Beginnings are everything–the way a city gets its start often ends up defining its character. New York City, today a nerve center of international commerce, began as a hub of beaver-pelt trading (big business back in the day!). Beijing still bears the indelible imperial imprint of its first emperor–the city grew in concentric circles around the placement of his throne at the dead center. As for Palm Beach? Turns out the founding pillars of this city were hotels.

Oil magnate Henry Flagler established the town as a getaway for the well-heeled with two luxury resorts, one of which, The Breakers, is an imposing grand dame even today. Though the original 1896 structure burned down in 1925, its reconstruction the very next year was inspired by Rome’s Villa Medici. Translation: a sumptuous pleasure palace awaits you, with 500 rooms set on 140 acres with five pools, golf courses and tennis courts, an elaborate spa, and a cushy beach club on a private strip of sand. Grab a formal drink at the Tapestry Bar, followed by an elegant meal at L’Escalier, or stop in for a quick cappuccino on the terrace at the coffee shop. You’ll pay handsomely for all of this fabulousness, of course, but if you want to experience the quintessence of Palm Beach right in the heart of it all, this is the spot.

If all that stimulation sounds a bit overwhelming, you might want to opt for one of the smaller boutique properties that have fewer facilities but tranquility in spades. Although these hotels, located as they are steps away from Worth Avenue, may not place you right on the sand, you’ll be closer to the best shopping, dining, and people watching on the island. The understated 1920s glamour, just-a-shuttle-ride-away beach club, and onsite access to Café Boulud make The Brazilian Court one of our faves. The tranquil pool at West Indies-inspired The Colony draws flocks of winter-escaping regulars. And if you can spring for a junior suite at The Chesterfield (the regular rooms are too small for our taste), you’ll be treated to a generous helping of British-style charm.

But what if you want both the amenities of a large resort (without The Breakers prices) AND a little bit of out-of-the-way seclusion? Well, this is Palm Beach, so you shall have anything your heart desires. Choose to stay further afield at the Four Seasons Resort Palm Beach or the The Omphoy Ocean Resort, both a 10-15 minute ride from town and both with beach access. While the Four Seasons is the pick for families or grown-up getaways, The Omphoy pulls in a younger-and-hipper crowd with its somewhat more accessible prices and trendy mind/body spa. Even further from town is The Ritz-Carlton, Palm Beach, where the myriad onsite facilities and activities–including everything from aquatic sports to tennis to the whimsical Eau Spa by Cornelia–give you little reason to leave the property.

Given that hotels have a starring role in the origin story of Palm Beach, it makes sense that the hotel selection here precisely mirrors the disposition of the town itself: family-oriented, elegant, mature, and designed expressly for indulgent R&R. These aren’t pleasure domes in which to let loose and go wild, but rather stately settings in which to enjoy the finer things with a “resort formality”…just as the island’s founding father intended.

Photo of The Breakers