The Residences at Pier Sixty-Six vs. The Ritz-Carlton Pompano Beach: Broward's Yachting Paradises Compared
Quick Summary
- Compare Pier Sixty-Six and Ritz-Carlton Pompano Beach as Broward yachting bases
- Understand differences in marina scale, yacht access and on-the-water services
- Review Oceanfront, Waterview, spa and family amenities at both residences
- Decide which lifestyle cadence and neighborhood best fit your long-term plans
Broward's twin yachting paradises
Broward County's coastline is being redrawn by a new generation of branded residences that place yachts, marinas and water views at the center of daily life. For buyers who measure distance in nautical miles, two addresses now anchor the conversation: The Residences at Pier Sixty-Six in Fort Lauderdale and The Ritz-Carlton Residences® Pompano Beach just up the shoreline. Each development distills a particular vision of South Florida luxury, pairing architecture with service and amenity programming shaped around the water.
Both are boutique by global standards yet substantial within Broward, and both offer a rare combination of Oceanfront or Intracoastal exposure, Waterview perspectives and walk-out access to a full-service Marina. The nuance lies in how they choreograph that experience. Pier Sixty-Six leans into the energy of a legendary resort and working superyacht harbor, while the Ritz-Carlton community in Pompano Beach cultivates a calmer, more residential club environment. Understanding those differences is key to deciding which address aligns with your lifestyle and your fleet.
For the MILLION Luxury audience, this comparison is less about line-by-line floor plan analysis and more about reading the character of each enclave. Below, we look at architecture and design, marina capabilities, amenity and service culture, and the rhythm of everyday living at both properties, so you can decide which one feels like your natural home port in Broward.
The Residences at Pier Sixty-Six: Fort Lauderdale's social harbor
Long before condominium buyers arrived, Pier Sixty-Six was a Fort Lauderdale landmark. The original mid-century hotel, crowned by its spire and revolving rooftop lounge, has watched over the Intracoastal since the 1960s, becoming shorthand for the city's yachting culture. Today, a billion-dollar reimagining of the 32-acre site has transformed that legacy into a contemporary residential resort, with a limited collection of private homes stitched directly into the life of the hotel and the surrounding Marina.
The Residences at Pier Sixty-Six are arranged across four low- and mid-rise buildings positioned along the water. Two glassy towers, Azul and Indigo, rise roughly ten to eleven stories, with only four expansive corner residences per floor. Three to five bedroom layouts, private elevator lobbies and near 360-degree glazing create a sense of single-family volume in the sky. Generous terraces wrap the facades; in a flourish that is still unique in Fort Lauderdale, every condo in these towers features its own private plunge pool, turning the outdoor space into a genuine extension of the living room.
For buyers who prefer something closer to the waterline, a pair of four-story Resort Residences delivers villa-style homes along landscaped canals. These two to four bedroom residences introduce double-height living spaces, garden courtyards and townhome-style entries that feel more like a contemporary waterfront house than a traditional condominium. Crucially, they are also the only residences with access to an optional rental program managed by the resort, which may appeal to owners who anticipate limited personal use and want professional oversight while they are away.
Life here is calibrated to feel like an always-on holiday. Residents share in an amenity program that extends across the hotel and dedicated private spaces, from a multi-pool deck of roughly 2.5 acres and a 13,000 square foot spa to a residents-only wellness lounge and the Orchid Room club. Dining is equally layered: a string of marina-front restaurants, casual cafes and a revived rooftop lounge create a full complement of moods, all a short golf-cart ride or stroll from home. The result is a true resort village where you can start the day with a quiet training session and end it high above the water with a martini as the city lights come on.
At the heart of it all sits Fort Lauderdale's largest superyacht facility, with around 164 deep-water slips capable of accommodating vessels up to approximately 400 feet. There are no fixed bridges between the Marina and the Atlantic, and the Port Everglades inlet lies only minutes away, so captains can move from slip to open ocean with real efficiency. For owners, that translates into an unusually seamless connection between residence and yacht: dockage can be arranged through the concierge, full yacht services are on hand and, for those without a personal vessel, the resort maintains its own fleet of boats for charter and day use.
The Ritz-Carlton Residences® Pompano Beach: dual-tower coastal club
Further north, The Ritz-Carlton Residences® Pompano Beach brings one of hospitality's most recognized luxury flags to a low-key stretch of coast between Fort Lauderdale and Boca Raton. Set on roughly 4.6 acres spanning from the Atlantic to the Intracoastal Waterway, the project is conceived as an owners-only resort where every space, both on the ocean and on the bay, is reserved exclusively for residents and their guests. It is a rare opportunity in Pompano Beach to pair a branded Oceanfront tower with a separate Marina-focused tower in one cohesive address.
The architecture, by Miami-based firm Revuelta, reads as calm and contemporary rather than ostentatious, with slender towers and deep terraces that track the sun. Italian designer Piero Lissoni curates the interiors and landscaping, infusing lobbies, residences and gardens with his characteristic combination of clean lines, pale tones and tactile natural materials. Apartments arrive finished with custom kitchens, wardrobes and lighting, and in select cases fully furnished, a convenience for buyers who prefer a true turnkey experience and want to step into a complete environment from day one.
The 32-story Beach Tower fronts 250 linear feet of sand, delivering flow-through one to five bedroom residences with at least some degree of direct or angled ocean view. Across Ocean Boulevard, the 14-story Marina Tower lines the Intracoastal with a more intimate collection of homes, many oriented west to capture sunsets and the slow choreography of boats moving along the waterway. Both towers share a service DNA: private elevator access, floor to ceiling glass and spa-inspired bathrooms are standard, and select Marina Tower residences incorporate staff quarters, underscoring the building's appeal to owners who travel with a household team.
Amenities are deliberately split between the shoreline and the bay. On the ocean side, a private Beach Club anchors the tower, combining a resident restaurant and bar with two elevated infinity pools, a lawn for events, cabanas and concierge-serviced lounges set directly on the sand. Indoors, a full-scale spa and wellness center, beauty salon and ocean-view fitness club create a comprehensive health and beauty ecosystem. On the Intracoastal, the Yacht Club in the Marina Tower offers a more playful program: a waterfront lounge, rooftop pool deck, pickleball court, golf and sports simulator, children's and teens' clubs, hobby studio and wine-tasting salon, all wrapped around a boutique private dock.
The marina itself is intentionally intimate, with a limited number of slips sized primarily for day boats and smaller yachts. While superyachts will typically berth at one of the major nearby facilities, the on-site dock is ideal for a 30 to 40 foot boat that can be ready at a moment's notice for a morning of fishing or an afternoon cruise. Layered on top is the Ritz-Carlton service platform: a 24-hour team manages everything from security and valet to housekeeping coordination, private chef events and an absentee-owner program, allowing residents to lock and leave with confidence.
Choosing your course: marina access, service and everyday life
Though only a short drive apart, the daily mood at these two addresses is distinct. Pier Sixty-Six sits within the urban fabric of Fort Lauderdale, a city long known as the yachting capital of the region. From your balcony you look over a forest of masts and superstructure, with cruise ships and commercial traffic sliding in and out of the nearby inlet. It is a dynamic, almost theatrical setting in which the hotel, restaurants and public spaces remain animated from morning through late evening, especially during the international boat show, when the Marina becomes a global stage.
Pompano Beach moves at a different tempo. The stretch of shoreline around the Ritz-Carlton development has seen a quiet renaissance of luxury hotels and condominiums, yet it retains the feel of a residential beach town rather than a tourism engine. For many buyers, that balance is precisely the attraction. Access to the city's new dining and cultural scene sits in the background, while day to day life revolves around the building's own Beach Club and Yacht Club. In this context Pompano-beach reads less as a destination you visit and more as a neighborhood you slip into and immediately feel at home.
For yacht owners, the choice often comes down to scale. If your lifestyle centers on a large vessel with permanent crew, The Residences at Pier Sixty-Six offers something close to unmatched convenience in Broward: the ability to keep a serious yacht, or even a superyacht, directly in front of a full-service resort and walk from penthouse to passerelle in minutes. If, on the other hand, you run a more modest boat for day cruising and prefer a quieter dock shared solely with neighbors, the private slips at the Ritz-Carlton are likely sufficient, with larger marinas nearby whenever you anticipate extended cruising.
Service philosophy also differs subtly. At Pier Sixty-Six, residents enjoy VIP status within a mixed-use environment. The upside is variety; new restaurants, guests and events flow constantly through the resort ecosystem, and there is always something happening along the promenade. The trade-off is that you are part of a larger stage. At the Ritz-Carlton, every square foot from the breakfast lounge to the pool deck is programmed for owners alone. The social life feels more like a private club where faces quickly become familiar and discretion is part of the culture.
For many, the decision will be instinctive. Buyers who want to plug into Fort Lauderdale's brightest lights, who enjoy hosting business associates during the boat show or entertaining extended family in a buzzing resort setting, may find Pier Sixty-Six the natural expression of their maritime life. Those who favor a softer rhythm, who value branded hospitality and the idea of a complete residential club where children, grandparents and friends can move freely between beach and bay, often feel an immediate connection to the Ritz-Carlton community in Pompano Beach. Working with a specialist at MILLION Luxury to map those lifestyle preferences against your yachting requirements is the most reliable way to clarify where you will feel most at ease.
FAQs
What distinguishes marina access at Pier Sixty-Six versus the Ritz-Carlton Pompano Beach? Pier Sixty-Six is built around one of the largest superyacht marinas in Broward, with deep-water slips capable of welcoming significantly larger vessels and almost instant access to the Atlantic. The marina at the Ritz-Carlton in Pompano Beach is intentionally boutique, tailored to day boats and smaller yachts, with the emphasis on quiet, private dockage and the ability to step directly from home onto your boat without public traffic.
How do residence sizes and layouts compare between the two developments? Both communities favor generous proportions, private elevators and expansive terraces. Pier Sixty-Six skews toward larger three to five bedroom residences and villa-style homes, many with private plunge pools and a sense of single-family scale. The Ritz-Carlton residences span a broader range of one to five bedroom layouts, with the Beach Tower focused on direct ocean views and the Marina Tower offering more intimate Intracoastal-facing apartments, including select homes with staff quarters.
What type of buyer is best suited to The Residences at Pier Sixty-Six? Pier Sixty-Six appeals strongly to buyers whose lifestyle is deeply tied to the boating community and who enjoy being in the middle of a vibrant resort environment. It suits owners with larger yachts, those who host frequently during events such as the boat show and those who prefer a social calendar shaped by a constant flow of visitors, restaurant openings and marine activity right outside the front door.
What type of buyer is best suited to The Ritz-Carlton Residences® Pompano Beach? The Ritz-Carlton community in Pompano Beach resonates with owners who prioritize privacy, service and an owners-only atmosphere. It is ideal for households that value a dual-tower club lifestyle where children can move safely between pool, beach and games areas, and for buyers who want the reassurance of a global hospitality brand managing every detail of operations, wellness and daily convenience.
How should I decide which Broward yachting address aligns with my long-term plans? Begin with your yacht profile, your preferred pace of life and how you intend to use the residence over time, whether as a primary home, winter base or lock-and-leave retreat. Then weigh the benefits of a large, highly activated resort marina against the more intimate club setting of a private dock. For a confidential, one to one comparison, connect with MILLION Luxury and align each opportunity with your broader portfolio.
Million Luxury
Million Luxury
Welcome to MILLION, an exclusive luxury real estate boutique nestled in the heart of South Florida’s most desirable locations. Specializing in high-end properties, we provide a sanctuary for discerning clients including top Fortune 500 executives, affluent families, celebrities, and professional athletes from across the globe. At MILLION, we understand the unique demands of our elite clientele and offer a seamless blend of confidentiality and personalized attention. Our commitment to privacy is unwavering; we ensure that every transaction and interaction is handled with the utmost discretion and according to stringent confidentiality protocols. Our concierge service embodies the pinnacle of white-glove care, offering tailored assistance that transcends traditional real estate support.
