A long-closed hotel on one of Palm Beach’s most prominent streets is set to open as a luxury hotel called the Palm House in November, according to a statement released exclusively to the Palm Beach Daily News.
The statement was made on behalf of Iconic Luxury Hotels, the company’s sister brand which purchased the hotel property out of bankruptcy in 2019 and spent about three years renovating the property at 160 Royal Palm Way.
The seaside establishment has been closed to guests since it closed 17 years ago.
“This marks a pivotal moment in the brand’s history as we announce the opening of our first iconic luxury hotel in the United States,” said Andrew Stembridge, the brand’s executive director.
The brand is part of L+R Hotels, a London-based hotel investment and management company that owns more than 105 hotels worldwide, including the Marriott Hotel in West Palm Beach.
Francisco Macedo, senior vice president of Iconic Luxury Hotels, said of the planned opening, “This is an exciting step for L+R Hotels as we continue to expand our Iconic Luxury Hotels portfolio internationally.”
The brand’s other properties include Cliveden House in the UK, which attracted international attention when Meghan Markle stayed there the night before her wedding to Prince Harry in 2018.
Palm House offers 79 rooms, including 21 suites, a courtyard surrounding a spacious pool, function rooms with garden terrace and poolside lawn.
The statement released on Sept. 12 made no mention of a restaurant on the property, but plans call for an on-site dining room with a bar area.
The day that many Palm Beach residents thought might be coming when it would open may be upon us.
“It’s been a long time coming,” Town Council President Bobby Lindsay told the Palm Beach Daily News. “I think it’s fantastic. We’re looking forward to it opening.”
She added that the current owners “seem to be a capable and competent group” and said they had worked hard during the planning process to allay concerns of residents adjacent to the hotel site, including light leakage and noise.
The property, once known as the Heart of Palm Beach, was purchased in 2007 by a company controlled by developer Robert V. Matthews, who was then a Palm Beach resident. Mr. Matthews is serving a 65-month sentence at the Pensacola Federal Correctional Facility after pleading guilty to conspiracy to commit fraud and money laundering using investor funds meant to renovate the property.
Construction, which had been stalled for years under Matthews and briefly under another owner, came to an abrupt halt in 2014 after ownership split. The property’s twists and turns have included criminal charges as well as local ordinance violations, a Securities and Exchange Commission investigation and bankruptcy.
Work didn’t resume until the current owners purchased the property five years ago for a record $39.6 million in a court-approved deal.
The Palm House’s latest renovation is aimed at transforming it into what Desmond Taljaard, managing director of L+R Hotels, describes as a “spectacular” destination hotel.
Accommodations include three particularly spacious suites and a “Presidential Suite” with a two-story living area that opens onto a balcony overlooking the pool deck.
The town’s Building Commission approved much of the renovation work in late 2020. A representative for the hotel owners told the Town Council in March 2021 that the hotel was on track to open as early as November 2022.
But by August 2022, project architect Sean McClendon of Atlanta-based Cooper Carey told the Palm Beach Daily News that construction progress had slowed due to supply chain issues related to the COVID-19 pandemic. He also attributed the delays to an unexpected major restoration project related to the removal of unauthorized renovations made before the property changed hands in 2019.
Like Lindsay, Palm Beach Mayor Daniel Moore told the Daily News he’s looking forward to the opening.
“I think residents will be happy to see the construction crews go,” she added.
Seven other properties operating under the Iconic Luxury Hotels brand include the Excelsior Venezia in Italy, home to the Venice Film Festival, and the Mayfair Townhouse in London.
Since the 1890s, Palm Beach has been known for its hotels, including The Breakers, the town’s oldest and largest, located about a mile north from the Palm House site, and in Midtown is the former Chesterfield, currently being renovated and set to reopen as The Vineta.
Hotels in Palm Beach also include The Brazilian Court, The Colony, The White Elephant, The Palm Beach Historic Inn and The Palm Beach Hotel Condominiums. Further south, you can stay at resort-oriented oceanfront properties such as Tideline Ocean Resort and Spa, Four Seasons Resort Palm Beach and The Ambassador Palm Beach Hotel & Residences.
dhofheinz@pbdailynews.com
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Darrell Hofheinz is a journalist for the USA TODAY Network in Florida and writes about Palm Beach real estate for his weekly column, “Beyond the Hedges.” He welcomes tips for island real estate news. Email him at dhofheinz@pbdailynews.com, call him at 561-820-3831 or tweet him @PBDN_Hofheinz. Support our journalism. Subscribe now.
