Cool Hotels in Miami: Bet On It
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The Eden Roc (above) is one of many fantastic choices for hotel accomodations in Miami, Fla., if you are planning to attend the Donn Handicap.
Win: Delano
The Rate: $495
The Lowdown: Sure, a few fellow posh hotels have popped onto the South Beach scene in recent years, but the fact is the Delano remains the benchmark for swank in Miami.
Crisp, sleek, and art deco, are some adjectives professionals use to describe the building and its amenities. I prefer the all-encompassing term “dank” to describe the iconic structure.
Soak in the ocean views, take some of the cash from your Pick 4 ticket and get a massage at the rooftop spa. If that’s not relaxing enough, order up a locally produced Alchemist craft whisky cocktail from one of the several clubs on site. And I hope you packed your finest white linens because this joint is the definition of exclusive. Rumor has it, despite low occupancy lately, management refuses to lower its rates—preferring empty rooms to budget travelers.
Place: Eden Roc
The Rate: $360
The Lowdown: So the Delano and its slight aura of haughtiness scared you off. Then perhaps the Eden Roc will suit your fancy. With relatively dialed-down rates for the Millionaire’s Row fan, it still offers convenient beach access. It’s no wonder the likes of Elizabeth Taylor and Humphrey Bogart have spent the night here.
Side note - Bogart starred in the 1939 film “Dark Horse,” which featured a subplot that hinged upon a debate over the race-worthiness of a young colt.
You can also strut across the street to observe the manatees near the docks on Indian Creek. Their leisurely glide through the water will be a good change of pace from the sprinting ways of the Thoroughbred.
Show: Motel Blu
The Rate: $80
Down on your luck and short on change? Nothing says, “I went on a scrappy trip to South Florida” quite like a stay at a motel. The Sunshine State has no shortage of them, but for what it’s worth Motel Blu is my pick for the top Miami motel (is that an oxymoron?).
Some call it rough around the edges. But if we frame it as “retro,” things don’t sound bad at all. All sarcasm aside, the accommodations are fairly vanilla, yet I’m quite confident you will not encounter better motel cuisine anywhere else in the nation. Their Red Light Restaurant features the work of Head Chef Kris Wessel, who was featured on “Good Morning America”.