The Rotunda

At the top of the steps of the main entrance you'll pass through one of three doors into the Rotunda. The ceiling rises straight up to the great cupola. It's furnished with white wicker furniture and spittoons.

To your left is a long hallway leading to smart shops featuring the latest in fashion, jewelry, souvenirs and candy. Just to the right is a writing room where you can send postcards just like this one to your friends and family in the frozen north.

The stairway straight ahead takes you to the mens (to your left) and ladies (to your right) lounges. A secret hallway leads from the men's toilet to the bar. The passage is affectionately called"Hypocrite's Row." A floor plan will be posted shortly to get you there.

Click to enlarge.

Strictly Ballroom

This rare view of the Ballroom (Florida Historical Society collection) shows the entrance (center) as you enter from the top of the stairs in the Rotunda. Looking west, down the entrance hall you can see the center front entrance door of the hotel (bottom, viewed from the outside.) In the picture below (courtesy Historical Society of Palm Beach County) the steps are partially obscured by what appears to be the same plant.  

 

The doors were framed with leaded  glass. A piece of wicker furniture is visible just inside the doorway. Note the cuspidors scattered around the room- a measure to keep the grass-green carpets clean.

  

 In the top picture, the Ballroom (more here) is decorated with Japanese lanterns- a very popular motif of the day. Flagler's hotels staged three important balls every season: The New Year's, George Washington Birthday and St. Patrick's Day Ball.

Eventually the parties got so large they were moved into the massive dining room (below.)