With a name like PGA National Resort & Spa, home of the annual Honda Classic in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, you'd be right to assume that golf is big here, with five onsite championship golf courses including one that's brand new and Tom Fazio-designed. But even for travelers who haven't swung a club and never plan on it, PGA National's wide array of other award-winning amenities make it a premier go-to Florida escape.
Staying Here
You know you've arrived once you're standing in their expansive lobby overlooking the resort's zero entry pool and lake in the background. Right outside, iDECK, a 3,000-square-foot dining and event terrace, is under construction while iBar, a full lobby bar, awaits with sumptuous seating, light bites, and golf-themed cocktails like "The Pommer" and "Tee Time," served from 11 a.m. till after midnight.
Since opening in 1981, PGA National Resort and Spa has not only evolved along with the game of golf and tournament circuit but in exceeding guest expectations with ongoing upgrades. Currently in the final phase of a property-wide $100-million renovation, all 379 guest rooms received floor-to-ceiling makeovers. Some were redeveloped into specialty suites like one-bedroom"Media Rooms," elevating the "man cave" concept to a five-star level, with multiple large screen HDTVs and enough designer leather recliners to accommodate game day partying. A bridal suite features bathrooms outfitted with limestone walls and a large soaking tub. Two additional spa suites bring spa services directly to you with a second door from the bathroom leading to a room outfitted with a professional massage tables.
Dining
Although there are a total of six on-site venues to grab a bite, when it's time for that ultra-luxe dining experience, you simply must head over to Ironwood Steak & Seafood. The menu centers around exactly what the restaurant's name states. But the magic resides in its plush conversation-inducing ambiance, impeccably personalized service, and how executive chef Sean McKee artfully builds signature dishes using seasonally fresh ingredients and prime locally caught seafood like mahi-mahi, red snapper, and Florida spiny lobsters. In the turf category, opulent cuts of steak feature a 32-ounce Wagyu Tomahawk bone-in ribeye for two and Kansas City 21-day dry-aged prime, seared to perfection in a Vulcan 1,200-degree broiler. You can shoot the moon with wine pairings thanks to their floor-to-ceiling, thousand-bottle wine room. A remarkable 36 vintages are available by the glass, including PGA private-label Cabernet Sauvignon made in Napa exclusively for the resort.
Satisfying sides like chive risotto, wild mushroom ragu, and she-crab soup make you less guilty about indulging in their warm Belgian chocolate lava cake or daily chef's trio of mousse.
But the fine culinary delights coming out of Chef McKee's kitchens aren't strictly confined to the formalized onsite venues. PGA National's very own mobile gourmet iTruck periodically opens up as the resort's 92nd hole as well as competing in food truck competitions and catering local events and parties with comfort food like BBQ pork sliders, Birdie shrimp, truffle fries, and lobster sliders. The resort also hosts festivals throughout the year like the Craft Beer Festival & Burger Bash, showcasing more than 120 craft beers and ciders paired with gourmet burgers and live local music. Back in 2013, PGA National made the Guinness Book of World Records for the longest ice cream sundae at their Ice Cream Festival. Reaching a length of 1250 feet snaking through two ballrooms and the entire length of the resort's 40,000-square-foot indoor conference center, the sundae consisted of 1,850 pounds of Luke's Ice Cream, 1,696 lbs. of chocolate sauce, 462 of sprinkles, 840 of whipped cream, and 1,748 of bananas.
Waters of the World Spa
Ranked among the top 25 spas in the United States in a recent Condé Nast Traveler poll, the 40,000 square-foot, European-style Spa at PGA National features "Waters of the World," mineral pools infused with healing salts imported from Salies de Bearn in the French Pyrenees as well as Israeli Dead Sea salt.
Choose from more than 100 internationally inspired treatments like a "Pure Fiji Coconut Honey Sugar Scrub" that exfoliates, then moisturizes with a botanical blend of four tropical drift nut oils and passionflower extract. Or go high-tech with a "Hydrafacial" treatment system that uses a vacuum-based skin abrasion tip to remove impurities while infusing the healthy underlying skin with deep-cleansing active serums.
No visit is complete without having in-spa Waters of the World Cafe serve healthy spa-tini cocktails like their vitamin-B-rich Watermelon Vodkatini. along with healthy snacks poolside from the comfort of your lounger. Don't forget, your stay includes unlimited access to the Health & Racquet Center, featuring 19 Har-Tru tennis courts, racquetball courts and an outdoor lap pool.
Photos courtesy of PGA National Resort & Spa. Coverage made possible by participating in a sponsored visit.
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