Inside Exclusive Florida
The Town of Palm Beach, Florida, has an air of exclusivity. This boutique hotel is your ticket “in.”
by Hope Philbrick of Getaways for Grownups
[blockquote style=”style-1″ icon=”none”]Palm Beach sprawled plump and opulent between the sparkling sapphire of Lake Worth … and the great turquoise bar of the Atlantic Ocean – F. Scott Fitzgerald in his 1926 short story, “The Rich Boy”[/blockquote]
When your address — even if just for one night — is a stylish Palm Beach society landmark, a place that has hosted notable guests like the Duke and Duchess of Windsor, it’s hard not to feel like you’ve arrived.
Really arrived, as in someone might ask you for your autograph.
Forgive anyone for assuming you must be famous, since guests who’ve strolled through The Colony include heads of state, royalty, movie stars, senators, rock stars, Nobel laureates and other celebrities such as presidents George W. Bush and Bill Clinton, Harry Belafonte, Joan Collins, Phyllis Diller, Zsa Zsa Gabor, Judy Garland, Dorothy Hamill, George Hamilton, Tommy Hilfiger, Estee Lauder, John Lennon, Mike Wallace, Tommy Lee Jones, Dean Martin, Regis Philbin and many others.
No wonder Travel Agent Magazine says that The Colony “serves as a good base for serious celebrity watching.”
But don’t gawk. It kind of ruins the whole “I totally belong here” guise.
In the 1870s, Palm Beach was a little-known settlement. During Prohibition it boomed, thanks to the well-to-do who built extravagant mansions on the island to entertain friends with lavish parties where bootleg liquor flowed freely. Today it’s still an address of choice for folks who can afford properties in the $5+ million range. The Colony is a more affordable way to call Palm Beach home.
Since it opened after World War II in 1947, The Colony has been the center of Palm Beach social life and a popular destination for discerning travelers. The reason may be attributed to location, location: The boutique hotel is just steps away from the beach and the famed Worth Avenue, a three-block, high-end shopping destination for international designer style.
Even if you’re overlooked by the paparazzi, it’s hard not to feel like a celeb at The Colony. Rooms are lovely, spacious and thoughtfully appointed. The hotel is clean, comfortable and upscale. Staffers treat every guest like royalty.
Read more about Palm Beach and The Colony over at Getaways for Grownups.
