By Beth Landman
It’s an exciting time in South Florida, with a landscape that has seen some dramatic changes since last season. As we get ready to retreat from the cold, here are some highlights, from the largest spa opening in the state, to a new golf resort in West Palm Beach and new restaurants from owners of beloved Bice and Carbone.
HOTELS
Amrit Ocean Resort on Singer Island, which opened this year, has classes in nutrition and meditation, as well as a broad range of fitness options, and provides a web-based platform to help guests monitor progress and achieve wellness goals throughout their stay, and after. The most expansive spa in Florida, it contains 25 treatment rooms with ultra-comfy Lemi massage tables, infusions and health assessments in collaboration with board-certified physicians and medical practitioners. There is also an indoor/outdoor water therapy circuit with cryotherapy, halotherapy and hydrotherapy, along with a hydro-reflexology path, an arctic chill fountain and an effusion shower. A separate large hammam offers wraps, scrubs and scalp treatments. amritocean.com
Also on that island, the Marriott Singer Island Beach Resort & Spa has had an overhaul, complete with a reimagined lobby and a new oceanfront restaurant, ONA Coastal Cuisine. marriott.com
Palm House, from British L+R’s Iconic Luxury Hotels collection, is due to open on Palm Beach island next year. Bartenders wearing white tuxedos serve on a pink marble station, and staff keeps guests hydrated at the pool by coming around with mists of Evian spray. palmhouse.com
The Vineta, from Oetker (Hôtel du Cap-Eden-Roc and Le Bristol Paris), is set to reveal its first U.S. hotel, in partnership with the English Reuben brothers, on the site of the old Chesterfield at the beginning of next year. It will have indoor and outdoor dining, as well as a lushly landscaped pool area. oetkercollection.com/hotels/the-vineta-hotel/
The Breakers Palm Beach, which offers an array of activities including golf, multiple swimming pools and a fitness center, will be adding a new racquet center with 12 tennis, two pickleball and two padel courts, each with its own cabana. thebreakers.com
The Brazilian Court adds a touch of humor to its elegant offerings, with Comedy at the Court, a series of shows. The hotel also has a complimentary yacht experience, offering guests a sail complete with a captain and snacks from Café Boulud. This month, celebrity stylist Rita Hazan begins a seasonal residency. thebraziliancourt.com
Each year, The Colony invites fabulous collaborators to up the guest experience. In an area just off the lobby, Dolce & Gabbana will set up shop near The Colony Edit, with a curated assortment including gifts and wellness products. Madison Apothecary also has an outpost this year on the hotel’s mezzanine. thecolonypalmbeach.com
For the first time, Hippocrates Wellness offers a day pass called “Paradise Passport,” so that even those not checking in can enjoy the pool, hot tub and gym, in addition to attending lectures, downing wheatgrass shots, having lunch and experiencing energy medicine treatments—guided visualizations with sound therapy—to manage stress and improve sleep. hippocrateswellness.org
The beach club at The Boca Raton has just reopened after a massive renovation. Rooms have been overhauled and new restaurants unveiled, including Marisol and Onda, a Caribbean-flavored spot on the waterfront, which has opened with chef Adriano Venturini of Eden Roc Cap Cana at the helm. The resort’s Spa Palmera has added a slew of treatments, including a “Lavender Fields” massage aimed at easing anxiety; a maternity massage that implements a coconut mask on hands and feet; and a red carpet anti-aging facial with microcurrent, red light, and an oxygenating mask. thebocaraton.com
Renaissance Boca Raton Hotel in Boca just launched “La Piscine” Sunday poolside parties last month at its outdoor restaurant, WET by Meat Market. The French Riviera-themed events have live music, along with food and cocktails. renaissance-hotels.marriott.com
In Miami, luxe oceanfront resort and spa Acqualina Resort & Residences is now furnishing rooms with the all-natural Tuscan line Seed to Skin, becoming the first American hotel to carry the brand. The Matcha Soap cleanser, with tea, cypress and Sicilian mandarins will make you a believer. The property also has a new fitness facility with co-ed relaxation lounge, in case you want to socialize post-massage, or unwind with a partner. For guests who prefer to keep sexes separate, there is still a lounge exclusively for women. If you arrive achy, or overexert yourself at the new fitness center or in one of the complimentary fitness classes, book the new Stress Relief Back Massage, which uses CBD oil to reduce inflammation. acqualinaresort.com
Carillon Miami Wellness Resort
Always a forerunner in cutting-edge spa treatments, this wellness resort is now offering Icoone, which uses microstimulation to enhance lymphatic drainage on the face and body, reduce cellulite, and improve overall circulation; Cryo-Lean, a combo of cold therapy and shock waves to break down fat cells; and Oya, a technology that offers an analysis to address frequency imbalances in the body. When guests are done with their therapies, they can treat themselves to a seven-course meal downstairs at Michelin-starred Tambourine Room by Tristan Brandt. carillonhotel.com
BEAUTY AND FITNESS
Paul Labrecque
The star stylist, who has locations in New York and Philadelphia, has opened a new, larger salon and spa in the The Royal Poinciana Plaza, featuring an array of treatments from Biologique Recherche and Environ, including a scalp treatment meant to stimulate hair growth, and a separate room for bespoke hairpieces.
paullabrecque.com
NY Doctors
Some of New York’s top dermatologists, including Anetta Reszko, Paul Jarrod Frank and Howard Sobel, will be holding office hours in Palm Beach this season. Apart from consultations, they will also be doing injectables and bringing along some of their high-tech tools.
LifeTime West Boca
A lavish new 37,000-square-foot club will open in late 2025 in Uptown Boca. In addition to Pilates programming, it will feature a co-ed wet suite with cold plunge, sauna and steam, and a healthy cafe. lifetime.life
RESTAURANTS
Salute
The owners of Bice Ristorante, one of Palm Beach island’s most popular haunts, are opening a seafood-focused Italian restaurant in Palm Beach Towers, just across from The Royal Poinciana.
Milos
The restaurant that helped ignite New York’s love affair with Greek food is due to open early next year, just over the middle bridge in West Palm. Expect tomato salad, octopus, lavraki, charcoal-grilled lamb chops and other Hellenic dishes. estiatoriomilos.com
Nobu Manalapan
An outpost of the legendary Japanese-Peruvian mecca has set up shop in the elegant lobby of the Eau Hotel, bringing with it favorites like black cod with miso and yellowtail sashimi. eaupalmbeach.com/dining/nobu-manalapan
Osteria by Capri
The focus is actually on the cuisine of Calabria (Joey Capri is the chef’s name). There are seven different ways to order veal, and brick-oven pizza with grilled chicken, pesto and spinach is a standout. osteriadg.com
Fern West Palm Beach
The owners of this seasonal spot that doubles as an art gallery have their own ranch, for sourcing wagyu beef and pork, and they also partner with local farms for the produce used in dishes like a salad of red oak leaf lettuce, delicata squash, pomegranate, heirloom tomato, cucumber and peanut gremolata with roasted grape vinaigrette. fernwpb.com
Amar Mediterranean Kitchen and Bar
The popular Lebanese restaurant in Delray that served up an extensive array of craveable vegetarian options has finally expanded from its tiny room to a larger space with a lively bar. amardelray.com
Fiolina Ristorante
James Beard award winner Fabio Trabocchi, whose D.C. restaurant, Fiola, received a Michelin star, opened Fiolina last year, and will premiere this spot, featuring handmade pasta, on Boca’s Restaurant Row. fiolinapasta.com
Kasumi
The prime waterfront perch at the Waterstone Resort & Marina has morphed into a stellar Japanese restaurant from James Beard Award-winning chef Takashi Yagihashi, who appeared on both Iron Chef and Top Chef, and restaurateur Jonathan Fox. kasumiboca.com
Carbone Vino
Major Food Group, the force behind Carbone and Torrisi, opens an enoteca in Coconut Grove this month, focusing on over 600 wine selections, many available by the glass, to accompany Italian dishes and a background of art by Vito Schnabel. carbonevino.com/coconutgrove
Claudie
The latest from Riviera Dining Group is this plant-filled French Mediterranean in Brickell, inspired by the Côte d’Azur and cuisine of Roger Vergé. Look for pâtes au caviar and tableside gazpacho from executive chef Luigi Iannuario. claudierestaurant.com