Little Palm Island
Resort & Spa

Being the only one of its kind in the country isn’t enough for Little Palm Island. Staying here is an experience in itself – and it begins before even leaving the mainland. A rum cocktail greets at the check-in desk masquerading as a bar, before the resort’s motor yacht ‘Truman’ glides over the ocean to the islet. A host dedicated to each guest takes care of the logistics and from here island life takes over. Complimentary water sports, the likes of kayaking and scuba diving, fill the mornings, while afternoons in SpaTerre melt muscles with signature treatments using herbs and minerals native to South Florida. Evenings are left free to choose where to dine on the couldn’t-be-more-local seafood. Whether that be in the cooling Dining Room restaurant or with toes in the sand.

Once the best kept secret of famous faces, opening its doors to a wider audience has made the island rather renowned. That doesn’t mean it is any less serene though. Its adults-only status maintains the peace, and a huge renovation in recent years has blended both rustic and refined to create the kind of isolation that’s hard to leave. Limiting the distractions and boosting the relaxation, individual thatched bungalows have cast aside TVs and phones (they request guests put them on silent). Most replace them with cavernous four-poster beds and outdoor copper bathtubs. Meanwhile, the second-storey Premier Suites also add the best views into the mix.