Developed by Oklahoma-based Phillips Petroleum (aka Phillips 66) during the mid-1950s and ’60s, the Pier Sixty-Six Hotel & Marina boasted Fort Lauderdale’s only revolving rooftop restaurant. For those lucky enough to visit the octagonal room at the spikey pinnacle of the 17-story tower, a spectacular 360-degree view of the city and the Atlantic ocean just beyond was the prize. Orlando-based Tavistock Development Co. acquired the compound a few years ago and closed it early this summer, promising a respectful restoration and a bit of renovation. Two spots remain open, however: the Grille 66 & Bar restaurant and casual spot Pelican Landing, which is equally welcoming of diners whether they arrive by Boston Whaler or Blohm+Voss superyacht.
A few miles up the Intracoastal Waterway, perched on the southeastern edge of Lake Boca Raton, the centrally located Waterstone Resort & Marina offers another refuge for discerning visitors who choose to pull up by boat and stay for a few hours or days. Featuring an appropriately nautical blue and white color scheme, as well as private balconies showcasing panoramic vistas of the aquatic environs, the resort’s 139 Art Deco-inspired rooms are airy and tastefully embellished with custom-made furniture and fabrics. Artwork by painters Bette Ridgeway and Nina Sampaleanu curated exclusively for the property entertains the eyes, while a pair of restaurants, Boca Landing and the Waterstone Rum Bar & Grill, tempts tastebuds. The latter boasts the area’s only dock-and-dine experience and a 270-foot promenade greets those helming their own watercraft. Although a two-hour dockage limit applies to the boats of would-be diners, the hotel marina’s 190 feet of docking facilities are available for the vessels of overnight guests.
