Bamakelly's Miami Beach Trip Report
Mar 24th, 2005, 07:05 PM
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Bamakelly's Miami Beach Trip Report
Hi everyone! Just returned from a much-needed trip to Miami Beach. Due to his extremely demanding job, my husband has been unable to leave our town for over a year, including holidays. Not one day off in 365+. This trip as only possible because he was attending a conference, but we made the most of it and turned it into a mini-vacation instead!
To start off, we had MAJOR difficulty getting there (I swear I will never fly Delta again. This is it.). But once we both arrived (my husband a day late, thanks), we enjoyed our trip immensely. My husband never even picked up his phone to check in at home! Yea!
First, THANK YOU Go Travel...the Eden Roc was fabulous! The conference was at the Fountainebleau, but we did not want to stay there for several reasons. (Did not want to mix with other conference people any more than necessary, wanted more privacy, etc.) We originally wanted to stay somewhere a little less expensive with fewer amenities, but we decided instead to go UP a notch to Eden Roc. I am so glad we did this. Everyone complained about the FB all weekend. We never could hail a cab there either. And the place was crawling with conference attendees--we'd have had zero privacy, even in that huge place. We probably could have stayed at the Four Points Sheration or one of those hotels close by, but the Eden Roc was even more convenient and certanily a lot nicer than those hotels or the FB.
Meanwhile, the Eden Roc was fabulous. They upgraded our room to a suite when I checked in. SWEEEEET. Even had a complimentary bottle of champagne there for me. Super SWEEET. Beach AND bay view. So cool. The staff was incredible. Every single time we saw a staff member of any rank they spoke to us. They were so friendly. The concierge was extremely helpful and called me by name every time he saw me. Even the bellhop remembered me the entire time. I mean, these people were awesome.
Did not get to use the spa, as the best time for me was on Sunday and they were closed. But they recommended one that would be open...very cute place on Lincoln Rd. called Some Like It Hot. Enjoyed it a lot.
Aquatica, the pool bar, had good food and a fun atmosphere. The front door of the Eden Roc was just a few steps away from the door we needed to access at FB, so it was perfect walking distance. We even took the boardwalk out back over there a couple of times, though that was a little windy. (The FB has a "strict" back door policy that turned out to be bogus...we just walked right up each time. No big deal at all.)
We also saw a high level photo shoot of a model one day in the lobby at the Eden Roc. She was there all day in different outfits with many different props. Very cool to see this in action.
The boardwalk was fabulous. We walked forever on that thing...and back. What a view of the ocean! I laid out on South Beach one day and then the rest of the time I just stayed at the hotel. I actually liked it better there because the beach is shorter (but still plenty of room). Gorgeous water. Unforgettable.
We ate at some fabulous restaurants, thanks to recommendations here. The Forge was really cool--especially since I am a medievalist, but their service was way sub-par. Took the server THIRTY minutes to even appear at our table. No joke (and yes we asked way before that). So much for the 30-second rule. My husband's steak (the "#1 steak in America," ordered medium rare) was way well done...with no help from the server to do anything about it. Apparently we had an unusual experience there, as the tables around us got excellent service and everyone at the hotel was shocked when we told them our experience. Just a bad night I guess. Unfortunately we had planned to go to Jimmy'z afterwards, but since we never got a drink refill, we were too sober and too impatient to wait for the place to liven up, so we just went home that night and caught up on the sleep we'd missed during our re-arranged travel itenerary. Sorry GoT, wish it had been a better experience to report there.
The next night was better--opted out of Wish due to mixed reviews here--needed a sure bet. Went to Barton G's instead. VERY cool place. Not what I expected, but so much fun! They make dining an experience...totally over the top, but so much fun. The presentation there is unbeatable--my lobster tail was lounging in an adirondack chair on top of a fish blanket. My husband's drink had a chocolate monkey hanging from it. Sparklers in the dessert; the table next to us had a 6 pound lobster (yes you read that right) and cotton candy the size of three human heads. Incredible. Beautiful, lively atmosphere, mostly attentive staff. Reasonable entree prices too.
The next night was A Fish Called Avalon. Decor does not match location--too fancy for the nightlife, but a very good meal and great service. Kind of unremarkable, though, overall.
Last night was Tuscan Steakhouse. We were with a big group, so we got to try lots of things on the menu. Sweet potatoes were the best (I know that seems strange, but they are known for these.) Best food service EVER. Good mojitos too.
We also ate Sunday brunch at the Delano. Very cool. Very memorable. Excellent buffet with fabulous selections, from sushi to omelets and everything in between. I had a bite of probably 20 different foods. All were delicious. The great lawn is stately and grand. My husband totally loved this place.
DH also had lunch at the Gloria Estefan restaurant on South Beach. He wasn't terribly impressed but didn't hate it either.
As for nightlife, we went to the Delano one night (reportedly Spike Lee was there...never saw him myself). Very swanky place. Are their rooms nice there? We might have to stay there next trip to South Beach. We just thought it was the coolest place ever.
Another night we went to Skybar at the Shore Club, which was interesting, as it is not in the sky at all. However, it has a neat jungle feel with nooks and crannies everywhere. DH and I laid up in a hammock and watched everybody from there.
The bar at the Raleigh was similar to Skybar. We liked Skybar better though.
Also went to the rooftop bar at The Hotel. Very pretty place, but the crowd that night was a little hyped up for our mood.
We also found plenty of time to visit the beach (I have a great tan to prove it) and the pool. Also went shopping at both Lincoln Road and Bal Harbour, both very good shopping places, although totally different from one another. DH even bought me a souvenier: a cool pair of Maui Jim sunglasses.
Of course we spent some time at the conference (I went too, as my husband's field interests me). One night they had a gathering at the Parrot Island place. (Kind of sub-par to me.)
Lastly, I even enjoyed a brainless beach read -- something I rarely get to do with a one year old at home. I also got to wear lots of cute clothes that I'd purchased especially for my trip.
We really wanted to rent a car for a day and drive up to Naples to meet old friends from Ft Myers. All the cars were rented out at Eden Roc, though. And speaking of renting a car...GoT THANKS for the advice. Driving a car around Miami is my exact idea of hell. I am SO GLAD we just cabbed it everywhere. Made things ten times easier and we actually saved a heap of change by doing that.
So all-in-all we had a relaxing and fun time. We successfully mixed business with pleasure and came away feeling like we'd had a nice vacation. Many thanks to all of you who made recommendations to my threads and others about this area. They significantly impacted our trip.
we're glad to be home and were excited to see our son after so many nights away. It'll likely be another year before we get away together again, but I am sure I'll be around asking for advice on my individual adventures before then. Happy travels to all of you!
To start off, we had MAJOR difficulty getting there (I swear I will never fly Delta again. This is it.). But once we both arrived (my husband a day late, thanks), we enjoyed our trip immensely. My husband never even picked up his phone to check in at home! Yea!
First, THANK YOU Go Travel...the Eden Roc was fabulous! The conference was at the Fountainebleau, but we did not want to stay there for several reasons. (Did not want to mix with other conference people any more than necessary, wanted more privacy, etc.) We originally wanted to stay somewhere a little less expensive with fewer amenities, but we decided instead to go UP a notch to Eden Roc. I am so glad we did this. Everyone complained about the FB all weekend. We never could hail a cab there either. And the place was crawling with conference attendees--we'd have had zero privacy, even in that huge place. We probably could have stayed at the Four Points Sheration or one of those hotels close by, but the Eden Roc was even more convenient and certanily a lot nicer than those hotels or the FB.
Meanwhile, the Eden Roc was fabulous. They upgraded our room to a suite when I checked in. SWEEEEET. Even had a complimentary bottle of champagne there for me. Super SWEEET. Beach AND bay view. So cool. The staff was incredible. Every single time we saw a staff member of any rank they spoke to us. They were so friendly. The concierge was extremely helpful and called me by name every time he saw me. Even the bellhop remembered me the entire time. I mean, these people were awesome.
Did not get to use the spa, as the best time for me was on Sunday and they were closed. But they recommended one that would be open...very cute place on Lincoln Rd. called Some Like It Hot. Enjoyed it a lot.
Aquatica, the pool bar, had good food and a fun atmosphere. The front door of the Eden Roc was just a few steps away from the door we needed to access at FB, so it was perfect walking distance. We even took the boardwalk out back over there a couple of times, though that was a little windy. (The FB has a "strict" back door policy that turned out to be bogus...we just walked right up each time. No big deal at all.)
We also saw a high level photo shoot of a model one day in the lobby at the Eden Roc. She was there all day in different outfits with many different props. Very cool to see this in action.
The boardwalk was fabulous. We walked forever on that thing...and back. What a view of the ocean! I laid out on South Beach one day and then the rest of the time I just stayed at the hotel. I actually liked it better there because the beach is shorter (but still plenty of room). Gorgeous water. Unforgettable.
We ate at some fabulous restaurants, thanks to recommendations here. The Forge was really cool--especially since I am a medievalist, but their service was way sub-par. Took the server THIRTY minutes to even appear at our table. No joke (and yes we asked way before that). So much for the 30-second rule. My husband's steak (the "#1 steak in America," ordered medium rare) was way well done...with no help from the server to do anything about it. Apparently we had an unusual experience there, as the tables around us got excellent service and everyone at the hotel was shocked when we told them our experience. Just a bad night I guess. Unfortunately we had planned to go to Jimmy'z afterwards, but since we never got a drink refill, we were too sober and too impatient to wait for the place to liven up, so we just went home that night and caught up on the sleep we'd missed during our re-arranged travel itenerary. Sorry GoT, wish it had been a better experience to report there.
The next night was better--opted out of Wish due to mixed reviews here--needed a sure bet. Went to Barton G's instead. VERY cool place. Not what I expected, but so much fun! They make dining an experience...totally over the top, but so much fun. The presentation there is unbeatable--my lobster tail was lounging in an adirondack chair on top of a fish blanket. My husband's drink had a chocolate monkey hanging from it. Sparklers in the dessert; the table next to us had a 6 pound lobster (yes you read that right) and cotton candy the size of three human heads. Incredible. Beautiful, lively atmosphere, mostly attentive staff. Reasonable entree prices too.
The next night was A Fish Called Avalon. Decor does not match location--too fancy for the nightlife, but a very good meal and great service. Kind of unremarkable, though, overall.
Last night was Tuscan Steakhouse. We were with a big group, so we got to try lots of things on the menu. Sweet potatoes were the best (I know that seems strange, but they are known for these.) Best food service EVER. Good mojitos too.
We also ate Sunday brunch at the Delano. Very cool. Very memorable. Excellent buffet with fabulous selections, from sushi to omelets and everything in between. I had a bite of probably 20 different foods. All were delicious. The great lawn is stately and grand. My husband totally loved this place.
DH also had lunch at the Gloria Estefan restaurant on South Beach. He wasn't terribly impressed but didn't hate it either.
As for nightlife, we went to the Delano one night (reportedly Spike Lee was there...never saw him myself). Very swanky place. Are their rooms nice there? We might have to stay there next trip to South Beach. We just thought it was the coolest place ever.
Another night we went to Skybar at the Shore Club, which was interesting, as it is not in the sky at all. However, it has a neat jungle feel with nooks and crannies everywhere. DH and I laid up in a hammock and watched everybody from there.
The bar at the Raleigh was similar to Skybar. We liked Skybar better though.
Also went to the rooftop bar at The Hotel. Very pretty place, but the crowd that night was a little hyped up for our mood.
We also found plenty of time to visit the beach (I have a great tan to prove it) and the pool. Also went shopping at both Lincoln Road and Bal Harbour, both very good shopping places, although totally different from one another. DH even bought me a souvenier: a cool pair of Maui Jim sunglasses.
Of course we spent some time at the conference (I went too, as my husband's field interests me). One night they had a gathering at the Parrot Island place. (Kind of sub-par to me.)
Lastly, I even enjoyed a brainless beach read -- something I rarely get to do with a one year old at home. I also got to wear lots of cute clothes that I'd purchased especially for my trip.
We really wanted to rent a car for a day and drive up to Naples to meet old friends from Ft Myers. All the cars were rented out at Eden Roc, though. And speaking of renting a car...GoT THANKS for the advice. Driving a car around Miami is my exact idea of hell. I am SO GLAD we just cabbed it everywhere. Made things ten times easier and we actually saved a heap of change by doing that.
So all-in-all we had a relaxing and fun time. We successfully mixed business with pleasure and came away feeling like we'd had a nice vacation. Many thanks to all of you who made recommendations to my threads and others about this area. They significantly impacted our trip.
we're glad to be home and were excited to see our son after so many nights away. It'll likely be another year before we get away together again, but I am sure I'll be around asking for advice on my individual adventures before then. Happy travels to all of you!
Mar 25th, 2005, 08:09 AM
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Sounds like a great trip. I'm still apologizing for the "curtness" you found when I kept harping at you about not finding a "better" hotel for "cheap", and glad you went with the Eden Roc.
I thought I was only the only one who had bad service and mediocre food at The Forge. While I love the atmosphere, I've never had either a good meal or good service in my three (?) trips there.
How much was the brunch buffet at Delano? I'm looking for something for a gift certificate to give my great-niece and her fiance for her graduation from Barry University in Miami next month. That sounds like a great idea for them.
I thought I was only the only one who had bad service and mediocre food at The Forge. While I love the atmosphere, I've never had either a good meal or good service in my three (?) trips there.
How much was the brunch buffet at Delano? I'm looking for something for a gift certificate to give my great-niece and her fiance for her graduation from Barry University in Miami next month. That sounds like a great idea for them.
Mar 25th, 2005, 10:15 AM
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I HATE that you all had a bad experience at The Forge! That sucks. I will say this, my sister and her husband, who we always go with, eat there quite regularly so maybe that is why our service is always so outstanding.
Glad you had a good trip otherwise!
As for the traffic, I'd rather have a root canal with no pain killers than to drive in Miami!
Mar 25th, 2005, 11:02 AM
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Hi everyone. Thanks, Patrick. It was a bad week for you. No biggie. The Delano was $48 per person. It included the complete brunch buffet (dessert too) and a drink (either a mimosa, bloody mary, or champagne). Very nice. Would make a great gift, I think.
GoTravel--everyone else around us was getting fabulous service. It was just our luck. Probably better anyway since we were tired from all our trip rearranging the night before.
jnn...I don't even know where to begin about Delta. We are super-frequent flyers with them and I usually encounter decent service. But lately I just can't say the same, and this trip pretty much sent me over the edge. I am finding that the smaller carriers are more my style.
Bottom line is that they cancelled my husband's flight out due to mechanical difficulty. Understandable, but they totally mishandled the re-issue process to get him out of town. Because he is so nonconfrontational, he agreed to a ticket from an airport 5 hours away late the next afternoon. Since he had to teach a session the next day, and also since I thought a 5 hour drive was ridiculous, I called and argued with them forever and finally got him on a 5:30am flight from our home airport. Turns out he had an empty seat next to him on the plane the next morning so I am not sure why this was so difficult to begin with. Anyway. There is more to the story than that, including a very rude desk clerk on my end at the Miami airport (which is why I had to call instead) and a flight load of disgruntled people on his end at the Huntsville airport because the desk clerk there was giving out such bogus information as "we can get you as far as Atlanta but there isn't a single hotel room available there because of the race." Riiiight.
Anyway, after we got him there we were both able to put it behind us. Of course, they got my luggage all mixed up coming home...but by then I just didn't even care!
So that's the whole gorey story. Thanks for sticking through all my details and my trip report. Y'all were all so much help! Thank you!
GoTravel--everyone else around us was getting fabulous service. It was just our luck. Probably better anyway since we were tired from all our trip rearranging the night before.
jnn...I don't even know where to begin about Delta. We are super-frequent flyers with them and I usually encounter decent service. But lately I just can't say the same, and this trip pretty much sent me over the edge. I am finding that the smaller carriers are more my style.
Bottom line is that they cancelled my husband's flight out due to mechanical difficulty. Understandable, but they totally mishandled the re-issue process to get him out of town. Because he is so nonconfrontational, he agreed to a ticket from an airport 5 hours away late the next afternoon. Since he had to teach a session the next day, and also since I thought a 5 hour drive was ridiculous, I called and argued with them forever and finally got him on a 5:30am flight from our home airport. Turns out he had an empty seat next to him on the plane the next morning so I am not sure why this was so difficult to begin with. Anyway. There is more to the story than that, including a very rude desk clerk on my end at the Miami airport (which is why I had to call instead) and a flight load of disgruntled people on his end at the Huntsville airport because the desk clerk there was giving out such bogus information as "we can get you as far as Atlanta but there isn't a single hotel room available there because of the race." Riiiight.
Anyway, after we got him there we were both able to put it behind us. Of course, they got my luggage all mixed up coming home...but by then I just didn't even care!
So that's the whole gorey story. Thanks for sticking through all my details and my trip report. Y'all were all so much help! Thank you!
Mar 25th, 2005, 04:19 PM
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Great report. I appreciate the details. I was considering a long weekend in South Beach (haven't been in about 15 years and I know things have changed a lot since then) next month but opted out because I kept reading bad hotel reviews and mixed restaurant reviews. Your report makes me want to give Miami a try afterall.
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