This Jewel Box Hotel in Palm Beach, Florida, Was Named One of the Best New Stays of the Year

Travel + Leisure

2 days ago

Palm House Hotel Palm House Hotel, a recently opened hotel in Palm Beach, Florida, was named among the best new hotels of the year, according to Travel + Leisure's 2025 It List.
The whimsical decor delivers a fresh take on the classic Palm Beach aesthetic with plenty of Instagram-worthy moments.
The hotel's central location in Palm Beach is perfect for travelers who don't want to rent a car.
The swimming pool is heated, the rooms are spacious with separate seating areas, and bikes are available for guest use.
In the lobby of the Palm House Hotel, the newest stay in Palm Beach, Florida, guests are greeted by a shimmering mural of shells and coral. When Minda Dowling, a veteran hospitality art curator, asked local artist Christa Wilm to create the piece, she had a very specific vision in mind.
'I wanted the murals to be like Schiaparelli—totally surreal, so that when people were in there drinking and listening to music and having adventures, that was the background to their experience,' Dowling explained.
What Wilm delivered was a cascade of mother-of-pearl motifs and coral anchoring the vaulted space. The Palm House Hotel lobby is crowned by a trio of striking Murano glass chandeliers suspended above plush ruby-colored sofas and armchairs, all opposite a beautiful pink stone bar.
The mural in the lobby by Christa Wilm.
CROBERT GRANOFF/ourtesy of Palm House
Palm Beach is not known for minimalism, and Palm House Hotel, which was named among the best new hotels on T+L's 2025 It List, embraces the wealthy enclave's obsession with busy palm leaf prints and pastels. It does so in a modern and sophisticated way thanks to hospitality heavyweights like Dowling and interior design studio Muza Lab.
The hotel's opening also marks an important milestone—it is the first American property in the Iconic Luxury Hotels portfolio by the London-based L+R Hotels, which also includes the Cliveden House in the UK and the Excelsior Venice Lido in Italy.
Palm House Hotel, which took over a historic 1960s pink building in the heart of Palm Beach on Royal Palm Way, certainly has what it takes to excite the local crowd and out-of-towners alike: a contemporary Japanese-Peruvian restaurant with al fresco seating, a museum-worthy photography collection celebrating Palm Beach's lifestyle by artists like Slim Aarons and Tim MacPherson, 79 rooms and suites offering a stylish home base with amenities such as balconies and private outdoor areas with sun loungers, and a Gray Malin-worthy swimming pool and deck.
Read on for a full review of what it's like to stay at the Palm House Hotel.
The Rooms
Interior of the Presidential Suite's bedroom.
Courtesy of Palm House
The hotel has 58 rooms, divided into four categories, and 21 suites, including a butler-serviced two-story Presidential Suite with an Alaskan king-size bed, a dining area, two balconies, and a kitchen. The accommodations are spread across three stories and two main wings, with the lobby, dining room and bar, and pool at the heart of the property. My husband, six-year-old son, and I stayed in a Grand Double Queen Bedroom on the ground floor, which I would recommend if you're traveling with young kids. The room has a private patio with two loungers and is near the pool, which was an added bonus. I appreciated the safety of the ground-floor location and fenced outdoor space, which I used for soaking up the sun on more than one occasion.
Large windows of the Presidential Suite living room leads to one of the two terraces.
ROBERT GRANOFF/Courtesy of Palm House
Both my husband and I are early risers, so a good coffee maker and a strong brew are among my top in-room amenities. To my delight, all rooms are stocked with Nespresso coffee machines. In the bathrooms, you'll find Natura Blisse toiletries, robes, and plush oversized towels.
However, what struck me the most was the generous size of the rooms, which average 550 square feet. Our room had a working desk and a small sitting area and there was enough space for my son to play. While the room was near the lobby, I didn't find it noisy. We could definitely hear distant conversations during cocktail hour, but by nighttime, we were able to fall blissfully asleep in the comfortable beds and crisp Ocochi bedding.
Art and Design
The dining room inside the Presidential Suite.
Courtesy of Palm House
Muza Lab has done a masterful job with the interiors of the hotel, celebrating Palm Beach's established design codes and blending them with contemporary touches.
According to Inge Moore, the company's founder, and Pin Su, the senior project designer, the goal was to create a space 'for seduction' and a 'place that makes you smile.'
A key component was the materials—shells, custom-made ceramic tiles, antique mirror motifs, natural raffia, and Murano glass—invoke the coastal elegance of Palm Beach. The colors, classic Palm Beach pink and green—are seen throughout the property, establishing an undeniable sense of place.
Similarly, Dowling blended the past and present by showcasing vintage 1960s Slim Aarons photography from Palm Beach with contemporary pieces by artists like Tim MacPherson ('All Things Pink' depicts a pink-headed woman driving a pink Cadillac with a pink dog in the back seat). A series of six photographs of synchronized swimmers by artist Brad Walls hung in the hallway outside our room, and it became my favorite sight each day. In essence, the art collection is the epitome of Palm Beach: playful and so very glamorous.
'It was really important for us to stand out, to be different. One, because we were the new kids on the block; two, because we're British; and three, because I wanted to shake things up a bit,' Dowling explained.
Food and Drink
The Palm Bar inside the hotels lobby.
ROBERT GRANOFF/Courtesy of Palm House
When I visited at the beginning of 2025 Palm House Hotel had only been opened for a few weeks, but its bar and restaurant were already the talk of the town. Every evening, by 6 p.m., lively chatter filled up the lobby as guests were enjoying classic cocktails and light bites at the Palm Bar, serviced by a duo of tuxedo-clad bartenders. The menu also stands out with its excellent selection of Daiginjo sake, and Asian-inspired twist on beloved drinks. I tasted the Matsuhisa martini, prepared with sake, Suntory Haku vodka, and ginger and japanese cucumber.
The Palm House Dining Room is adjacent to the lobby and bar area, but has different design, blending Pam Beach glamor with Japanese minimalism. Here, Chef Jerry Ayala offers an extensive menu of kushiyaki (we thoroughly enjoyed the chicken skewers), sushi, nigiri, and cold and hot dishes, including Japanese A5 Wagyu from Miyazaki prefecture, toro tartare with caviar, and tender, miso-glazed black cod. The standout, however, was the fresh seafood ceviche, which we savored on the restaurant's breezy outdoor deck, overlooking the pool.
The Palm House Hotel's main dining room.
Courtesy of Palm House
For dessert, we ordered the banana caramel soy Toban-Yaki, which my six-year-old devoured almost by himself, and the Bento Box, consisting of decadent chocolate fondant cake and matcha gelato.
The Dining Room is open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and those lounging by the pool can also order from a full food and beverage menu.
Experiences and Activities
Lounge chairs line the hotel's pool.
ROBERT GRANOFF/Courtesy of Palm House
At the heart of the hotel is a heated swimming pool, framed by elegant sun loungers, cabanas, and pink umbrellas. The pool has steps on one end, where children mostly played, while the opposite end is about 4.5-feet deep.
For those, who don't like to skip workouts on vacation, a gym is also available on the ground floor of the hotel. Or you can grab a bike from Guest Services, and enjoy a scenic bike ride along the coastline.
However, my favorite amenity was the beach concierge. Just ask the hotel team, and they will set you up with loungers, an umbrella, complimentary mocktails, and a cooler on the beach.
Visiting with a six-year-old also meant we took advantage of the house car pretty often—it was just a quick call or message away, to take us anywhere within a couple-mile radius of the hotel.
Location
The hotel's location is one of the highlights—just minutes from Worth Avenue with all its designer shopping, galleries, and chic restaurants, and a block away from the beach.
Henry Morrison Flagler's Gilden Age mansion that houses a collection of opulent furnishings and art is a quick five-minute drive, while the The Society of the Four Arts is practically down the street and offers an extensive cultural programming, including many children activities.
We spent hours playing on the beach and walking around town, eating lunch at Henry's Palm Beach, and getting ice cream at Sprinkles.
Accessibility and Sustainability
The ADA features of the hotel include a pool lift and an entrance ramp, while the rooms have automated doors and remote-controlled blinds. Sustainability efforts include the use of agave straws, paper cups, and electric vehicle chargers.
Book Now
Palm House Hotel is not part of any loyalty program, but the property offers several packages that allow you to save up to 30 percent on your stay. Nightly rates at the hotel start from $1,289 during peak season and $499 for the off-season.