Paradise activated
Almost 130 years have passed since oil tycoon Henry Flagler opened what is now The Breakers Palm Beach, and in true Florida style, the destination and the property looked more radiant than ever when I visited recently for the Eudemonia wellness conference at Palm Beach County Convention Center. The sunny vitamin D, outdoor lifestyle, healthy dining and pampering choices are a welcome reprieve for attendees from all over the country who experience much different winter conditions back home—a feature that can pump up attendance numbers and give feedback surveys a glow-up without fillers or needles.
I took a closer look at some old favorites and new friends between HIIT classes and yoga stretching and found that I was constantly catching my breath over surprising new discoveries.
Meet and Stay
No trip to The Gold Coast would be complete without a stop at The Breakers. Senior Sales Manager Bruce Leet was kind enough to host breakfast in the breathtaking The Circle dining room with its 30-ft. frescoed ceilings and Old-World details.
Flagler descendants still own and invest $136 million in the property every year. I can’t even imagine the annual bill for floral arrangements in the lobby, throughout the 534-guest-room property and in 281,709 sq. ft. of meeting space. Ongoing upgrades include a new glass conservatory in the Mediterranean courtyard. This will be in addition to the renovated Flagler Club hotel-within-a-hotel VIP offerings and more centrally located fitness facilities.
Read More: Florida: An Intersection of Meetings and Coastal Contact
New on the scene is AKA West Palm, which opened in 2022 on South Olive Ave. with 215 guest rooms and a rooftop pool featuring views of the Intercoastal Waterway. The modern lifestyle residences offer all the conveniences of home and none of the clutter. A Technogym fitness center and daily yoga classes by the pool help guests maintain their New Year’s resolutions. Conveniently located downstairs is Blind Monk restaurant, a market café and, in true Florida style, AKA Pet Spa. The property is a quick complimentary Circuit electric vehicle ride away from the convention center or the beach. You choose.
Eat
Celebrity chefs have embraced healthy, locally sourced menus that speak to the local culture and their personal stories. From Les Grandes Tables du Monde’s “Best Restauranteur in the World” Daniel Boulud’s eponymous dining room with French-inspired plates at Brazilian Court Hotel to triple James Beard Foundation semifinalist Lindsay Autrey’s Honeybelle at PGA National Resort in Palm Beach Gardens, the food is upscale, but the vibe is sunny and comfortable.
Do
Spa life is alive and well in The Palm Beaches. Pampering opportunities range from The Spa at PGA National, where Waters of the World mineral baths offer healing properties with a splash, to the expansive Eau Spa at Eau Palm Beach Resort and Spa, where you can sip Champagne and dangle your toes in the water in hanging bamboo bucket chairs on a secluded patio.
Read More: Elevating Meetings Through Wellness
For a more active wind-down, The Spa at The Seagate Hotel and Spa in Delray Beach hosts Vinyasa flow yoga, a steam room and a Jacuzzi. In West Palm Beach, Four Seasons Resort Palm Beach boasts total body therapies in Spa Dream aqua beds, warm water mattresses enhanced by chromotherapy, salt stone massages and Biologique Recherche products.
This article appears in the January/February 2025 issue. You can subscribe to the magazine here.
