A staple of south beach Miami is the Ritz Carlton. This luxury established recently underwent remodeling and reopened in 2017 after it underwent heavy damage after Hurricane Irma. North of $90 million was invested into its reconstruction and redesigning its +375 rooms and Art Deco esthetics.
We had the opportunity to visit this beautiful beach front luxury hotel located the corner of Lincoln Road and Collins Ave. An ideal location to many restaurants and bars and a few block away from Miami Ocean Drive. The front facade of the hotel is subtle but once you walk through the double doors, the grandeur that the Ritz is known for shines through.
JUMP TO:
CHECK IN
Our flight landed at Miami International Airport (MIA) at 9pm. The hotel is located about 15 miles away and took about 20 minutes to arrive. Our check-in process was fairly smooth and quick because we arrived late at night. We were given Ritz Carlton bands and key-cards which are needed to active the hotel elevators and entering our room.
The lobby of the hotel is designed with a beautiful curved wall with lighting fixtures on the the wall. Apparently these fixtures were retained from the before the renovation.
Further up the atrium is the beautiful new Lapidus Bar which is a beautiful Art Deco space. Gorgeous gold leaves hang from the ceiling to light the bar area.
Right around the divider are the elevators which we took to the 7th floor and headed to our room.
ROOMS
We arrived to our room and the first thing you notice is the consistent Art Deco styling which is synonymous with luxury and affluence.
We were greeted to luxurious king size bed and pristine white bedding. The mattresses are extremely comfortable as you sink right into it. Across from the bed is a console with houses draws and a fully stocked mini-bar with everything from water to soda to alcohol. On top of the console sat a fairly large smartTV which allows for connectivity and you are able to sign-in to your favorite apps such as Netflix, Hulu, YouTubeTV, Amazon Prime and more.
The second you set into the bathroom, it's pure luxury. Marble tiles cover the floors and walls. Right in front of you is a double vanity with a full mirror. To one side is a bathtub which is overall standard, nothing special. The opposite side of the bathroom is divided into two compartments. One is the toilet, the other is the shower.
We had an ocean view room but partially blocked the the rooftop of the suites that surrounded the pool. From our window we could see the swimming pool, the beach and the Atlantic Ocean.
Below us, we noted rooms that also had generous size patios with patio furniture.
AMENITIES
The list of property features and amenities is no short list as to be expected with a Ritz Carlton.
Pool
First off is the sprawling beach front pool surrounded by pool chairs, umbrellas and cabanas. The pool opens at 9am. The pool chairs are on a first come first serve bases. Many people will claim chairs early in the morning after breakfast. The cabanas are available for an extra fee and some areas are private for the high tier rooms.
The hotel is not adult only so while we were there, there were many kids in and around the pool. You will find poolside service with waiters taking orders throughout the day. The service overall was good but it took longer than expected for drinks and food to arrive.
DiLido Beach Club
At the lowest level behind the pool sits a casual ocean front restaurant known as DiLido. Dining here is of course under your own expense. We did not dine here but you will get a great beach front view with the bill.
Fuego Y Mar
The indoor restaurant is home to central and South American cuisine such as Cuban, Mexican, Venezuelan and Colombian. Dining is available here for breakfast, lunch and dinner.
Club Lounge
Ritz Carltons are known for their exclusivity and for an additional fee or depending upon the level of your room, you can gain access to their Club Lounge. When we set up the collaboration with Ritz Carlton we agreed upon access to the Lounge but there was miscommunication when we arrived so we were unable to access the area. The Club Lounge gets you access to a private area with included dining and beverages throughout the day.
Gym
There is a full fitness gym located at the gym but during our stay the gym was "closed" for unknown reasons so we cannot say much about this amenity.
Beach
One of the best qualities of the Ritz is location. Being beachfront gives you instant access to the beach after a short walk down from the beach. The area behind the Ritz is open to the public but hotel guest do take priority in the area. Hotel employs monitor the area and provide you with beach chairs and umbrellas. Covered cabanas are also available for purchase for $250 a day.
Servers come around periodically to check-up on you and take drink orders which is very convenient.
Overall the quality of the service is good as to be expected but I did have to remind the servers about our order multiple times before they arrived.
We enjoyed our time on the beach and took in the sites of South Beach Miami.
OVERALL
Our experience was quite enjoyable at the Ritz Carlton South Beach Miami. Unfortunately, our time here was short as we flew in late Friday night and out Sunday evening. There were some miscues with this collaboration, We were suppose to have balcony ocean view and club access which were not provided. But everything you would expect from a Ritz Carlton is here. The grander, the luxury and the status that comes along with such a prestigious brand. The rooms are comfortable overall but simple. They honor the traditional Art Deco theming through the resort after undergoing its extensive restoration. Next time you are in Miami, make sure to have the Ritz Carlton on your short list for consideration.
תגובות