HotelChatter

The lovely Lola.

First of all, meet Lola. All of the cocktails on the list here have ladies' names, which is kind of charming. Even better is the fact that Lola contains a Spanish rum, passionfruit puree, and jalapeno peppers. It's tropical with a kick and will be what brings us back to this every spot overlooking The Raleigh's famous pool again and again.

From the Spice lunch menu, we recommend both the Spicy Beef Salad (the perfect pal for Lola) and the Ahi Tuna Ceviche appetizers, and you must, must, must order the Rock Shrimp Gnocchi as your main. We would never have described pasta as a great summer dish, but this gnocchi is to-die-for and when you're gazing out over The Raleigh's Art Deco pool surrounded by palm trees as you shovel it into your mouth... perfection!

The trio of sorbet, especially the chocolate, is also a winner. And all three courses (minus Lola) are yours for just $22 plus tax and tip. Seriously, it's the only way to eat in Miami in August and September.

Now, we didn't just come here today to tell you about how we stuffed our faces at The Royal at The Raleigh--our Lola-fueled lunch also delivered us a morsel of hotel scoop. Chatting to our waiter about the slow summer season, we learned that the hotel is about to embark on a multimillion dollar renovation.

Apparently the pool was painted in May, so the funds that were just approved will go towards the interiors. So, if you're booking a room at The Raleigh this fall, don't forget to ask about any work going on so you're not surprised by the musical stylings of a jackhammer mid-morning.

Right now, rooms at The Raleigh are running around $305 a night.

[Photos: HotelChatter]