Skip to content

Top Navigation

Travel + Leisure Travel + Leisure Travel + Leisure Travel + Leisure
  • Trip Inspiration
  • Plan Your Trip
  • World's Best
  • Destination of the Year
  • A-List Travel Advisors
  • Cruises
  • Travel Tips
  • News
  • Food + Drink
  • Travel Accessories
  • Check-In

Profile Menu

Your Profile

Your Profile

  • Join Now
  • Newsletters
  • Manage Your Subscription this link opens in a new tab
  • Give a Gift Subscription
  • Help
  • Logout
Login
Subscribe
Pin FB

Explore Travel + Leisure

Travel + Leisure Travel + Leisure Travel + Leisure Travel + Leisure
  • Explore

    Explore

    • World's Best

      The greatest islands, cities, hotels, cruise lines, airports, and more — as voted by you. Read More Next
    • The 50 Best Places to Travel in 2020

      Whether you're traveling solo or planning a family vacation, here are the 50 best places to visit in 2020. Read More Next
    • Let's Go Together Podcast

      Start listening to T+L's brand new podcast, Let's Go Together! Hosted by Kellee Edwards. Read More Next
  • Trip Inspiration

    Trip Inspiration

    • Trip Ideas
    • Weekend Getaways
    • Spring Travel
    • Summer Travel
    • Fall Travel
    • Winter Travel
    • Solo Travel
    • Romantic Getaways
    • Luxury Travel
    • Beach Vacations
    • Adventure Travel
    • Road Trips
    • Family Travel
    • National Parks
    • Holiday Travel
    • Travel Photography
    • Photo of the Day
    • Culture and Design
  • Plan Your Trip

    Plan Your Trip

    • Travel Guides
    • Flight Deals
    • Travel Deals
    • Ways to Save
    • Hotels + Resorts
    • Attractions
    • Amusement Parks
    • Disney Vacations
    • Festivals + Events
    • Airlines + Airports
    • Buses + Trains
    • Ground Transportation
  • World's Best

    World's Best

    • Top Hotels
    • Top Cities
    • Top Islands
    • Domestic Airlines
    • International Airlines
    • Tours
    • Safaris
    • All World's Best
  • Destination of the Year
  • A-List Travel Advisors
  • Cruises

    Cruises

    • Find A Cruise
    • Caribbean Cruises
    • River Cruises
    • European Cruises
    • All-Inclusive Cruises
    • Family Cruises
    • Alaskan Cruises
    • Disney Cruises
    • See All Cruise Vacations
  • Travel Tips

    Travel Tips

    • Travel Trends
    • Packing Tips
    • Points + Miles
    • Budgeting + Currency
    • Customs + Immigration
    • Responsible Travel
    • Travel Etiquette
    • Travel Warnings
    • Weather
    • Mobile Apps
    • See All Travel Tips
  • News

    News

    • Wellness
    • Celebrity Travel
    • Animals
    • Jobs
    • Offbeat
    • See All News
  • Food + Drink

    Food + Drink

    • Restaurants
    • Wine
    • Beer
    • Cocktails + Spirits
    • Bars + Clubs
    • Celebrity Chefs
    • Cooking + Entertaining
    • Food Fairs + Festivals
    • World's Best Restaurants
    • See All Food + Drink
  • Travel Accessories

    Travel Accessories

    • Travel Bags
    • Shoes
    • Travel Tech
    • Shopping
    • Style
    • Gift Guides
    • See All Travel Accessories
  • Check-In

Profile Menu

Subscribe this link opens in a new tab
Your Profile

Your Profile

  • Join Now
  • Newsletters
  • Manage Your Subscription this link opens in a new tab
  • Give a Gift Subscription
  • Help
  • Logout
Login
Sweepstakes

Follow Us

  1. Home
  2. Worlds Best
  3. The Top 10 Resort Hotels in Florida (Outside of Miami Beach) in 2018

The Top 10 Resort Hotels in Florida (Outside of Miami Beach) in 2018

By Lila Battis
July 10, 2018
Skip gallery slides
Save Pin
Credit: Courtesy of Little Palm Island
From the sugar-soft sands of the Emerald Coast to the breezy beaches of the Keys, Florida’s 8,426 miles of shoreline make the state a perennial favorite among vacationers. This year, T+L readers expressed their appreciation for the calm, warm waters of the Gulf of Mexico — seven of the Top 10 resort hotels in Florida are on the state’s tranquil western coast.

Every year for our World’s Best Awards survey, T+L asks readers to weigh in on travel experiences around the globe — to share their opinions on the top hotels, resorts, cities, islands, cruise ships, spas, airlines, and more. Hotels were rated on their facilities, location, service, food, and overall value. Hotels were classified as city or resort based on their locations and amenities.

Related: The 2018 World's Best Awards

This year’s top spot went to a World’s Best newcomer, the Pearl Hotel, a tony, European-inspired property in the resort town of Rosemary Beach, in the Panhandle. The fresh, contemporary spin on traditional glamour makes it stand out from the crowd, and stellar amenities — including access to golf and tennis facilities and a selection of spacious pools at St. Joe Club & Resorts — put this year’s winner over the top.

Taking second place is a return favorite, Little Palm Island Resort & Spa, in the Florida Keys. This adults-only, 5½-acre private island offers a true escape — its 30 suites are free of distractions (there are no phones or televisions, so you can truly disconnect) and put the focus on nature, with eco-chic design and features like outdoor showers. As of right now, the hotel remains closed because of last fall’s Hurricane Irma, but it plans to reopen within the year. “Love the exclusivity, and the professionalism of the staff,” said one fan. “Hope Little Palm comes back real soon.”

Sunset Key Cottages is also set on its own private island in the Keys. The 27-acre property, which features immaculate gardens, pastel cottages, and a quiet stretch of beach, is just a short water-taxi ride away from Key West. The resort rebounded quickly from the storms, to the delight of its guests. “Hands down my favorite place to go in the world,” said one.

The rest of this year’s winners also have something for everyone, from the expansive greens of the Ritz-Carlton Golf Resort in Naples to the action-packed kids’ camp at the Resort at Longboat Key Club. Gasparilla Inn & Club, last year’s No. 1 winner, is a white-columned, self-described “Old Florida–style” resort set on the car-free island of Boca Grande. (Think plenty of floral prints and wicker furniture.) The beloved property draws the same returning families year after year. “I’ve been going with my parents since 1990,” said one fan. “My favorite place on earth.” Added another: “It has an understated elegance to it and is polished without being slick in any way.”
Start Slideshow

1 of 10

Save Pin
Facebook Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

10. Resort at Longboat Key Club, Longboat Key

Credit: Courtesy of The Resort at Longboat Key Club

Score: 90.35

1 of 10

Advertisement
Advertisement

2 of 10

Save Pin
Facebook Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

9. Sandpearl Resort, Clearwater Beach

Credit: Gary Bogdon/Courtesy of Sandpearl Resort

Score: 90.51

2 of 10

3 of 10

Save Pin
Facebook Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

8. Gasparilla Inn & Club, Boca Grande

Credit: Courtesy of Gasparilla Inn & Club

Score: 90.83

3 of 10

Advertisement

4 of 10

Save Pin
Facebook Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

7. The Ritz-Carlton, Amelia Island

Credit: Courtesy of The Ritz-Carlton, Amelia Island

Score: 90.99

4 of 10

5 of 10

Save Pin
Facebook Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

6. Ritz-Carlton Golf Resort, Naples

Credit: Courtesy of Ritz-Carlton Golf Resort, Naples

Score: 91.40

5 of 10

6 of 10

Save Pin
Facebook Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

5. Sunset Key Cottages, Key West

Credit: Courtesy of Sunset Key Cottages

Score: 92.24

6 of 10

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

7 of 10

Save Pin
Facebook Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

4. Opal Sands Resort, Clearwater Beach

Credit: Courtesy of Opal Sands Resort

Score: 92.81

7 of 10

8 of 10

Save Pin
Facebook Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

3. The Henderson, a Salamander Beach & Spa Resort, Destin

Credit: Courtesy of The Henderson

Score: 93.40

8 of 10

9 of 10

Save Pin
Facebook Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

2. Little Palm Island Resort & Spa, Little Torch Key

Credit: Courtesy of Little Palm Island

Score: 93.41

9 of 10

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

10 of 10

Save Pin
Facebook Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

1. The Pearl Hotel, Rosemary Beach

Credit: Courtesy of The Pearl Hotel

Score: 93.47

The Pearl’s 55 rooms and suites offer a laid-back glamour that makes it feel like staying in a particularly posh friend’s beach house. Each comes with a stocked complimentary minibar and luxe Kerstin Florian spa products. Some rooms overlook the bone-white beach and the gulf beyond; others, the pool with its chic, graphic black-and-white cabanas and splashy yellow umbrellas; still others, the quaint town of Rosemary Beach. The one thing that’s certain is there’s not a bad view in the house. That goes even for the outdoor lounge area, since the hotel itself has the look of an old-world chalet, updated with clean lines and black-and-white striped awnings that lend it a modern, youthful feel.

See all of our readers' favorite hotels, airlines, cruise lines, and more in the World's Best Awards for 2018.

10 of 10

Replay gallery

Share the Gallery

Pinterest Facebook

Up Next

By Lila Battis

Share the Gallery

Pinterest Facebook
Trending Videos
Advertisement
Skip slide summaries

Everything in This Slideshow

Advertisement

View All

1 of 10 10. Resort at Longboat Key Club, Longboat Key
2 of 10 9. Sandpearl Resort, Clearwater Beach
3 of 10 8. Gasparilla Inn & Club, Boca Grande
4 of 10 7. The Ritz-Carlton, Amelia Island
5 of 10 6. Ritz-Carlton Golf Resort, Naples
6 of 10 5. Sunset Key Cottages, Key West
7 of 10 4. Opal Sands Resort, Clearwater Beach
8 of 10 3. The Henderson, a Salamander Beach & Spa Resort, Destin
9 of 10 2. Little Palm Island Resort & Spa, Little Torch Key
10 of 10 1. The Pearl Hotel, Rosemary Beach

Share options

Facebook Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message
Travel + Leisure Travel + Leisure

Magazines & More

Learn More

  • Subscribe this link opens in a new tab
  • Contact Us
  • Advertise
  • Content Licensing this link opens in a new tab
  • Sitemap
  • Travel Guide Sitemap

Connect

Follow Us
Subscribe to Our Newsletters
Other Meredith Sites

Other Meredith Sites

  • 4 Your Health this link opens in a new tab
  • Allrecipes this link opens in a new tab
  • All People Quilt this link opens in a new tab
  • Better Homes & Gardens this link opens in a new tab
  • Bizrate Insights this link opens in a new tab
  • Bizrate Surveys this link opens in a new tab
  • Cooking Light this link opens in a new tab
  • Daily Paws this link opens in a new tab
  • EatingWell this link opens in a new tab
  • Eat This, Not That this link opens in a new tab
  • Entertainment Weekly this link opens in a new tab
  • Food & Wine this link opens in a new tab
  • Health this link opens in a new tab
  • Hello Giggles this link opens in a new tab
  • Instyle this link opens in a new tab
  • Martha Stewart this link opens in a new tab
  • Midwest Living this link opens in a new tab
  • More this link opens in a new tab
  • MyRecipes this link opens in a new tab
  • MyWedding this link opens in a new tab
  • My Food and Family this link opens in a new tab
  • MyLife this link opens in a new tab
  • Parenting this link opens in a new tab
  • Parents this link opens in a new tab
  • People this link opens in a new tab
  • People en Español this link opens in a new tab
  • Rachael Ray Magazine this link opens in a new tab
  • Real Simple this link opens in a new tab
  • Ser Padres this link opens in a new tab
  • Shape this link opens in a new tab
  • Siempre Mujer this link opens in a new tab
  • Southern Living this link opens in a new tab
  • SwearBy this link opens in a new tab
Travel + Leisure is part of the Travel + Leisure Group. Copyright 2021 Meredith Corporation. Travel + Leisure is a registered trademark of Meredith Corporation Travel + Leisure Group All Rights Reserved, registered in the United States and other countries. Travel + Leisure may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice. Privacy Policythis link opens in a new tab Terms of Servicethis link opens in a new tab Ad Choicesthis link opens in a new tab California Do Not Sellthis link opens a modal window Web Accessibilitythis link opens in a new tab
© Copyright . All rights reserved. Printed from https://www.travelandleisure.com

View image

The Top 10 Resort Hotels in Florida (Outside of Miami Beach) in 2018
this link is to an external site that may or may not meet accessibility guidelines.