Boffo for Boca — Sophisticated St. Louis

Reinvigorated under the ownership of Michael Dell's MSD Partners, The Boca Raton, an iconic South Florida resort, delivers panache without pretense.

Written by Bridget Williams / Photos courtesy of The Boca Raton

The contributions of architect Addison Mizner and business tycoon Henry Flagler to elevating Palm Beach County's prominence as a long-time playground for the rich and famous cannot be understated. The latter's landmarks include The Breakers Palm Beach, which well-heeled travelers of the late 1800s accessed via his expanded railroad system. Mizner literally followed Flagler's tracks to leave an indelible mark courtesy of his Spanish and Mediterranean Revival style buildings, whose architectural ambiance is now regarded as a quintessential South Florida architectural hallmark.

Arriving in Palm Beach with sewing machine heir Paris Singer during the winter of 1918 gave Mizner, a self-taught architect, instant entrée into the upper echelons of society. By all accounts, he used his charisma to charm clients. Still, it was his unique perspective and exacting execution, which extended to workshops he established to turn out tiles, wrought iron fixtures, cast-stone trim, and columns and furniture to his specifications.

Among Mizner's dossier of "Mizner Mediterranean Revival" buildings are more than 50 mansions, the Everglades Club and nearby Via Mizner on Worth Avenue in Palm Beach, and the Ritz-Carlton Cloister Inn, part of a sprawling development spearheaded by his Mizner Development Corporation in Boca Raton, which in the early 1920s was just a small farming community. The 100-room Cloister Inn, which opened to great fanfare in 1926, went on to become the Waldorf Astoria-run Boca Raton Resort & Club and most recently reemerged under Michael Dell's MSD Partners' ownership and a $200M facelift as simply The Boca Raton. Following my recent visit, I can only surmise that Mizner would be tickled as pink as the pastry case in Maison Rose, a sweets shop in the historic Cloister Lobby with the renovation of the resort and private club.

A sprawling property encompassing five lodging options, The Cloister remains the heart of the property. It is the embarkation point for guests staying here and at the Bungalows, the Tower, the Beach Club, and the Yacht Club, an adults-only luxury mid-rise where I was lucky to lodge for a few days.

It's nearly impossible to pass through The Cloister without stopping at least once to marvel at the architecture, the ornateness of which is even more pronounced against a blue-chip collection of contemporary art from the likes of Alex Katz, KAWS, and Fernando Botero placed in partnership with Palm Beach's Sponder Gallery. Moving past Sadelle's (an outpost of the beloved SoHo institution often credited with the best bagel in the Big Apple) and the soaring-ceilinged and strikingly stunning Palm Court lounge, a corridor lined with art that's heavy on photography and nostalgia, including a diamond-dusted portrait of Jackie O by Russell Young, leads to the private Yacht Club entrance, only accessible to registered guests.

After being greeted in the living-room-like lobby, guests are escorted to their suites, all of which face the Intracoastal. The terraces in each suite provide a bird's eye view of Lake Boca Raton and the Atlantic Ocean beyond. The Yacht Club's sleek interior design—bleached oak floors and a blue and white color scheme— aptly calls to mind the superyachts moored just outside the lobby.

Yacht Club room, junior suite with balcony.

Guests of the Yacht Club are privy to scores of exclusive amenities, including butler service, full access to the lush private pool and wellness facilities of the Forbes Five-Star Spa Palmera, and the ability to take the house car, an Aston Martin DBX707 (the world's most powerful luxury SUV) out for a spin. Yacht Club guests are privy to two exclusive food and beverage outlets: an alfresco Champagne Terrace featuring premium bubbly from French Champagne house Moët & Chandon, including Ice Impérial, the first and only champagne designed to be enjoyed over ice. Located on the top floor of the Yacht Club, Flybridge is an intimate fine dining concept serving breakfast and Executive Chef Peter Annewanter's beautifully plated and exquisitely orchestrated three- and five-course tasting menus, including a vegetarian option tempting enough for a carnivore like me to try.

The pool at Spa Palmera is open to guests of the Yacht Club to use for the duration of the day.

Outside the Yacht Club's rarified air, you'll find a plethora of amenities scattered throughout the resort's 300+ acres. In total, there are 15 restaurants and lounges. Take advantage of a sunset cocktail on the smartly outfitted terrace of The Flamingo Grill, overlooking the 18-hole par-71 golf course. A Major Food Group restaurant, there's a touch of South Florida's mid-century golden age in the interior design and snappy attire of the service captains at this classic American steakhouse.

The Flamingo Grill, a Major Food Group Restaurant.

Harbor House, which leans heavily on seafood and super-sized salads, is adjacent to the sprawling Harborside Pool Club, which encompasses a 450-foot lazy river, waterslides, a surfing simulator, an adult-only pool, and luxury cabanas. Leave room for their Tackle Box sundae, where giant scoops of ice cream are delivered alongside a retrofitted tackle box full of toppings.

The whimsical wallpaper and light fixtures at the Monkey Bar are an homage to Johnnie Brown, Mizner's pet spider monkey, who ran for mayor of Palm Beach and was buried in Via Mizner after he died in 1927. You can spy a larger-than-life statue of the duo atop a clock tower in downtown Boca Raton.

A whimsical wallpaper and light fixtures at the Monkey Bar.

The 50,000-square-foot Spa Palmera is a visually stunning palace of pampering open to Yacht Club guests during operating hours, with no appointment. Inspired by Spain's Alhambra Palace, the ritual experiences offered in the opulent Moroccan baths are a must-do, either on their own or in conjunction with indulgent face and body treatments that use products from Natura Bisse and Biologique Recherche, among others. Those wanting a little pumping up in addition to pampering can avail themselves of a superbly equipped fitness facility with a slate of daily complimentary classes, a Racquet Club with 16 tennis courts and six pickleball courts, and seven swimming pools.

From formal to frivolous, all types of monkeying around are possible at this comprehensive resort, which meant I could follow up an afternoon of zipping down the waterslides with dressing up for a refined five-course dinner at Fybridge. Mizner would approve.