Looking for a Florida getaway?
The Marriott Singer Island, Florida is a recently renovated, all-suite beachfront resort perfect for families – kids through grandparents – weddings and girlfriend getaways. It’s basically the Easy Button to get to with its close proximity to Palm Beach International Airport and Interstate 95.
Blonde recently visited to do reconnaissance for you. She bravely investigated the spa, the fine dining restaurant and the adults only pool. The investigative rigor we go to for our readers!
The convenience of a suite
Before arriving at the Marriott Singer Island Blonde had gone snorkeling at a nearby (about a mile away) snorkel trail in a State Park. To say she looked less than posh would be, well, overly generous. So it was with glee that she realized the suite included a washer and dryer to deal with her wet, salty clothes and beach towel.
There’s also a full kitchen, a living room, large bedroom and balcony. The coffee maker , two large flat-screen TVs and a huuuge bathroom with separate tub and shower added to the “I have everything I need right here” feeling.
Across the hall a family was bringing in a major collection of groceries. Having a full-sized refrigerator makes it possible to stock up with you want and even make some of your meals there. This could be great with under-age picky eaters, friends who don’t all keep the same schedule or people with special dietary needs (no, we don’t mean a cactus cleanse shake).
Water water everywhere
My love of water and water sports was rewarded. The Marriott Singer Island has an 48,000 square foot private beach. And, importantly, it’s a sandy beach unlike some of the rocky ones on Florida’s coast. The resort has a variety of non-motorized water sports – things like surfing, paddle-boarding and snorkeling (there’s a reef off the beach).
One thing to remember when you’re going down to the private beach is to be sure you have the gate code. You need it to enter and exit the beach – hence the private aspect. You can also implore other guests to let you in but that can be slightly humiliating (just guessing).
There’s a large pool with a slide that even AARP members can go down. The pool has something I never heard of before – it’s “zero entry”. That means little kids can just walk into the shallow end and the water is barely a couple inches deep at first. It can also be a good way for an AARP member to lurch out of the pool.
If you’re there for a girlfriend getaway you might prefer the infinity pool. And if you’re a serious swimmer you’ll delight in the fact that the pool is for lap swimmers from 7:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m. daily. Also, at both pools and the beach you can get your mojito or actual food delivered. After all, a getaway shouldn’t be a “get it yourself away”.
A top-ranked spa
The Marriott Singer Island, Florida has a spa ranked by Conde Nast Traveler as in the top 20 U.S. Resort Spas. That’s really saying something although after a 50-minute deep-tissue massage I was too blissful to say much of anything (briefly).
The spa is 8,500 square feet with individual and couples treatment rooms, its own private outdoor Jacuzzi, steam rooms, heated marble tables you can lie on to relax muscles (never saw those before), relaxation areas, locker rooms, a separate area for manicures and pedicures and an excellent gym.
A good selection of dining options
There’s a small cafe in the lobby for coffee, pastries and other goodies, 2 casual restaurants and 3800 Ocean, the fine dining option. You can eat inside, outside, at the pool, on the beach or in your room. Is that enough options for you?
3800 Ocean is the restaurant to go to if you want to be with dry, non-salty people seeking a highly civilized (but not stuffy) experience and a menu drawn from Florida’s farms (and waters). I don’t know if they grow ravioli on farms in Florida but it was yummy and a large portion.
Do pay attention if you order wine by the glass. The first price you see is for 3 ounces, then 6 then 9. I thought the first price was for a glass and the price in the right-hand column for a bottle. Oops – wrong!
Lots to do in the area
No matter how much you love a resort there comes a time when you want to bust a move and leave the property. The Marriott Singer Island is near a cool Loggerhead Turtle Marine Center where kids and their grown-ups can see and experience the research and rehabilitation (physical, not like for drug addict turtles) of this native species.
For sports enthusiasts, the St. Louis Cardinals do their spring training nearby as will the Houston Astros and the Washington Nationals beginning in 2017.
Culture lovers have easy access to the professional performing arts Maltz Jupiter Theater. Another top-notch theater is the Kravis Center for the Performing Arts.
Shoppers can happily scratch their itches (the shopping ones, not other ones please) at the lovely PGA Commons (don’t worry it isn’t golf stuff).
Other than providing options for either George Clooney or a full-time babysitter in your suite it’s hard to see what more you could need for a Florida getaway than what the Marriott Singer Island offers.
Disclosure: The Marriott Singer Island provided Blonde with a complimentary suite, massage and dinner. They did not provide the George Clooney suite upgrade option that doesn’t exist. Even though she got it for free she didn’t like the valet parking so she can’t be totally bought. (Maybe people who don’t keep leaving things behind in their cars wouldn’t mind the valet parking.)