To live is to enjoy the little joys and comforts in life, or, as the French like to call it, les petits plaisirs. These small pleasures can be anything from feeling your toes in the sand to connecting with loved ones. And at The Ritz-Carlton, Amelia Island, these petits plaisirs are what make the trip feel more meaningful and special.
The Ritz-Carlton, Amelia Island is nestled along the stunning shorelines of North Florida, showcasing beautiful views of the Atlantic Ocean and the region’s signature sand dunes. This five-star hotel features accommodations with ocean view balconies, cozy fireplaces, and spacious living rooms, creating a luxury experience with the comforts of home. Enjoy some prosecco on a private balcony overlooking the Atlantic Ocean in The Atlantic Suite or curl up by the fire and roast some marshmallows for s’mores in The Firetable Suite. Whatever your preferences, The Ritz-Carlton has the perfect option for you.
Just a few steps outside of your luxury retreat, an adventure or two (or three!) await. And if there is one thing about The Ritz-Carlton, Amelia Island, it’s that everything is sure to be an experience, even dining.
Salt is the hotel’s fine dining restaurant. Featuring ocean front views and a menu by Michelin-trained chef Okan Kizilbayir, this restaurant offers private dining experiences as well as an award-winning Chef’s Tasting Menu. The catch? It’s caught, literally, by you!
Part of the Chef’s Tasting Menu is a fishing trip for the catch of the day with Executive Chef and local legend Terry Lacoss. With Chef Lacoss, you’ll embark on a fishing trip on the Amelia River and have your catch prepared and served at Chef Kizilbayir’s award-winning Chef’s Table.
Chef Kizilbayir’s talents don’t stop there. In fact, he has a knack for creating and hosting events. In an ultimate testament to Southern hospitality, The Amelia Island Cookout is hosted at The Ritz-Carlton, Amelia Island with the Atlantic Ocean as its backdrop. It features top chefs, sommeliers and mixologists, with six events and fourteen epicurean experiences over the course of one unforgettable weekend.
Chefs bring their own setups and cook their specialties, sharing regional dishes and mixing unexpected flavors and wine pairings. This ticketed event creates a bastion of community and indulgence, from incredible mixed drinks and decadent bites to live music and new friends, this event takes the typical Southern cookout and elevates it to the next level.
Not only is Amelia Island a food lover’s paradise, but it is a romantic’s paradise as well. Amelia Island’s natural, rustic beauty has long attracted lovebirds (rumor has it the Kennedys may have been frequent visitors). Here, a romantic trip can thrive and a relationship can grow deeper as you indulge in all les petits plaisirs The Ritz has to offer.
Upon arrival, couples find a carefully selected bottle of champagne or wine waiting in their intimate suite. They can then make their way to the Spa & Wellness Center, where they offer holistic treatments for the mind and body, offering solo sessions for gifting and couples packages for bonding.
In the evening, couples make their way to Salt and craft signature cocktails for each other with the mentorship of expert mixologists before ending the evening at their own private Chiminea. In a dreamy combination of star-studded skies and the salty, coastal breeze, they can curl up by a private, romantic Chiminea and enjoy each other’s company over some delectable s’mores and drinks.
Oh, and a complimentary forty-five minute photoshoot can be requested to document this unforgettable day.
If you crave adventure, the hotel has something to satisfy your hunger, and it is sure to impress. Embark on a journey with Marine Biologist Nick Williams down the Amelia River and Cumberland Sound, where you’ll track dolphins and document their behaviors and patterns. The most exciting part? You’ll be contributing to an ongoing research study on dolphins in the area! There are also opportunities to go on guided bird watching tours to explore local bird populations, or visit Egan’s Creek Greenway, where a local naturalist will guide you through the marshland full of alligators, turtles, birds, and native plant species.
If seeing crawling critters is not your idea of luxury exercise, then look no further: in an exciting partnership with the world-renowned Patrick Mouratoglou, Serena Williams and Naomi Osaka’s former tennis coach, The Ritz-Carlton, Amelia Island is home to the first Mouratoglou Tennis Center in Northern Florida. Learn to play tennis (or pickleball) with the Mourtatoglou Method, which is taught by Rob Lehner, and you’ll be one step closer to greatness (and one degree of separation closer to Williams and Osaka!).
If you’re more of a roadtrip kind of traveler, you can explore the island from behind the wheel of a luxury car. Through the Mercedes-Benz Driving Experience, you can stop for photos on the scenic coastal roads, learn about the “Isle of Eight Flags,” visit historic landmarks, and admire untouched nature preserves at your own pace. In other words, enjoying your own petits plaisirs.
The Ritz-Carlton, Amelia Island is an experience of a lifetime. From making new friends at the annual Amelia Island Cookout, to discovering a new hobby (or relearning old ones), one thing rings true about these petits plaisirs: The Ritz-Carlton, Amelia Island knows how to make a luxurious experience personal, and that is what makes this coastal luxury at its finest.
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