Royal Room: Kings and Queens of Cabaret Perform in Intimate Space
If, as the song says, life is a cabaret, then the Royal Room at the Colony Hotel is life at its finest. Widely considered to be one of the top cabaret venues in the country, the Royal Room, just a stone's throw from Palm Beach's Worth Avenue, ranks up there with New York haunts such as Feinstein's at Loews Regency, the Oak Room Supper Club at the Algonquin Hotel and the famed Cafe Carlyle.
"It's very exciting to be compared to the great rooms," said Rob Russell, the Colony Hotel's director of entertainment. "We worked so hard at the sound and the lights and really perfecting everything and it makes a difference. We've invested a lot in that."
Although the Colony Hotel, opened in 1947, is one of Palm Beach's prestigious and storied lodging spots, with 90 rooms, suites, villas and penthouses that have been used by such dignitaries as presidents George H.W. Bush and Bill Clinton, the Royal Room is credited with breathing new life into the property. New audiences come to hear the likes of Baby Jane Dexter, Kitty Carlisle Hart, Ben Vereen and Ann Hampton Callaway perform in an ultra-intimate environment. A former banquet room, the Royal Room recently celebrated its 10th anniversary at the Colony.
“It has been an amazing decade for The Colony’s Royal Room, filled with many magical moments for both our performers and their fans,” said Roger Everingham, vice president and general manager of the boutique hotel.
Royal Room shows usually run Tuesday through Saturday at 8 p.m., with some 10 p.m. late shows on Friday and Saturday. Dinner and show costs $100-$145 per person. Show-only cover is $55-$100 per person. The doors open at 6:45 P.M. for dinner.
Situated between the Colony's lobby and its Polo Steaks & Seafood restaurant, the Royal Room has just 20 tables decked out in white linen with seating capacity for 90 people. The room's raised stage, set within a beautifully draped alcove, has been graced by veteran cabaret performers such as Betty Buckley, Diahann Carroll, Keely Smith, Steve Tyrell and Faith Prince, and lesser-known stars like Maude Maggart, Jim Caruso, Tony DeSare and KT Sullivan.
"It's brought a lot of extra panache to the hotel," Russell said. "When you have a Grammy winner like Steve Tyrell or Jack Jones and they're staying at the hotel, and they're sitting out by the pool and saying hi to guests, it's really added a level that other hotels don't have. It's really special."
The food at the Royal Room is excellent -- "so much better than it needs to be," as one newspaper critic once wrote. The menu evolves with each performer, but every night a person has a choice between a petit filet, seafood and another dish (often chicken), served with an appetizer, side vegetable and dessert.
Posted on Mar 21, 2011 by Brian Bixler
