The Brazilian Court Hotel

Though in recent years it’s often overlooked in favor of bolder, brasher Miami, Palm Beach is, to many minds, the more desirable South Florida destination. There’s a classic, old-world atmosphere here that the trend-chasers of South Beach just can’t match. And this is the feeling that the Brazilian Court Hotel & Beach Club distills to its essence.

The construction dates back to the Twenties, and inside it’s refreshingly free of rattan and other tropical kitsch. A renovation has left these interiors looking sharper than ever; they retain their dark mahogany woodwork and their accents in leather and brass, while added visual interest is provided in the form of black-and-white prints by the portrait photographer Terry O’Neill. Eighty studio rooms and suites wrap around quiet central courtyards, and all come with top-notch appointments and amenities, including jetted tubs in the marble bathrooms and wine fridges in addition to the expected minibars.

This is grown-up luxury at its most romantic. What you lose in beach-front convenience (don’t worry, it’s only two blocks away) you gain in tranquil seclusion. Some travelers may prefer the fashion-show atmosphere and velvet-rope nightclubs of Miami Beach — a distinctly different sort of traveler, however, prefers the quiet elegance of Daniel Boulud’s Café Boulud, and the refined charm of the Brazilian Court Hotel.