We had the opportunity to enjoy a staycation at the Wyndham Grand Jupiter at Harbourside Place on the Intercoastal, and I was impressed with the location and the amenities. If you're seeking a nice getaway away from West Palm Beach or South Florida in general but still a few minutes drive to the ocean with outdoor activities, the hotel is in a prime spot.
Harbourside Place is located off Indiantown Road on the corner of U.S. 1. The Wyndham Grand valet entrance is to the right as you turn into the plaza. The valet staff was very friendly and accommodating; I don't think I waited more than a few minutes to receive my car when we left the property. Harbourside also comprises at least a few restaurants, retail shops, and a coffee house (Subculture), that's nice to walk around during the day and at night without needing to drive down to Palm Beach Gardens or further south to downtown West Palm or Delray Beach.
The lobby area was bright and stylish and decorated for the holidays, with the main lounge and bar featuring a snowy ski lodge theme -- lots of Christmas trees and Christmas lighting, a bench that was supposed to resemble a chairlift next to some fake ski trail signage. The service at the bar was good, with nicely themed cocktails and small eats on the menu. We mainly stuck with the cocktails at night. During the morning, it served as a coffee bar that served Starbucks (what else?). However, the service during the morning, especially in the kitchen, could have been better and faster. We ordered breakfast on our first full day, only ordering a muffing, a breakfast sandwich, and a side of bacon; it took 20 minutes to receive our food, and other parties that had ordered after us had already received theirs. Also, the pricing wasn't worth what we ordered -- I found my sandwich underwhelming (it was supposed to be "New Jersey-styled" (whatever that means)). So if you want breakfast in the morning, you're best going off-site.
The hotel comprises two buildings linked by a skywalk. The north tower houses the lobby, the business center on the second floor, and the pool and fitness center on the third floor. In contrast, the south tower houses the conference rooms and banquet halls, where there were multiple birthdays, baby showers, and wedding celebrations the weekend we went for our staycation. If you have to choose where to stay, I suggest the north tower, as it was a bit of a slog going to the room that was located on the fourth floor of the south tower and back to the lobby on the former. It takes a few minutes, at least, depending on whether people are stopping on other floors. That part was inconvenient.
We had a lovely two-room suite comprising an entry hallway area with a vanity table and mirrors and a welcome basket with muffins, chocolate strawberries, cheese, and various crunchy snacks. The suite had a full bathroom attached to the main bedroom (two queen beds) and a half bathroom in the entry hallway if you have guests over to hang out in the lounge room. The latter had a cozy sofa, coffee table, desk, LCD TV, and dining room table. The master bathroom also had an LCD TV and plugs on the center night table. There was ample closet space with a fridge, a coffee maker, a safe, plenty of hangers, and some drawers. The master bathroom had a wide sink counter area, with a standing shower accessed through a glass door. It was long enough to hang a towel at one end on a rack without worrying about getting wet.
The pool area was one of my favorite areas. It had a wicked modern pool for wading and swimming (the depth only went to five feet) and a long hot tub. There were plenty of chairs for sunbathing and relaxing, as well as a canopied bar where you could have food and cocktails. The service was also better at the bar than at the breakfast bar downstairs. When we went to the pool, there were a lot of kids that were both in the pool and the hot tub (not sure what the hot tub age policy is, but it was shallow enough the hot tub where the kids looked like they could walk around without needing to be afloat). Depending on the time of season, if there are a lot of families staying on-site, the kids will be at the pool, so just be prepared if you're not used to that -- I was fine with it, some adults aren't.
Overall, I would stay again at the hotel. I know where we need stay tower-wise for next time, and how to approach coffee, cocktails, and meals. Overall, the cocktail crowd at the downstairs bar at night is great and service is good so no problem there. But the morning crowd, I would go elsewhere. And the north tower is the better one if you're staying a couple of nights and want access to the pool and fitness center without needing to walk and take elevators for up to 10 minutes. read more