By: Merilee Kern, MBA
Tropical sanctuary offers wellness, environmental stewardship, and oceanfront hospitality all seamlessly woven into the guest experience.
Along Collins Avenue in Miami Beach’s Mid Beach district, The Palms Hotel & Spa offers a version of luxury that feels refreshingly grounded. From the moment guests arrive, the property conveys a sense of calm that stands apart from the city’s high-energy reputation. Rather than relying on spectacle or trend-driven design, The Palms has built its identity around connection to nature, thoughtful comfort, and an understated elegance that unfolds slowly and deliberately.
This oceanfront resort does not announce its sustainability credentials with signage or slogans. Instead, environmental responsibility is quietly embedded into everyday operations, revealing itself through experience rather than promotion. Guests often realize only after settling in that many of the comforts they enjoy are also carefully designed to minimize environmental impact.
Water is served in aluminum or glass bottles rather than plastic. Bath amenities are provided in large-format containers made entirely from reclaimed ocean-bound plastic, eliminating single-use waste while maintaining quality and presentation. Guest rooms incorporate motion-sensor lighting and air conditioning, air purification systems, and lightweight,quick-dry bathrobes that reduce water and energy use during laundering. Outdoors, lush tropical gardens serve a functional role, naturally cooling the property and creating a tranquil buffer between the hotel and the surrounding city.
These gardens also anchor several guest engagement initiatives. The hotel’s “Fill A Bucket” program invites guests to participate in mini beach cleanups, blending environmental awareness with a lighthearted incentive. Educational partnerships with organizations such as the Blue Scholars Initiative, the Surfrider Foundation, and the Coral Restoration Foundation further reinforce The Palms’ commitment to marine conservation and environmental protection. Participation is always optional, preserving the balance between relaxation and responsibility.
According to Tanja Morariu, Director of Marketing and Head of Sustainability, the hotel’s approach has deep roots. “The Palms is family-owned and operated by the same family since 1989. The property offers private access to the beach and a connection to the public beachwalk on one of Miami’s widest stretches of beach, with exclusive access to sun loungers, cabanitas, and beach service. The combination of wellness and sustainability is foundational here, not just a marketing angle. Since 2010, the hotel has integrated sustainable practices into all aspects of operation, including rooms, spa, food, and guest engagement, alongside wellness initiatives that reflect our ‘Inspired by Nature’ philosophy for more than 15 years. The Palms is also a proud member of Preferred Hotels & Resorts, Beyond Green,n and holds a AAA Four Diamond rating.”
Design throughout the property reinforces this philosophy. The décor draws from natural sand, sea, and botanical tones, complemented by abundant greenery and water features. Guest rooms feature floor-to-ceiling windows, rain showers, soft linens, and a layout that prioritizes comfort over formality. Morariu explains, “The décor leans into natural, relaxing sand, sea, and nature tones, plus lush tropical gardens. Rooms have floor-to-ceiling windows, rain showers, and soft linens. The ambiance balances luxury with comfort; you don’t feel overly formal.”
The gardens play a critical role in shaping the atmosphere. “The gardens, water features, tropical planting, palms, and greenery enhance its Art Deco oceanfront architecture, making it a real sanctuary,” Morariu adds. “The service is genuine, attentive, and warm, not stiff and rehearsed. We emphasize wellness and sustainability, which tends toward more personalized, mindful guest experiences. Its location is oceanfront, in the more sophisticated and tranquil part of Miami Beach, providing for more ‘serene beach’ vibes enhanced by private beach amenities, a direct beach walk, and tropical gardens offering ‘oceanfront serenity.’ These together make The Palms Hotel & Spa unique and set us apart from the high-energy South Beach properties.”
Accommodation options are designed to meet the needs of a wide range of travelers, from couples seeking romance to families looking for space and flexibility. Morariu outlines the variety: “We have several room types to fit the needs of diverse travelers, from Standard Rooms, City View Rooms, Partial Ocean View, and Oceanfront Rooms with 1 King or 2 Double beds, Deluxe Partial Ocean View,), Superior Oceanfront or Deluxe Oceanfront with 1 King and 1 Sleeper sofa, and then Suites (Junior Suites and One Bedroom Suites). Our Oceanfront One-Bedroom Suites are our largest room type, at around 790 square feet, and feature a separate bedroom with a King bed, a living room with a full-size pull-out sofa bed, and an expansive balcony overlooking the ocean, pool, and gardens. It is ideal for couples wanting more space, or families.”
Across all categories, rooms share a consistent design language and amenity set. High-thread-count linens, pillow-top mattresses, down comforters, fully stocked minibars and beverage stations, streaming entertainment, bathrobes, slippers, rain showers, and air purification systems come standard. Accessibility is also a priority, with ADA-compliant rooms available across multiple categories, featuring wider doors, lowered fixtures, and mobility-friendly layouts.
Wellness extends beyond the guest rooms into The Palms AVEDA Spa, where botanicals and Ayurvedic traditions inspire treatments. Morariu notes, “AVEDA’s core is botanical, nature-derived, and holistic wellness. The Palms AVEDA Spa’s therapies are centered around Ayurvedic traditions, combining plant-based products, essential oils, aromatherapy, and energy balancing.” The spa environment mirrors this approach, with treatment rooms situated near gardens and water features to reinforce a sense of calm.
Facilities include five private treatment rooms, a Duet Suite with side-by-side massage beds and a private snail shower, an outdoor treatment cabana, steam rooms, relaxation areas, and a full-service salon. Signature treatments range from the Tropical Island Massage to the Zen Ayurvedic Massage and the Chakra Balancing Experience. Guests may also enjoy the Botanical Skin Resurfacing Facial or the Zen Garden Cabana Signature Experience, a multi-sensory outdoor ritual incorporating massage, exfoliation, and open-air rinses.
Daily yoga and meditation sessions are offered garden-side or beach-side, alongside access to a fitness center and curated wellness packages. Spa guests booking qualifying services are granted day access to the pool, beach, and fitness facilities, reinforcing the idea that wellness here is integrated rather than compartmentalized.
Dining at Essensia, the hotel’s signature restaurant, further reflects this philosophy. Morariu explains, “Essensia’s philosophy is offering ‘mindfully sourced, healthfully crafted’ dishes with international influences. Dishes reflect seasonal menus, local produce, and a farm-to-table approach.” The indoor-outdoor setting, surrounded by vegetation and water features, creates a relaxed yet refined dining atmosphere.
Essensia sources ingredients from local farms and trusted purveyors whenever possible, prioritizing hormone-free and sustainably harvested proteins. The restaurant has received the Slow Food Miami “Snail of Approval” since 2011 and is recognized as a Surfrider Foundation Ocean Friendly Restaurant. Beverage offerings emphasize organic and sustainable wines, while cocktails highlight fresh herbs and fruits.
Beyond leisure travel, The Palms has also earned a reputation as a romantic destination for weddings and special events. The property features 8,000 square feet of indoor meeting and event space and 11,000 square feet of outdoor areas, including garden venues, oceanfront terraces, and private dining spaces. Bridal spa services, proposal packages, and personalized catering contribute to its appeal. Recognition, such as The Knot Best of Weddings award, reflects consistent service quality and attention to detail.
Community engagement remains a defining element of the hotel’s identity. Morariu describes the Fill A Bucket program as a simple but effective way to involve guests in conservation. “Guests can grab a bucket from the beach hut, participate in a mini beach cleanup, and fill it with litter from the beach. In return, they get a scoop of gelato, which is a small but fun incentive, especially for our younger guests.” Organized beach cleanups, environmental education partnerships, and encouragement of reef-safe sunscreen use help guests feel like participants rather than observers.
Asked about her personal favorite aspect of the property, Morariu reflects on theproperty’s holistic nature. “If I had to pick one thing, it would be the gardens and the connection to nature. Not just that we have tropical landscaping, but also the way gardens, the ocean, the spa, and wellness are interwoven; walking paths, water features, and the calm that buffers city stress. For me, that slowdown and sensory immersion in green, water, and ocean, combined with comfort, service, and sustainability, is what makes this property feel special. It’s more than location; it’s how all the parts—design, service, food, sustainability—support that feeling of total well-being, inspired by nature.”
At its core, The Palms Hotel & Spa demonstrates that sustainability need not disrupt luxury. Here, eco-conscious practices enhance comfort rather than compromise it. Guests leave not only refreshed by ocean air, spa rituals, and thoughtful cuisine, but also with the quiet satisfaction of knowing their stay supported something meaningful. In a destination often defined by excess, The Palms offers an alternative vision of hospitality that feels authentic, restorative, and deeply connected to place.
Merilee Kern, MBA, is an internationally regarded brand strategist and analyst who reports on cultural shifts and trends, as well as noteworthy industry change-makers, movers, shakers, and innovators across all categories, both B2C and B2B. This includes field experts and thought leaders, brands, products, services, destinations, and events. As Founder, Executive Editor and Producer of “The Luxe List,” Merilee is a prolific business, lifestyle, travel, dining,g and leisure industry voice of authority and tastemaker. She keeps her finger on the pulse of the marketplace, seeking new and innovative must-haves and exemplary experiences at all price points, from the affordable to the extreme. Her work reaches multi-millions worldwide via broadcast TV (her own shows and copious others on which she appears) as well as a myriad of print and online publications. Connect with her at www.TheLuxeList.com / Instagram www.Instagram.com/MerileeKern / Twitter www.Twitter.com/MerileeKern / Facebook www.Facebook.com/MerileeKernOfficial / LinkedIN www.LinkedIn.com/in/MerileeKern.
