This Luxury Palm Beach Hotel Is the No. 1 Resort in Florida

It’s not too often that a hotel opens and then snags a coveted No. 1 spot in Travel + Leisure’s World’s Best Awards less than two years later, but the White Elephant Palm Beach had a leg up: the 100-year history behind its Nantucket location, which paved the way for its sophisticated Southern sister.

Topping the list of The 15 Best Resorts in Florida in T+L's 2022 World’s Best Awards (and swooping in to snag the No. 2 spot in The 15 Best Resorts in the Continental U.S. and 19th place in The 100 Best Hotels in the World), the luxurious White Elephant Palm Beach opened in Nov. 2020, taking over the former Bradley Park Hotel in the heart of town.

Originally constructed in 1924 as one of the first resorts on Palm Beach’s Main Street, the Mizner-style landmark building lends historic charm to the hotel’s decidedly contemporary take on island elegance. The interiors underwent a full renovation at the hands of Boston-based Elkus Manfredi Architects, but the footprint of the structure and its façade remain intact, albeit refreshed for modern sensibilities. Between Nantucket and Palm Beach, the two storied stays offer guests a refined take on island hopping.

However, you won’t find the usual Palm Beach pinks and greens at the White Elephant. Instead, a neutral palette with sleek metal accents and vibrant pops of color dominates the aesthetic, as well as a 130-piece collection of colorful pop art curated by the owners themselves, by artists running the gamut from Robert Rauschenberg to Doodle Boy. Interest piqued? Guided tours of the collection take place every Saturday at 10 a.m.

The boutique hotel’s 32 rooms consist of 13 deluxe rooms and 19 suites, including two penthouse suites on the fourth floor, both of which feature private rooftop terraces with palm-dotted views — a rare amenity in the town of Palm Beach and a dreamy space to entertain or lounge solo.

Terrace or non, the residential-style rooms at the White Elephant Palm Beach promise all the comforts of home — and then some. Think: robes, slippers, Turkish towels, fine Italian linens, L’Occitane toiletries, a Nespresso machine, twice-daily housekeeping, and a custom White Elephant mattress. 

A stay here is like a visit to the home in your most indulgent dreams; there's even complimentary access to a fleet of 2022 BMW 7 Series vehicles (chauffeured or self-driven) and beach-cruising bicycles for those eager to pedal around town (a must when the Intracoastal Waterway is one block west and the Atlantic Ocean less than two blocks east). Once you’ve worked up a sweat, retreat to the quaint courtyard pool and grab a gratis treat from the seasonal poolside ice cream cart.

Families can make themselves at home here, too: Surprisingly, despite its upscale ambiance and posh reputation, the resort welcomes children with open arms. Parents can request useful amenities like a Diaper Genie, Pack ‘n’ Play, and organic kids’ bath products, and kids will forge fond memories of their stay when armed with beach and bath toys, board games, and even a Radio Flyer wagon to be toted around town in.

Though the hotel is a Nantucket transplant that embraced its tropical surrounds in almost every way, it brought one more staple of preppy ACK life down south with it: Lola 41. A favorite on the Nantucket dining circuit, the restaurant is equally popular in its Palm Beach iteration. On-site hotel dining just doesn’t get better than sushi, local seafood, and globally inspired dishes from the talented mind of restaurateur Marco Coelho.

Island to island, untouchably upmarket vibes remain firmly in place between the original Nantucket location and its Palm Beach outpost, but there’s one important distinction that guests can only get in one spot: Here, winter days seldom drop below a breezy 80 degrees. It’s the sort of place one might dream up in a sigh-filled reverie, yet a reality one can actually check into.