The Diplomat Reborn

The Diplomat Beach Resort in Hollywood, Florida, is a self-contained mega-resort offering equal measures of glitz, food and fun, drawing guests from the nearby cities of Fort Lauderdale and Miami, as well as the Northeast and all points West.

It’s been around in one incarnation or another since 1957 but reentered the hot list in 2017 upon completing a $100 million renovation.

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From the high-ceilinged grand foyer—with the well-polished registration area on one side and tropical-chic lobby lounge on the other—the property expands in all directions. Exiting to the back, guests will discover dual levels of swimming pools surrounded by cabanas and fronted by beach. If they veer to the right or left, they’ll come upon the property’s award-winning restaurants and bars.

Upstairs, broad pedestrian thoroughfares connect a busy warren of conference rooms. From the front and across the valet drop-off area is the bridge to a skywalk, which leads to Diplomat Landing with its courtyard entertainment, casual pubs and a water taxi stop.

Fanciest and Most Common Accommodations: The most lavish accommodation is the two-bedroom Presidential suite—double the size of an average Miami Beach condo, at 2,800 square feet. Driftwood-inspired furniture and surf art lend beachy character to the suite. A telescope is invitingly poised near the ocean-facing balcony, but the best ocean view of all may be from the POV of the two-person Jacuzzi in the master bathroom. The suite also features a full living room and a small office nook.

For their part, the well-appointed run-of-house rooms, which feature Intracoastal Waterway views, exude a beachy ambiance with pale wood veneers, sleek dressers and blue-fabric accents. Bathrooms boast showers with separate tubs.

What’s Included: As a European Plan property, rates only include accommodations. The mandatory resort fee of $30 per day covers Wi-Fi, non-motorized water sports, up to four beach loungers and two bottles of water upon check-in.

Best Entertainment: The chic little speakeasy Nokku is a bona fide singles’ den, with a crowd ready to get up to all sorts of hijinks by 10:30. For more sedate entertainment, there’s always room at the lobby bar or at Point Royal seafood restaurant or the courtyard scene across the skywalk for wine by the glass or a microbrew scene, and Latin-flavored music and Intracoastal Waterway views.

What’s for Dinner: Chef Michael Shulson’s Monkitail is a consummate epicurean choose-your-own-adventure restaurant, offering myriad signature experiences. There are the fresh, delicate dishes from the sushi bar, the izakaya-style Japanese comfort offerings like crispy fried chicken, the country’s most comprehensive Robatayaki menu and classic large plates like New York strip steak.

Guests can spend $30 per person for dinner or $300 and be totally satisfied. Note: If your clients are foodies, make sure they book their table in advance. This restaurant gets crazy busy at peak times.

Just across the lobby, Geoffrey Zakarian’s Point Royal lures in seafood lovers with an ever-changing daily Oyster Hour where stone crab is often featured. It also serves expense-account clientele a menu of contemporary American dishes along with fresh Atlantic seafood.

For traditionalists, the elegant steakhouse Diplomat Prime is still open and thriving.

Casual dining options range from burgers at Bristol’s to bar bites at Playa to seriously world-class doughnuts at Counter Point. Sweets snackers will get immediately hooked on Candy & Cones’ homemade ice cream.

Who Books This Resort? With 1,000 rooms to fill, the property seeks to please a wide range of sun-seeking guests, including girls getaway groups, such as bachelorette parties; families; and foodies. With 50,000 square feet of meetings and conference space, it’s also a go-to hotel for corporate travel planners and groups of all shapes and sizes, with weekends catering primarily to leisure guests.

Insider Booking Tip: Oceanview rooms are pricier, but they actually don’t guarantee superior water views. The Intracoastal is equally as scenic, especially with regular yacht traffic. Furthermore, the sun sets on the Intracoastal side, whereas only super-early risers see sunrise over the ocean.

Key Selling Points: The resort features a nice beach, kids’ pool and wet play areas, plus a fantastic diversity of dining experiences. Even more simple fare can be found at Bristol’s Burgers, and the pastry counter at Counter Point is decadently delicious.

Even though the resort is not in a city neighborhood, Hollywood is a quick Uber ride or free trolley stop away. The water taxi stops right at the Diplomat Landing and will take guests north to Margaritaville or south to Fort Lauderdale. Guests who think they want a downtown city experience can easily have one: It’s a $12 Uber ride to mid-beach Miami.

Agent Assistance: The Diplomat Beach Resort offers a standard 10% commission to agents.