What it is

The resort that has everything—including a championship 18-hole golf course and over the top spa—on 13 miles of beachfront (1.5 of them lined in dunes).

What it isn't

Phoning it in. The property has won a seemingly endless stream of accolades, including AAA Five Diamond Award and Conde Nast Traveler’s Readers’ Choice “Best Florida Resort.”

What we think

In a state chockablock with chillaxing getaways, Amelia Island is tops: the barrier island is home to everything from a historic Victorian village to jungly hikes galore. The Ritz-Carlton, Amelia Island, is arguably the best place on the atoll to return to, with a locavore seafood restaurant that’s so devoted to salivary delights it utilizes 40 different salts from across the globe on the menu and multiple indoor/outdoor heated pool options, including one tailor-made for kiddos. Every single guest room here has an ocean view, private balcony and a generous footprint (starting at 410 square feet). Ask for a Fire Table Terrace Room to get a gas “fire pit” on your balcony—best enjoyed with a coup of room service bubbly.

You're here because

Despite its size, the resort is admirably eco-friendly, thanks to initiatives like a fervent recycling program and water reclamation systems in the laundry.

The Moment

Traditional massages may seem a little “meh” after the one you had today: the 50-minute “Heaven in a Hammock” treatment that, yes, includes a rub-down in a hand-woven hammock meant to mimic the ocean tides beyond the windows. It’s officially island time.

Restaurants & Bars

Salt - Contemporary American

Cafe 4750 - Regional

Eight Burger Bar & Sport Lounge - Barfood

Ocean Bar & Grill - Seafood

The Lobby Lounge

Ocean Bar

Eight Sport Lounge

Location

Fronting the Atlantic Ocean and a manicured white sand beach. Head five miles south to 200-acre Amelia Island State Park to take a horseback ride down the shore via Kelly Seahorse Ranch.