The Breakers Palm Beach: The most luxurious and historical hotel on the East Coast

Revered as one of the most historical hotels on the East Coast of America, The Breakers Palm Beach, Florida, exudes decadence and grandeur. The Executive Explorer takes an up-close and personal look at the impressive 5 star luxury hotel.
Picture of Aleks Bond

Aleks Bond

Luxury Travel Editor at The Executive Magazine

Built by oil and railroad baron Henry Morrison Flagler in 1896, The Breakers is a huge 540 room luxury resort. Sympathetically re-designed in 1926 after a devastating fire, the family owned property resembles Flagler’s vision of traditional Florentine Renaissance, housing artisan paintings, tapestries, antiques and architecture-cues taken from Villa Medici in Rome. The hugely impressive palm tree-lined driveway leading up to the hotel lets you know you’re in for something very special, and gives you a postcard-worthy view of the vast complex in all it’s glory.

Location

Located on the seafront of Palm Beach island, The Breakers is surrounded by spectacular views including the exclusive Ocean Golf Course and the Atlantic ocean. Close to Palm Beach Airport and five minutes from the swanky Worth Avenue for high-end shopping and dining, the Breakers is in a fantastic location – mainly because the city was built around the resort.

After being greeted by the valets and bellhops, you walk into the hugely impressive lobby, which features high ceilings, period columns and ceiling murals, all hand painted by Italian artists. The handmade carpets, antiques and gigantic bouquet of fresh flowers which all add to the effect. The friendly reception staff effortlessly check you in, and arrange for your car to be parked, and your luggage to be taken to your room.

Rooms

Each room is appointed and furnished to the highest of standards, with a modern, clean and fresh Atlantic island feel – light and airy with blues and pastel yellow tones, and crisp white bedding. Be sure to opt for a sea view room. The suites are larger, and there are a range of huge ‘Imperial’ and ‘Royal’ suites for those needing a little more square footage, ideal for parties and special occasions.

Facilities

The exquisite facilities are the main draw for both locals and overseas visitors alike, with a state of the art spa, championship-quality golf course and sea-view fitness centre, as well as eight restaurants, four oceanfront pools, a designer shopping arcade, water sports, tennis courts, yoga and fitness classes, bicycle tours, and half-a-mile of private beach, to name just a few. A large range of holistic treatments offered by the spa helps guests relax, unwind and enjoy ultimate pampering.

The outdoor pool and lounging area is quite possibly the best we’ve seen. Immaculately kept and spread out over a huge area along the seafront. it’s relaxing, quiet and uncluttered. Tended to by a team of staff who take care of your every desire, you’ll never have to lift a finger.

If you want a bit more privacy and luxury, the poolside bungalows are a great option. with teak-trimmed furniture, flat screen tvs, bathrooms, showers, refrigerators and more, the airy, island-chic bungalows allow up to 6 guests enjoy an alfresco lunch on a private patio, with views of the pools and ocean.

The Breakers is a popular destination for large weddings, and can cater for up to 500 guests at a time. Often frequented by celebrities, Royalty and the wealthy, the selection of huge ballrooms and vast halls are completely customisable. The in-house wedding planning team pride themselves of the bespoke offerings, and will consider literally any request.

Dining

The Breakers is well known in the local community for its HMF bar – named lovingly after the late founder. The grand, open plan seating is blanketed by the soothing mellow beats of the in-house DJ, creating a relaxing atmosphere where you can enjoy some of the famous signature cocktails. Our favourites are the Red Head and the Champagne-based Channel No.6, each carefully crafted by the talented mixologists. The enviable wine cellar is on display in all its glory, housing a huge range of 50,000 bottles curated by the two in-house Master Sommeliers. The collection includes modern sparkling whites to vintage French reds, including a USD $22,000 bottle of 2005 Romanée-Conti.

The dining options are some of the best in the region, with a range of options from steak to seafood. The Flagler Steakhouse is located slightly off property, and an easy walk for guests. The classic American chophouse has a celebrated menu, anchored by the finest selection of USDA prime cuts, which make up just 2% of all sourced beef, meaning you get the very best cuts. We recommend the Fillet Mignon, cooked to perfection, and when accompanied by the lobster tail side makes for a delicious surf and turf plate.

We particularly enjoyed our visit to the recently refurbished Seafood Bar which has been designed to look like the interior of a luxurious yacht, with unbeatable ocean views and food which truly embodies Palm Beach lifestyle. All of the fish is freshly caught and cooked to perfection in the open plan kitchen. Our favourite dishes are the famous Blue Crab Nachos which is an interesting and delicious take on the traditional snack, and the Sea Scallops – extremely fresh and lightly seared, served with a fresh blue crab fried rice mix, the dish is a melt-in-the-mouth experience which is hard to achieve to such a high standard.

The Circle and The Beach Club restaurants both offer fabulous breakfast options for guests and visitors, with a delectable hot and cold buffet which provides a huge selection of freshly cooked American breakfast staples along side fresh fruit and pastries. The à la carte menu also has a wide variety of options, with the freshly prepared omelette being a particular favourite. The selection of freshly press juices is not to be missed, each one designed with a specific task in mind, from immunity to hydration and detox. The watermelon, ginger, lime and honey ‘recovery’ press was much needed after an evening in the HMF bar.

The Flagler Club

The exclusive Flagler Club situated on the top two floors of the hotel offers a completely bespoke, private and luxurious upgrade to the standard Breakers experience. The boutique hotel-within-a-hotel includes larger and more well appointed rooms, a lounge serving complementary light breakfast, lunch and dinner hors d’oeuvres, along with a superb cocktail service, and a roof terrace with spectacular views.

The dedicated concierge team takes care of guests every want and desire, and their commitment to your wellbeing and comfort is the best we’ve ever experienced. A Tesla Model S is on hand to chauffeur you around Palm Beach, and no request is out of reach. Small touches like a personalised welcome card and the evening turn-down service really makes for a special experience. L’Occitane en Provence beauty products are provided in each room, along with any other personal care product you could ever need. The white marble-clad bathrooms feature an invigorating multi-jet shower and twin basins, with luxury robes and super soft towels.

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