Eau Palm Beach, FL

EAU PALM BEACH, FLORIDA

R. Couri Hay is a New York City-based publicist and founder of R. Couri Hay Creative Public Relations. He started his career as one of the original contributing editors to Andy Warhol’s Interview Magazine and went on to write for a variety of publications including Travel Squireand Social Life. Travels with Couri takes you on an adventure to some of the most premier resorts and locations around the world. Follow along with Couri as he shares some tips, tricks, and recommendations when traveling. From floating bars in Jamaica to art galleries in Berlin, Travels with Couri will inspire you to travel the world and become immersed in new cultures.

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As long as there is a bit of a chill in the air on the East Coast the jet set will flock to Palm Beach to play golf and work on their tans. Situated on a pristine beach on the Atlantic Ocean and surrounded by lush tropical gardens is the spectacular Eau Palm Beach Resort & Spa. Reimagined from its previous identity by designer Jonathan Adler, the resort’s accommodations and public spaces are now a feast for the eye. The colorful rooms transport guests with a blue and white color scheme spotted with dashes of yellow in homage to the Florida sunshine. “Palm Beach is all about sea, sun and sky,” Adler says, “and the rooms needed to communicate that; the oceanfront site inspired the color palette.

Taking a cue from his own vacation retreat there, Adler has created a tropical haven for the sophisticated traveler yearning for a tailored experience. Guest rooms have silver bamboo detailing in the entries and accents of cerulean, nickel and chrome that draw your eye into the space then back out to the ocean. Curtains on the sliding glass doors to the balcony are a deep navy with crisp white borders giving a nautical feel. Among Adler’s gestures to the historic setting is a glamorous portrait of Lady Daphne Cameron by photographer Slim Aarons, which hangs on one of the walls. The designer also commissioned pieces by contemporary artists including Leila Jeffreys and Jenna Snyder-Phillips to enhance the settings. “The art in hotels is usually an afterthought, said Adler. Here it was the first thing I thought about.”

The hotel’s 42,000 square foot award-winning Eau Spa is not to be missed. From the expert mani, pedis, facials and massages to the whirl pool, steam, sauna and rain showers, it’s your day in Nirvana. The Eau Zone’s Relaxation Lounge with luxurious cabanas allows for a total sensory escape. One of the spa’s services I’d recommend is the Scrub & Polish Bar that allows you to choose from a dozen formulas and of course there is a full service hair salon. Trust me, you’ll be in heaven.

Other amenities at the resort include Har-tru tennis courts, two swimming pools and a pirate ship themed playground with mini rock-climbing walls for the children. There’s also a varied menu of activities for the whole family including a sea life exploration excursion and for the young adults why not create your own rock band in the hotels state of the art DJ studio or dance in Coast, the social space? Enormous coconut palms shade the pools and courtyard, which are serviced by attendants who will fulfill your every wish from drinks and sunscreen to cool face towels.

Culinary Pursuits

Dining at Eau Palm Beach tantalizes the senses just as much as the rest of the resort.

All the restaurants at the property use fresh ingredients sourced locally in combination with a wide array of imported items such as rare caviars and artisanal cheeses. The breakfast buffet is among the very best in South Florida with an endless selection of treats and taking in the unparalleled view of the ocean from the terrace is how you want to start your day. Lunch and light bites are also served in this sprawling outdoor space.

The modern American Angle restaurant offers fresh line-caught fish, dry-aged prime beef, a unique selection of cocktails and an extensive wine collection. The posh décor sets the scene for the restaurant’s wow factor, an underlit onyx and amber chef’s table strategically placed in the center of the dining room. Try the crab burger with fries and fresh lemonade or the tamarind glazed short ribs with a decadent black truffle lunette. The house sangria, prepared tableside, is quite a novelty and the swanky lobby-side Stir Bar serves signature beverages on the open-air terrace or around a cozy fire pit. On Friday and Saturday nights the Asian flavorings of local celebrity chef Sushi Jo attracts the foodie crowd before a live DJ spins for late night revelers.

Where to Go and What to Do

Eau Palm Beach is 15 minutes from Worth Avenue, Palm Beach’s premiere shopping street, as well as the areas best restaurants and nightspots.

Dine at the iconic Ta-Boo, have drinks at The Colony and if you know a member, have dinner at Mar-a-Lago, Donald’s Trump’s posh private club, once the home of cereal heiress Marjorie Merriweather Post and her daughter, Dina Merrill, who still reigns as Palm Beach’s grand dame. Check out renowned chef Clay Conley’s menu at Buccan and Daniel Boulud’s Café Boulud at The Brazilian Court Hotel. And you might want to consider spending time at the Alchemist Gastropub, which serves bacon instead of nuts at the bar, and brings out an attractive late night crowd. Even The Breakers has a hot new spot called HMF named after oil tycoon Henry Morrison Flagler that attracts the “pretty young things” of Palm Beach society. Of course, before hitting the beach head to the PB Boys Club to pick-up a paddleboard.

Palm Beach is and always has been the epitome of tropical luxury and Eau Palm Beach is the newest jewel on its shores. With a frisky feel that still stays true to the opulent aura that the beach community is synonymous with, you’ll check in for a weekend and never want to leave.