10 New Miami/South Florida Venues for 2019 Fall Meetings and Events

The Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Hollywood unveils a billion-dollar renovation on October 24, anchored by the 400-foot-tall, Vegas-worthy Guitar Hotel, which will house 638 guestrooms. The massive expansion includes a new Hard Rock Live and Daer nightclub and day club, a 21,130-square-foot entertainment complex spread across 18,800 square feet of indoor space and a 4,000-square-foot rooftop club. Overall the “New Hard Rock” will house 16 food and beverage concepts and 120,000 square feet of meeting space, including a 38,000-square-foot carpeted exhibition hall whose capacity caps at 5,000 people.

As part of its $620 million renovation, the Miami Beach Convention Center unveiled two new ballrooms in July. The 60,000-square-foot Grand Ballroom, located on the second floor, features LED lighting and acoustical panels to enhance sound quality, and can be divided into half or thirds using air walls. In total, it holds 6,000 for reception-style events. It also has 18,000 square feet of pre-function space that can be used separately for events. The 20,000-square-foot Sunset Vista ballroom, located on the fourth floor, connects both to pre-function space and a terrace, bringing in natural light and views of the Miami Beach skyline. Still to come as part of the renovation project is a six-acre public park to be finished this fall. Overall, the convention center covers 1.4 million square feet.

Arlo Hotels, the New York-based boutique hotel brand, unveiled its first southern outpost with the opening of Nautilus by Arlo on Miami Beach in September. The renovated property gave the lobby walls, columns, and couches crisp white coverings framed by palms, natural woods, and gold finishes. The Blind Barber Bar anchors Nautilus’ lifestyle hotspots: Part neighborhood barbershop and part cocktail lounge, the venue gives the hotel its glamorous touch with husk, copper, and green tones and cozy lighting. The hotel’s indoor and outdoor event space options span 12,000 square feet. Among them are the penthouse and adjacent terrace, a backyard, the Cabana Club dining room and terrace, and the Ocean Terrace, which at 2,880 square feet is the largest space.

The Wharf Miami made a splash on the Miami River thanks to its laid-back vibe complete with food trucks, big screen TVs, yard games, and themed parties. Now the concept is expanding north with The Wharf Fort Lauderdale, located on the Las Olas New River, with a few upgrades. “We added an entrance pergola, ceiling treatments, and photo opportunities with fresh nautical elements inspired by the Fort Lauderdale waterfront aesthetic,” explained Heather Read, co-owner of the Miami-based event support and execution company Hxecute. Backed by Breakthrough Hospitality, the 1.25-acre tented venue headlines its food offerings with chef Jose Mendin’s Rivertail. The highly anticipated hotspot is slated to open by the end of October.

Groot Hospitality’s newest root sprouted in September: Papi Steak, a steakhouse in Miami Beach's South of Fifth neighborhood, debuted with expected Miami flair. The 93-seat restaurant is a partnership between David Grutman and David “Papi” Einhorn (whose name inspires several menu items). Its sleek interior features red velvet seating popped against vibrant peony-inspired and floral walls that are flanked by an eight-seat bar. A private dining room seats 16. The menu nods to new American eats with classic steaks alongside latkes, wagyu pastrami, Maine lobster, chicken schnitzel, corn pudding, and monop potato. The eats are joined by 150 wines and 12 specialty cocktails.

It’s always five o’clock at Esotico Miami, the tiki restaurant and bar now open in downtown Miami’s Arts & Entertainment District. Backed by Graspa Group and Daniele Dalla Pola, the 3,400-square-foot space seats 157 people—92 indoors and 65 on a patio. For a private experience, the bar features a retractable partition that can be lowered from the ceiling to create a more enclosed V.I.P. area. The decor is modern-meets-Hawaiian thanks to tropical wallpaper, pink neon signage, and bamboo foot rests. Libations can be concocted from more than 230 rums, while the food menu features pupu platters, pineapple fried rice, and Tahitian-inspired snapper.

The Gabriel Miami, formerly ME by Melia, has joined the Curio Collection by Hilton. The 130-room downtown hotel underwent $7 million in renovations that touched the lobby, a library lounge, third-floor meeting spaces, and the 14th-floor Bella’s Bar and pool terrace. The upgrades increased the event space to more than 13,000 square feet from 3,500 square feet. Cvltvra restaurant is the property’s food and beverage cornerstone. Situated on the ground floor, the Latin American-inspired restaurant is helmed by executive chef Fabian Di Paolo, who thoughtfully plates food within a jungle blue-green and gold accented interior. The adjacent Living Room seats 50 guests for banquets or holds 70 for receptions and offers floor to ceiling windows, audiovisual equipment, and a large flat screen.

For pit-smoked meats under a massive warehouse buildout, there’s Hometown BBQ. Located in the Allapattah neighborhood of Miami, the eatery is the first outpost outside of Brooklyn from restaurateur Billy Durney. With open-air outdoor seating under string lights, traditional indoor seating, bar seating, and an open kitchen, the space is great for those looking to entice all their guests’ senses. Sprawling across 4,000 square feet, the restaurant seats more than 200 guests: 75 seats inside, 14 barstools, and 120 around the front and back outdoor spaces. The menu offers smoked meat by the half-pound, ribs, pork rinds with Key lime salt and achiote, and sides such as queso mac 'n' cheese. The dinner menu expands to include wood-fired dishes like whole smoked lamb breast, tamarind-glazed chicken hearts, and broccoli on the plancha with chili oil and charred poblano crema.

Bahia Mar Fort Lauderdale Beach’s $15 million renovation included a new rooftop pool and patio, High Tide Lounge. The entire pool deck, including High Tide, spans about 18,000 square feet, while the lounge covers 3,500 square feet. The panoramic rooftop overlooks Fort Lauderdale Beach and the neighboring marina, allowing for sunrise and sunset views and all-day sun. The color scheme nods to all things nautical with blue and white furnishings and decor and wood paneled ceilings. Outside, the venue ups the playful ante with turf flooring, outdoor seating, a pool table, ping pong table, and fire pits.

Tucked in Miami Beach’s South of Fifth neighborhood, the Euclid Hotel marks Urbanica’s second Miami outpost. The boutique property has only 30 guestrooms, making it ideal for retreats or small meetings. Food and beverage comes courtesy of Orilla Bar and Grill, a Buenos Aires-born concept with South American and European cuisine. The eatery spans 2,000 square feet of indoor and outdoor space and seats 80. The hotel is slated to open by the end of October.