Review: Beach Club at The Boca Raton: First In

Why book?

When you just need to get away from it all—and not lift a finger.

Set the scene

The Boca Raton as a whole maintains a loyal following of Northeast execs flying in with their extended families for the winter holidays. By the pool, well-to-do couples in Vilebrequin swim trunks and Farm Rio midi dresses sip piña coladas while their goggled-up offspring splash away in the shallow end. Amidst the New York accents you may also hear the chatter of “members,” a local crowd consisting of loyal snowbirds and retirees for which the resort serves as their lavish country club.

Compared to Boca Raton’s “harborside” hotels—characterized by their classic Mediterranean Revival architecture and dark wood interiors—the bright and breezy Beach Club has a distinctly separate feel to it. Here, most guests are younger than 60 but older than 18, including parents and their adult children, as well as newlyweds on couples getaways. As the name implies, the Beach Club is for beach lovers prioritizing salt and sun, while those staying across the lake have more convenient access to the vast sports facilities and kid-friendly pool club.

The backstory

The Boca Raton is a beloved historic resort with five luxe hotels on a 200-acre property divided in two by Lake Boca Raton. In 2021, the brand ushered in a “new golden era” to the tune of a $200 million refresh by current owners MSD Partners (Michael Dell’s investment firm).

The majority of the resort is located on the “harborside,” overlooking the lake. From here, guests can hop on a five minute water taxi to the “beachside,” home to the resort’s modern oceanfront hotel, the Beach Club, and its three pools, two restaurants, and half-mile private beach. The true benefit of staying at The Boca Raton is that you’re not limited to one side or the other—all the resort’s main amenities are available to guests regardless of which building they’re staying in.

In January 2025, the Beach Club completed a $130 million renovation including 210 redesigned guest rooms and suites, two new restaurants, a completely refreshed lobby featuring a new bar and café, plus new fitness and event spaces. If you ask the staff what the main difference between the old and new Beach Club is, they’ll tell you it’s much “brighter” now. Even when you’re inside, the open, light-filled spaces radiate sunshine (with the added benefit of crisp AC).

The rooms

The newly renovated guest rooms and suites are where beach meets elegance, with natural marble, lime-wash plaster walls, and cerused woods creating a serene coastal feel (sans in-your-face tropical embellishments). The design may be minimalist, but not lacking in attention to detail, especially when it comes to the gorgeous bathrooms (with a soaking tub and walk-in shower), premium bedding, and mood lighting. If there’s a place to splurge on an ocean view, it’s here. I stayed in a seventh-floor balcony room and in the morning, we would open the floor-to-ceiling windows to watch the sunrise over the water, before momentarily falling back asleep to the ocean breeze, as if floating on a cloud. If you truly never want to leave your room—I wouldn’t blame you—book a terrace or lanai suite (available in studio, one, and two-bedroom iterations) for access to private outdoor space with personal loungers. Rooms rates start at $770 per night in low season.

Food and drink

Dining at the Beach Club was, perhaps unexpectedly, one of the most memorable parts of my stay—even when ordering poolside tacos and salads. The highlight was Onda, a brand-new outdoor oceanfront venue featuring a rotating seasonal menu (open for lunch and dinner, with reservations recommended for the latter). The inaugural menu of savory Caribbean cuisine was created in partnership with Executive Chef Adriano Venturini of Eden Roc Cap Cana, the Dominican Republic’s Relais & Châteaux hotel. To start, get the melt-on-your-tongue tuna crudo lightly drizzled with olive oil, and the bread service with homemade whipped coconut butter. For a splittable entree, the Pescado Boca Chica—a deep-fried whole snapper with fried plantains, pickled cubanelle and red onion slaw, avocado salsa verde, and tostones—is the standout dish.

Marisol, a longtime Beach Club establishment, has been moved to a new indoor-outdoor dining room with a covered terrace and ultra chic decor. The Mediterranean menu features shellfish towers, mezze, kebabs, and fresh seafood delivered daily by local fishermen (the wait staff will even tell you the name of the fisherman who caught it). When you’ve had your fill of seafood, the Greek lamb chops were some of the best I’ve had. Marisol is also open for breakfast, brunch, and lunch; reservations are recommended for dinner.

The spa

Beach Club guests have access to The Boca Raton’s Spa Palmera on the harborside of the property. It is worth the boat ride tenfold—modeled after Spain’s Alhambra palace, the decadent 50,000-square-foot sanctuary is known as one of the best spas in all of Florida. The treatment options run the gamut from Moroccan hammam-inspired bath rituals and sound therapy to facials and massages.

The neighborhood/area

While the resort is like a neighborhood within itself—and one you never have to leave—downtown Boca only is a 10-minute bike ride away and is home to a number of great restaurants and fun shops. The hotel provides complimentary bikes and courtesy shuttle rides within a two-mile radius.

The service

There is travel, and then there is the lazing bliss of a true vacation—and when you check into the Beach Club, you check out of reality. This sumptuous escapism is largely thanks to the butler-like service; the toughest decision you’ll face will be whether to lounge at the pool, beach, or spa. Even the most tightly strung New Yorkers (of which there are many here) will breathe easy thanks to the extremely knowledgeable and personable staff members, from the bartenders to the tennis pros.

For families

The Boca Raton is designed for family activities, regardless of age. For young children and teens, the harborside pool club is the place to be, with a lazy river, water slides, Flowrider surf simulator, and even themed kids cabanas (your pick of chef, princess, mermaid, or pirate decor).

For multi-gen family activities with older kids, the full-service Racquet Club has 12 newly transformed hard-surface pickleball courts, 14 tennis Hydro-Grid courts, and a new courtside bar. Then there’s the 18-hole golf course located in a scenic Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary. Did I mention the croquet and bocce courts?

At the Beach Club, there are both adults-only and kid-friendly pools, an inflatable waterslide, a beach volleyball court, and reservable private cabanas perfect for big groups with something to celebrate. But the real draw here is the water sports: there’s banana boat tubing; paddle board, pedal kayak, and jet ski rentals; surf lessons; and private boat charters. A water baby’s dream.

Eco effort

To reduce single-use plastics, guests receive mini Swell water bottles in their rooms to refill. Filtered water faucets are located in each room and placed across the property.

Accessibility

The property offers select ADA rooms with fully automated doors for zero-step entry, as well as sight and hearing-accessible features and tub grab bars. ADA rooms are available in multiple room categories including Standard King, Sundeck King, Balcony King, first-floor Lanai Double Queen, and more. There are ADA chair lifts available for the pools, a wheelchair available for use on the beach, and accessible entrances and elevators in every building.

Anything left to mention?

One of the Beach Club’s most unique experiences now available to book is a morning cruise aboard “Sorbetto,” an adorable pink boat modeled after a Fiat 500 (complete with rearview mirrors, a windshield, and headlights) along the Intracoastal to Lake Boca Raton. We were the most popular boat on the water—if you’re lucky, Captain Bill may even treat you to some Champagne.

Complimentary Sorbetto cruises are first-come-first-serve for Beach Club guests on Thursday through Monday from 2 to 5 p.m. (From 9:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., members and other resort guests can book it for an extra fee. )