The Breakers

BEST ROOMS

• Each of the 20 new private bungalows looks out to one of four pools (and the Atlantic beyond) and offers an open-sky shower with Acqua di Parma bath products, flat-screen television, a couple of chaise longues, and a refrigerator stocked with, well, pretty much whatever you want (just place your order with your own private concierge). Price: $735 per day in the winter (high season) and $179 in the summer; be sure to book in advance. Available for day rental only.
• Ask for the Imperial Suite. Like a cool pied-à-terre, the 1,650-square-foot suite has a king-size bed, 52-inch plasma television, dining room that seats eight, and whirlpool tub. The pièce de résistance: five separate private balconies overlooking the Atlantic. Price: from $2,050 to $3,980, depending on the season.
   

To set the pace, I reserved Reef Beach Bungalow No. 21 for my first afternoon, then promptly booked a deep-tissue massage at the bungalow.

In the same way you signal that you're about to veer into the exit lane on the freeway, sometimes you need to send your body, soul, and psyche a signal that you're about to experience something altogether different. My 80-minute massage -- with the doors wide open so that I could hear the sounds of the ocean―was my signal. Ellen, a massage therapist with magic fingers, arrived, and within minutes, I could feel the knots begin to dissolve.

The next day mirrored that imagined day in my next life, beginning with my breakfast. I grabbed The New York Times, along with a banana nut muffin and a very large cup of Illy coffee at the hotel's News & Gourmet Shop, then wandered out to the Palm Courtyard, arguably the most tranquil spot at The Breakers. After a late-morning yoga class on the Ocean Terrace, I walked down South County Road to Worth Avenue for lunch at Ta-boó, a local favorite. After lunch, I did some window-shopping at designer stores such as Giorgio Armani, Gucci, Chanel, Bottega Veneta, and Cartier.

I looked at the pricey designer wares and watched the Rolls-Royces cruise down the avenue. But it wasn't until I glimpsed a tan woman in a sundress pushing a pink baby stroller that my picture of Palm Beach seemed complete. As I got closer, I looked into the stroller, only to discover a perfectly coiffed puppy. At that moment, I realized what it means to be away from it all.

For more information on The Breakers, call 888/273-2537 or visit www.thebreakers.com.