Florida's Top 5 Secret Hideaways

The Royal Blues Hotel, Deerfield Beach, FL

Located just about half way between Miami Beach and Palm Beach, FL, Royal Blues Hotel was envisioned and created by Film/Broadway Producer Edward Walson as an ode to the sea evoking the clean lines of a luxury yacht. This exclusive boutique hotel opened in October 2014 and boasts 12 oceanfront suites richly outfitted in natural marble, teak wood, leather, and impressive original art works from the owner's private collection. Guests are welcomed to the hotel with Champagne from the lobby's wine lounge.

Royal Blues Hotel is the only Relais & Chateaux property in the state of Florida offering guests a fine dining experience with its striking Chanson restaurant. Nestled next to windows that deliver an oceanic panorama, Chanson restaurant combines a chic and sophisticated atmosphere with original works of art. The centerpiece of the restaurant is a saltwater aquarium mounted above diners, and features a menu that celebrates the best of local ingredients from Florida's very own coast. The adjacent wine lounge offers a daily debut tasting menu of tapas to perfectly pair with craft wines selected from a remarkable wine list.

45 NE 21st Avenue, Deerfield Beach, FL 33441. www.royalblueshotel.com



Watercolor Inn & Resort, Santa Rosa Beach, FL

WaterColor Inn has long been a favorite of discerning travelers in search of serenity along Florida's Emerald Coast. This charming seaside resort sits on 499 acres, yet there are only 60 rooms, so you feel like you're staying in a comfortable private beach house. All rooms offer balconies with sensational views of the powdery white sand and gentle turquoise waters on Florida's Panhandle. Six ground-floor rooms have direct access to the beach and include outdoor showers. Amenities include six outdoor swimming pools, a spa and fitness center, bicycling, kayaking, canoeing, fishing, tennis and golf. The inn is within walking distance of shopping and dining in the gorgeous town of Seaside, FL.

WaterColor also houses one of the Gulf Coast's elite restaurants. Fish Out of Water is a chef-driven bastion for foodies. It touts creative spins on local seafood, organic and free range meats and a wine cellar that is perennially recognized by Wine Spectator. "Fish" (as the locals refer to it) is accessible from the second floor of the Inn. The sunset deck is a popular spot to sip a cocktail and sample the restaurants haute appetizer list.

34 Goldenrod Cir, Santa Rosa Beach, FL 32459. www.watercolorresort.com



Sunset Key Cottages, a Luxury Collection Resort, Key West

Poised on the secluded 27-acre island of Sunset Key, the alluring resort embraces the island's stunning natural beauty, breathtaking ocean views and 40 luxuriously appointed two-, three- and four-bedroom cottages with quaint foot paths that lead guests through the resort's lush tropical landscape. Guests are first greeted at the resort's mainland porte-cochère and whisked away via private boat for a short cruise to Sunset Key Island. Guests are then welcomed by the resort's signature cocktail, frozen-sweet treats and The Luxury Collection brand's signature concierge service, who serve as a portal for travelers to discover the intriguing and less explored adventures of Key West.

Sunset Key Cottages features an exquisite epicurean experience at Latitudes, the resort's waterfront all-day dining restaurant with seating on the water's edge where guests are surrounded by gorgeous views of the Gulf of Mexico. The secluded resort also features an intimate spa with spacious treatment suites, a relaxation room, and private verandas for guests to relax after locally-inspired treatments including wraps, scrubs, facials, and massages. Destined to set new standards of luxury in South Florida, Sunset Key Cottages offers its discerning guests access to a state-of-the-art fitness center, two tennis courts, a basketball court, and signature 'tropical free-form, zero-degree entry pool'.

245 Front Street, Key West, FL 33040. www.sunsetkeycottages.com



The Pillars Hotel, Fort Lauderdale, FL

Nestled on Fort Lauderdale's intracoastal waterway and just five minutes from the beach, The Pillars Hotel is a sophisticated haven set in a stunning plantation-style house. With an elegant new dining room with waterway views, a broad selection of spacious rooms and suites, an inviting outdoor pool and a 51-foot luxury yacht to charter, this is a truly captivating place.

The rooms and suites at The Pillars Hotel are an eclectic mix of cane, polished wooden floors, classic armchairs, rich fabrics and interesting artifacts. Wander outside and sit by the pool on a sun lounger surrounded by palm trees swaying in the gentle breeze and colorful tropical flowers. Then wander over to the dock and watch the yachts cruising past. Charter the hotel yacht for half a day and drop anchor in Lake Sylvia and relax with cocktails and hors d'oeuvres. Then return to The Pillars Hotel for dinner in the hotel’s private dining club, The Secret Garden.

111 N Birch Rd, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33304. www.pillarshotel.com



Little Palm Island Resort & Spa, Little Torch Key, FL

Little Palm Island Resort & Spa is an exclusive luxury resort located 120 miles from Miami, but it feels like Tahiti or Bali. You wake up to a blissful quiet, broken only by a heron's call and the gentle lap of waves. You snuggle closer. A cloud of soft linen envelops you in a comfortable cocoon. You dream of your trip here last night on The Truman, the 35-foot launch named after one of the island's most famous guests, and glide again through sultry waters to arrive at this remote island full of Jamaican palms and exotic blossoms. And you wonder if you can ever leave.

Tucked offshore of Little Torch Key and accessible only by boat or seaplane, the resort is a world unto itself, alive with hidden pleasures. Crushed seashell paths wind through lush gardens to thatched-roof bungalows, which serve as your guest quarters. Extra spacious, each suite and grand suite has romantic touches such as a king-size bed draped in butterfly netting, verandahs with ocean views and, in some rooms, private outdoor showers and jetted tubs.

From the lagoon-style pool to the meditative Zen Garden or the cozy Great Room library, a perfect serenity sweeps over you as you wander the island. Oversized hammocks beckon from the trees. Lounge chairs nestled in the sand call from the beach. And at the end of the day, return to your private bungalow for peaceful seclusion to dream again.

28500 Overseas Hwy, Little Torch Key, FL 33042. www.littlepalmisland.com

From Key West to Palm Beach County, South Florida's beaches, Intracoastal waterway, and hundreds of ocean-access inlets have multitudes of these hidden jewels that even locals have yet to discover. For a more thorough tour of the coastal property scene, contact a licensed real estate firm and tell them that you're interested in buying something "uniquely South Florida." You won't regret it.