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ELLE Decor Checks In: 12 South Florida Resorts Worth Traveling to This Winter
Is it time for you to defrost?
Picture this. The sun has set at a hauntingly early hour and despite the heater being on, you’re lying in bed wrapped in a quilt, your feet sweating through the industrial-strength socks. The reruns of Shark Tank on Hulu aren’t beguiling you of your discomfort. This is how evenings play out for many of Americans in winter, but thankfully, a sun-soaked, tropical paradise called South Florida exists, where down jackets are a novelty and icicles never form on car fenders. Whether your taste is for scene-y Miami Beach, luxe Palm Beach, or any other beach in between, there’s a South Florida resort hotel for you to escape to.
First and foremost, South Florida is a lifestyle destination. “There are exceptional resorts that offer everything you want from a beach stay, but with the service and amenities of a well-appointed private residence,” says Helen McCabe-Young, an executive at Virtuoso, the luxury travel consortium. As with any destination, she suggests to look to resorts that cater to individual needs and check all boxes: “Do you want a large, full-service resort or an intimate boutique hotel? Do you want to stay right on the beach or tucked away?” she says.
But since the winter months are South Florida’s peak season, rates will be at their height for the year. It’s just the price of getting out from under that quilt. But in the off-season, staying at these resorts can be a bargain and significantly more tranquil. “There are fewer crowds, and you can actually enjoy the destination in a different light.”’ McCabe-Young says.
Is it time for you to defrost? Here, in no particular order, are the 12 best South Florida resorts.
White Elephant, Palm Beach
Anyone who’s ever vacationed on Nantucket knows the White Elephant. It has long been the ne plus ultra of New England luxury, and in 2020 the first White Elephant satellite opened in another timeless American beach town: Palm Beach. It was an instant hit and has since become the It spot for the South Florida city’s most elegant visitors. (For those snow-curious sunbathers, White Elephant is set to open a new outpost in downtown Aspen next year.)
The Delano
An Art Deco crown jewel in a town full of some of the era's best buildings, the Delano is finally making its long awaited return to Miami Beach (it's been closed since the beginning of the pandemic). But when doors open at the beginning of 2026, there will be some new additions. The exterior will remain, but inside, the historic Rose Bar will be reimagined, as will four other new dining options.
The Colony, Palm Beach
You can’t go wrong with the Colony, the Palm Beach pink and green legend. Lay by the pool with a copy of the “Shiny Sheet” (aka the Palm Beach post), or stop in for some of the best guacamole of your life at Swifty’s, their pool-side restaurant, where the people watching is just as good as the food. The rooms are exactly what you want them to be—bright blue and green floral headboards and circus tent-like ceilings. The lobby really does feel like a portal back in time, where the de Gournay signature “Colony” wallpaper transforms the space into a pink jungle.
Faena Hotel, Miami
Grab your linen suit and Panama hat because that’s how we dress in Alan Faena’s world. To simply call this place a hotel belies the Argentine developer’s wacked-out ambition. It’s only one element of his “district”—an expansive compound with buildings designed by the likes of Norman Foster and Rem Koolhaas. And for meat-eaters who like to tear flesh from bone without utensils, Los Fuegos by Francis Mallmann is one of the hottest tables in town.
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The Four Seasons Surfside
The Surfside is for those looking to enjoy Miami but sleep and dine at a calming retreat. The hotel's Lido restaurant features authentic Florentine meals, while Thomas Keller's Surf Club restaurant has martinis, table side Caesar salad, and a Michelin star. The management team is inventive and creative; they design some of the best experiences in the area, including beachside picnics and dining tours of Little Havana.
Ocean Key Resort & Spa, Key West
This elegant resort is known for its well-appointed rooms and suites, a waterfront restaurant, and a world-class spa, making it an ideal destination for both relaxation and digital detox. Sipping drinks at the Sunset Pier is the ultimate way to take in the tranquility of the property.
The Breakers, Palm Beach
This beachside wonder has been an icon for more than a century for a reason. Built as a hotel by the tycoon Henry Flagler in the 1890s, the guest rooms are elegant, calm, and modern, with light floral touches, while the public areas are portals to the Gilded Age. Mammoth marble fireplaces, red damask curtains, and 50-foot wide halls create a level of unparalleled grandeur—and at Christmastime, the whole place sparkles. Looking for something a tad less traditional? The hotel’s Seafood Bar and Italian Restaurant (yes, those are the official names) are modern, tasty, and luxe.
1 Hotel South Beach, Miami
If you like your luxury beach hotels eco-friendly, then this is the place for you. The holy trinity of green-living buzzwords—organic, reclaimed, and sustainable—is fully represented here in the bedding, food offerings, and furnishings. Enjoy the view of infinity with an exceedingly small carbon footprint.
The Boca Raton
Ah, Boca. It’s a bit less fancy than Palm Beach, and a bit calmer than Miami, and yes, your grandmother might spend her winters here, but all of that makes it the perfect low-key retreat. The centerpiece? The Boca Raton hotel. After nearly a century of operation under various other names (the first of which was “the Cloister Inn”) it reopened in 2021 as a sprawling modern resort. Major Food Group (the team behind Carbone) manages a number of restaurants on property, including New York-import Sadelle's and the Florida-inspired Flamingo Grill.
Pelican Grand Beach Resort, Fort Lauderdale
This place oozes classic Florida beachfront charm, with its huge private beach, a lazy river, and a rooftop skywalk with panoramic views of the Atlantic Ocean.
Acqualina Resort & Spa, Miami
This gorgeous oceanfront Sunny Isles property is designed for sunbathers who prefer to be far from the disco din of Miami Beach proper. With its three pools and private beach, it’s the place to take a much-needed chill pill.
The Ritz Carlton Naples
For those looking for an old-world Mediterranean feel, the quiet white-sand beaches of the Naples Ritz offer guest the perfect place for a little R&R. Here, guests can sample seafood on the beach at Gumbo Limbo, dip in for a California roll at the Sushi bar, or even wash the sand out of their hair for a more formal afternoon tea.
Charles Curkin is ELLE Decor's Articles Editor, covering everything related to luxury watches, design, and travel, and has previously written for The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, and The Paris Review.
Dorothy Scarborough (she/her) is the assistant to the Editor in Chief of Town & Country and Elle Decor.
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