By Sally Moe

Almost 70 years after his death, architect Addison Mizner’s eccentric presence still dominates the stunning Boca Raton Resort & Club.

A key player in the early development and distinctive look of Boca Raton, and famous among other things for his love of monkeys, Mizner was known for strolling his beloved hotel while clad in his preferred silk pajamas. The man couldn’t help but make a vivid impression. An imposing 6-feet-2-inches and 300 lbs., he was seen on more than one occasion sporting a macaw on one shoulder, a small monkey on the other, with two chows and two large monkeys in tow.

Elements of Mizner’s love of “things exotic” linger, making a visit here much more than your typical getaway to a posh retreat. Priceless antiques and artifacts flavor the Mediterranean décor of the Cloister. These historic pieces shine all the more brightly amid their setting of Mexican tile floors, extravagantly patterned ceilings, ornate columns, tiled fountains, secluded tropical gardens and rough-hewn wood structural accents.

And of course, there are the monkeys. In the manner of an Easter egg hunt, they pop up unexpectedly and often...at Mizner’s Monkey Bar, as lamps and candlesticks, in cocktail names, on coasters and artwork, even on the paper enveloping your turn-down chocolates.

A visit to the resort can be as packed with activity as you like—it’s really five resorts in one, and fabulously equipped for championship golf; world-class tennis; spa and fitness pursuits; fishing, boating and water sports; escorted children’s activities; shopping; and casual and haute dining.

To move about the 356-acre property, guests can grab a seat on Mizner’s Dream, a small boat that makes the rounds from the Beach Club to the Cloister and back every 20 minutes, or board one of the air-conditioned shuttle buses passing through every 10 to 15. My husband Steve and I, here for a weekend AAA Slip-Away, went for the indulgent retreat experience and spent much of our Saturday melting away stress in the serenely peaceful Spa Palazzo.

The Spa Palazzo bath ritual—a combination of sauna or steam, eucalyptus inhalation, and a variety of scented soaking and aquatic massage options—is complimentary with the purchase of a signature spa treatment. (Signature treatments range from the Florida Citrus Scrub, the Coco Mango Vichy Scrub and Palazzo Stone Therapy to the Grapefruit-Peppermint Wrap, Florida C Facial and Palazzo Swedish Massage; there is an extensive collection of other treatments featured on their menu as well.)

Wait for your massage therapist in the spa’s Great Hall, while snuggling in a terry-lined robe in front of the two-story fireplace. Just outside the French doors is a lap pool—with underwater music—bordered by gardens and two more whirlpools under foaming waterfalls. Lounging by that pool in brilliant sunlight, to the music of rushing water, tropical birdsong and palm fronds tapping in the breeze, the only evidence of the rest of the world is the occasional airliner arcing high across the azure sky.

Boca Raton teems with fine dining choices, but there’s no need to leave the resort property if you want to remain “in country’”—there are sublime restaurants on site, and each caters exclusively to resort guests and Premier Club members. Steve and I visited two of them for dinner—Nick’s Fishmarket (at the Beach Club) and 27 Ocean Blue (at the top of the 27-floor tower). At Nick’s, noted for superlative seafood, don’t miss Nevada Nick’s Salad, a wickedly delicious concoction slyly masquerading as a salad.

And at 27 Ocean Blue, where stunning views, four-star coastal cuisine and a casually elegant atmosphere reign supreme, don’t even think about leaving without tasting the spectacular lobster bisque, undeniably the best we ever tasted.

According to David S. Feder, president of the Boca Raton Resort & Club, “Our clientele expects the finest in facilities and services, and our goal is to not only meet but exceed those expectations.” Addison would have approved.

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