After coming from a chilly Chicago and wet Atlanta, you have no idea what Miami meant to us. Driving through Miami traffic (which could quite rival that in New Delhi), with a hot and humid weather upon us, we could only thank God for showing us this day in January!
And while I have been to hotels which offer wines and champagnes as welcome drinks, nothing quite refreshed me as the citrus and melon infused water at The Palms Hotel & Spa! As you walk inside the property, you’ll get enveloped in an easy atmosphere, where valet personnel are in shorts and the lobby has quirky fans, which give a very resort-like feel to this four-diamond property.
A smooth check-in later at this Preferred Hotel Group property, we were in our Oceanfront King bed room. Though a little small, the décor and the gorgeous view made up for any lack of space we might have felt! As the room type says, it was oceanfront with an unbelievable view of the Miami Beach and the Atlantic Ocean. And for that view every morning, I could have rented that room forever!
Small design elements such as an orange bolster, green sofa chair with a fauna print, lamps with a base filled with seashells and starfish, backlit floral art on the wall added a lot of colour in the room. The walls had a jute-effect wallpaper which looked very elegant and unique. Matching the mood of Miami, it brightened us up further since most of the hotels usually sport safer, neutral décor. The Palms Hotel & Spa is owned by a German family since the 1980s, and it showed in the creativity overflowing throughout the hotel. It was quirky, yet beautiful, with thought and design in each corner. The suites, high up on the 12th floor, have an even more exhilarating view matched with the calming, green décor.
The WC and the shower area are separate in all the rooms, making it very convenient when two or more people are staying together! Extremely sophisticated in décor, they featured Aveda amenities. And though it’s a small detail which not everyone might notice or care about, but we loved the powerful shower jet in the bathroom!
Come evening and there was a polite knock on the door asking if we required towels. On the side, the two smiling girls were handing out fistfuls of rich, creamy Godiva chocolates. I liked the hotel better with each passing second. And then, the General Manager Hamid Abdulhafid, sent up a welcome message, a bottle of Trinity Oak wine and a charcuterie platter including cheeses, strawberries, cranberries, a rich garlic dip, marmalade, dried apricots and more. I don’t remember us stepping out that night as I further slipped in love with the hotel while enjoying my platter.
Burn, burn, burn
Turquoise umbrellas, confortable beach lounges, dedicated servers to offer food and beverages, and, singer Ellie Goulding. This was the scene at the beach of The Palms Hotel and Spa. After taking a dip in the ocean, we sprawled on the beach as we soaked the sun, making the most of our sunny holiday. And a small visit by Ms Goulding frenzied the beach crowd, even if for a short while!
And if the sun on the beach is too hot, take a dip in their pool inside the hotel, which though outdoor, has a bit more shade, with The Tiki Bar right next for rapid drinks service.
The Aveda Spa at The Palms Hotel & Spa is another wonderful sanctuary to relax at the hotel, and warrants a separate article of its own. With treatments that are a mix of ancient and modern, the spa has a couple’s suite, an indoor/outdoor relaxation area with steam room, a hydrotherapy room, poolside treatment cabanas, a full service beauty salon, a fitness room and a retail area.
Creating health
The loveliest corner in the entire hotel, according to me, is their small organic garden, which has a variety of herbs and veggies grown there, for the use of their restaurant Essensia. The restaurant’s signature chef, Julie Frans, makes it a point to feed her guests not only fresh cuisine, but delicious too as she combines them in a variety of options. As we plucked one leaf here and one herb there to taste and whiff it, our guide told us how the hotel has “adopted a school”, through a program, where chefs teach cafeteria workers on how to make healthy foods for children. They also conduct complimentary tour and tastings at the organic garden.
Though mostly everything used at the restaurant is sourced locally or grown in their own garden, there are a few ingredients which they prefer to get from other locations. Their salmon, for example, is flown from Scotland, because it’s processed in a more sustainable manner there.
The breakfast served daily at Essensia is a glimpse into their philosophy of healthy eating. Fresh fruits, juices, layered frittata, yogurt parfait, an assortment of breads and bagels, cold cuts, cheeses, baked potatoes, sausages, and lot more, along with an omelet bar, make up the breakfast scene every morning.
Although The Palms Hotel & Spa doesn’t really look like a business hotel (really, who can work in Miami anyways?), they have nine meeting rooms and two ballrooms. One of the ballrooms has an outdoor area attached which can host small cocktail sessions prior or after a big event in the ballroom. Weddings are a staple affair at he hotel as we saw a lovely ceremony happening the day we checked in!
A hotel that beautifully blends tropical setting, nature and modern amenities, The Palms Hotel & Spa knows how to relax its guests while also ensuring everything is up to standards. Courteous, simple, helpful staff make your stay even more pleasant as they are always ready to give you time and give you that insider knowledge of the city! And yes, you need it when you are right in the middle of Collins Avenue, where everything worth knowing happens in Miami!
Coordinates: The Palms Hotel & Spa, 3025 Collins Avenue, Miami Beach, Florida
Reservations: Toll-free phone: 1.800.550.0505
