PELICAN GRAND BEACH RESORT
Let The Sun Shine In!
By Darren Paltrowitz
Spread along Fort Lauderdale’s pristine beachfront, the Pelican Grand Beach Resort pairs Old Florida seaside grandeur with modern elegance. In 2019 alone, it earned a “Top 30 Resorts in Florida” from Condé Nast Traveler and a “Silver Badge” for “Best Hotels in Fort Lauderdale” from the U.S. News & World Report. Simply put, visitors can expect a chic, coastal, waterfront retreat.
Part of the Noble House Hotels & Resorts collection, the Pelican Grand Beach Resort, is one of the only actual beachfront, boutique resorts along Fort Lauderdale’s coast. In other words, there are no roads or traffic between the rooms and water once you are at the resort. The Pelican Grand also holds the distinction of having Fort Lauderdale’s only “lazy river” (a shallow pool-like river) overlooking the Atlantic Ocean.
STAY
Outdoor activities aside, once at the Pelican Grand, there is little need to go off-property. Its 144 spacious guest rooms were part of a $7 million renovation completed last year, and all offer excellent views of the day’s sunrise/sunsets from private balconies.
Those seeking the resort’s highest yet attainable level of luxury ought to look into its aptly-named Sky Suite penthouse. This private paradise boasts the very best views and the most significant outdoor space on the water in Fort Lauderdale with a 1,100-square-foot balcony, complete with a rooftop shower, sunning area, and a MicroSilk tub with chromotherapy and light therapy. There’s also a state-of-the-art marble steam shower. The suite also features a dining room and living room, a private elevator, a wet bar, and stocked Nespresso amenities.
EAT & RELAX
OCEAN2000, its waterfront restaurant, offers a seafood-centric menu of contemporary American cuisine. It is the sort of spot that can offer Fish Tacos, Shrimp Salad Sliders, and Classical Reinvented Cocktails. Sundays at OCEAN2000 features an unlimited Bloody Mary Bar and a large variety of do-it-yourself stations for an unforgettable brunch. Just steps away from the restaurant are The Emporium, an old-fashioned, 1950’s-inspired ice cream shop, which serves coffee treats, sundaes, shakes, banana splits, and house-made, gourmet bakery items.
The highlight of my visit, however, was the PURE Spa. Located on the resort’s 11th-floor rooftop, PURE naturally offers breathtaking views of the sparkling Atlantic Ocean. Expect whitewashed wooden floors, and green accented walls with wooded boxed décor and floor-to-ceiling glass windows. Beyond the expected top-notch massages, body scrubs, and facials, the nearly 3,000-square-foot spa also offers a relaxation room with hanging chairs, oceanfront manicure/pedicure stations, and rooftop yoga. Hand-picked products in use at the spa include those by Maria Åkerberg (Sweden’s leading organic skincare brand) as well as Babor, Coola, SpaRitual, among others.
PLAY
Should you be looking to get more out of the local Fort Lauderdale area when staying at the Pelican Grand Beach Resort, you are only a 10-minute Uber ride away from Las Olas Boulevard. Beyond its shoppers designer boutiques, fine-dining restaurants, charming sidewalk cafes, and antique steals, Las Olas hosts plenty of crowd-pleasing events throughout the year, including the Las Olas Wine and Food Festival in May and Las Olas Art Festival in October. Also nearby is Sawgrass Mills Mall, Florida’s largest retail and entertainment center with more than 350 name-brand stores and outlets, and The Galleria, which is widely-viewed as Broward County’s most elegant collection of luxurious stores.
GETTING THERE
Easily accessible, the Pelican Grand Beach Resort is just a 10-minute drive from Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport and about 45 minutes by car from Miami International Airport. In turn, visitors to the award-winning spot can expect to be close enough to enjoy all Fort Lauderdale and South Florida have to offer, yet far enough away to quiet the sound and speed of life back home.
For more information on Pelican Grand Beach Resort, visit pelicanbeach.com; for Fort Lauderdale, visit sunny.org.
