Review: Palm House: First In

Why book?

Abandoned for nearly 17 years and recently revitalized by a UK-based hotel company, Palm House is a tableau of what visitors expect from a Palm Beach hotel—posh, coastal and, well, pink—but grown up and defining its own narrative with glamorous, artsy touches that feel provocative and witty.

Set the scene

There’s no mistaking that you’re in Palm Beach the moment you step out of the porte cochere directly into Palm Bar, a light-filled lounge where, on this night, a gentleman in a coral-pink blazer (coincidentally matching the lobby’s pink sofas) is chatting with other Palm Beachers in designer-clad dresses and double-breasted jackets. Three custom-made, coral-colored Murano glass chandeliers with pieces resembling cascading feathers suspend above the dome-like lobby ceiling, the bar is luminous in pink marble, and the floor is a mosaic of matte and polished marble. But the true masterpieces in the lobby? Two walls covered in iridescent seashells, all types—conch shells, shark’s eye, white baby ear—made by local journalist-turned-artist Christa Wilm. Palm House, located just a block from the ocean, leaves its poolside French doors open at night during the winter season, and you can feel the ocean breeze energizing the hotel. As does the fun playlist of familiar mixes from Mariah Carey and other ’90s and 2000s musicians.

The backstory

UK-based L+R hotel group purchased the deserted space in 2019 with plans to reinvigorate it to the same prestige as other properties in its portfolio, including Cliveden House in England and Hotel Excelsior in Italy (home of the Venice International Film Festival). Palm House is the hotel group's first U.S. hotel, and L+R did its homework in tastefully weaving in Palm Beach’s ubiquitous Mediterranean Revival style into its overall look, an approach that early 20th century architect Addison Mizner was known for. L+R tapped Cooper Carry architectural firm, whose previous work included designing Mizner Park shopping plaza in nearby Boca Raton, to reimagine the forsaken property. Much like Mizner Park, Palm House’s key architectural features include arched walkways and doors, and a signature coral facade that peeks out from behind the neighborhood’s coconut palms and manicured greenery.

The rooms

The property’s 58 guest rooms and 21 suites lean into the lobby’s Palm Beach-chic theme of pink, with a subtle nod to the nearby ocean. A coral-colored upholstered headboard is the first thing you notice when entering the grand room, grounded by a rug whose geometric lines are designed to resemble the outline of dozens of pink seashells. Floor-to-ceiling sliding doors open to either a balcony or onto a private terrace that looks out to the private pool. My room carried on familiar concepts from the lobby, including a domed ceiling entryway that featured a pink chandelier, and the arched bathroom door served as a low-key hat tip to Mediterranean Revival touches. If you’re lucky enough to score the Presidential Suite, you'll have the two-story, nearly 2,000 square-foot space (I was told it was one of the largest hotel rooms on Palm Beach island), complete with a nine-foot-by-nine-foot Alaskan King bed, all to yourself.

Food and drink

The Dining Room is Palm House’s main restaurant (there is poolside service that’s ramping up) that offers breakfast, lunch and dinner. In keeping with the hotel’s desire to feel more like a home than a hotel, the restaurant’s unassuming moniker is in line with the hotel’s goal of making the property feel homey. And where do you dine inside a home? The dining room. Seafoam green tones take over the 88-seat dining space (there’s also an outdoor terrace that seats 36), as the pink palette takes a slight backseat.

Lunch and dinner at The Dining Room is a menu of Japanese flavors mixed with Peruvian ingredients (the breakfast menu is more Western-focused with omelettes, vegan pancakes and eggs Benedict). First-time guests like me are welcomed with a hearty “irasshaimase”—Japanese for “welcome”—when entering the dining space by both the host and then echoed by the sushi chefs, who are skillfully hand rolling sushi maki from behind the sushi bar.

The menu is categorized by cold and hot dishes, and the culinary team recommends beginning with the cold and then moving to the more hearty hot selections. The tiradito and yellowtail jalapeño didn’t disappoint, showcasing vibrant citrus notes mixed with hints of spice. The tenderloin toban-yaki comes sizzling in a ceramic pot, making it a showstopping dish both in presentation and in taste. The Dining Room has its own sake sommelier for those who need a little help with pairing.

The spa

No spa here, but guest rooms bathrooms are equipped with extra-deep soaking tubs and bath amenities by Barcelona-based luxe skin brand Natura Bisse.

The neighborhood/area

The hotel is one block from the Atlantic Ocean and half a block from a strip of Palm Beach’s independently owned boutiques and restaurants. A few blocks south is the famed Worth Avenue shopping strip, easy to get to by foot on a breezy day. Palm House is located in a quiet residential neighborhood that seems to enjoy its hushed privacy among towering palm trees and thick shrubs of seagrape.

The service

Cozy and familial, but reverential. A friendly staff member always opens the massive entrance door for you, and the bottles of Acqua Panna are refilled often in every guest room. The staff is dressed in comfortable sneakers or loafers, setting the tone that this isn’t a place that constantly says “my pleasure” to every request, but instead replies with the modern “happy to help.”

For families

Sure, Palm House is designed to feel like a welcoming home—but mostly if the home has well-mannered children with illusive tantrums. Kids are welcomed here (I brought my two kids, and they were made to feel comfortable), but the hotel focuses on the adult experience, with its calming outdoor pool devoid of DJs and loud music, and a lobby bar that’s the social hub of the property.

Accessibility

There is a ramp at the entrance and elevators for the three-story building as well as ADA-compliant rooms.

Eco effort

The hotel tries to limit single-use plastics by using agave straws, compostable paper cups, and residential-style bathroom amenities.

Anything left to mention?

Along several corridors are framed large-scale vintage photographs of Palm Beach taken by famed photographer Slim Aarons. A witty take on Palm Beach life and the socialites that frequented it, these archival shots show a cheeky perspective of the historically private island, such as the photograph of a pink-haired poodle riding backseat in an open-air pink convertible with a pink-hatted driver.