If you arrive by one of their boats, it is included in your room rate, they leave every hour from Little Torch Key. Seductive. Editors Note: The author of this story was hosted by Little Palm Island. Luxury brands know that. I dont want to be trapped on an island forever. A typical Florida itinerary includes the beach, theme park, or both both great options but the state is also full of picture-perfect islands, from small private oases to well-known hot spots. In 1998, Ben Woodsen (who was the developer) and four of his friends worked together to find premium land and establish a unique product that could only be found in the Florida Keys by breaking into the Keys luxury resort market, explains Foster. Isnt it lovely? she asks. Most guests at Little Palm spend their time lounging by the pool or playing on the beach. Photography courtesy of Little Palm Island Resort & Spa. Nearly the whole map is circled. We finally get close enough to the tiny beach that I cut the engine and jump out, pulling the boat behind me as my feet navigate the limestone. After dinner one night during my recent visit, I came back to my bungalow to find rose petals everywhere. In Florida, none of us live far from the water or a pretty sunrise, but too often we overlook them. There are no activities on the island. I can unsubscribe any time using the unsubscribe link at the end of all emails. The Best Hotels in the Florida Keys for Waterfront Dining, #1 She offers us a signature rum cocktail, the Gumby Slumber, while we wait on the shaded dock for the tender that will deliver us to the island. Little Palm Island is located a short boat ride from Little Torch Key in the Florida Keys. If youre not completely sold on Little Palm Island Resort for your next vacation, heres another resort to consider. Later that morning, I have a spa visit booked: the Organic Slimming Seaweed Leaf Wrap, an experience that involves getting first exfoliated with crunchy dried seaweed and then wrapped in kelp that smells like oysters. As soon as the appetizer of a tomato and feta salad was placed down, the aromas of fresh herbs indicated a treat was in store for dinner. I stayed in an Island Romance Suitea secluded oceanfront bungalow framed by lush tropical foliage. For something a bit different from the usual Florida routine, head to St. George Island, an uncrowded, 28-mile retreat in the Gulf of Mexico just off the northern Florida Panhandle. Irma came over Big Munson like barber shears; the hurricane took the mangroves that once circled the shore and tossed them just off the beach. To the left, the Atlantic Ocean splays out like the base paint of a watercolor, its surface dancing with activity. The Dining Room is your destination for la carte meals, though delivery via Suite Service is a must at least once to enjoy dining amidst the sea breezes from the comfort of your own luxurious enclave. Where Is Little Palm Island? Its the reason why for more than 40 years this island has been a notoriously posh getaway for celebrities, presidents, and the jet-set. ), Little Palm Island is exactly the kind of island I could actually stay on for the rest of my life. Best Whiskies For Your Summer Grilling, Shh! A small living room. Afterward, we head up to the Great Room, a comfy living roomlike space above the restaurant. Everything is steeped in luxury, from the vaulted ceilings of the bungalows to the fluffy white lounge chairs on the beach we find ourselves in after breakfast. The Little Palm Island room rate is very expensive, is Little Palm Island worth it? Diego Travel Hotel Review | Little Palm Island Next time, I will be sure to add on a few more extra days. You can expect rooms to run around $1290 to $1590 a night. It is very pricey. But why would you want to leave paradise? Coconut sugar body scrub, anyone? Hi! In addition to the top-notch sensorial programming created to enhance the resort experience, another aspect of Little Palm Island that resonates with my soul are the vast offerings of water activities available to guests. Answer 1 of 4: Staying in Key West how do you get tp Little Palm Island for lunch? Wedding at Little Palm Island, Florida Keys - Megan Ellis Little Palm Island - The Most Romantic Getaway in Florida Theres a fitness center and a full-service spa as well as three restaurants, which is nice for more dining variety. Island guests can arrive via private boat, seaplane (chartered through Tropic Ocean Airways), or car. These stunning views have been drawing people to Little Palm for decades, but its reputation as a top-end resort is relatively new. Its not only a treasured island, but also one of the best beach towns in Florida. America's Best Private Island Resort Is Back And Better Than - Forbes MM 28.5 OS, 28500 Overseas Hwy., Little Torch Key, Florida 33042, USA I highly recommend breakfast in your bungalow (or at the restaurant), and be sure to get lunch poolside too (the tuna tostadas are OUT OF THIS WORLD!). Where to Stay in The Keys When Money Doesnt Matter, #4 Instead, most guests opt to disconnect distraction-free and take advantage of the "take a book, leave a book" lending library that is, if they can pry their eyes away from nature's ever-evolving palette of colors (and Key deer sightings). 2023 Smarter Travel Media LLC. Palm trees, hammocks, mangroves and West Indian dcor provide a tropical touch to this boutique resort. I can unsubscribe any time using the unsubscribe link at the end of all emails. Everything You Need to Know About Staying at Little Palm Island in the 12 Best Private Islands For Rent 2020 - Rent Private Islands - VERANDA Its important to remember that, while pretty, they arent long and spacious like Floridas mainland. Little Palm Island Courtesy of Little Palm Island "Little Palm Island is one of a kind. If you buy something through our links, we may earn a commission. 1 Little Palm Island: $250,000 for three nights Danny Lehman // Getty Images Little Palm Island, a highly acclaimed, adults-only resort off the Florida Keys, is opening up the entire island to groups of up to 60 people. Flamingo Magazine, Try on a Different Life at One of These Homey Florida Hotels, The 12 Best Places to Unwind in Winter Garden. Im reminded of how great it feels to travel again, especially to a resort with such promise. The early risers can take in the Atlantic sunrises while the night owls enjoy Gulf Sunsets. There are just 15 thatched-roof bungalows. Courtesy of Little Palm Island Resort & Spa. VERY expensive. But it seems most everyone here spends days with a schedule dictated only by sunrises and sunsets and passing clouds. The Best Hotels in the Florida Keys for Waterfront Dining, Where to Stay in The Keys When Money Doesnt Matter, Hotels That Serve Up the Best Key Lime Pie in the Florida Keys, Hyatt Residence Club Key West, Windward Pointe, Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. We look out toward Cuba over a blue mirror of sea that simply fades into sky, no horizon, just every shade of blue, like a Sherwin-Williams paint guide, the sun cloaked by a backlit fog. Repeat guests will return to find the home-away-from-home they know and love, with its crushed seashell paths and own set of rules for laid-back living, restored yet upgraded with new features like the addition of a fitness center, a larger indoor-outdoor bar at Monkey Hut Lounge, a refreshed boutique, and a second-floor Great Room, home to the only TV on the island. The outdoor bathtub was filled with bubbles. How to Throw an All-Star First Birthday Party All About Harrisons Rookie Year Birthday!. Shaded by palms and sea grape trees, lined with orchids and lush foliage, the pool deck winds and twists to create private little pockets of serenity. Its almost like sailing over the top of a roller coasterthe wind tousling your hair, the sun beaming down on your face, the feeling of near-weightlessness and pure exhilaration as you soar across the Seven Mile Bridge in Marathon with almost nothing on either side except the color blue, from the sky to the water, just blue. Pourquoi Pas Island - Wikipedia It was incredible. Little Palm Island: America's Only Private Island You've - Forbes For more space to relax, choose from an Island Grand Suite or an Island Premier Suite. Little Palm Island is a piece of paradise. Little Palm Island is a five-acre islet off the Lower Keys that has everything you could wish for in a romantic Florida getaway: thatched-roof bungalows (like you see in Fiji brochures), exquisite dining by the sea (with your feet in the sand if you like), remarkable ocean views, wandering key deer, lush trails that meander, oodles of privacy and unmatched five-star service. To maintain a serene atmosphere, all guests at Little Palm Island must be 18 or older. Little Palm is a magical, private island just off of Little Torch Key, a small key (don't blink, you'll miss it) just south of Big Pine. Gorgeous. As we pull up to the small bungalow perched on the waters edge, a smiling receptionist dressed in Bermuda shorts and a matching mask greets us as if shes been awaiting our arrival for days. Walking around the property, you may encounter some of the local inhabitantsadorably tiny Key Deer or colorful iguanas. Sandy Allen is a former writer at Family Destinations Guide, from Richmond, VA. Little Palm Island Resort Reviews: All-Inclusive Details Revealed, The Best All Inclusive Resorts in Florida, Cancun Packing List: The Ultimate Checklist for All Months & Occasions, The Resort at Longboat Key Club Reviews: The Unbiased Truth, 9 Fun things to Do Near Dallas, TX: Best Places to Visit Nearby, Royalton Riviera Cancun Reviews: Resort and Spa Details Revealed, Sirata Beach Resort Reviews (St. Pete Beach, Florida): The Unbiased Truth, Casamagna Marriott Cancun Resort Reviews The Unbiased Truth, Luxurious island destination only accessible by boat or seaplane (some may not like this much seclusion and transport planning), Fine dining restaurant with waterfront views, Winding pool in a tropical setting with palm trees, sun loungers and a tiki-hut bar, Beautiful British West Indian architecture and dcor, No televisions and no cell phone use in public areas (though this could be a plus for some), As with all Keys beaches, the beach is small (not long and expansive like mainland beaches), No children under age 18 (again, could be a plus for some), Some guests have complained about the no see-um bugs that are typically found in the area, Kids club with activities but for an additional fee, Bikes, kayaks and fishing gear included in the resort fee, Three pools (including an adults-only one), three restaurants, two beachfront tiki bars, a fishing pier and a nine-hole Jack Nicklaus-designed golf course. The Boy Scouts own Big Munson and keep its 100 acres looking as the Spanish might have found it half a millennium ago. SpaTerre, the resorts spa, offers a wide range of pampering services, such as the Madrugada, a sunrise massage on a table in the ocean. The next morning, we take our espressos to the Atlantic Dock, which runs along the east side of the island, and search for the sun we had seen slip into the horizon just the night before. The mattress and pillows were very uncomfortable. The hogfish tacos and lobster BLT will make your knees buckle in delight. An unusually destructive hurricane - even for the worst possible Category 5 - 2017's Irma was considered the most powerful storm ever for the open Atlantic region and the . Despite being one of the most expensive luxury resorts in the USA, the vibe on Little Palm Island is very casual, not snobby or pretentious in the LEAST, which I loved. I got a flashback of the movie, Open Water, once I realized it was feeding time for a bunch of sharks and quickly turned back to shore. Island guests can arrive via private boat, seaplane (chartered throughTropic Ocean Airways), or car. Not a lot of islands have a posh Ritz-Carlton resort, two large parks (one of them a state park), a 19th-century lighthouse, and a causeway connecting them to the heart of a vibrant and diverse global city, but Key Biscayne which clocks in just under two square miles fits the bill.