In February 2022, PGA National Resort unveiled a $100 million transformation and now over a year later, it’s making a name for itself as a luxury resort in West Palm Beach that breaks the mold of what you might expect from a traditional golf resort.

PGA National Resort was built in 1980, and it needed a game-changing makeover to make it more modern in 2022. The transformation added new restaurants — The Butcher’s Club, Honeybelle and Sushi by Bou. Serena & Lily, providers of design-driven luxury furniture, bedding and home accessories, designed 21 two-bedroom, two bathroom cottages. And the resort redesigned its guest rooms and common areas.

The differences are evident as soon as you see the lobby. Before the transformation, the lobby looked rustic with brown and red couches, matching brown carpet blended in, and small lamps lit the space without making a big statement.

The photos below show what it looks now during the holiday season. The furniture is light pink, beige and light brown. The carpet is gone, plants surround the lobby, and the lighting is significantly brighter while matching the resort’s pink and plant aesthetic. The bar is also lit up in the center with an intricate light fixture. The lobby’s redesign has given the space more vibrancy. It appears bigger and more inviting.

The guest rooms also look different from how they used to. Take a look at this before and after to see how the walls and colors pop now with the added artwork of plants.

Rates to stay at this resort start at $349. What I especially loved about this guest room was that for two people, you get two separate sinks and mirrors in the bathroom.

And in a room like this, you can feel like you’re a part of the action without ever golfing. Step outside and you’re already on the green. You don’t need to go far to see golfers practicing their swings.

When I first walked into this resort, I right away noticed how many guests had their golf bags with them, a PGA Junior competition was happening this weekend and that golf member elite were golf carting around. The cost to golf ranges depending on if you play 9 or 18 holes and which of the six championship golf courses you choose to play on and when — from $53 to $540. But I was surprised by everything else seemingly going on at this resort at the same time that did not involve golf at all.

At the pool, I saw families with children and met a couple from Missouri that didn’t golf but wanted a relaxing getaway. I saw a bachelorette party ready for pickleball and a bride and a groom getting ready for their wedding outside in front of their family and friends. This is a resort that has a lot more to offer than golf, and I soon discovered what non-golfers can do here.

The resort has celebrity influence running through it. Tennis star Venus Williams is a name you’ll hear here. Her V Starr design firm redesigned its spa as part of the renovation. The Spa offers various signature treatments, including a massage, acupuncture, a facial and a manicure/pedicure. What stood out to me here was not only the different customizations that come with the signature massage, which includes a hydrating facial sheet mask and an apricot food and leg scrub, but this spa also has an entire hair salon in it. A lot of spas don’t necessarily cater to all of these different services, and so I could see how one could easily spend all day here.

And outside of The Spa, there are a couple of more ways to relax with two mineral pools that have salts imported from Israel and France. These pools are unique and are a little haven away from the central pool environment.

Muscle relaxation can be needed after playing golf, tennis or racquetball at the resort, but there’s also an interesting sport that works the same muscles and is becoming more mainstream as an option. Pickleball has recently blown up in popularity, and many celebrities are getting in on the game. Celebrity pickleball coach Matt Manasse is coaching some of these A-listers. One look at his Instagram, and you’ll see that he has coached stars including Emma Watson, Kelly Rowland the late Matthew Perry.

For those who are unfamiliar with the sport, Manasse will be on site coaching clinics that cover the roles, techniques and more for two days in a one-time event called the “Pickleball Slam” on December 22-23, 2023. This event will celebrate the opening of the resort’s six new pickleball courts, which means there are now 12 in total.

After feeling like a celebrity at the spa and playing pickleball like one, you might as well eat like one. There are a couple of famous chefs that opened restaurants at the resort with notable menus.

Executive Chef Jeremy Ford opened The Butcher’s Club in late 2021. He won a Michelin Star for his restaurant Stubborn Seed and is also famous for winning Bravo’s Top Chef Season 13. After tasting various items on his menu, it was easy to see why Ford received these honors.

From Homemade Parker House Rolls with whipped PGA honey butter to a Baby Gem Caesar Salad with herbs, snow peas and sourdough croutons and Truffle Jalapeño Poppers (house cured wagyu brisket, aged cheddar and chives) — these are a few of the restaurant’s staples.

A recent menu item that’s been getting a lot of buzz is the Spicy Rigatoni with calabrian chili, vodka, basil, burrata and spicy bread crumbs.

There is an item for everyone on this menu because of its wide range —  oysters, truffle chicken and steaks with sauces like chimichurri and au poivre are merely a few of the options.

And there is one side dish that is a must-try. It’s the Potato Gratin Vidalia Onion. Cutting into it alone is an experience, but this is one of the most delicious side dishes I have ever had.

The desserts were equally impressive with the Butcher’s Sundae (fudge brownie, banana-passion fruit sorbet, salted caramel ice cream and peanut cluster).

For a sweet drink, I recommend the Golden Peach cocktail, which has signature PGA honey syrup in it. It’s made with Macallan 12 Year, Thai basil, peaches, Amaro Montenegro and angostura bitters.

This signature PGA honey can also be found in one of the drinks at Honeybelle called “Everything Nice”. This drink has Bombay, housemade pear and sage simple syrup, and lemon in it.

Honeybelle is another restaurant option at the resort that was opened by a James Beard-nominated Chef Lindsay Autry. Autry was a finalist on Bravo’s ninth season of Top Chef.

The menu at Honeybelle makes it more of a lunch spot with options ranging from a Mediterranean Bowl with black eyed pea hummus, lemon chicken, tomato and cucumber salad, stuffed grape leaves and warm pita to Honeybelle Fried Chicken with hot honey and buttermilk biscuits.

Once you take in the honey at the resort through various forms — whether it be through the drinks or in the food — the resort offers a beekeeping experience. There are four on-site hives with almost 250,000 honeybees at this resort. In fact, the resort is the only one in The Palm Beaches with a beekeeping experience.

For $500, four guests are given beekeeping suits to wear during the experience, a guided tour with a professional beekeeper and a raw honeycomb tasting.

Perhaps what’s even sweeter is that the holidays can be celebrated here. Both The Butcher’s Club and Honeybelle will have holiday menu specials. Lit by trees in the lobby, the resort is festive for this time of year and will soon be gearing up for its New Year’s Eve party at the Lobby Bar with live music and no cover charge. Par for the course in 2024, guests can expect to see spa offers, and the resort will continue to offer its experiences of beekeeping, a luxury catamaran cruise, sportfishing and historic bike tours (if golfing isn’t your cup of “tee”).