Inside Florida’s luxurious Eau Palm Beach Resort & Spa – ocean views, rain-shower hot tubs and more

At the Eau Palm Beach Resort & Spa, still waters run chic. Between two shorefront swimming pools, a swanky steam room, oversized Jacuzzi and fountains, H2O is a theme that flows throughout the throughout the property.

After all, eau means water in French.

The seven-acre estate, located on the barrier island of Manalapan just 20 minutes from Palm Beach International Airport, was the original site of La Coquille Club. Established in the 1950s, the high society beach club hosted US presidents and the Vanderbilt, Rockefeller and Ford families.

It was razed some 30 years later and replaced by the Ritz-Carlton Palm Beach in the ’90s. In 2003, the hotel was purchased by the Lewis Trust Group and rebranded a decade later as Eau Palm Beach Resort & Spa. In August, Oracle co-founder Larry Ellison, one of the world’s richest men, added the retreat to his luxury portfolio. 

Eau’s aquatic motif extends to its 306 hotel rooms and suites, each with a balcony. Jonathan Adler designed the cheerful blue and white décor with pops of tropical yellow. As for dining options, there are five, ranging from al fresco seafood at Breeze Ocean Kitchen to authentic Italian at Polpo Palm Beach, the second outpost of the famed Greenwich, Conn., restaurant. 

And no matter where you are, the water is just steps away. Snorkel, kayak and paddleboard in the Atlantic, or swim laps in the pools. Guests can also book a day pass in the 42,000-square-foot spa, which earned Forbes’ five-star ranking. 

On a recent visit to the wellness sanctuary, I started my afternoon with a customary glass of Champagne and floated a candle in the Wishing Well. It was then time for my 90-minute Sea-Eau-Listic exfoliating massage.

After I selected music, fragrance and light-color options, the therapist polished my skin and used Thai-inspired massage techniques, paired with warm marine-salt-and-lavender-filled linen bundles, to restore balance to my body. It was so deeply soothing that I felt like I was in a trance.  

The next day, I headed back to the spa to make my own deliciously scented citrus scrub at the DIY Scrub and Polish Bar. After changing into a swimsuit, I hit the hydrotherapy circuit. I soaked in the hot tub with an overhead rain shower, lazed in the steam room and sauna, then kicked back in the Self-Centered Garden.

Nestled in one of the egg-shaped chairs hanging over the shallow reflection pool, water lapped over my bare feet. It was hypnotic. 

The spa offers an extensive menu of services, including facials, body treatments and massages, many using Valmont and Yon-Ka Paris products. Fans of organic services can opt for the Eau Natural facial, which enhances the skin’s radiance with botanical ingredients that are free of synthetics, parabens, dyes, petrochemicals and sulfates. The Glo2 facial, meanwhile, oxygenates and exfoliates the skin. The Signature Massage (60, 90 or 120 minutes in duration) features hot stones on the back and a luxury foot treatment. 

Couples have a choice of five pampering services performed in a private garden villa. Lasting up to five hours, the Perfect Champagne & Caviar Couples Journey involves massages, facials, manis, pedis and bathing for two. 

What could be better than a dip à deux?