SUNDY HOUSE - Delray Beach, FL

A hidden hideaway for a romantic stay…

You can’t tell very much about the Sundy House from the street. Located on an unassuming block in a gentrifying section of Delray Beach, it’s not far from the very trendy Atlantic Avenue. Sure, there’s a small sign out front – but other than that, the street and entrance don’t hint at what lies inside.

In fact, as we first pulled into the parking lot, we were unsure how this overgrown, obscure place would turn out and were bracing for the worst. As it turned out, -- we were completely and absolutely… WRONG!

The Sundy House is an elegant and ultra-romantic haven! After checking in, you stroll though a labyrinth of lush tropical gardens, crossing wooden bridges over small ponds, on the way to your room. The variety of foliage – each identified with little brass plaques – is staggering. Local wildlife populates the gardens, while marvelous, colorful Macaws perch along the paths. One will even talk to you, if he likes you!

Stopping briefly by the swimming pool, the first thing to notice is the natural waterfall – and when you go into the water for a dip – you’re actually sharing it with fish, making it feel like you’re truly in a tropical wonderland. One warning though - no fishing allowed!

At night, the gardens become the backdrop for the Sundy House Restaurant and the Roux Bamboux Lounge. There’s a patio and terrace for dining, but even more romantic are the tables in private alcoves, scattered throughout the gardens, where couples sharing champagne and smiles appear dreamily serene in their own little world. Tables in the gazebos provide more ultra-romantic dining under a starlit night.

With only 11 accommodations, we were lucky to get the historic cottage which consisted of 6 rooms – a living room, dining room, kitchen with washer and dryer, 2 bathrooms, sitting room, and bedroom. The living room featured antique furniture, including an exotic chaise, fireplace and an entertainment system with a huge plasma TV.

The bedroom was our favorite place (of course!), with a sumptuous four-poster bed and amazing jungle mural, encompassing the entire room. Even the window shades were hand-painted. Our closet was covered with trees and a monkey, swinging from a branch.

Even the master bathroom was unusual, with a separate corner shower and a large whirlpool tub in the middle of the room. There was a hand-painted mural border at the top with bluebirds.

The furnishings were splendidly eclectic, including artistic wrought iron pieces and custom-made furniture. Of particular interest was the delicately hand-painted dining table. The top was a detailed 1930’s map of the City of Delray Beach, in exquisite, colorful detail.

We had arrived tired, so despite the wonderfully romantic and renowned restaurant, we opted for room service – it was simply too nice a cottage to leave!

We ordered a crab cake appetizer and their mushroom ravioli entrée. This unique ravioli wasn’t pasta at all, but ever so thin slices of mushroom, wrapped around a tomato and ratatouille filling. Both were perfectly delicious preparations that went really well with our chilled Venetian Prosecco. Why go out?

For breakfast, Sundy House offers three possibilities, and we tried two. The first morning we had breakfast in bed. Why not? Room service had been so fantastic the night before, and was again excellent. Our second morning, the hotel gave us a prepaid chit to a local breakfast spot a few blocks away in Pineapple Grove.

The best breakfast they offer is, unfortunately, the one we missed – because we weren’t there on a Sunday. On Sundays, Sundy House offers its renowned brunch. Regularly $40, if you stay over on a Saturday night, the brunch is included in the room!

Everything about Sundy House whispers, “We’re here for you.” So if you love luxury, if you love privacy, if you love “love,” you’ll love Sundy House!

SUNDY HOUSE
106 S Swinton Ave
Delray Beach, FL 33444
877.439.9601
www.sundyhouse.com/