Palm Beach: luxury under the coconut trees
This quiet island may well be the haunt of celebrities and billionaires – including a certain Donald Trump – but wise choices allow you to savor its charms without emptying your bank account. A thrifty getaway in the heart of tropical luxury.
By Marie Bernier
March 11, 2024
A geography lesson, first. The town of Palm Beach is located on a narrow island, bordered to the east by the immensity of the turquoise Atlantic Ocean. To the west, three lifting bridges connect it to the municipality of West Palm Beach on the mainland. If it is in Palm Beach that we find the chic villas and high-end brands that attract the American elite, West Palm Beach constitutes a more than suitable home base for the visitor – who will surely appreciate reducing by half the bill for his accommodation. Going from one bank to the other is only a few minutes’ walk – but it’s better to check the opening times of the bridges (lift bridges, remember!) before leaving your hotel. At regular intervals, the road rises towards the sky, reaching an almost perfect verticality to allow imposing yachts to pass – a singular spectacle.
Very close to the Flagler Memorial Bridge, on the West Palm Beach side, stands the eight-story boutique hotel The Ben . Inaugurated in 2020, the place is worth the detour alone. The Ben pays homage to a 19th century American author, Byrd Spillman Dewey, who built an estate for himself – the Ben Trovato, as in the Italian expression “se none vero, e ben trovato” (it is not maybe not true, but it’s a good story) – in a Florida still in the wild, out of a taste for adventure. “She was a true pioneer, as well as being the breadwinner for the family,” said Thom Stewart, the hotel’s director of sales and marketing.
Everywhere, unusual decorative elements recall the imagination of the muse: a copper alligator head emerging from the wall, rattan swings adjoining a library and quantity of lush plants, in an exotic refinement which would not disorient the characters of the The White Lotus series. At aperitif time, tourists and locals meet on the roof, to take a dip in the salt water swimming pool or sip a cocktail at Spruzzo, a very trendy barrestaurant. Be careful not to forget your sunglasses. Not that the sun’s rays are really bright, since a superb work reminiscent of a water lily protects the customers. It is rather because of the panorama: the marina below and, as far as the eye can see, its yachts, sparkling white. No doubt: wealth is much brighter in the sun, no offense to Aznavour.
Beauty of the beaches
The wallet panics in the proximity of so much wealth? It’s a sign that it’s time to head to the beach. Nature costs nothing (or almost). And the choice is vast. This is the Sunshine State, after all! Translucent water, dizzying palm trees … it feels like a postcard. Here are three suggestions.
• Easy option: Palm Beach municipal beach. This long stretch of blond sand is perfect for a few hours of when I visited, in April, the waves were still cool. Nearby, the iconic Clock Tower is worth a photo stop. Only problem: the beach is located at the end of Worth Avenue, a famous commercial street with a Mediterranean appearance where you can find Louis Vuitton and other Chanels of this world … Beware of temptation!
• Sports option: John D. MacArthur State Park. Its protected beach, immense and peaceful, is well worth the two US dollars that access costs (add five dollars per vehicle). Even on a sunny Saturday in high season, the place is not very busy and you can easily convince yourself that you are alone in the world on your towel. As a bonus: the possibility of borrowing nautical equipment (kayaks, paddle boards, masks and snorkels).
• Unusual option: Peanut Island. Ideal for family trips. The 10-minute ferry crossing will amuse the youngest (US$18 for a round trip and half price for a child aged 9 and under). We will impress the teenagers by ordering dinner from the pizzeria boat that skims these crystal clear waters. Do any members of the group prefer history to swimming? Just take them to see the bunker built during the Cold War for former President John F. Kennedy.