TopDawg Travel: Loews Miami Beach Hotel
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At the start of my first day of vacation in South Beach, I was in a conundrum of what to do first. My stomach was growling as I arrived late at night and had not cared to go out for a late Sunday night dining experience. The three hour time difference together with having flown just about as far as one can in the continental US…from Seattle to Miami….had left me feeling like sleep was the first and highest priority. Rested and bright-eyed, I was more than ready for breakfast. This hotel is in the middle of the diverse and very hip art deco section of South Beach. While very posh, Loews recognizes the business needs of their clientele. There are data ports in each room or suite for Internet connectivity in order to stay on top of email and other business. There are 2 buildings in this complex: The Tower Building which contains 18 floors and 680 rooms, 62 of which are luxury and presidential suites and the St. Moritz which has 100 extravagantly appointed rooms done in the romantic Art Deco style. As I walked through the lobby, one of my first impressions of the service level of this hotel was formed by being offered trays of iced bottles of water, so cold they were sweating in the air conditioning of the hotel. Any time I needed or wanted an icy bottle of water, I needed only to wander through the lobby. In the afternoon there were also small cups of strawberry flavored ices and freshly baked chocolate chip cookies also being offered. The lobby was a mecca of enjoyment between the offering of food and drink and the big comfortable sofas, chairs and tables placed in intimate settings for relaxing in the air conditioning.
Then there is the Hemisphere Lounge which contains the most extensive martini menu in SoBe. There are 240 options for your martini consuming pleasure. The Hemisphere Lounge opens at 11AM and closes at 2:00 AM. No reservations are required. One late afternoon, I sat on their veranda and sipped Mai Tai’s and munched on their delightful snacking mix. A very unique mixture of some spicy, some hot, some crunchy munchies served in an exquisite glass dish that was more like a vase than a dish. I looked for it in the gift shop and was most disappointed I could not find anything like it to bring home with me. The service people are extremely friendly and helpful. Nautilus is a poolside grill and bar that serves up light fare all day. Nautilus opens at 11Am and closes at dusk. After a hot afternoon walk on the boardwalk, it is very refreshing to stop in at the Nautilus and have a beer or two to cool down. The wait staff wear really “cool” shades and seem to have fun even as they are working quickly, efficiently and busily to serve the many guests lounging around the pool area. The bartender was efficient and business like. He stayed right on top of the drink orders while watching the bar clientele to be sure and fill up their drinks or serve an icy beer as needed. SoBe Coffee Bar, located in the Tower, is open at 5:45 AM (until 2PM) and serves up fresh roasts and exotic blends with freshly baked lighter fare. I had a coffee and muffin (huge, moist and yummy) while deciding whether to walk around SoBe and take pictures or head for the pool to take a little exercise and a dip. Wednesday through Saturday at 5PM a Champagne Bar opens at 5PM until 11PM. Heavenly! One of the things I most appreciated about the Loews Miami Beach was their people. They give “service” a whole new meaning. When we questioned our server, he admitted Loews has stringent hiring policies towards customer service and an extensive customer service training program. The people learn to anticipate the guests’ needs and to take as much time as is needed to answer questions, provide services, and be as attentive or not as the guest requires. It was extremely refreshing to be in a hotel that literally anticipates and then caters to every need their guests have. The next time I go there, I shall bring my Terrier Mix, Andre. Loews is a pet friendly hotel and serves their four-legged guests with amenities and hotel pet services such as local dog-walking routes, puppy pagers and area pet services (like veterinarians, pet shops, groomers, etc). From my observations and questioning, the hotel seems to be one of the most “pet-friendly” I have visited. Additional Information: Loews Miami Beach Hotel South Beach, Miami, Florida 1601 Collins Avenue Miami, FL 33139 305-604-1601 http://www.loewshotels.com/hotels/miamibeach/ |
Vacationing at Loews Miami Beach Hotel