At the Eau Palm Beach Resort & Spa, still waters run chic. Between two shorefront swimming pools, a swanky steam room, oversized Jacuzzi and fountains, H2O is a theme that flows throughout the throughout the property.
After all, eau means water in French.
The seven-acre estate, located on the barrier island of Manalapan just 20 minutes from Palm Beach International Airport, was the original site of La Coquille Club. Established in the 1950s, the high society beach club hosted US presidents and the Vanderbilt, Rockefeller and Ford families.
It was razed some 30 years later and replaced by the Ritz-Carlton Palm Beach in the ’90s. In 2003, the hotel was purchased by the Lewis Trust Group and rebranded a decade later as Eau Palm Beach Resort & Spa. In August, Oracle co-founder Larry Ellison, one of the world’s richest men, added the retreat to his luxury portfolio.
Eau’s aquatic motif extends to its 306 hotel rooms and suites, each with a balcony. Jonathan Adler designed the cheerful blue and white décor with pops of tropical yellow. As for dining options, there are five, ranging from al fresco seafood at Breeze Ocean Kitchen to authentic Italian at Polpo Palm Beach, the second outpost of the famed Greenwich, Conn., restaurant.
And no matter where you are, the water is just steps away. Snorkel, kayak and paddleboard in the Atlantic, or swim laps in the pools. Guests can also book a day pass in the 42,000-square-foot spa, which earned Forbes’ five-star ranking.