By Sara Liss
Resorts Expert, about.com
The Mandarin Oriental is the quintessential city resort, combining the pleasures of a sprawling getaway with the convenience of being located near all the action of downtown Miami.
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Others have taken notice as well; the resort was awarded the prestigious Forbes Travel Guide Five-Star Award in 2014, making it the only hotel in Florida to earn the highly coveted triple Five Stars (the Spa has earned the Five-Star designation for six consecutive years).
All 326 rooms and suites have views of the
city and Biscayne Bay while restaurants La Mar and Azul continue to push
the gastronomic envelope with great cuisine. During our stay we were
repeatedly impressed with the staff's attention to detail - from the
offer of hibiscus chamomile tea upon arrival served in an elegant tray
to the stuffed pandas and slippers for the kids waiting in the room -
everything was always so tastefully presented.
The
Asian-influenced resort is located on Brickell Key, a posh island
adjacent to Miami's bustling financial district and a few blocks south
of downtown. Amenities include two high-energy restaurants, MO Bar +
Lounge – a dynamic new cocktail bar, an award-winning tri-level spa,
Oasis Beach Club, the luxury boutique Shanghai Tang and extensive
meeting and business facilities.
A secluded getaway perfect for
couples and business travelers, the hotel features a circular pool and a
small, manmade beach which are both serene and uncrowded.
About Brickell Key
In a city crowded with waterfront residences Brickell Key continues to hold its own with its exclusive island location slightly-removed from downtown fray.
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The small-but-mighty neighborhood is a
man-made island just east of Brickell Ave and the Miami River. And it’s
composed almost exclusively of towering condo buildings, all of which
feature staggering water views.
Despite the cloud-grazing
buildings outfitted with tennis courts and rooftop pools the key still
manages to maintain a small town feel with a quaint town center
surrounding a striking bronze casting by Manuel Carbonell. There’s a
breezy Promenade and one-mile jogging path that circles the island and a
small park outfitted with a playground and much-needed greenery.
The
history of the island dates back to 1896 when Henry Flagler had a
channel dug at the mouth of the Miami River and created two land masses
which were later combined to create the triangle-shaped property. But
things really got going in the 1970’s when Swire Properties began
developing the island into the swanky enclave it is today.
