back and do this again. We know you’ll feel the same, and you’ll just have to stay at The Colony in order to truly feel the magic of this one-of-a-kind hotel.

Photo Credit:

Lesley Unruh

Carmel Brantley

Carmel Brantley