From South Beach to Coral Gables

04/10/2014

04/10/2014 – UNITED STATES, MIAMI, FL

From South Beach to Coral Gables

Stephen decided to attend the NABT conference at The Biltmore in Coral Gables, FL.  The hotel was already fully booked so we decided to take the opportunity to have a little vacation down in South Beach while he commuted to the conference.  Here is my review of our hotel, The Delano, in South Beach and of The Biltmore: Two very different but exquisite properties.

The Delano

Delano is the ultimate oasis of sensuality and soul, where sophistication and ease seamlessly blend with timeless design. Effortlessly chic and flirtatious, yet restrained in its simplicity, Delano is proof that the new rules of elegance are crisp, clean, and modern, without fuss or complexity. There is a world outside Delano, but there is nothing there you need.  (From their website)

This accurately describes the hotel.  It is sensual.  When you walk into the lobby, the interior design combined with the music makes you feel sophisticated and important.  The famous French designer Philippe Starck redesigned the hotel in 1994.  Conveniently located on Collins Ave, you can enjoy shopping and clubbing within walking distance or you can simply walk through the hotel straight out to the beach.

We stayed in an ocean view room on a high floor with a view that looked over the hotel roof, pool, and ocean. The furnishings were all white with a designer modern concept twist. The pool area was beautiful with lots of loungers, cabanas, bar service, and music. We ate in the restaurant for Sunday brunch, and it was gorgeous sitting outside overlooking the gardens down to the pool.

South Beach itself is all about the white sand and palm trees.  We luckily had amazing weather and tool advantage of using both the pool and the beach.  At night, we partied at their club FDR.  It’s definitely a “see and be seen” spot in Miami.

Overall, I LOVED this hotel and would recommend it to anyone wanting a fun, grown-up weekend away in South Beach. 

The Biltmore Hotel

In 1992, Seaway Hotels Corporation bought this beautiful historic structure and embarked upon a $40 million, 10-year renovation program restoring The Biltmore to its world-class excellence. The company invested in complete guest-room renovations and also built a state of the art fitness center and spa. Other improvements included new lighting, telephone and computer systems. In addition, the City of Coral Gables spent approximately $3 million to restore The Biltmore’s historic 18-hole championship golf course. The Biltmore’s landmark swimming pool, the largest hotel pool in the continental United States, also underwent considerable refurbishment, led by noted landscape architect Emilio Fuster. Throughout the property, guests will encounter grand architectural ornaments, from the colonnaded lobby with hand-painted ceiling beams, to the open-air courtyard and fountain, plus balconies with balustrades and gleaming terrazzo and tile floors. (From their website)

I met up with a friend for lunch at The Biltmore on one of the days my husband was in meetings.  My first impression was astonishment at how grand the hotel looked.  It is simply a magnificent estate.  We had a delicious lunch at Cascade, the poolside restaurant, and then lounged at the pool for the afternoon.  That evening we enjoyed a reception in the courtyard.  We didn’t actually stay at the hotel so I only have pictures of grounds.  I would love to come back and actually stay sometime.  The historic grandness of the building demands appreciation and I would love to see if the rooms reflect that as well.

To conclude, we had a wonderful time.  Miami, I’ll hopefully see you again soon!

Celeb sighting: Andy Cohen, Carson Kressley, and Jeb Bush