America’s Only Private Island You’ve Probably Never Heard Of

I grew up regularly watching TV shows like Gilligan’s Island and the original Blue Lagoon movie starring Brooke Shields, so the romantic fantasy of being a castaway on a desert island planted itself in my brain at a young age. Of course, now my fantasy is a little different. I don’t want to be trapped on an island forever. But the need to escape to a distant tropical paradise to decompress and refocus remains. Step into Little Palm Island, one of the most unique places to travel inland, where you feel like you’re worlds apart and looks like a modern-day Gilligan’s Island.

“Little Palm Island is one of a kind. Being the only privately-owned island resort in North America truly provides an exclusive experience for guests,” Bill Foster, Regional Marketing Manager for Noble House & Resorts, tells me of the property on Little Torch Key in the Florida Keys. The only way to access the island is by boat or seaplane which sets the tone for the exclusive and unique experience that awaits you on land. “With only 30 suites on the island, Little Palm is never occupied by more than 60 guests, offering the utmost privacy for all. thatched, the dining is world class and everything needed for the visit is right on the island.

Little Palm Island is hands down one of my favorite destinations to visit in the United States. I was there a few years ago and fell in love with it. It’s one of the most romantic trips one can take that instantly transports you to a faraway land where you don’t need a passport.

“First, you won’t find many distractions here. There are no TVs, alarm clocks or phones in any of the rooms so guests can really focus on connecting or reconnecting together,” Foster replies when I ask him what he thinks makes the property so special. “At SpaTerre, the spa offers indulgent couple treatments like the Madrugada, a soothing yet romantic ocean massage experience. SpaTerre also offers romantic turndown services like decadent hot baths for two and amenities like chocolate-covered strawberries with champagne. The dining room offers an exclusive dining opportunity where guests can dine in the water on one of the island’s sandbars, which is always serene at sunset. For proposals and birthdays, we have an excellent events team to help execute those perfect moments.

After dinner one night during my recent visit, I came back to my bungalow to find rose petals everywhere. The outdoor tub was filled with bubbles. The fire pit was blazing and there were literally rose petals everywhere inside the cabin and outside the sprawling property. It was magical. The food throughout the trip was excellent and the spa is one of my favorite wellness experiences in the country.

Since my last trip, the property had changed significantly after being devastated by a hurricane a few years ago. The biggest visual changes I’ve noticed are that the spa has been moved to a new structure and given a design overhaul and the rooms and suites have been designed with inspired interiors Balinese. Foster adds, “The dining room has been upgraded so guests can dine with stunning ocean views and creates a seamless transition to The Monkey Hut, which is next door, and the pool has been upgraded with cabanas. private rooms and the Palapa bar was welcomed for the swimming pool – fans will appreciate.

Little Palm Island is such a special place, I wanted to know how the property was discovered by Noble House Hotels & Resorts (the owner and operator), which currently has a collection of 25 luxury resorts, hotels and experiences across the states -United.

“In 1998, Ben Woodsen (who was the developer) and four of his friends worked together to find premium land and establish a unique product that could only be found in the Florida Keys by entering the resort market luxury in the Keys,” says Foster. . “When they stumbled upon what is now known as Little Palm Island, the partners knew within moments that they had found the place they were looking for. Eleven days later they purchased the land with an initial investment of $8 million – it had two main buildings and several smaller buildings spread across the island.After five months of renovations, the resort was open to guests and occupancy was immediate.

In addition to the top-notch sensory programming created to enhance the resort experience, another aspect of Little Palm Island that resonates with my soul is the extensive offering of water activities available to guests. I learned to paddle on my first trip to the property. On my first excursion, I headed directly into the wind and managed to stay in one spot while paddling feverishly for about half an hour. But I finally paddled out and realized what a great workout it was. Since then, I paddle whenever I have the opportunity.

On this trip I was told to head for the channel markers and turn back to avoid the wind. As I paddled towards the markers, I saw a bunch of fins flapping frantically. I had a flashback to the movie, Open Water, once I realized it was feeding time for a pod of sharks and quickly headed back to shore. While I was never in danger (as long as I stayed on my board), it was an exhilarating encounter with nature, which abounds on the island.

As soon as I left the island to go home, I was sad. From the natural beauty of the property itself, the interior design, the spa, the activities you can do there, the fine dining, and the impeccable service (many thanks to the property concierge, Kat Johnson for making extra effort!), Little Palm Island is exactly the kind of island I could Actually stay for the rest of my life. Since this is not a reality, I will have to make a return trip at some point soon. Next time I’ll be sure to add a few extra days.