The best resort in Florida in 2026 is Little Palm Island Resort & Spa in the Florida Keys, a boat-and-seaplane-access island that carries the highest rating in the Michelin Guide’s hotel selection, Three Keys. This list ranks ten Florida resorts we re-checked on official pages in October 2026, with room counts, current recognition and what changed since our first version. Nightly rates move with the season, so we quote only prices we could source.
| Rank | Resort | Area | Key 2026 fact |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Little Palm Island Resort & Spa | Florida Keys | Three Michelin Keys. Four suite types in thatched bungalows |
| 2 | The Breakers | Palm Beach | Two Michelin Keys |
| 3 | WaterColor Inn & Resort | Santa Rosa Beach | 60 beachfront rooms plus family suites. AAA Four Diamond |
| 4 | Acqualina Resort & Residences | Sunny Isles Beach | Forbes Five-Star hotel and spa in 2026 |
| 5 | Four Seasons Resort Palm Beach | Palm Beach | Oceanfront on South Ocean Boulevard |
| 6 | Sandpearl Resort | Clearwater Beach | 253 rooms and suites. #8 Florida resort in a 2025 readers’ poll |
| 7 | The Ritz-Carlton Naples, Tiburon | Naples | Two Greg Norman golf courses. Renovation May to September 2026 |
| 8 | JW Marriott Marco Island | Marco Island | Formerly the Marco Island Marriott. 726-room scale |
| 9 | Arnold Palmer’s Bay Hill Club & Lodge | Orlando | 69-room lodge, 27 holes, hosts the Arnold Palmer Invitational |
| 10 | The Atlantic Hotel & Spa | Fort Lauderdale | Rooms renovated in summer 2023 |
1. Little Palm Island Resort & Spa: Three Michelin Keys
Little Palm Island sits on its own island off Little Torch Key and reaches guests by boat or seaplane. The thatched-roof bungalows come as Island Premier, Island Grand, Island Romance and Island Escape suites, and the resort’s own site shows a Michelin Guide 2026 badge of Three Keys. The Michelin Guide’s Florida hotel pages list it as the state’s Three Key property.
The resort closed for about two and a half years after Hurricane Irma in 2017 and reopened after a full redesign. A 2024 tourism listing gave suite rates from $1,500 per night plus a 12.5% resort fee. Confirm current pricing by phone (888-413-0560).
The top Michelin hotel distinction in Florida and the most distinct setting.
2. The Breakers: Two Michelin Keys
Henry Flagler opened The Breakers in Palm Beach in January 1896, and it remains one of America’s great historic resorts. The Michelin Guide lists it with Two Keys, and the resort also runs the Flagler Club, an ultra-exclusive 21-room boutique hotel.
Rates are not published on the landing page and vary by season.
Heritage plus a current Michelin distinction.
3. WaterColor Inn & Resort: Scenic Highway 30A
WaterColor has 60 beachfront rooms and suites, plus seven new family suites, on about 499 acres with 1,400 linear feet of beach and a 220-acre dune lake. David Rockwell designed the interiors and the lobby has been renovated.
The resort advertises a AAA Four Diamond rating, a number one spot for Gulf and Central Florida in Condé Nast Traveler’s readers’ awards, and a number one family-friendly resort rank in Travel + Leisure. Its site shows up to 20% off standard rates through 28 February 2027.
The strongest cluster of 2025 and 2026 awards on this list.
4. Acqualina Resort & Residences: Forbes Five-Star
Acqualina in Sunny Isles Beach has about 54 rooms and 44 suites, with Mediterranean-style design and oceanfront suites up to three bedrooms. Miami’s tourism board says the hotel and spa both earned Forbes Travel Guide Five Stars in 2026.
We found no published nightly rates, so check before you book.
Five-Star recognition for both hotel and spa.
5. Four Seasons Resort Palm Beach: 2800 South Ocean Boulevard
Four Seasons Resort Palm Beach is a four-storey, U-shaped oceanfront resort with a central courtyard pool. Our earlier count was 210 rooms and suites with three restaurants. We could not reopen the official page this month, so confirm current details with the resort.
A proven Palm Beach address, with fewer 2026 data points than the four above.
6. Sandpearl Resort: Clearwater Beach
Sandpearl is an Opal Collection resort at 500 Mandalay Avenue with 253 renovated rooms and suites, a lagoon-style zero-entry pool and roughly 700 feet of beachfront. It was ranked eighth among Florida resorts in Travel + Leisure’s 2025 World’s Best Awards.
The resort also runs Camp Ridley for ages 5 to 10 and a Florida-resident offer of up to 15% off.
Strong family offering and a verified 2025 ranking.
7. The Ritz-Carlton Naples, Tiburon
The Ritz-Carlton Naples, Tiburon is listed with about 295 guestrooms and two Greg Norman-designed courses. A listing notes a renovation of the lobby, front desk and select rooms from 17 May to 30 September 2026, subject to change.
Rates are dynamic. One mid-April 2026 snapshot showed about $1,059 a night, and a resort fee of roughly $55 to $67 plus tax is reported. Treat these as indicative.
Golf and service pedigree, with a renovation that should now be complete.
8. JW Marriott Marco Island: the former Marco Island Marriott
The resort we called Marco Island Marriott Beach Resort is now a JW Marriott after a reported $320 million renovation completed around 2017. It remains a large property at about 726 rooms, with an adults-only tower added during the project.
The biggest luxury-branded resort on Florida’s Gulf coast, but less intimate.
9. Arnold Palmer’s Bay Hill Club & Lodge: Orlando
Bay Hill is a private club and lodge with 27 holes, a 69-room lodge and six guest cottages. Arnold Palmer owned it from 1974 until his death in 2016, and his daughter Amy and son-in-law Roy Saunders now own it. It hosts the Arnold Palmer Invitational each March, and lodge guests can use the course and facilities.
Golf heritage and a short drive to Orlando attractions.
10. The Atlantic Hotel & Spa: Fort Lauderdale
The resort at 601 North Fort Lauderdale Beach Boulevard is marketed as both “The Atlantic Hotel & Spa” and “The Atlantic Resort & Spa.” All guestrooms were renovated in summer 2023, and the hotel is all-suite with a European-style spa.
A city-beach base with fresh rooms, but fewer resort amenities than the leaders.
Keep reading
- Best hotels in Miami: if you want a city stay instead of a resort
- Romantic hotels in the United States: more couple-friendly escapes
- Best luxury resorts in Mexico: the next warm-weather list
- Most luxurious hotels in Southeast Asia: for a longer-haul trip
FAQ
What is the best resort in Florida?
Little Palm Island Resort & Spa in the Florida Keys, which shows a Three Michelin Keys badge for 2026, is our top pick.
Which Florida resorts hold Michelin Keys?
Little Palm Island has Three Keys, and The Breakers in Palm Beach has Two Keys in the Michelin Guide’s Florida selection.
How much does Little Palm Island cost?
A 2024 tourism listing quoted suites from $1,500 per night plus a 12.5% resort fee. Current rates are given on request.
Has the Marco Island Marriott changed?
Yes. It is now JW Marriott Marco Island Beach Resort after a major renovation reported at $320 million.
Which Florida resort is best for families?
WaterColor Inn & Resort on Scenic Highway 30A, which advertises a top family-resort ranking, and Sandpearl, which runs a kids’ club for ages 5 to 10.
When is the best time to visit Florida resorts?
Rates are highest in winter and spring. Little Palm Island historically charged less from June to December.
How we put this list together
We rebuilt this list from each resort’s official page and the Michelin Guide’s hotel pages, checked in October 2026. We ranked by the strength of verified recognition, setting and room product, and left out prices we could not source.
Last updated: October 2026.
