W South Beach

Stay was pretty good, the beach, front door, valet and restaurant staff were very friendly, staff all around seemed mostly friendly. Beach itself was fantastic. Room was well appointed but was missing a bathrobe and glass (which made me concerned I would be charged if those were missing so I brought it up to the front desk), there was a straw wrapper on the floor in the middle of the room when we arrived (which made us wonder how clean the room was) which was cleaned up at turndown service, and the balcony could have been cleaned a bit better (crumbs on the railing and small pieces of trash on the floor). Also I had asked in the chat about the potential for an upgrade as a Platinum member but it seems like that was ignored at check-in and nothing was done despite bringing it up again...getting a room facing very loud construction made sitting outside not enjoyable so that was quite disappointing. Having to ask for a later check-out and being told to ask the next day despite occupancy already forecasted was also inconvenient as it prevented me from making solid plans the next day. Physically a very nice hotel but a bit far from perfect.

I added an extra night to my reservation at the W South Beach because a flight change would’ve had us arriving long before the 4 PM check-in. We got to the hotel around 11 PM expecting a smooth start to our stay. Instead, it was one disappointment after another. First, unlike most Marriott-branded hotels, the mobile key doesn’t work here—so late-night front desk check-in is mandatory. But the real issue was the room. The suite was 72° even though the thermostat was set to 70°, and the bedroom had barely any airflow, while the living room blower was blasting so loudly it was hard to even hear the TV. I called the front desk twice before an “engineer” came up and dismissed everything as “working properly.” As a licensed HVAC contractor and master plumber in multiple states—including Florida, I can say confidently that the airflow distribution in that suite was absolutely not functioning properly. His lack of investigation was a slap in the face—something I wouldn’t expect even at a Holiday Inn, let alone the W. When I called again, a manager told me, “I’d be happy to show you other rooms, but honestly the same AC will be in those rooms too.” That says it all. I ended up sleeping on the floor because the bedroom was too warm and the couch was too uncomfortable. The only place cool enough was the living area floor. It felt like sleeping in a county jail cell—except here, I paid luxury prices for the experience. Completely unacceptable for any hotel, never mind one claiming to be a high-end property. I hope management takes this seriously and addresses the HVAC issues that are clearly affecting multiple rooms.

Amazing service at the W South Beach! Special shout out to Juan beach attendant. Thank you for setting us up and checking on us all day.

Juan was a great beach attendant. He was so accommodating and nice! Thank you Juan!! We appreciate the attention to detail.

Beach service was excellent. Juan and the rest of the staff were top notch. Made sure we were comfortable and well taken care of. Five stars!