It is that time of year again, when the art world descends upon Miami for Art Basel, a bacchanalian moving feast.
And as the global glitterati and prominent tastemakers flock to Magic City, they require posh accommodations to rest their beautiful heads.
A new wave of hotels seeks to reimagine the party getaway, the upscale resort, and the hipster hangout.
Welcome to the most recent edition of scene-stealing escapes in contemporary Miami.
Finally, a hotel in the city’s creative center, and it couldn’t have arrived at a better time. If all goes according to plan, the 217-room, nine-story retreat created by architectural darlings Meyer Davis will become the preferred hangout for the younger generation of art crowd members.
The cheapest room at the Arlo Wynwood costs $239.
Those seeking meaningful discussion can find it over imaginative cocktails by Bar Lab, the hospitality team that brought us the famed Broken Shaker, or over a meal at MaryGold’s by award-winning chef Brad Kilgore, whose concentration is on Florida-inspired brasserie cuisine.
The after-party is held in the cocktail-centric Higher Lounge on the third level, where DJs spin, and then the cool kids move to the rooftop terrace for morning mimosas.
Work it off with complimentary daily yoga classes and meditation sessions, or simply dance it off to live music and local DJs. Free bicycles will transport you from Wynwood to all satellite fairs; colossal, immersive murals will lead you back home.
The cheapest room rate at the Elser Hotel is $329 per night.
The inauguration of this 646-room hotel in Miami’s increasingly sweltering downtown is a no-brainer for those who want to unpack their Rimowa for an extended stay. The recently built 49-story tower by Sieger Suarez Architects is replete with appealing features, such as a 19,000-square-foot sun terrace constructed beneath two-story structural columns.
This shady, double-height outdoor environment is certain to be incredibly fascinating around the clock: There is a 132-foot-long pool, an outdoor “theater” with 16-foot LED screens showing movies, videos, and sporting events, a bar, and, of course, breathtaking views. Guests wearing fanciful Éliou rompers are greeted by a vibrant mural painted by Jeffrey Noble, which sets the tone for some extremely festive darties.
Even entry-level accommodations designed by Florida-based Cotofana Designs have 9-foot ceilings, fully-equipped kitchens, spa-like baths, earth tones, and private balconies.
At the Pelican, room n at $169.
It’s not always the case that bigger is better; sometimes it’s the jewel-box hotels that leave you breathless and arranging a return visit.
Such is the case with the Pelican, a 32-room beachside facility that subverts the concept of a 1950s Art Deco hotel by incorporating elevated kitsch — courtesy of Renzo Rosso, founder of the Italian apparel brand Diesel. The cinematic-themed rooms range from “Me Tarzan, You Vain” to “Penthouse One” (Rosso’s secret lair when he’s in town) to “Lust in Space” with its Antonio Citterio sofas.
The satirical wink continues to the beachfront restaurant Pelican Café, where chef Wendy Cacciatori serves classic Italian cuisine with a wry twist. Obviously, if you’re not having the most fun in that festive café, you get a second chance on the hotel’s beach, where scantily clad fashionistas sip spumante while ordering cocktails and Capreses to be delivered to their (free) lounge chairs. You wish to associate with attractive individuals? Take a flight to Pelican Airport.
Originally constructed as an artists’ colony in the 1920s, the Spanish-Mediterranean Revival structure nevertheless exudes a bohemian atmosphere. Its 145 rooms, designed by Jessica Schuster Design, are scattered across eight buildings and come in two variations: the Village Rooms are fairly conventional with a touch of whimsy, whilst the Casa Matanza quarters are moodier and pay homage to this 1930s gambling ring’s secret refuge.
Five on-site restaurants include El Salón, an exclusive cocktail bar and lounge serving only its own proprietary mixes of spirits, and The Roof, an open space connecting four rooftops with a vintage pool and cabanas where late-night diners and dancers will move to the mellow rhythms of local DJs.
219 hotel rooms and 23 suites comprise the center of the newly opened Plaza Coral Gables, a dining and retail destination comparable to Dallas’ Highland Park Village or Malibu Country Mart.
The hotel caters to females who lunch in their Lilly Pulitzers and recharge their vitamin D at Phineas, the poolside oasis on the ninth floor that serves Latin cuisine and panoramic vistas. Private groups can reserve the Chef’s Table, which is tucked away in the Americana Kitchen restaurant – an homage to the Americana Hotel, which was constructed by the Tisch family (Loews’ owner) in 1956 in what is now Bal Harbour.
The cheapest room at the Mayfair House Hotel & Garden costs $350.
Built in 1985 by architect-sculptor Kenneth Treister with innumerable sculptural features that guests continue to uncover throughout their stays, the Mayfair — Coconut Grove’s original grand dame — was formerly beloved by Miami’s cocaine cowboys but today attracts a more refined clientele.
This 179-room tropical retreat features a calypso-themed rooftop bar with rum cocktails and live music. Or just Instagram the hell out of a dinner at the Fountain Bar, which was conceived by the renowned hospitality group Lost Boy & Co. and is placed – in one of the original elevator shafts.
No two guest rooms are same, but each has a great feature that is worthy of boasting, such as an outdoor shower, a walled garden, or a freestanding tub. Bypass the Uber line and get about on a free cruiser.
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