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Eating on the Edge at the Four Seasons Miami

Where: 1435 Brickell Avenue [map], Miami, FL, United States, 33131

Yesterday, we took you on a spin through the new-look suites at the Four Seasons Miami. Now, it's time to eat.

Edge, Steak & Bar is also new, replacing Acqua, a more generally contemporary cuisine/power-lunch restaurant in the same space. As you can tell from the name, Edge is a steakhouse of sorts--although it's referred to as "steak lite"--and it's accompanied with lighter options like salads, sandwiches and lots of seafood.

The space is light and pretty with low-hanging lamps, a shiny, modern bar, and lots of cozy-looking banquettes surrounding the room.

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Miami Hotel Mambo / Hotel Renovations / Sweet Suites / Four Seasons Hotels / → All Tags

Life is Suite in the Refreshed Rooms at the Four Seasons Miami

Where: 1435 Brickell Avenue [map], Miami, FL, United States, 33131

Ever since the Four Seasons Miami freshened up its rooms last fall, we've been trying to get in and take a peek. That's been problematic because the hotel has been consistently sold out.

Last week, we finally got a look at a couple of suites (yep, the regular rooms were all booked), located on the 28th and 29th floors of the tower.

Even though they're suites--and pretty sweet ones at that, with oodles of space and panoramic views--you can get a good idea of what the regular rooms look like from scoping out the pictures in our gallery. The color schemes are similar, and the soft furnishings and new-look window seats are the same in the entry-level rooms--also pretty spacious at a generous 500 square feet.

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Miami Hotel Mambo / Art Basel Hotels / Andy Warhol / Art Hotels / InterContinental Hotels / → All Tags

Hang With Andy Warhol at the InterContinental Miami

Where: 100 Chopin Plaza [map], Miami, FL, United States, 33131

We never pictured Warhol as an InterContinental type (perhaps more of a Jane/Bowery/Gramercy Park Hotel denizen or even a St. Regis dude). But we were wrong because the superstar is checking into the Intercontinental Hotel Miami from November 30 through January 1.

Yep, we're following up yesterday's initial list of Art Basel Miami Beach hotel happenings with a standalone item today—because, well, it's Andy Warhol, people. And thanks to Andy, we're all of a sudden looking at the IC Miami through a much cooler lens.

The hotel has been a fixture downtown for 25 years and is on the receiving end of some new renovations.

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Four Seasons Miami Gets a Fresh Face For Fall

Where: 1435 Brickell Avenue [map], Miami , FL, United States, 33131

Ah, fall. Back to school, back to work. And, for hotels, back to the drawing board! The Four Seasons Miami is just one of the hotels in the 305 going for a fresh look, and we have to say: it's looking pretty elegant.

The new room design was conceptualized as an update to the hotel's Art Deco style, and helmed by the original designer of the hotel's interiors, Frank Nicholson. Apparently, he was inspired by the Four Seasons Miami's $3-million art collection when coming up with the new look.

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Miami Hotel Mambo / Mandarin Oriental Hotels / Hotel Chefs / Hotel Restaurants / Miami Spice / → All Tags

Azul Rules: Three Things We Loved About Mandarin Oriental Miami's Resto

Where: 500 Brickell Key Drive [map], Miami, FL, United States, 33131

With Miami Spice (a two-month long 'Restaurant Week') on the horizon in Miami, we have food on the brain. To prepare for the food-fest, we've been scoping out some of the city's best hotel restaurants to bring you the inside word on where to book your Spice tables. Today: Azul at the Mandarin Oriental Miami.

One of Miami's poshest, the restaurant opened in 2000 but has a breath of fresh air in the form of Chef Joel Huff, who joins the hotel after stints at Mandarins in San Francisco and New York, and at the Four Seasons Biltmore in Santa Barbara.

Despite serving up seriously high-class dishes like Eggs & Caviar and Sake Marinated Black Cod, Chef Huff is totally down to earth, and happy to talk to guests about his recent move to Miami and his love for surfing. OK, so we were at Azul for a media event, but the restaurant has an open kitchen so you'll always be able to spot him and, really, the guy loves to chat. Trust us, this is one time you won't have to worry about awkward small talk when the chef does his rounds of tables towards the end of the night.

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Miami Pool Parties, The Four Seasons Way

Where: 1435 Brickell Ave [map], Miami, FL, United States, 33131

If it's summer, there must be a pool party goin' on. Are we wrong?

In Miami, the newest one in town is not in South Beach but downtown in the fancy Brickell Ave neighborhood. Surprisingly, since it's at the Four Seasons Miami, it's also one of the more laid-back pool scenes we've come across in the 305.

Banish visions of those boom-boom dance music fests that dominate the beach hotels all winter. Summer is more of a locals scene in Miami, and while this pool party had a DJ, the vibe was more chill-out than burn up the dance floor.

The crowd was a mix of hotel guests, locals, and members of the on-site Sports Club/LA, with a healthy sprinkling of kids who were happy to share the shark- and gator-shaped inflatable pool toys with the grown-ups.

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Hotel Technology / iPad Apps / Miami Hotel Mambo / Marriott Hotels / → All Tags

The Hotel Beaux Arts New iPad App Means No More Room Service Surprises

Where: 255 Biscayne Boulevard Wa [map], Miami, FL, United States, 33131

The craze for iPads in the hotels is not going away anytime soon. The latest spot to put our favorite gadget the guestrooms is Marriott's boutique hotel, the Hotel Beaux Arts in Miami.

And not only can you surf the web and do other iPady things, but you can order room service, make dinner reservations and even ring up hotel housekeeping, thanks to the special Hotel Beaux Arts iPad app.

Powered by Intelity’s ICE Touch (Interactive Customer Experience), the app practically eliminates the need to speak with the front desk since you can request nearly everything through this app (about 30 hotel services in total.) We especially love the room service function which comes with pictures of the food. No more surprises when they pull off those silver platter lids!

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Miami Hotel Mambo / Hotel Spas / Mandarin Oriental Hotels / Hotel Renovations / → All Tags

Choose Your Own Shower Adventure at the Mandarin Oriental Miami's New Spa

Where: 500 Brickell Key Drive [map], Miami, FL, United States, 33131

It's one of the poshest spas in Miami, and has just undergone a complete refurbishment. The service is hushed and attentive, the treatments indulgent, and the views from the spa suites drop-dead gorgeous. But our favorite part of the newly renovated Spa at Mandarin Oriental Miami? The showers.

For reals, these showers are so much fun, we'd make an appointment just to have one--hold the massage.

As you can see in the photo above, the fun starts with multiple jets to blast yourself with. But there's more...

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Spa Like A Real Housewife At The JW Marriott Marquis Miami

Where: 255 Biscayne Boulevard Way, Avenue of the Americas [map], Miami, FL, United States, 33131

Spa in the style of these ladies (Marysol Patton is second from left)

The Real Housewives Of Miami may not even have started yet (it premieres February 22), but already the tie-ins are beginning.

This one’s a little tenuous: one of the wives, Marysol Patton, is a PR for the RikRak Salon at the JW Marriott Marquis Hotel Miami, and so the hotel has produced a Rik Rak Laid Back package.

It’s not the most exciting, either – it gets you an upgrade to a Deluxe Bay View room, breakfast, an hour-long couples massage at RikRak and (possibly the best bit) a 6pm late checkout, depending on availability.

It’s available through September 12 and starts at $369 for the low (summer) season and $569 until 15 April. Just check your dates carefully because the savings vary – to stay over for the season premiere will cost $569 with the package and $489 for a Bay View room on its own – which definitely makes it worth a saving and worth doing even if you're more a fan of massage than of reality TV.

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New Year's Eve Hotels / Miami Hotel Mambo / Viceroy Hotels / → All Tags

Celebrate New Year's Eve At Viceroy Miami Then Recover By The Pool The Next Day

Where: 485 Brickell Avenue [map], Miami, FL, United States, 33131

All week long, we'll be fantasizing about some of the Over The Top New Year's Eve events and packages that ritzy hotels are putting together. Who knows? Maybe one of you moneybags out there will invite us to party with you! Know of an OTT hotel package for NYE? Send it to us!

New Year's parties are fun and all, but we have to applaud a hotel that thinks about what we're going to need the morning after when planning their New Year's Eve package.

So, while the All About Viceroy NYE package at Viceroy Miami is pricey, it gets a thumbs up for a thorough itinerary that includes recovery with a captial R.

Here's what's included for the two-night package for two people:

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Miami Hotel Mambo / Hotel Openings / Hotel News / Marriott Hotels / Hotel Delays / → All Tags

Art Basel May Be Over But Hotel Beaux Arts Opens Next Week In Miami

Where: 345 Avenue of the Americas [map], Miami, FL, United States, 33131

Now that the artists and the art-lovers have flown the South Beach coop, Miami can get back to normal. Or, you know, "normal." But that doesn't mean artsy types have to miss out. It's time for another new hotel to debut in downtown Miami, with Hotel Beaux Arts opening inside the JW Marriott Marquis Hotel next week.

Last scheduled for an October opening, the boutique hotel-within-a-big-hotel is now available for stays from December 15. That is, if you fancy paying $400 a night downtown.

We know that seems kinda steep for a hotel not on the beach, but Hotel Beaux Arts is relying on its design-driven decor, exclusivity, and access to all the Marquis' fancy amenities to bring in discerning guests with deep pockets. Oh, and did we mention they have iPads in the rooms?

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Hotel Openings / Hotel News / JW Marriott Hotels / Miami Hotel Mambo / → All Tags

Maybe No News is Good News at The JW Marriott Marquis Miami?

Where: 345 Avenue of the Americas [map], Miami, FL, United States, 33131

Its doors are finally open, but what's the word on the JW Marriott Marquis Miami? We've seen the hotel in preview mode, but are dying to hear what it's like in real life.

So far, we're not seeing any reviews on TripAdvisor or reactions on Twitter, but hopefully these will trickle in over the next week or two. Of course, if you're in Miami and stay at the hotel, send us your take on the whole experience!

We're hoping that this Friday night might be a big one for the downtown newbie--that's when the Miami Heat play their first home game of the season nearby at the American Airlines Arena. Let's hope they fare better against Orlando than they did last night in Boston.

Speaking of Friday, there are still rooms at the JW Marriott Marquis that night--Kings and Doubles with City Views start at $289 a night and Concierge Level rooms at $309 a night.

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