The Breakers Palm Beach

Henry Morrison Flagler's oceanfront resort, opened 1896 as the Palm Beach Inn and renamed The Breakers in 1901 after guests kept requesting rooms "over by the breakers." Twice destroyed by fire — 1903 and 1925 — and rebuilt each time; the current Italian Renaissance building, designed by Schultze and Weaver after Rome's Villa Medici, opened in 1926 at a cost of $7 million. Still owned by Flagler's Kenan-family heirs, still independent of any chain, and a National Register landmark since 1973. 534 rooms across 140 oceanfront acres, with the family reinvesting roughly $30 million a year in restoration.

What to order

Walk the lobby and the ocean-facing loggia even if you're not staying — it's a working museum of Gilded Age Florida. For a sit-down, HMF (named for Flagler) in the old Florentine Room does tapas-style small plates from a 2,000-bottle list; seasonal holiday afternoon tea is the classic move.

Hours

Resort open 24/7 · HMF dinner nightly from 5:30p · holiday afternoon tea seasonal