Luxury Travel Advisor - February 2008 - (Page 19) ACCESS: Pamela Blaschke of American Express Travel in Houston says few cities in the U.S. epitomize Old World glamour and wealth or are as perfectly blended with modern sophistication as Palm Beach. One of the best ways to access this gorgeous area, she says, is by flying right into Palm Beach International Airport (PBI) and picking up a rental car (preferably a convertible) and driving right into Palm Beach proper. The drive to Palm Beach is approximately 20-30 minutes, depending on traffic. “One of my favorite hotels in Palm Beach is the Four Seasons, with spacious, beautifully furnished rooms that feature private balconies and marble bathrooms,” Blaschke says. “Three award-winning restaurants right on-site offer impeccable cuisine and service. “For shopping, a ‘must-do’ is a stroll down world-famous Worth Avenue,” advises Blaschke. “Here, clients can shop legendary international boutiques and unique specialty stores. On Worth Avenue, you’ll also find some of the absolute best dining places. One of my favorites is Bice, conveniently located to all the shops and offering indoor and outdoor dining. It’s a great spot for people watching, especially celebrity sightings, over a signature Bice martini.” Blaschke also recommends “taking the breathtaking drive south on South Ocean Boulevard, which becomes route A1A, with the Atlantic to its left, the Intracoastal Waterway to the right. Incredible homes and yachts mark the way, passing through lovely Boca Raton, Fort Lauderdale and Miami. If time permits, spend a few exciting nights in South Beach or the Florida Keys. You can plan to catch your flight back home 19 THE BREAKERS’ picture-perfect activity pool (left) and Premium Full Oceanfront Suites (above) create an ideal resort ambiance. Premium Oceanfront Suites connect to Premium Full Oceanfront Rooms to offer a combined 1,300 square feet.) These suites now also include the services of a personal concierge. Note: The top accommodations and amenities at The Breakers book up quickly; book a year out for major holidays to obtain your VIPs’ preferred accommodations. Palm Beach also fills up for the Cavallino Classic Ferrari Show (www.cavallino. com/classic.html), which typically takes place in January. The Breakers is run by Hotel Manager Tricia Taylor, but contact Valerie Lund (valerie. lund@thebreakers.com) or Elizabeth Spicer (elizabeth.spicer@ thebreakers.com) in reservations to make special arrangements. Call upon Spa Director Mark Mantegna (mark.mantegna@ thebreakers.com) to reserve the “Personal Retreat,” a customized massage delivered by a “master therapist” for any time frame between 50 and 120 minutes. Note: The Breakers is briefly mentioned in Wendy Wasserstein’s novel Elements of Style. Recommend it to those clients who would enjoy a satiric look at New York’s “upper-class” crowd. Clients whose eyes light up at the thought of luxury shopping might want to opt for a stay in town at The Colony (www.the colonypalmbeach.com), which is steps from Worth Avenue’s famous shops and restaurants, yet just half a block from the beach. (Hint: Is this perhaps an ideal venue for a girlfriends’ getaway?) Visiting The Colony gives even the most seasoned traveler a true sense of living Palm Beach life at its most stylish. The top suite at the hotel, which is run by General Manager Roger Everingham, is the Windsor Penthouse, where the Duke and Duchess of Windsor stayed in the sixties. If an overnight stay is not in order, we suggest—in fact, insist—that clients spend an evening at the hotel’s Royal Room Cabaret. We enjoyed a lovely pre-show dinner with fabulous food and doting service in the intimate room, then sat back and relaxed for an evening of entertainment by singer Karen Mason. Upcoming performers include Fernando Lamas, Steve Tyrell, Mary Wilson and Stacey Kent. Need another reason to love The Colony? On Friday nights, the Polo Steakhouse turns into “Motown at The Colony,” becoming the chic nucleus of Palm Beach society for the evening. The fun also spills outside to The Colony’s poolside, where the Polo has just added a “Palm Court” with bistro seating. The Colony’s luxury travel advisor liaison is Ruth Young (ruthyoung@thecolonypalm beach.com; 561-655-5430). Two properties farther afield from “the Island,” yet offering all of the glory of Palm Beach County’s haute lifestyle and beautiful beaches, are The Resort at Singer Island and the RitzCarlton, Palm Beach. It’s hard to go wrong with ac- www.luxuryta.com February 2008 | LUXURY TRAVEL ADVISOR http://www.cavallino.com/classic.html http://www.cavallino.com/classic.html http://www.luxuryta.com
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