Miami's first W hotel

[LL_Travelfan]

We just stayed with a LL package at the W Hotel in Barcelona. Here is a suggestion for Luxury Link to add another W Hotel property to its list.
Miami's first W hotel is one of the chain's most ambitious properties in recent years. The 20-story glass tower sits at the northern end of South Beach with a generous stretch of beachfront to itself. The entire property has been decorated with a combination of exuberance and restraint. The lobby has double-height ceilings propped up by columns decorated with bronzy metalwork and a tribal art–meets–SoHo gallery aesthetic: zebra print rugs and textured objets d'art against Basquiat paintings and Damian Hirst pieces. The service is excellent, and the spaces are as comfortable as they are glossy. Each of the huge guest rooms—the smallest is a 600 square feet—comes with a balcony, and the hotel has its own basketball and tennis courts.and two swimming pools. Some locals come for haute Asian food at Mr. Chow, but Soleá, the more low-key Spanish restaurant, is the better bet. Cocktails are always best by the pool.
We certainly will check it out when we go to Miami just before Christmas.

[omegaet]

We just stayed with a LL package at the W Hotel in Barcelona. Here is a suggestion for Luxury Link to add another W Hotel property to its list.
Miami's first W hotel is one of the chain's most ambitious properties in recent years. The 20-story glass tower sits at the northern end of South Beach with a generous stretch of beachfront to itself. The entire property has been decorated with a combination of exuberance and restraint. The lobby has double-height ceilings propped up by columns decorated with bronzy metalwork and a tribal art–meets–SoHo gallery aesthetic: zebra print rugs and textured objets d'art against Basquiat paintings and Damian Hirst pieces. The service is excellent, and the spaces are as comfortable as they are glossy. Each of the huge guest rooms—the smallest is a 600 square feet—comes with a balcony, and the hotel has its own basketball and tennis courts.and two swimming pools. Some locals come for haute Asian food at Mr. Chow, but Soleá, the more low-key Spanish restaurant, is the better bet. Cocktails are always best by the pool.
We certainly will check it out when we go to Miami just before Christmas.

LL_Travelfan....would be nice for LL to add this property.

I sometimes meet clients at Mr. Chow for lunch (several of my clients stay at the W and love it). My personal choice is to dine by the first floor pool, at one of their cabanas.

If you should stop by the W, at least go outside to their area and consider having a drink....the weather will be fabulous in December.

Enjoy!

[LL_Travelfan]

Omegaet,
Yes it would be nice if LL would add this property, but it is probably wishful thinking.
We certainly will check it out, especially since we have been to the W in Barcelona which was fabulous.
Will check out the Beach at the W and surely will have a drink by the pool.

[copahc]

I stayed here and I was not very happy with it. It was WAY over-priced for the level of service we received. Plus we had lunch by the pool and it was gross. Really unacceptable for the prices. It was almost $100 for 2 sandwiches and 2 drinks. Now I realize you can go to other pools and pay the same about, like the Delano, but the food and drinks there are amazing. This was just gross; dry sandwiches, and drinks were nothing special. IMO you cannot charge those kind of prices for atmosphere and design alone. You need to have a certain level of service to go with it.

[LL_Travelfan]

copahc,
I am sorry to hear that you had such bad luck at the new W in Miami. After reading your post, I am glad we did not have time to check out the W wile we were at the Marenas Resort and Spa in Sunny Isles.

[kyshel]

I stayed here and I was not very happy with it. It was WAY over-priced for the level of service we received. Plus we had lunch by the pool and it was gross. Really unacceptable for the prices. It was almost $100 for 2 sandwiches and 2 drinks. Now I realize you can go to other pools and pay the same about, like the Delano, but the food and drinks there are amazing. This was just gross; dry sandwiches, and drinks were nothing special. IMO you cannot charge those kind of prices for atmosphere and design alone. You need to have a certain level of service to go with it.

I agree that sounds like a nasty lunch--I would have sent it back, along with the drinks and left.
Too bad it was that bad--hope you complained to W corp. They need to know that type of info.

[Mountie]

I stayed here and I was not very happy with it. It was WAY over-priced for the level of service we received. Plus we had lunch by the pool and it was gross. Really unacceptable for the prices. It was almost $100 for 2 sandwiches and 2 drinks. Now I realize you can go to other pools and pay the same about, like the Delano, but the food and drinks there are amazing. This was just gross; dry sandwiches, and drinks were nothing special. IMO you cannot charge those kind of prices for atmosphere and design alone. You need to have a certain level of service to go with it.

copahc, most of the hotel restaurant at beach from hotels in South Beach are way overpriced. I know this for a fact since I drive up from Key Large and meet friends at different places from time to time. I just figure it is all part of the price of admission. As for the bad sandwich, if I were a guest at the W or any other overpriced place, and I was served something like you mentioned, I certainly would eat it.

I would likely spit out the first bite, excuse myself from the table and go visit the hotel manager.

Maybe I would carry the sandwich to his office. I wouldn't pay for it.

I think the W in Miami presents a trendy atmosphere, for which those of us who visit, are charged accordingly.

Personally, I like staying south of there at the Betsy Hotel.

Expensive, but totally a class act.

[copahc]

I agree with Mountie on the Betsy. I haven't stayed but I've been to the lobby bar/ club/ and rooftop and the hotel looks really nice. I've also heard lots of good things.

I'm thinking about giving the W another chance becasue I'm going to Bali later in the year. Í'll be there for 2 weeks so I think I might spread it between 3 different hotels. Thinking about the W for one of them because they have a decent rate on the 1br villa if you pre-pay, but I'm just not convinced when there are so many nice hotels to choose from in Bali. Has anyone ever been??