With fancy five-star hotels, gourmet restaurants and award-winning golf courses, Florida’s no stranger to luxury. If you’re looking to level up the luxury on your next Florida holiday, we’ve got the lowdown for you. These holiday experiences are all about the finer things in life, from serene spas and sushi bars to private yachts and VIP tours…
Private pampering
These Florida spas go one step further than the norm. Take the
Acqualine Spa by ESPA at the Acqualine Resort, in Miami Beach. It secured the top spot in a list of America’s best hotel spas by USA Today, so you know you’re onto a winner. For the ultimate luxury experience, book the Royal Spa Suite. You’ll be welcomed into a private lounge, kitted out by Fendi. Your treatments will take place in an oceanfront room, with a steam shower made for two and a private balcony. Pampering-wise, you’ll be treated to a foot ritual, a customised body massage and a 24k gold rejuvenation facial, which comes with a gold body shimmer finale. After, you can relax in your private suite with a bottle of bubbly and gold-dusted strawberries for company.
You can’t really go wrong with a
Ritz-Carlton. So it’s no surprise that their spas are always top-notch. The Ritz-Carlton, in Key Biscayne, is home to a 20,000-square-foot colonial-style spa, with more than 60 treatments on its menu. There’s even a six-hour Fountain of Youth Balance treatment, which includes a facial, massage, mani and pedi, shampoo, styling, and lunch by the ocean. Meanwhile, at the Ritz-Carlton, in Naples, you can book in for a tailored golfer’s relief massage or a vitamin C facial, before soaking in the outdoor mineral pool. And, after, a trip to the hotel’s sushi bar finishes off the luxe experience. Its outdoor terrace overlooks the glistening Gulf, while inside, the 150-gallon fish tank turns heads.
Travel in style
When you stay at the
Little Palm Island Resort and Spa, in Key West, you’ll be relaxing on a private, adults-only island. The only way to get there is via private boat or seaplane. And you might think that’s luxurious enough, but you can step it up a notch with one of their cruising experiences. You can charter the resort’s 38-foot catamaran for a private cruise – the order of the day is to eat, sip and snorkel in the world’s third-largest barrier reef, which surrounds the island resort. If private yachts aren’t your thing, there’s always the hotel’s seaplane. You can charter the plane to see things from 500 feet in the sky, while sipping on Champagne and quaffing caviar. It’s no wonder this place topped Condé Nast Traveler’s 2021 Hot List for the Best New Hotels in the World.
VIP your thrills
If the queues and crowds of Florida’s theme parks fill you with dread, why not VIP your experience? You don’t have to be a celeb to get the red carpet treatment at Disney and Universal, you just need to book a VIP tour. This way, you can skip the lines as you’re escorted through the parks with your very own guide.
Walt Disney World offer a private
VIP tour service. For an hourly fee, you’ll get door-to-door transport from your hotel to the parks, speedy entry into certain attractions, and preferred seating at events, parades and stage shows. Plus, you’ll have a personal guide, who’ll be on hand to give you expert advice and insider tips.
Universal’s Private VIP Tour Experience gives you front-of-the-line access to all rides and attractions. You’ll also be treated to some exclusive perks, like behind-the-scenes access and insider info. What’s more, they throw in valet parking, reserved show seating and complimentary breakfast and lunch.
Eat at the Chef’s Table
There’s a lot more to Florida than fast food. The Sunday brunch at the
Renaissance Vinoy Resort and Golf Club, in St Petersburg, is legendary. It’s done in true American supersized style, with buffet stations overflowing with freshly baked pastries, salads and seafood. You can have your eggs cooked however you like, or watch sushi rolled in front of you. And for that extra touch of luxury, upgrade to unlimited mimosas or Bloody Mary cocktails.
Another foodie treat is the Chef’s Table experience at
Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa. The hotel’s Victoria & Albert’s restaurant has been rated AAA Five Diamond since 2000. In the standard dining room, you’ll already be treated to specialty cocktails, a Champagne trolley and butter carving. But if you like things even more fancy, there’s the Chef’s Table. You’ll be greeted with a Champagne toast to whet your appetite before a feast of 11 courses. In between courses, you can strike up conversation with the chef and ask any burning questions. Psst, it’s a really elegant affair, so no jeans, shorts or sandals. Think more dinner jackets and cocktail dresses.
Sunbathe like a celeb
Cool towels, drinks delivered to your lounger, beach cabanas – this is how the A-listers get their vitamin D fix. And there’s nowhere better to do it than at
The Breakers Palm Beach. This place has dubbed their outdoor area The Beach Club. And for good reason. It’s made up of infinity pools, a classy restaurant, hot tubs and chic bungalows, all fronted by a private beach. To make your sunbathing experience even more private, you can hire a poolside bungalow for the day. At 300 to 400 square feet, they’re more than big enough for the whole family. Inside, you’ll find a lounge and dining area, a bathroom, a TV and a fridge stocked with cool drinks. What’s more, a dedicated concierge will be on hand to make sure you barely have to move a muscle.
Dreaming of a luxury Florida escape? We’ve got the holiday deal for you.
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