The Colony Hotel
Opened in 1947, the Colony was a storied hangout—hide-out, perhaps—for socialites, and celebrities for years. Presidents George Bush, Clinton, Carter, Ford plus Judy Garland, Frank Sinatra, Sofia Loren, and Lena Horne all stayed here on the DL. The Duke of and Duchess of Windsor spent part of their time in exile here. And the very old-school Polo Lounge was command central for an eclectic mix of local lounge and A-list cabaret singers and entertainers. Somewhere in the mid-1990’s the hotel fell out of fashion, until 2014, when the owners recruited interior designer Carleton Varney of the storied Dorothy Draper and Company to revamp the place, and that he did, painting the façade Palm Beach pink and creating what is now known as the “Brazilliance” pattern in the hallways. In 2016, when the place was sold again, interior designers Celerie Kemble, Mark D. Sikes, and Aerin Lauder (yep, Estee’s granddaughter) were hired for the refresh, and brought a delightfully retro sensibility to the task, hand painting all of the guestrooms in one of four “Palm Beach” colors, adding whimsical floral motifs to the headboards, and piling on luxe amenities in each room (like Dyson hair dryers). The Colony is once again a jet set fave, with the villas and bungalows going to the real high rollers (regular rooms can, surprisingly, be affordable in off season). Each section has its own pools and the one next to bar/restaurant Swifty’s is shaped like the state of Florida! The beach is located a few steps away, and a beach butler will escort you and set you up on the sand like regular Palm Beach royalty. Various complimentary modes of Island transport include beach cruiser bikes and a vintage pink Land Rover Defender with roll down sides. Seasonal exercise classes are taught by wintering fitness gurus.
Opened in 1947, the Colony was a storied hangout—hide-out, perhaps—for socialites, and celebrities for years. Presidents George Bush, Clinton, Carter, Ford plus Judy Garland, Frank Sinatra, Sofia Loren, and Lena Horne all stayed here on the DL. The Duke of and Duchess of Windsor spent part of their time in exile here. And the very old-school Polo Lounge was command central for an eclectic mix of local lounge and A-list cabaret singers and entertainers. Somewhere in the mid-1990’s the hotel fell out of fashion, until 2014, when the owners recruited interior designer Carleton Varney of the storied Dorothy Draper and Company to revamp the place, and that he did, painting the façade Palm Beach pink and creating what is now known as the “Brazilliance” pattern in the hallways. In 2016, when the place was sold again, interior designers Celerie Kemble, Mark D. Sikes, and Aerin Lauder (yep, Estee’s granddaughter) were hired for the refresh, and brought a delightfully retro sensibility to the task, hand painting all of the guestrooms in one of four “Palm Beach” colors, adding whimsical floral motifs to the headboards, and piling on luxe amenities in each room (like Dyson hair dryers). The Colony is once again a jet set fave, with the villas and bungalows going to the real high rollers (regular rooms can, surprisingly, be affordable in off season). Each section has its own pools and the one next to bar/restaurant Swifty’s is shaped like the state of Florida! The beach is located a few steps away, and a beach butler will escort you and set you up on the sand like regular Palm Beach royalty. Various complimentary modes of Island transport include beach cruiser bikes and a vintage pink Land Rover Defender with roll down sides. Seasonal exercise classes are taught by wintering fitness gurus.
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