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The Best Luxury Hotels
- The Setai (South Beach; tel. 305/520-6100): Simply put, there is no hotel like this anywhere else in Florida. With a discounted rate of $1,000 per night, this hotel breaks the bank and takes luxury to a new level, with its imported, not imitated, Asian decor and staff, outstanding Pan-Asian cuisine, and celebrity clientele. Who else can afford these prices?
- Ritz-Carlton Key Biscayne (Key Biscayne; tel. 800/241-3333 or 305/365-4500): In addition to consistently superior services and amenities, this British colonial-style version of the Ritz rises above its casual Key Biscayne surroundings with a stellar view of the Atlantic Ocean, not to mention an equally impressive 20,000-square-foot spa.
- Mandarin Oriental, Miami (Brickell Key, Miami; tel. 305/913-8383): The swank and stunning Mandarin Oriental features a waterfront location, residential-style rooms, superb service, a spa frequented by J.Lo, and several upscale dining and bar facilities.
- Ritz-Carlton South Beach (South Beach; tel. 800/241-3333 or 786/276-4000): Taking the concept of swanky South Beach to a very literal level, the Ritz-Carlton South Beach may be a landmark building restored to its original 1950s Art Moderne style, but in terms of the hotel's standout service (a tanning butler!), amenities, and ocean frontage, everything else is very much in the immediate present.
- The Atlantic (Fort Lauderdale; tel. 800/325-3589 or 954/567-8020): Set on a golden sand beach, the Mediterranean-style Atlantic brings a fresh sense of modern luxury to Fort Lauderdale, not to mention a fabulous chef hailing from NYC's acclaimed Tribeca Grill.
- The Breakers (Palm Beach; tel. 800/833-3141 or 561/655-6611): This stately, historic hotel epitomizes la dolce vita, Palm Beach style, with an elegant lobby, impeccable service, expansive manicured lawns, and a very scenic golf course that is the state's oldest.
- Four Seasons Resort Palm Beach (Palm Beach; tel. 800/432-2335 or 561/582-2800): "Exquisite" is the adjective most often used to describe this posher-than-posh hotel. Luxurious but hardly stuffy, the Four Seasons was the stay of choice for the quintessential aging rockers of Aerosmith, who took great advantage of post-concert pampering.
- LaPlaya Beach & Golf Resort (Naples; tel. 800/237-6883 or 239/597-3123): More intimate than the Ritz, the equally luxe LaPlaya Beach & Golf Resort offers spacious rooms, each with a completely private balcony overlooking the pristine waters of the Gulf or Vanderbilt Bay. The resort has four unique pools, two lagoons, an outdoor whirlpool, the Tiki Bar, the 4,500-square-foot SpaTerre, the 2,700-square-foot fitness center, the Gulf-view Baleen restaurant, and a 6,907-yard championship 18-hole golf course designed by Bob Cupp.
- Ritz-Carlton Golf Resort, Naples (Naples; tel. 888/856-4372 or 239/593-2000): This luxurious Mediterranean-style resort takes full advantage of the Greg Norman-designed Tiburón Golf Club. Guests here can use the beach and spa at the Ritz-Carlton, Naples, nearby.
- Ritz-Carlton, Naples (Naples; tel. 888/856-4372 or 239/598-3300): This opulent 14-story Mediterranean-style hotel at Vanderbilt Beach is a favorite of affluent types who like standard Ritz amenities such as imported marble floors, antique art, Oriental rugs, Waterford chandeliers, and afternoon British-style high tea. Guests relax in high-backed rockers on the verandas or unwind by the heated pool set in a landscaped terrace.
- Don CeSar Beach Resort & Spa (St. Pete Beach; tel. 866/728-2206 or 727/360-1881): Dating back to 1928 and listed on the National Register of Historic Places, this "Pink Palace" tropical getaway is so romantic, you may bump into six or seven honeymooning couples in one weekend. The lobby has classic high windows and archways, crystal chandeliers, marble floors, and original artwork. Most rooms have high ceilings and offer views of the Gulf or Boca Ciega Bay.
- Disney's Grand Floridian Resort & Spa (Lake Buena Vista; tel. 407/934-7639): This magnificent Victorian inn has a grand five-story lobby topped by an opulent Tiffany-style glass dome. The glass-enclosed brass cage elevator and Chinese Chippendale aviary are examples of the very refined style that runs throughout the entire resort. An orchestra plays big-band music every evening near Victoria & Albert's, the resort's five-star restaurant, and afternoon tea is a daily event.
- Hyatt Regency Grand Cypress Resort (Orlando; tel. 800/233-1234 or 407/239-1234): The impressive facilities at this luxury resort include a half-acre pool with a dozen waterfalls, caves, and grottoes; three spas; 12 tennis courts; four Jack Nicklaus-designed golf courses; a 45-acre nature walk; a private lake with its own stretch of white-sand beach; and some of Orlando's best restaurants.
- Amelia Island Plantation (Amelia Island; tel. 888/261-6161 or 904/261-6161): Set amid magnolias, oak trees, and the Atlantic Ocean, this gracious resort is straight out of the Deep South. It's more rustic than the nearby Ritz, but it has excellent hiking and biking paths, tennis, swimming, horseback riding, and boating. Golfers can enjoy exclusive use of two of Florida's top courses.
Note: This information was accurate when it was published, but can change without
notice. Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the companies in question before
planning your trip.
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