The Palm Beaches—a collection of 39 cities and towns in South Florida—wants to entice your clients to book their next getaway in this little slice of paradise with new hotels, attractions and wellness offerings.
Up-and-Coming Hotels
According to Discover The Palm Beaches, 708 rooms are expected to open this year between March and October, in addition to the 200 rooms that opened when the 13-story Hyatt Place hotel made its debut in Downtown Boca Raton. Located one mile from the blue waters of the Atlantic Ocean, the hotel is a convenient jumping-off point to explore popular attractions, nearby shopping districts and outdoor activities.
Boca Raton Mandarin Oriental, a 158-room property in Downtown Boca Raton, is set to open later this year, marking the Mandarin Oriental brand’s second foray into Florida. The hotel features two adjacent towers that will form part of an upscale mixed-use development offering 65,000 sq. ft. of luxury lifestyle retail, as well as a private club with fitness, spa and golf amenities.
In just a few months, Aloft Delray Beach will break ground in the South of Atlantic Avenue district; however, the 122-room hotel is not to open until 2018. Later this year, West Palm Beach will become home to one of eight new Canopy by Hilton Hotels when the ground breaking begins on the new 150-room, 14-story hotel located two blocks from CityPlace. The brand’s concept is touted as an energized and natural extension of its neighborhood, with local design, food and drink, and culture.
Getting There
Brightline, the highly anticipated express inter-city passenger rail service train connecting West Palm Beach, Fort Lauderdale and Miami, will debut its BrightBlue service from its hub in West Palm Beach to Miami later this year. The train, which will make about 17 roundtrip trips per day, will operate between 5 a.m. and 10:30 p.m.(approximately). The trip from West Palm Beach to Fort Lauderdale takes around 30 minutes—opening up new day trip options for your clients. In phase two, Brightline will connect West Palm Beach directly with the Orlando International Airport’s (MCO) via 2-hour train rides.
Appealing Attractions
PGA Arts Center, a 2-theater venue, opened its doors in Palm Beach Gardens this January. Shows, including musicals and comedy sets, will be offered Wednesday through Sunday at select times. For sports-inclined travelers, the new The Ballpark of The Palm Beaches opened in February for spring training, welcoming the Washington Nationals and the Houston Astros, along with their fans. The 2-team facility features a 6,500-seat stadium as its centerpiece. The Astros and Nationals training areas each feature a 6-field layout that is easily navigated by fans.
Through April 30, 2017, guests can wander the pathways of the Ann Norton Sculpture Gardens and enter into a mystical world during the “RISING” The Mystical World of Sophie Ryder exhibit, featuring hybrid creatures and strange amorphous figures fashioned in wire and bronze.
For a taste of West Palm Beach, your clients can join cookbook author and restaurant critic Judith Olney on one of West Palm Beach Food Tours’ twice monthly Market Tour & Cooking Class. The epicurean experience includes an insider’s tour of a local market and a hands-on cooking class with lunch and wine for $95. Market locations vary and include the award-winning West Palm Beach Greenmarket, an Oriental Market, an Italian Market and a Mediterranean Market.
For more information, visit thepalmbeaches.com.
