Acqualina

Modeled after a grand European piazza, this magnificent oceanfront property features stately architectural details: iron gates, sculpted archways, baroque fountains and a porte-cochère with a domed cupola. Inside, the 51-story faux-Mediterranean tower scales the heights of luxury: there are 97 swish rooms, done up in earthy tones and equipped with glossy bathrooms. Private terraces afford views of the Intracoastal Waterway or the Atlantic. Adults can drop their kids off at the (free) marine biology day camp, and then get pampered in the ESPA spa or swim in one of three oceanfront swimming pools. The extravagance continues at Il Mulino New York, sister of the well-known Big Apple restaurant.