Why go to the Caribbean when you can enjoy luxurious paradise at The Boca Raton Hotel? 

This was the debate my family and I recently had. We chose The Boca Raton Hotel, and in this article, we’ll explain why and determine whether it was worth it.

At The Boca Raton Hotel, there are 5 different luxurious hotels in one. You never need to leave.

• Beach Club (where we stayed)
• Tower
• Yacht Club
• Cloister
• Bungalows

First, let’s break down our thought process for why we chose The Boca Raton Hotel over a Caribbean vacation.

The Boca Raton Hotel Over the Caribbean?

The Boca Raton Hotel is expensive, but it’s not as expensive as getting to and staying in the Caribbean. Even if you’re coming from Europe. 

We live in New York City and even the closer islands like the Bahamas and Turks and Caicos were at least double the price in airfare compared to flying to Fort Lauderdale or Miami (economy prices for a family of 3). 

And if you want to be more exotic and fly somewhere like St. Martin or the bougie St. Barts, get ready to open up your wallet even further. 

When it comes to the cost of hotels, The Boca Raton Hotel can be as expensive as some of the most luxurious Caribbean options. And remember, we’re looking for luxury accommodations, not a budget hotel. 

We stayed at The Boca Raton in January 2024 for an average nightly cost at The Beach Club of $659 per night. It also included a $200 nightly resort credit, which we put to good use, as you’ll see in the video. 

Compare that to most Caribbean luxury options that often start around $1,000 per night and for us, it was a no-brainer. 

The costs of The Boca Raton Hotel can vary though, as I recently discovered when researching our trip. The prices have really spiked for the month of March 2024, for example, but it’s still on par or cheaper than most luxury Caribbean options.

When considering everything you get at The Boca Raton Hotel, it was an obvious choice for us, especially given the convenience factors.

The convenience factors in favor of The Boca Raton Hotel

In terms of convenience, it’s logistically easier to get to The Boca Raton Hotel than it is to fly to a Caribbean island and find transportation to take us to the hotel.

Some of the islands have limited rental cars. Others like Turks and Caicos drive on the left side of the street, which may be fine for the Brits, but can confuse us Americans. There also seemed to be a lot of uncertainty around the car rental process on most islands – costs, pick-ups, etc. All of these factors deterred us, but please let me know in the comments about your experience.

It’s also much closer for us to get to Florida than the Caribbean. Of course, this depends on where you’re coming from, but the overall ease of travel for us getting from New York City to Fort Lauderdale or Miami is simply easier.

Shorter flight. No customs. Certainty around the car rental process.     

Safety debate: The Boca Raton Hotel vs the Caribbean

Finally, I want to address safety. Much of the safety concerns about the Caribbean are probably overblown, especially if you’re planning to stay primarily at the resort. Of course, bad things can happen, but they can happen anywhere.

According to sailingeurope.com – which is the first website shown when searching the safest and most dangerous Caribbean islands – based on crime rates alone these are the most dangerous and the safest islands.

You can cross-check that with the U.S. State Department travel advisories. I can only find two Caribbean countries with a heightened travel advisory: Haiti and Jamaica. The Bahamas was recently escalated to level 2 for crime, but take that with a grain of salt because even countries like the U.K. are level 2.

Just exercise common sense and don’t be an idiot. 

The good news with The Boca Raton Hotel? No crime concerns at all. Let’s explore the hotel.

Overall review of The Boca Raton Hotel

Make sure to check out our video for the room tour (which starts at 08:50), but here I’ll give an overall review of The Boca Raton Hotel.

One critique you might have when initially presented with the idea of staying here is that it’s, well, in Boca Raton. Which is basically like a giant suburb filled with families and retirees. And that’s true – there are strip malls, shopping malls, and there’s even a sleepy little downtown. 

But we’re not here for the city itself. We’re here specifically for The Boca Raton Hotel. 

Then you might think, why would you stay somewhere only to rarely leave the hotel? What do most tourists do though on Caribbean islands? Few leave the resort, and even when they do it’s often on guided excursions. So what’s the difference? 

At The Boca Raton Hotel, there’s a beautiful beach, an intercoastal with a water taxi (there’s shuttle service on land too), and full access to all of the other amenities the hotel has to offer: numerous restaurants and bars, large pools both harborside and beachside, golf, tennis and pickleball, boating, water sports, fitness and more. 

It’s like staying at a country club. You can even become a member. 

Outsiders who are not either hotel guests or members are not allowed in unless accompanied by a guest or member. We had a friend visit us at the hotel and the guards wouldn’t let his car through because we hadn’t given them advance notice. They eventually let him in after he was stuck at the gate – our mistake!

This makes the dining experience nice though because the restaurants are limited to guests and members. No outsiders.  

The food is very expensive, but it’s not like hotel restaurants in the Caribbean are cheap. With New York City classics like Sadelle’s we felt right at home. The Boca Raton Hotel has partnered with Major Food Group, the visionaries behind Carbone, Parm, and The Grill in New York City, to create a range of signature culinary experiences. 

We also tried the Flamingo Grill, which had great steaks and was just off the golf course, but once again, was very expensive. One of the best steaks I’ve ever had though. 

One day we ate by the pool and another by the ocean. Each had solid food and drink menus – you’ll be well fed here, but you’ll pay for it. 

Now you might think you’re missing culture by not going to a Caribbean island, but I assure you you’re not. It’s different, however.

The Boca Raton Hotel offers a Gilded Age American experience. It was built at the height of the roaring 20s in 1926. The grand and ornate architecture and decor are stunning at every turn. The history of this place speaks to you in every space, especially in their iconic Palm Court.

You really get a taste of the height of American opulence. It’s fun. 

And if you do get bored of one space, hop on the water taxi or shuttle and jettison to another part of the resort, which spans across the intercoastal. 

One of the best features of this resort are its multiple pools. The Beach Club has two, in addition to the great oceanfront. But our favorite was the harborside pool, complete with a lazy river, two giant water slides, and even a pirate ship for the kids. We spent an entire day here and enjoyed every second. 

Conclusion: Is The Boca Raton Hotel better than a Caribbean vacation?

Overall, I would give The Boca Raton Hotel a 9.5 out of 10. And that’s only because the costs of food throughout the hotel are outrageous. There are no cheaper options even for a snack.

So if you’re fine spending exorbitant amounts on food (or regularly leaving the resort for a cheaper meal), then it’s hard to complain about anything else. The Boca Raton Hotel is truly that special. It has everything you need: a luxury resort, beautiful beach, stunning pools, great restaurants, and excellent service.

Caribbean, we’ll see you next time.

For other travel adventures, check out our articles on Montréal and Rome!