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UNDER ITS SPELL
Talk about a comeback — the newly revived Little Palm Island Resort & Spa enchants visitors with an elegantly exotic vibe.
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s the motor yacht regally cuts through the flawless blue-green water that makes the Florida Keys so special, I grip my Gumby Slumber — a welcome cocktail spiked with spiced rum — and let the wind and salt air wash over me. Heading for a private island only reachable by boat or seaplane, I vowed to leave the worries of 2020 on the mainland, if only for the weekend. Soon, a sliver of iconic Little Palm Island Resort & Spa comes into view, and as the boat slows, an old, familiar feeling of excitement builds. Maybe it was the tropical concoction taking effect, but I knew I was in for something special.
MAGICAL MOMENTS Little Palm’s fantastical powers cast a spell the moment you set foot onto the four-acre island situated 20-plus miles north of Key West. The beloved luxury resort that’s played host to presidents and many of Miami’s special celebrations was brought back to life with a new aesthetic in March after being destroyed by
Hurricane Irma in 2017. Covered in lush tropical plants and trees, where paper-thin white butterflies and dragonflies dance about, a little magic is everywhere. Void of televisions, buzzing cellphones and children, disconnecting is effortless; hemmed by water on every side, the emphasis is on complete relaxation and wildlife
that will often surprise and delight. Walks along the surrounding docks reveal tropical fish and giant tarpon, along with wading birds stalking their next meal. Our first morning sipping tea in the meditation garden, where white Ibises dip their beaks into the pool dressed in bright water lilies, a Key deer suddenly appeared. Tucked beside purple flowers, the deer with its velvety antlers and wide-eyed gaze looked like a woodland creature from a storybook. Again, magic.
Lauded as one of the top luxury resorts in the Florida Keys, Little Palm Island provides lodgers unmatched privacy and exclusive amenities, along with idle moments of repose by the pool.
OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2020 | INDULGE
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