Miami: The Magic City

OVERVIEW

Vibrant, pulsating, colourful and cool. Miami is a place to be seen and to lose yourself in debauchery and decadence. From the art deco and neon lights of south beach, cutting edge contemporary art and hipster bars in Wynwood, Miami Music Week, Art Basel and stunning beach and pool hotels, this city will keep you entertained and enthralled.

STAY

Metropolitan by COMO, Miami Beach: 

It’s like the eye of the storm at the heart of Magic city. As an unstoppable energy consumes this pulsating place, the Metropolitan by Como, Miami Beach remains a tranquil oasis amongst the fast paced nightlife, neon lights and revelry. Located in a charming art deco building built in 1939 this relatively small 9 floored hotel with 74 rooms exudes effortless class amongst its more flashy neighbours.

Packed with plenty of character and filled with original features the Como is luxury without pretension. From the original white columns and 80 year old terrazzo floors in the lobby to Metropolitan rooms with Pistachio green walls, black and white terrazzo floors and white beds with cushioned white leather headboards and wardrobes.

FACILITIES

Guests can bask in ocean and beach or more modest Intracoastal waterway views. The best coming from the ocean view suites and COMO suite penthouse. Private area and service on the beach away from tourists and a stylish and modern pool, hydrotherapy rooftop pool, steam room and gym. You’ll certainly have to try the incredible 60 min holistic facials designed to nurture and improve complexion by Dr Hauschka at the shambhala spa.

FOOD AND DRINK

The Traymore restaurant showcases Florida’s best ingredients with a focus on seafood and fresh, local flavours and the bar specialises in gin cocktails. Try the Toscana brick oven pizza made with mozzarella, Parma ham, black pepper and runny chicken egg on top. The soft Tacos of Spiced Fish with Guacamole, tomato salsa and jalapeño cream and The Garden-Oxley Gin, St. Germaine, lemon, cucumber juice. They aim to change the cocktail menu monthly but the helpful staff will be more than willing to oblige.  Also order a chocolate Dome desert which might not be on the menu. It’s deliciously decadent.

NIGHTLIFE

Head to Wynwood.  It’s pretty small, so you’ll be able to hit all the spots. It’s like a little slice of East London/Downtown LA and Willamsburg in Miami.  Electric Pickle is great. Lots of good bars, like Wood Tavern which has a really cool outdoor drinking area and Wynwood Bar & Kitchen, as well as galleries of course. Definitely check out the Wynwood Walls right by Wynwood Bar & Kitchen.

There is a new club/‘experiential’ space (or whatever you want to call it) called E11even. It is essentially a 24-hour club that is also sort of a strip club.

Another cool little club is Mokai in South beach. This awesome club is a more intimate venue where you’ll see super hot guys and girls dancing on tables whilst the bartenders shoot confetti canisters from behind the bar.

THINGS TO DO

• Head to Wynwood Walls for some incredible galleries and street art by artist like Shepard Fairey
• Check out the Freehand hostel in the evenings. Cool bar and pool hangout spot.
• The SLS hotel for drinks, food, music and good looking people by the pool.
• The burger at the Traymore restaurant in the Metropolitan is ace.
• Hire a Boris bikes on Miami beach. Good way to see the area and ride along the beach down to Ocean drive.
• You could also hop on a quick flight to the Caribbean and be at Parrot Cay private island resort in the Turks and Caicos within a few hours. This is truly paradise with the like of Donna Karan owning properties on the island available to rent.

 FINAL WORD

Fashionable and cool. Hip and elegant without being flashy or over the top. If you stay at the Metropolitan you don’t need the glitz but bring the glamour.  Its fantastic location makes it feel like a secluded boutique haven even though it is on the main Miami Beach strip. An unpretentious hideaway.

 Direct flights by British Airways