Review of The Viceroy Miami. What To Know Before You Go.

View from Riverwalk

Recently, I had the pleasure of visiting Miami for my sister’s 30th Birthday! She actually lives in the residences of the Viceroy Miami so we decided to stay in the hotel there since I had heard such wonderful things.

Whimsical Driveway

Viceroy Lobby

Viceroy Lobby

The property is so quintessentially Miami (in a good way). If you’ve been to Miami, you know what I’m talking about. It is absolutely stunning and embodies a mod yet funky South Beach attitude with a twist. The lobbies and common areas are designed by Philippe Stark who harnesses an Alice in Wonderland ambience of the strange yet beautiful—but it works. The lobby of the main building features bright yellow windows (a somewhat blinding effect), insanely long tables, deep couches and enormously oversized portraits–seemingly perfect for a tea party with the Mad Hatter.

The rooms are uber-sophisticated and are designed by tastemaker Kelly Wearstler. The décor harnesses Asian inspiration mixed with contemporary marble floors, Sferra linens and high tech equipment like a large flat-screen TV (movie library included). The kitchenettes feature an espresso maker, which I just love (and the espresso it made was shockingly great!). And in true Miami fashion, in addition to high-end snacks featured in the mini-bar, was a pleasure pack filled with condoms and lord knows what else. The four-poster bed was beautiful as was the Asian-inspired print behind it. The bathrooms featured floor-to-ceiling checkered marble, which was stunning. I found the room to be immaculate, which I’m very critical of. The floors were clean, the bed was crisp, white and unmarred. Many rooms also feature views of the Biscayne Bay (if you look closely you can often catch a dolphin or manatee swimming by!).

The pool area is massive. It features a cool plunge pool, a 300-foot infinity pool overlooking Bicayne Bay as well as an enormous Jacuzzi, which is really the size of a normal pool. On the weekend it was just the perfect amount of Miami-scene. There were people partying and having a good time, there were beautiful girls sunbathing and having a cocktail but it wasn’t to a disturbing level. You could still enjoy a casual day, lounging poolside without being bothered. There were also plenty of chairs.

Club 50

There are two restaurants that were both good. I wouldn’t say spectacular, I would say good. Eos serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner and offers Mediterranean dishes along with traditional options like burgers, turkey sandwiches, soup, salads, etc. I have to speak up though and say, while everything here was good, the turkey sandwich was horrifying. I’m talking Oscar Mayer turkey. Yuck! I pulled mine off and turned my turkey club into a BLT, which then was actually quite delicious. Café Icon serves food inside as well as poolside and I thought the food here was a little better. They serve up Paninis, traditional sandwiches, quesadillas, etc. FIFTY is a club on the 50th floor of the Viceroy and offers cocktails and stunning views of the city (even a private rooftop pool). This is definitely considered a Miami hotspot at night.

The spa again rocks Stark’s whimsical and Tim Burton-like designs. There is a mammoth yellow chandelier set amid a chic water lounge featuring a reflecting pool, as well as hot and cold plunge pools. All of this is set at the center of a floor to ceiling library where guests can grab a book and rest among the lounge-friendly couches. The spa also features a state-of-the-art fitness center. There was always plenty of equipment for both residents and guests.

Complaints: Now here is where I whine a little. While the property is absolutely stunning, the service is a bit off the mark here. The restaurants, while relaxing are too slow. It took my family forever to get our food at both restaurants and we couldn’t even flag down a waiter to get served poolside during lunch. The most disturbing issue I found was that we called for a wake-up-call and never received it. I would say that although the amenities, rooms, pools and spas are Five Star quality that the service fell a bit below par. That said, we still all immensely enjoyed this hotel, my whole family was here and everyone enjoyed it.

Bonus: Mercedes Benz Experience- Guests are able to book a complimentary Mercedes-Benz to take them anywhere within 4 or 5 miles (including the airport). Free transportation in a luxury vehicle? Yes, please!!

The Viceroy is located downtown in Brickell, practically next door to Miami’s Riverwalk, less than a mile from Miami Art museum and only about a ten minute ride from South Beach.

The Viceroy Miami is located at 485 Brickell Ave, Miami, FL 33131

About The Author

Katie

Katie is a luxury lifestyle expert. She runs luxury lifestyle sites, KatieLara.com and Smartypanties.com. But she's not only a luxury lifestyle blogger, she's also a freelance writer for The Huffington Post, Fodor's, Forbes, Pursuitist, Just Luxe and She Knows. She's also a professional photographer and her photos often appear alongside her writing.