Pink Paradise : Guide to Palm Beach
It’s not every day that you get to travel with three of your best friends to Palm Beach! Lucky for me, I had the opportunity to travel with Paige of The Pink Clutch Blog, Mary of Mrs. Southern Social and our amazing photographer Andrea Kinnear. Palm Beach is definitely what DREAMS are made of, (at least my dreams 😊)
So let’s get to it! I think after spending a few days here, I’m basically an expert on Palm Beach, right? Our trip was jammed packed with a full itinerary thanks to Paige. Paige has vacationed here many times and knew all the best places to take us. Our trip was nothing short of amazing so I wanted to break down where to eat, shop and stay.
Where to stay:
The Colony Hotel
This is where we chose to stay! It was like a dream Barbie House in my opinion. I’ve always wanted to stay here because of the pink building, brightly decorated rooms and the infamous palm print hallways. It did not let me down! The rooms are small but that didn’t bother me. I stayed with Paige and our room was lavender with chinoiserie curtains and green carpet. The walk-in closet was lavender and white striped wallpaper (one of my favorite details) and the room accessories were all vintage Palm Beach antiques. There are about 6 floors and each hallway is a different color Chippendale pattern with the palm print carpet. We were on the green floor!
The staff was lovely and greeted us with a glass of champagne upon arrival. This entire hotel is decorated so palm-beachy and has that vintage feel. It sort of feels like you stepped into the 1960’s – 1970’s and I LOVE that! The hotel has lots of amenities including complimentary bikes that you can take around Palm Beach. I think we toured the entire city on the bikes one afternoon. Definitely a must. You can see a lot on the bikes and it’s easy to get around the city.
The hotel has a spa, which I wish we had time for, a VERY nice in-house restaurant, bar and a pool. We enjoyed several cocktails, dinner and breakfast in the restaurant. Even if you are not staying here, you must make a reservation and enjoy breakfast by the pool. I recommend the avocado toast.
The pool here is everything! It’s small but that really is one of the reasons why I love this hotel. It’s like a boutique hotel. I love the way the umbrellas, lounge chairs and all the décor coordinates. Even the staff is always coordinating and wears the signature colors pink and green.
The hotel is in a very good location. It’s easy to walk almost everywhere including the famous Worth Avenue and even the beach. But if you don’t want to walk to the beach, the hotel has the cutest “beach buggy” that will take you to the beach and set up pink and white chairs with umbrellas and towels. Talk about great service!!
We came in the off-season which is usually is (April – October) because it’s so hot. But being from the south, the heat doesn’t bother me at all. I recommend coming this time of year because the hotel rates are a lot cheaper and the restaurants are easy to get in to. There is also complimentary coffee in the lobby (important) and they serve it in adorable monogrammed cups. I loved all the branding at this hotel! It’s the little details that get me.
One last fun thing about this hotel, they also have villas you can book if you have a larger group and want to stay together. They are located across the street and are so nice!!! We got the tour of one and I want to stay there next time I come. They have their own pool and kitchen. I just can’t get over all the décor and design in this hotel. Whoever decorated it did a fabulous job! I give this hotel a five star!
One more note, The Colony is located in the perfect spot for a safe early morning run. Whenever I am in a new place I always like to take a run and explore the surroundings. I ran down Worth Avenue and window shopped, by the beach and through the charming neighborhoods.
The Breakers
If you weren’t staying at The Colony, my other recommendation would be The Breakers. The Breakers is another Palm Beach staple. It’s VERY nice and pricier but if you book it in the off-season you can get a much cheaper rate. It’s family friendly and also located on the beach. It has several places to dine and a golf course. This would be a place I would probably take Brett and Mignonne because of all the activities. The Colony is more “Girls Trip” in my opinion. They also offer a champagne brunch on Sundays, which Mary says is worth every penny! Mary and her husband Paul stayed here on their baby moon and she highly recommends! This hotel is gorgeous and so romantic!!
Where to Eat:
We definitely ate our little hearts out while in Palm Beach. Paige knew all the right places to take us. My favorite was probably Sant Ambroeus, the cutest little place for brunch, coffee, lunch or dinner. Below is the breakdown of places we ate and additions from Mary and Paige:
Breakfast/Brunch:
The Colony: You must go here for breakfast and eat poolside. The service was spectacular and so are the views. Again, I recommend the avocado toast.
Surfside Diner: Classic diner and never disappoints
Café Boulud: So pretty and the Lex Price Fixe for brunch is so yummy. Paige recommends the oatmeal, omelets and the key lime pie.
Sant Ambroeus: My FAVORITE!! I had the chicken Panini with fries and it was delish! I bought some cookies to go J
The Breakers: According to Mary, dine in “The Circle” which is the crown jewel of the hotel
Lunch:
Ta-boo: Located on the famous Worth Avenue and ask to sit in the front. When the weather is nice they open the front windows. It is a treat! I had a salad and we enjoyed deviled eggs for an appetizer. Excellent!
Green’s Luncheonette: PB classic…order a club sandwich with a milkshake
The Colony: Again, amazing and they even have a little coffee bar that has sandwiches, coffee and cookies if you are looking for a quick lunch or an afternoon pick me up!
Pizza Al Fresco: Can’t go wrong with pizza but go when it’s not so hot outside
Dinner:
Palm Beach Grill: Lovely place and get the artichokes. I had the burger and it did not disappoint. It was where all the locals go!
The Seafood Bar in The Breakers: Great atmosphere and fabulous food. The filet was a winner. The bar is also really neat (it’s a fish tank)
Drinks:
HMF (inside the Breakers) Perfect for before dinner or after dinner drinks
The Honor Bar: Great option for drinks before eating at Palm Beach Grill. Located right next door
Where to Shop:
If you love to shop, you have come to the right place. There were so many shops that I didn’t have time to go to but maybe that was a good thing because I would be broke!
Worth Avenue: Lots of shops all up and down the street including some of my personal favorites, Lilly Pulitzer, Saks Fifth Avenue, Neiman Marcus, Tory Burch, J. McLaughlin and lots of fine linen and furniture shops. Some good antique places too.
Lycette Needlepoint: I did not get to go here because we ran out of time but if you love to needlepoint then this place is heaven!
The area by Sant Ambroeus has several great stores like Yves Saint Laurent and Hermes. Don’t go shop with Mary at Yves Saint Laurent because you’ll end up buying some new sunglasses.
I could keep going on and on about this trip, well I probably will, but it was one for the books. I love traveling with these girls. I’m not sure why it took me so long to get to Palm Beach but I’ll be coming back very soon. It’s a little slice of heaven!
Photography by: Andrea Kinnear Photography
