Tag: South Beach Hotels
View All TagsHotel Renovations / South Beach Hotels / Miami Hotel Mambo / Desires Hotels / → All Tags
A Sneak Peak at The Betsy's New Guestrooms
We managed to score some images of the new and improved, super-white guestrooms at The Betsy (formerly the Betsy Ross) on South Beach's Ocean Drive, which will premier this fall when the hotel reopens after its extreme makeover.
The Betsy's new look incorporates "contemporary tropical colonial" designs, featuring floor-to-ceiling windows, plantation style shutters and white lacquered furniture and desks next to big white poster beds.
Another peek at the new guestrooms after the jump.
Hotel Pools / South Beach Hotels / → All Tags
Now We Know Where To Swim in South Beach
If you're ready for a swim in South Beach, contributor Doug at Miami Beach 411 has got the inside goss on some of the best South Beach hotel swimming pools. The Raleigh Hotel pool topped the list for friendly staff and a cool waterfall, while The Palms South Beach got compliments for its remote Caribbean island feel.
But if you want to be where the truly hip people are, apparently the swimming pool at The Shore Club is your best bet, and you might even meet up with a few holidaying celebrities. But our personal favorite is probably The Delano Hotel, quite simply because their pool features "soothing, underwater music".
This story also has a few useful tips on the security aspect of getting into a hotel pool if you're, well, not exactly entitled to be there. Apparently, the best bet is to approach directly through the hotel lobby:
It's probably best to pick a weekday in the slow season, when the crowds are lighter and security is less intense. Saunter through like you belong there. Walk with a sense of purpose and head east. Eventually, you'll find the rear doors, usually opening to a back veranda with lazy ceiling fans and trendy patio furniture.
If you get to the pool bar, that's first base; buy a drink or two and mostly you'll be left alone. Apparently.
[Photo: 416style]
Related Stories:
· Miami Hotel Reviews [HotelChatter]
Best WiFi Hotel Spots / Hotel WiFi / South Beach Hotels / → All Tags
Best Hotel WiFi Spot: The Raleigh Miami
These days everyone is looking for four bar, non-complicated, hotel WiFi when they check in. Sure there are a bunch of hotel WiFi lists out there, but they are quickly out of date and unreliable. This week, as a lead up to our popular annual hotel WiFi report, we will let you know our favorite WiFi hotels in five hot travel destinations. The rules are simple. The signal has to fast, and reliable, the cost should be free (at the very least free for guests) and the WiFi experience at these hotels offer a comfortable surfing environment. Have a city or destination you want us to investigate? Let us know. And if you have a favorite WiFi hotel you are willing to share, no matter where it is send it our way.
The Raleigh Hotel :: Miami Beach, FL
Miami is pretty much all about partying with as little clothes on as possible so it's not really the place to go do work. Thus internet access is not a top priority when you've got more important things to do like tanning, drinking, reapplying tanning oil and clubbing.
But when we hit up the The Raleigh Hotel we discovered that this Andre Balazs Hotel has property-wide free WiFi, meaning that we could still be by the pool tanning and drinking while cruising the internet. Yes, you have to be a guest, or at least know the free access code to access the network, but that makes sense at a scene hotel like the Raleigh.
Best Part:
The signal worked everywhere. up in our room, down in the lobby, outside by the pool--it even stretched out onto the beach--not like you can actually see your screen through the suns glare on the beach, but it is still cool.
Related Stories:
·Hotels in Miami [HotelChatter]
·The Raleigh Hotel reviews [TripAdvisor]
Hotels Under Construction / South Beach Hotels / → All Tags
The Tides South Beach is Under Construction
A HotelChatter tipster informs us that the Tides South Beach is under construction this month:
Just wanted to let your readers know that the Tides Hotel South Beach is under some construction which does not fare well for guests.
I was there recently and it was a mess.
Attached are some pictures of it so you can get the idea.
How long will this go on? Who knows, but you probably want to call and check before you drop Tides type cash for a high season room.
Got helpful construction hotel tips? You know where to reach us.
Check out more of the photos in the HotelChatter Flickr group here. And contribute any of your favorite photos to the wanting eyes of worldwide hotel voyeurs.
Hotel Hype / W South Beach / South Beach Hotels / → All Tags
W South Beach To Do List: Demolish Holiday Inn
According to the W South Beach website, the hotel and residences are expected to open "at the end of 2007". Granted, that means the cast and crew has a whole year to finish this 511 unit development, but damn they have some work to do in that timeframe.
When it is finished, and if we were the gambling kind we would pick 08 instead of 07, all units will face the ocean with unobstructed views, all units will have 9 foot ceilings, 5 1350 sq. ft bungalows will be for sale, and all condo owners will have the option of participating in the W Hotels rental program--Setai style--we are guessing.
After the jump we have posted a photo with the crumbling Holiday Inn (soon to be the W South Beach) in the foreground and the starting to sparkle Gansevoort South in the background so you can get a sense of which hotel is in the development lead at this point. In any event, once W South Beach is complete it will this stretch of Miami Beach will be able to boast the Setai, W South Beach, Gansevoort South, in that order. Damn, that should be one high luxe triumvirate.
Related Stories:
· W South Beach Coverage [HotelChatter]
Gansevoort South / Hotel Hype / South Beach Hotels / → All Tags
Gansevoort South: "Calviniezation" Almost Complete
A while back we prognosticated that Hotel Gansevoort South, aka Paradiso Miami, would be opened in late 2007, early 2008. That being said, after seeing the facility first hand last week we would like to revise our prediction up a bit. Yeah, how rare is that, however, not only is the huge construction crew working non-stop on the massive project but the crew is also making loads of progress. The outer shell looks pretty much done, save a palm tree top here and there. Furthermore, some decent progress is being made on the interior and exterior grounds.
With all the South Beach hotel delays and non-starters (Hi Nicky!) it is nice to see a project that outwardly appears ahead of schedule. Though it doesn't appear the locals are so keen on the market breed the Gansevoort is promising on their ad curtains--check out the photo--what is getting "Calviniezed"?.
To date, the Gansevoort South crew has been very coy about opening dates, meaning we haven't heard anyone drop an opening date yet. Could it possibly open for Super Bowl weekend? Probably not, but stay tuned.
Read more for another photo or two, and there are plenty more progress photos over on the brand new Gansevoort South hotel page.
Related Stories:
· Gansevoort South Coverage [HotelChatter]
Nicky O / Nicky Hilton / Miami Hotels / South Beach Hotels / Hotel Hype / Super Bowl XLI Hotels / → All Tags
The Latest Nicky O Hotel Photos
Say what you want about Schrager and his sex palace. He opened the damn thing when he said he was going to.
Enter hotel rookie Nicky Hilton. Miami is absolutely teeming with new hotel projects, and Nicky O's project might be the most ambitious of all.
Who are we kidding, this project is hers in name only, and the way things are going we wouldn't be surprised if she ended up pulling out and the project was renamed "Miami O." No that isn't happening, at least not that we know of.
Anyway, this week we got our hands on some up to the minute Nicky O photos detailing what kind of progress is being made on 10th and Ocean--the site of the old Edison and Breakwater hotels where Nicky Hilton is attempting to create a 94-unit CoTel that will open February 1st cough.
Nicky and crew are being so brash about their opening date they are already selling Super Bowl XLI hotel packages for $1,100 a night plus tax, four night minimum, non-refundable, of course. Before you throw down ~$5,000 on a Super Bowl weekend at Nicky O why don't you take a look at these photos to see the progress.
Now we have been through enough of these projects to know work is always done right up to the last minute before opening, sometimes even after opening. However, our advice would be, check back in a month or so because this particular construction crew will have to move mountains to get this place open by February 1--and at $5,000 for four nights, that opening weekend crew is rightfully gonna want things near perfect.
As always, send photos, tips, and rumors to your friendly neighborhood hotel publication. Somewhere, right now, George Clooney and the Las Ramblas Pack are having a good chuckle.
Latest Nicky O Hotel Photos Here
Related Stories:
· Nicky O Hotel Coverage [HotelChatter]
· Nicky O Super Bowl Package [Nicky O]
Art Basel / Miami Beach Hotels / South Beach Hotels / → All Tags
Hotel Rooms Still Open for Art Basel
As we mentioned yesterday, we have an exclusive deal for HotelChatter readers looking to get in on the Art Basel party scene this weekend.
There are currently three units available at the The Villas @ Cafe Milano each sleeping 3 to 5 people and starting at $299 a night. Here are each of the breakdowns for the units:
Suite 201 ($299/night) sleeps 4-5 people in 1 full bedroom, a master bedroom, and a pullout couch. There's a 1,000-square-foot living area with an ocean front terrace, big screen TV with cable and movie channels, high speed broadband internet access, a full kitchen, washer/dryer and 1.5 bathrooms.
Suite 204 starts at $349 a night, sleeps 3-5 people, has a 1,100-square-foot living room, plasma TV, ocean front terrace, 2 full bathrooms, maid service, washer/dryer and a kitchen.
The Penthouse, room 302 and pictured here, also sleeps 4-5 people in two full bedrooms with two full baths, a 800-square-foot living area, 400-square-foot rooftop terrace, maid service and a washer/dryer among other things. Unfortunately, your plastic isn't good here as this is a cash only room.
If you're interested in booking these last minute accommodations, you can call Daniel Hidalgo at 305 606 6816 or email us with the request.
More pics of Room 201 and Room 204 after the jump.
Art Basel / South Beach Hotels / Miami Hotel Reviews / → All Tags
Last Minute South Beach Art Basel Hotel Rooms Available
HotelChatter Exclusive Reader Deal:
If you are looking for a hotel room during Art Basel in South Beach during the 11th hour (that would be now). We feel your pain. We are always planning last minute.
However, Daniel Hidalgo and the gang at The Villas @ Cafe Milano wants to do a good deed for a couple of lucky HotelChatter readers.
If you know of people looking for a nice hotel room on 8th and Ocean Drive in the heart of South Beach, I have 3 units available.
We have no idea how much Daniel wants for his rooms, but we have an email into him and as soon as he gets back to us we will let you know.
In the meantime, if you want to inquire further about one these rooms (December 7-10...yeah that is this week) either send us an email or give Daniel a call and let him know that HotelChatter sent you.
Don't say we never did anything for you.
Hotel room photo after the jump.
Hotel Hype / Miami Hotels Openings Report / Gansevoort South / South Beach Hotels / → All Tags
Miami Hotels Opening Report: Gansevoort South
The Miami South Beach hotel scene is blowing up and it's not all about Nicky O. This week we are taking a look at some of the planned hotels for Miami which includes hotels for which construction has begun and hotels which still remain a pipe dream. If you have any tips about South Beach hotels that you wanna share with us, send 'em down.
The plans for a Hotel Gansevoort South were announced way back when in November 2005 but so far, nothing but a bunch of renderings has materialized.
The hotel is set to be built within a luxury apartment building on Collins Avenue, called, Paradiso Miami. There will be 232 rooms, a teak roof deck and a tri-level beach club with "cabanas and fire pits at night."
When it finally opens (see projected dates below), the place will give bridge and tunnel crowd who visit the Gansevoort in NYC a place to stay in the winter. Although, we seriously hope this hotel has higher aspirations for itself.
Projected Hotel Opening Date:There has never been a clear opening date, but it was rumored to open late 2006/early 2007.
What we think: Late 2007/Early 2008.
Related Stories:
· Hotel Hype: Gansevoort South and West [HotelChatter]
· Miami Nice [News Australia]
Celeb Scoop / Tara Reid / South Beach Hotels / → All Tags
Tara Reid Celebrates New Role By Displaying Bad Plastic Surgery at the Delano
With the cancellation of Taradise, its been hard to keep track of Tara Reid as she stumbles from bar to bar.
Ok, maybe not that hard. The actress/nipple flasher was spotted:
"jumping up and down and screaming" Saturday night at the Delano Hotel in Miami when she got the news that she would be starring in a movie called "Senior Skip Day" with ... wait for it ... Robert DeNiro as her co-star...."It's all she talked about all week. I don't think she'd be making that up, because she told so many people out there! Her assistant even made a toast for her at the Blue Door, congratulating her on getting the movie."
Of course, Robert De Niro is not starring in the movie despite Tara's excitement.
Nevertheless Tara decided to sit poolside to soak up some sun and alcohol where she showed guests that you don't have to have a hot body to be in Hollywood. And that liposuction on your tummy can be done on the cheap. It won't look good but it won't really be fat.
There are also other pictures of Tara holding a child in the pool, but that is even more frightening than droopy breast implants and a tight/flabby lipo job.
Related Stories:
· Tara Reid is Delusional [WWTDD]
· Tara Reid Should Really Consider a One Piece [Bricks and Stones]
· Delano Hotel reviews [TripAdvisor]
Gansevoort South / Hotel Hype / South Beach Hotels / → All Tags
Hotel Gansevoort South: Early Look
Nothing to see here, keep moving.
Aside from the advertising in Ocean Drive Magazine, the only peek we could get of Hotel Gansevoort South was from the outside.
The building is absolutely massive. This project dwarfs Hotel Gansevoort New York, and it will be interesting to see if these folks can pull off a giant CoTel slash resort in Miami Beach.
For now, it is just a lot of scaffolding and artist rendered drawings.
By the way, does HK hotels still own Gansevoort? The property no longer shows up on the HK site.
Related Stories:
· Hotel Gansevoort South: Web Site Up [HotelChatter]
