HotelChatter

Getting There
We arrived around 9:30pm and pulled into the hotel's nondescript drive off Brickell Avenue in Downtown Miami. (Disclosure: This is not South Beach so there is no beach access here.) And we say nondescript because there was no elaborate signage anywhere. Just a simple sign saying Viceroy and Club 50 at the edge of the drive.

However, the entrance and the lobby is anything but nondescript. The porte cochere is flanked by enormous columns that resemble tree-stumps. Once inside, our eyes were drawn upward to the high-ceiling and then brought back down to earth by the bright-colored furniture on either side of you. One such chair is adorned with precious stones on its back at a tune of $28,000, or so we heard.

After staring for quite a bit, we realized a staffer was ready to check us in.

Check-In
Check-in was quick as we were the only ones in the lobby. We were then shown to a dark elevator bank guarded by two intriguing statues. So intriguing we emailed the hotel's PR rep for an exact description:

[They are] Asian figural sculptures with a gray lacquer finish with gold leaf detailing. I believe they are around 7' tall.

We ran out of room on our memory stick for a picture but they are quite interesting.

Room Reaction
We were given a corner junior suite on the fifth floor. All corner suites room numbers end in "11." These rooms have small kitchenettes hidden behind latticed mirrored sliding doors and are equipped with All-Clad cookware. The part we liked the best was the Illy espresso machine. That's a lifesaver when you need to get up at 6am to start working.

The bed is framed by a canopy of cerused wood and there's an Asian-inspired mural above the headboard featuring a bird of some sort. The room colors are a happy sea green and periwinkle blue, a contrast from the hallways and lobby banks which are much darker with a black and deep gold color combination.

And we can't forget the oversized Foo Dog-inspired lamps. There were two of these in our room along with equally large lamps atop the nightstands. Each of the lamps is approximately the size of one Sophia Petrillo.

In the bathroom, there's an impressive amount of marble throughout which looks amazing but can be slippery when stepping out of the shower. Make sure to put a towel down on the ground.

Amenity Madness
Aromapothecary toiletries, soft Sferra towels and linens, a giant flat-screen TV with 800 channels (all free!), a Sony iPod docking station and a mini-bar stocked with goodies. The hotel will also send up gaming stations to your room such as Wiis and Playstations. Also, the hotel will bring portable printers to your room if you need one.

Internet Connect
There were some issues with the complimentary wireless namely being that it was too slow. Deathly slow in fact. We called the front desk to see about a wired internet access and he cheerfully told us there was wireless internet we could use. Um. After another minute of confusion, he told us that he would put in a request to check on the connection. A minute later, we retried another WiFi network (Meraki which powered the in-room WiFi) and we were flying on the internet. So it seemed the network listed as "Viceroy Guest" did not work.

Dining
We ate a small breakfast through room service and we also ate at the hotel's signature restaurant on the 15th floor. We'll have more on that tomorrow. But the food is delicious. Both in-room and out.

What We Liked
The service was actually very good considering the hotel had only been open for about 10 days. Aside from the internet snafu, service was incredibly gracious and resourceful. We needed AA-batteries for our camera and within 10 minutes, AA-batteries were at our door. No charge, although we did tip the hotel staffer. And we liked how the hotel was a bit of a design adventure in itself. You will never be bored of your surroundings here.

What We Didn't Like
A few of the lamps were not working. We think they may have turned on by a switch on the wall but either way it was hard to tell how to turn them on. And frustrating since there were four of them!

Also, it took us (no joke) about 15 minutes to operate the TV. After we turned the TV on, it kept flashing up "No Signal." Honestly, we can't tell you how we got the channels working except that we made sure something called "Component" was selected.

And we know we are supposed to be all tech-savvy but still a note about which WiFi network to select would be nice.

Bottom Line
The Viceroy is going after a more sophisticated, business-oriented clientele here but they are also the perfect hotel for the fashion and design crowd. If you are looking for a party all day and night experience on South Beach, this is not your hotel. If you want a relaxing, luxurious escape with a more subdued and refined nightlife, then here is where to stay. Besides, wait until we tell you about the pool and spa tomorrow. Relaxing indeed.

The hotel was offering an introductory rate of $199 a night but that has since gone up to $230. Guests who stay two nights can also receive a third night free. Check here for the latest on the opening offers.

We stayed at the Viceroy Miami at a media rate of $175 a night, not including taxes.