Our Boca Raton Resort Holiday

The Boca Raton Resort where one of my sales conventions was held, with its pink walls and elegant colonnades in Mediterranean style, made for one of our most enjoyable holidays. It was our second visit to Florida, and like the Fiesta Americana in Cancun the year before-which has a write-up here:http://cancunhotelsallinclusive.blogspot.co.nz-, has already taken its spot among the Top ten hotels we have ever lodged at, and Boca Raton and surrounds will remain a favorite travel destination and one of the best Boca Raton hotels.

It has an obvious air of luxury, and Boca generally seems to be a lot cleaner and more up-market than the seedier-seeming Miami (the only other place I have visited in Florida as an intercontinental traveler), although we did not stay in an expensive hotel there. It's great to know all your bills are paid before you arrive, and such was the case when I qualified through insurance sales for a trip to this Boca resort.

The Boca Resort's architect, the visionary Addison Mizner, bought up large acreage in Boca Raton in 1925, and together with a group of investors set about transforming the into the “Venice of the Atlantic”, and to make it, as Mizner declared in front of 100 sales people “ a resort city as perfect as study and ideals can make it”.

Unfortunately almost as soon as it opened, land prices started deflating and Mizner began the slide towards bankruptcy.

The Boca Raton Resort hotel opened in 1926 as the “Cloister Inn”, demonstrating both Mizner’s large vision, and his Mediterranean Revival style of architecture which he became famous for. It opened as the most expensive 100-room hotel of its day, and has grown beyond that obviously. Mizner himself lived there with his beloved pet monkey Johnnie Brown, and the hotel soon attracted illustrious clientele and celebrities seeking their own enclave of luxury.

I was interested to hear that in the same year it opened the 1926 Miami hurricane hit the coast causing considerable damage, hastening the Florida region's entry into the Great Depression. Someone else bought the hotel from Mizner and in 1940 the U.S Army Air Corps trainees occupied the hotel calling it "the most elegant barracks in history".

Facilities include:

· Two 18-hole championship golf courses, visible as you drive into the resort

· Half a mile of private beach

· 30 championship tennis courts

· 7 swimming pools

· Spa Palazzo

· Newly renovated, 32-slip, full-service marina

· Comprehensive children’s program for kids aged 3-11

· Three state-of-the-art fitness centers

After taking part in the insurance convention activities, we had a day at the Boca Beach Club, taking a complimentary beach shuttle there from the hotel. While we had a nice time in the pools, other conference visitors made merry from their hired cabanas and there were water sports activities on offer, but we unfortunately had to miss out in favor of going for an exploratory walk to Red Reef. A good sunscreen and hat are recommended if you walk around-it was hot!

Late on in the evening my wife and I took a walk amidst the cool corridors and courtyards within the hotel and felt like a Forties film stars as we admired the stucco and the amazing Mediterranean architecture, fountains and beautiful aged trees. Some patrons were playing croquet as we walked to dinner.

We were fortunate that in staying at the Boca Raton Resort and Club, we stayed at probably the best hotel in Boca, but we're happy to be corrected. If you know of any other excellent or best Boca Raton hotels, or you had a memorable stay somewhere else, leave a comment above. It might be a good idea to also check out Hotel Guide - World Wide -they will give you latest bookings and availability, even for an hotel in a cheaper price category so that at least you can get to Boca!

My summary is that the Boca Raton Resort and Club is a great resort hotel if you have the money for this bracket of luxury hotel, or if your company fortuitously decides to have a convention there. My friend took his ten-year old along, who also thoroughly enjoyed himself so it's great for families, or if you want to treat

yourself to a luxury break or for rekindling that honeymoon feeling. I would take someone with, though, as it is so big you might get lost!

I was quite pleasantly surprised to see one of the photos (see Photo in Introduction) that we took of the hotel exterior was chosen to appear in the Schmap Fort Lauderdale guide for 2009.

..the Boca Raton Resort Hotel

From Fort Lauderdale Airport To Boca Raton Resort:
Exit the airport, and take I-595 West to I-95 North. Take I-95 North approximately 16 miles to Hillsboro Boulevard East (Exit 42A). Turn right onto Hillsboro Boulevard, and drive approximately 1½ miles to Federal Highway (U.S. 1). Turn left onto Federal Highway (U.S. 1), and drive approximately 1¾ miles to Camino Real. Turn right onto Camino Real. The resort entrance is ¼ miles ahead on the left-hand side.*

From Palm Beach International Airport:
Begin east on direct ramp from airport's exit to I-95 South, toward Miami . Take the Palmetto Park Road exit . Take a left onto Palmetto park road and continue east until Federal Highway . Turn right onto Federal Highway / US 1 South. Go to E. Camino Real, make a left. Pass through one roundabout. End at 501 E. Camino Real.

From Miami International Airport To Boca Raton Resort:
Take the Airport Expressway (112) east approximately 4½ miles to I-95 North. Take I-95 North approximately 37 miles to Hillsboro Boulevard East (Exit 42A). Turn right onto Hillsboro Boulevard, and drive approximately 1¾ miles to Federal Highway. Make left onto Federal Highway then drive approximately 1 ½ miles to Camino Real. Turn right onto Camino Real. The resort entrance is ¼ miles ahead on the left-hand side.*
* To Boca Beach Club: Exit I-95 at Palmetto Park Road, and head east to A1A and south ¾ mile to entrance of Boca Beach Club - the last left before the bridge.

Arriving By Yacht:
Boca Raton Resort Marina, located on the Intracoastal Waterway, provides a full-service, 32-boat slip at Mile Marker 67.

Ground Transportation:
Since 1978, Boca Raton Transportation has been the exclusive transportation company for the Boca Raton Resort. Boca Raton Transportation welcomes the opportunity to handle your ground transportation needs. Fleet consists of the newest equipment: Lincoln Town Cars and Limousines, vans and mini-buses. They are fully licensed and permitted in Palm Beach, Broward and Dade counties.

For these and other great hotel offers I recommend you check out : Undercover Tourist