REPEAT Restoration

From family holidays to girlfriend getaways and solo retreats, a Pennsylvania family can’t get enough of Acqualina Resort’s coveted location and authentic hospitality.

By Angela Caraway-Carlton | Photos by Pipe Yanguas

or Dennis and Donna Maple, a vacation to Acqualina Resort is a consistent part of their lives that’s comparable to visiting family. They are the epitome of repeat guests. The Maples, who live in a suburb of Philadelphia, first visited the idyllic Mediterranean-style villa in 2010 after a friend suggested it. “She told me that it felt like you’re somewhere far away, but it’s only a short flight,” says Donna Maple. “As soon as we arrived, we understood what she meant. The warmth of the staff, the décor, and the prime location steps away from the ocean, we immediately fell in love with Acqualina.”

That one getaway more than a decade ago morphed into annual vacations at Acqualina with their children—and now their adult children and their families—and a corporate retreat for Dennis. “There’s something for everyone, at every age and stage of life,” says Donna, who’s a self-proclaimed shopaholic, and favors the resort’s prime location to high-end Bal Harbour Shops and Aventura Mall. She even retreats to Acqualina on her own at least once a year. “I call them my mental health breaks,” she says. “I literally prop myself on a red sofa on the outdoor living room, and just read for hours. I don’t have to get up to eat, the staff offers beach service and constantly checks on me.”

The couple has become evangelists for the resort, sharing their love of Acqualina with anyone who will listen. When Donna’s friend turned 50 and was looking for a celebratory getaway, the group of girlfriends took her recommendation of Acqualina. “We had a ball. We were like little children on the beach, laughing and playing in the sand,” she says. “The concierge recommended different restaurants at night, we treated ourselves to spa treatments, and the staff took cute pictures of us dressed in our matching robes.”

The Maples say it’s the staff’s genuine care and meaningful gestures —from lining up to greet them upon arrival to placing framed pictures of the family in the hallway that they share when vacationing —that keep them coming back. New to their vacation ritual: they’ve spent the last two Christmas holidays at the resort. “It was unbelievable. We arrived to find a full-sized, fully decorated Christmas tree in our suite with real gifts,” says Donna. “They’ll do anything to make you feel at home.”