Description
Staying at Little Palm Island is all about switching off. There are no televisions or phones, making the island extremely popular with A-list entertainers and political heavyweights. Instead, allow yourself to succumb to the fabulous service, the beautiful setting, the privacy and the unobtrusive barefoot luxury.
The resort is linked by a network of white crushed-shell paths, and consists of thirty duplex thatched-roof bungalow suites, many with ocean views and private decks with hammocks, hidden away among the lush tropical vegetation and fronting onto unspoiled white sand. Inside the suites are spacious and airy, with the feel of a romantic low-key Caribbean plantation, tropical woods mingling with summery colours, and custom-made beds draped under butterfly netting. There are stand-alone bathtubs and an outside shower perfect for cooling off in the middle of the day. Shy deer can often be glimpsed from your verandah in the mornings.
The dining at Little Palm Island is quite superb, and features inventive French, Cuban and Floridian cuisine, and you can choose to eat in the romantic candle-lit restaurant, at an outside terrace table overlooking the ocean or even on the beach under the moon.
Relaxation opportunities are endless, from lounging by the lagoon-style pool, cosying up with a book in the library or meditating in the Zen Garden, and the spa is one of Florida’s finest, with spa treatments such as a coconut sugar body polish or margarita key lime pedicure with which to pamper yourself.
For more adventurous souls, the resort offers complimentary water sports including kayaks, kite boards and lasers, and there is also a 38-foot catamaran to take you out for an afternoon’s sail or sunset cruise with a private dinner aboard. If you're in the mood to venture further afield, there are myriad options. The island is in the heart of a marine sanctuary and the diving and snorkelling is superb, with shimmering coral reefs, colourful fish and a wreck to explore. Alternatively swim with dolphins at Marathon Key, or view the incredible bird life at the Great White Heron Wildlife Refuge. If you are an angler, the flats and bone fishing in these parts is legendary, and you can even live out your Hemingway fantasies for the day on a deep sea fishing expedition where you might land a marlin or a tarpon.
Accommodation
30 thatched cabana suites of 50 square metres, perched at the water's edge each with air conditioning, minibar, king canopy bed, spacious living area, indoor and outdoor private shower and terrace overlooking the ocean.
Childcare
Children under 16 are not permitted.
Facilities
Restaurant, spa, swimming pool, fitness centre
Activities
Back country fishing, deep sea fishing, scuba diving, snorkelling, sailing, kiteboard, helicopter and seaplane trips, sky diving, dolphin encounters, eco-tours, island picnics
When to travel
The Florida Keys are a year-round destination with balmy winters, but summers can be hot and humid. The best time to visit Florida is in March and April when it is warm and sunny, before the weather begins to get too hot. Hurricanes and other less serious tropical storms can strike Florida any time in the summer up to the end of November, however the risk is greatest between August and October.
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Best time to visit
Good time to visit
Average time to visit
Not applicable
Location and directions
Florida, United States of America
Little Palm Island Resort & Spa is on Little Torch Key, in Florida's Lower Keys, between Key West and Marathon, just south of Big Pine Key in the Gulf of Mexico. Only accessible by sea-plane or boat.
How to get there
9-hour flight to Miami International Airport. After about a two-hour drive from Miami International Airport, you'll arrive at the Welcome Station on Little Torch Key. From there, a 35-ft. motor yacht takes you to Little Palm.
