Loews Miami Beach Hotel

A long-reigning Art Deco queen in South Beach, the Loews Miami Beach Hotel holds court on a covetable oceanfront address, just two blocks from the shops and cafes of Lincoln Road. Aside from its royal location, the resort’s crown jewel is the large, palm-fringed pool that’s a magnet for guests, especially families. Never resting on its icon status, the hotel regularly straightens its crown with refreshes, most recently reinventing two new dining options and sinking $55 million into its nearly 800 rooms and suites. The vibe? Relaxed coastal elegance, without a kitschy seashell in sight.

What are the rooms like at Loews Miami Beach Hotel?

I’ve had lovely stays at this property over the past decade, but this new version reads like corporate got the memo on what a beach escape should feel like. Guest hallways are now lined in soothing blue grass-cloth wallpaper and pebbled carpeting, like you’re already swimming in the ocean out back. The 790 rooms and suites, ranging from city-view king rooms to two-level presidential suites, are awash in soft sand tones and sea-glass blues, and boast new bathrooms with marble showers.

My husband and I stayed in an oceanfront Grand King Suite with a separate bedroom and a living room dressed in coastal-chic furniture with caning and rope details. It was like having our own beach house for the weekend, with little nooks like a chair in the front of the bedroom window that’s flooded with sunlight. The room décor is elegant, yet simple enough that the ocean and pool views remain the star. I loved flinging open the balcony door, listening to music drift up from the pool deck, and staring at the turquoise water that made South Beach famous.

What are the best restaurants at Loews Miami Beach Hotel?

The culinary standout is Rao’s Miami Beach, the old-school Italian outpost of the legendary New York restaurant. The staff works hard to make guests feel special, and your order should go like this: start with the meatballs (add ricotta) and the citrusy seafood salad, and then share the creamy Vodka Penne and the bone-in Veal Parmesan, pounded to perfection and drenched in melty mozz.

New dining options, Bistro Collins and The Sushi Bar, sit just off the lobby, perfect for a cocktail after check-in, or an easy meal when you don’t feel like dressing up. You can order from both menus, but I favored the sushi menu’s torched Hamachi Tostada and the featured Collins Roll. Snag a seat at the sushi bar for the six-course omakase.

The hotel also stepped up its mixology game with showy tableside cocktails, like the Volcán de Mi Tierra, a White Negroni served under a glass cloche and infused with a grapefruit smoke that hits your nose before you’ve taken a sip.

What are the pool, spa and gym like at Loews Miami Beach Hotel?

The massive oceanfront pool is part of the hotel’s icon status, set with swaying palm trees and an easy zero-entry edge for kids (and adults who don’t want to spill their cocktail). The pool can become crowded with splashing kids and poolside loungers are snapped up at Olympian speed. My remedy? Reserve one of the SOAK cabanas, the only cabanas in South Beach enclosed with air conditioning and an indoor shower. If you rent one with a group of up to six people, it can be an affordable oasis at $700 a day. The pool offers direct access to the beach, and four beach chairs per room are allowed daily (umbrellas cost extra).

The gym hits all the marks for a proper workout, but you’ll pay extra for specialty classes like barre and yoga. Though I didn’t experience the adults-only Sea Spa this trip, it offers massages, facials and body wraps.

What’s the area like around Loews Miami Beach?

Perched on the main thoroughfare of Collins Avenue, everything you’ll want to do in South Beach is within walking distance. We never moved our car over the weekend, and took a long stroll down the scenic beach boardwalk behind the hotel to South Pointe Park, a waterfront park with a pier, kids’ splash pad, and some of the best views of South Beach.

DETAILS

Address: 1601 Collins Ave, Miami Beach, FL 33139

Price per night: Starting at $399

Closest transport: Miami International Airport is roughly 12 miles away, about 45 minutes in traffic.

Book now: via Booking.com

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