My wife, son and I were recently invited to check out the Hutchinson Shores Resort & Spa, which is one of the newest additions to Ocean Properties and Preferred Hotels. It opened in October 2017 and we’ve been anxiously trying to coordinate a visit. We finally found time and it was well worth the wait! Here are 16 reasons you will want to stay at Hutchinson Shores Resort & Spa, too!
1. Location, location, location
Hutchinson Shores Resort & Spa is located 55 minutes north of Palm Beach International Airport (PBI), tucked between Stuart and Port St. Lucie on what they call Florida’s beautiful Treasure Coast. If you’re looking for an undiscovered part of Florida where you don’t have to sit in traffic or fight for a pool or beach chair, then you will love Hutchinson Shores.
2. It’s a brand spanking new hotel
I love brand new hotels for a number of reasons but mainly because you know it’s clean, you don’t have to worry about mold or the rooms being run down and there will be plenty of electrical outlets and USB ports – including near the bed. Hutchinson Shores doesn’t disappoint, which is why it’s been named a AAA Four-Diamond property. The hotel has 178 guest rooms that reflect the ocean’s color spectrum of blues, greens and pearl. In fact, the design and decor throughout the resort is a beautiful blend of beachside retreat and nautical luxury.
Guests can choose one of three choices of views: Resort, oceanside and pool. All rooms have private balconies and comfortable beds with crisp linens and lush bathrooms.
3. The bathrooms are beautiful
A new hotel means new bathrooms and who doesn’t love a new and clean bathroom? The bathrooms feature the same wood floors in a herringbone pattern that you find throughout the rest of the room and the showers have beautiful tile work. I loved the navy tile accent wall and the large showerhead.
4. Smart TVs
I don’t watch much TV but my wife loves to and it’s a helpful distraction for Jack when we’re changing his diaper! So we more than appreciated that the TV has Hulu, which you can set up and connect it so that it will mirror what you are playing on your phone.
5. Lots of artwork
The whole resort is designed in a nautical theme and the hallways are lined with paintings. It’s not your average boring hallway and when Jack and I played chase down the hall, some of the pieces actually made him stop in his tracks they were so nice.
6. The beach
Hutchinson Island offers miles of sandy beaches and they aren’t crowded because it’s not a tourist hot spot. Note: A third party rents the beach chairs and umbrellas. For two, it costs $20 a day. For a real plush set-up, it’s $100.
7. Beach activities
As you can imagine, there are plenty of activities to partake in if you’re feeling active. The resort offers snorkeling, kayaking, paddle boarding and surfing.
8. It’s family-friendly
When you walk into the lobby and see the little store next to the front desk, piled with stuffed turtles, you instantly know it’s kid-friendly. The restaurants all have plenty of high chairs, booster seats and children’s menus.
9. The pools
Hutchinson Shores has two pools. One is the Reflections Pool, which is family-friendly and has a hot tub and pool bar. There are also private cabanas that are available for daily rentals and they feature an outdoor living room design.
The other pool is the Dune Pool, which is a smaller, heated pool that’s for adults only. It’s centrally located off the lobby overlooking the Atlantic Ocean.
10. Great dining options
The resort has a number of places to eat, which is a good thing because there aren’t a lot of options within walking distance. Drift Kitchen + Bar is the main dining option. It has indoor and outdoor seating for 200 and it overlooks the Atlantic Ocean. The restaurant is described as a contemporary American bistro with fresh local seafood, prime cuts, delicious salads and house-made pastas. When the hotel has a high occupancy rate (70% or more) they offer a breakfast buffet ($18) beginning at 7am. Lunch is served 11 a.m. – 5 p.m. and dinner is available 5 – 10 p.m. daily.
Next to the restaurant is the Drift Lounge + Chef Bar, which offers craft cocktails made with fresh syrups and herbs, both created and grown on resort grounds. Fresh ingredients and quality spirits are the cornerstone of the cocktail program. Premium craft beers and select wine and bubbles are offered and accompanied by a menu of fresh raw bar offerings, curated charcuterie and artisanal cheese boards, all showcasing locally-sourced produce. It’s open Monday – Thursday 11 a.m. – 11 p.m., Friday and Saturday 11 a.m. – 12 a.m. and Sunday 11 a.m. – 10 p.m.
Near the family pool is a restaurant that has an all-day menu featuring an assortment of light bites, sandwiches, burgers and wraps. I ordered the kids pizza, which was just $6 and was really good and enough food for both me and Jack.
Near the lap pool is the Dune Beach Bar, which serves light bites and fresh beverages. Open daily 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Good to know: The hotel offers in-room dining from Drift Kitchen + Bar and there’s a private dining room for parties as large as 16.
Since the food is good and not over priced it’s full of locals, which is always a good sign.
11. Fresh fruit and David’s Cookies
On every floor, near the elevator they conveniently supply individually-bagged ice for guests to grab in the pantry area along with bottled water and fruit in the morning and cookies in the evening. It’s a lovely touch.
12. Spa
Next to the small gym is a the Spa at Hutchinson, which invites guests for a full day of relaxation or select luxury treatments. They offer signature massages, facials, ocean-inspired body treatments, makeup and nail services in the boutique, nine-treatment room spa.
13. Meetings and Weddings
When we decided to explore the resort, I was surprised to find so many meeting rooms. It turns out the hotel is equipped to hold events up to 550 people and weddings for 20-300 guests as there’s 8,000 sq. ft. of meeting and event space. While we were there, a wedding was going on and the bride seemed very happy the following day as she floated around the pool in a diamond ring-shaped floatie.
14. Nearby attractions
Not offered by the resort but Jensen Beach is home to a variety of attractions, museums and outdoor activities.
-Sail fishing in the Sailfish Capitol
-Fishing Charters
-Golf
-Bicycle Rentals
-Scuba Diving
-Manatee and Dolphin Boat Tours
-Art Galleries
-Museums (The House of Refuge, Florida Oceanographic Society, Elliott Museum)
–Palm Beach Gardens Mall
–Downtown Stuart
15. They protect sea turtles
The reason the hotel’s gift shop has so many stuffed turtles is because between May and October, the sea turtles, many of which are endangered, make their way to over 35 miles of sprawling Atlantic Coast to lay their eggs for nesting season. Artificial lighting near shorelines attracts hatchlings, causing them to become disoriented and stray in the opposite direction of the ocean. Embracing a deeply rooted responsibility to protect these beloved marine creatures, Hutchinson Shores Resort & Spa’s lighting was designed to be turtle-friendly, meaning that no white light is visible from the beach.
16. Great weather
If you’re looking for warm weather, then look no further than Jensen Beach, which has plenty of it. Here are the average highs and lows year round:
Spring: High of 84, Low of 65
Summer: High of 100, Low of 75
Fall: High of 80, Low of 70
Winter: High of 75, Low of 60
Rates begin at $147 a night but they offer package deals throughout the year and discounts for Florida residents like most Florida hotels.
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