Urban Lifestylist

As a Lifestylist® location is everything when I go on vacation. If I am going to a mountain destination I like to stay in the mountains, and if I am going to a beach location I want to be as close to the water as possible. Part of the experience is hearing the waves break and waking up to the sun rising over the water. A lot of times I have to pay a premium for these vacations, but to me it's worth it. When my son was getting married in Boca Raton 5 years ago I asked for hotel suggestions and he recommended The Howard Johnson. The price was great, it was right on the beach and I could get ocean views for less than what I would have spent at an inland hotel. We had a great time so when we were heading back for a family reunion and my grandson's christening I thought we'd stay there again. I knew it was too good to be true the first time -it was now remodeled and had become the Wyndham Deerfield Beach Resort but the price was still reasonable so we decided to give it a go. Calling this hotel a resort is a stretch - there is a small pool, a bar / cafe, restaurant and a fitness center but that's it. The beach is a public beach and you have to pay for umbrellas, chaises and chairs. Parking is available for $12.00 / day, but there is free wifi. We ate the first night at Cafe Med which has a great patio looking out at the ocean and pier. The food and staff were mediocre - our caprese salad had mealy tomatoes and a lack of flavor and basil. The rigatoni was supposed to be made with house made pasta but was very disappointing. The rooms are small but cozy, and I love the fact that they had wood floors - we constantly were tracking in water and sand from the beach. The beds are divine, complete with feather pillows. the rooms had full glass walls facing the ocean and pier which made for great people watching. We are already planning a return trip - the location and price make this one of the best values in the West Palm Beach / Boca Raton area.