The Boca Raton Hotel

USA

The luxe refashioning of a lakeside resort into an iconic five-hotels-in-one stay in the USA provides serious relaxation for a winter break basking in Florida’s sunshine.

Seeking a blast of winter sun? Us too. An hour’s drive north of Miami, sitting pretty on the shores of yacht haven Lake Boca, this Twenties stalwart is just the ticket. The iconic resort
– a sprawling plot essentially comprising five hotels in one, along with a beach club, golf course and litany of excellent restaurants, has relaunched fresh off the back of a belt-and-braces transformation that heralds a new golden age.

Perhaps the most notable update is that of the historic pink-hued Tower, which was first pitched back in the Sixties as the tallest building in the city. The Rockwell Group have adorned its 27 storeys – including a library and listening lounge – with a modern mid-century aesthetic.

Rooms provide far-reaching views across the leafy city, lake and ocean beyond, best soaked up from bay-window sofas over breakfast. Elsewhere, luxury touches are a given, from covetable marble-clad bathrooms to antique mirrored closets and the most comfortable bed set-up we’ve come across. Elsewhere, rooms and bungalows across the yacht club, original cloisters and at the beach club itself come with their own unique character to choose from.

Days here take a leisurely pace: tennis and pickleball – good fun at any age – at the smart racquet club; a round on the championship-level golf course – home to birdlife aplenty; breezy boat trips along the waterways that line the city; spa sessions in the Palmera with its quiet pool area (the bath rituals are essential for easing jetlag); or family time in pools across the site, some with their own cabanas.

On the food front, there’s not a false note. The new Japanese Bocce Club is a highlight for elevated izakaya and contemporary cocktails; excellent New York-style deli comes by way of Sadelle’s; Principessa is the go-to for classic Italian done right; beachside Marisol serves up Med favourites; and oh-so Instagrammable The Flamingo Grill is the timeless chophouse you wish you had locally. Turn up hungry, leave happy.

Doubles from £406; Tower suites from £816. 00 1 855 874 6551, thebocaraton.com

Words by Blossom Green.

This review was taken from the 25th anniversary issue of Food and Travel. To subscribe today, click here.