majesty palm
The Ben West PalmAwards & RecognitionDiscover Accolades

South Florida history repeating itself with a new twist on design

The Ben’s development brings a return to waterfront lodging that hasn’t been seen in West Palm Beach since the Helen Wilkes Hotel, formerly the El Verano hotel, which was closed back in 2005. In 1924 the El Verano was noted as one of the “finest and most modern hotels in West Palm Beach.” This historic fact combined with the alliance with the former Ben Trovato Estate of the Dewey

Family provides this hotel the foundation of culture, glamour and distinction in Palm Beach County. The Ben’s unique dining options, the rooftop experience including the ballroom and lounge with a view, and the well appointed guest rooms facing the serene Palm Beach Harbor Marina collectively bring waterfront lodging at it’s best back to downtown West Palm Beach.

Media Clips

Press Releases

#1 The Ben West Palm conveys the steadfast pioneering spirit and enduring curiosity typified by adventurer and best selling author Byrd Spilman Dewey. Over a century ago, Dewey prophesied that West Palm Beach’s prime waterfront locale and mystic charm would attract visitors the world over.

– Janet DeVries Naughton, Historian

“In a city that has hospitality deeply rooted in its origins, The Ben West Palm is the first of its kind.
Keeping our local guests, visitors, the business traveler as well as groups and events in mind. The Ben is designed to stand out with a creative and inspired approach to hospitality. Our hotel caters to the modern, classic and every guest in between.”

– Bernardo Neto, General Manager

When I first discovered, or “re”discovered Byrd Spilman Dewey, I knew it was a special story, so much so that it became an obsession to write her biography – a story well invented. Everyone who reads of Ben Trovato and its place in history is charmed. There is no better way to know that long-ago time and experience its hospitality and feeling than to visit its namesake – The Ben. The hotel brings back to life all the coziness and charm that Byrd created at Ben Trovato, which lives again in West Palm Beach.

– Dr. Ginger Pedersen, Historian

“The world had come to us, just as we had dreamed it would, bringing everything we lacked and completing what nature had so perfectly begun.”

Byrd Spilman Dewey

For the first time in nearly a century, West Palm Beach welcomes a new waterfront property with the opening of The Ben, a Marriott Autograph Collection hotel. This magnificent property allows guests to live like a local – in style – with its proximity to our culturally vibrant urban core and Palm Beach’s Royal Poinciana Way, as well as its breathtaking Intracoastal Waterway views. In addition to marking a historic milestone on the site of the former Helen Wilkes Residence Hotel, originally built in 1923, The Ben pays tribute to The Palm Beaches’ past by telling the story of pioneering resident, Byrd “Birdie” Spilman Dewey. Dewey’s contributions as the co-founder of now-Boynton Beach and a prominent member of the National Audubon Society are integrated into The Ben’s design and menus – showcasing our destination’s rich history in a fun, modern way. The Discover The Palm Beaches team is thrilled with the opportunity to market this significant addition to our portfolio of fine accommodations.

– Jorge Pesquera, President and CEO of Discover The Palm Beaches