10 New Hotels for Events and Meetings in Miami/South Florida

The Ritz-Carlton Palm Beach underwent a $130 million renovation in 2009 but has continued updating spaces throughout the property, including its 2,000-square-foot club lounge from New York-based designer Eric Villency that opened in February. Overall, the hotel offers 23,000 square feet of meeting space.

The Philippe Starck-designed SLS Hotel South Beach from sbe opened in July, with 130 rooms in the main tower and 10 villas. The Tower Penthouse and Villa Penthouse were designed by musician Lenny Kravitz and Kravitz Design. The luxury hotel features two standout restaurants: The Bazaar by Jose Andres and Katsuya by Starck. The property also features Hyde Beach, an 8,000-square-foot lounge with both indoor and outdoor seating.

The James Royal Palm, slated to open in October, is a 400-room hotel with two swimming pools, a beachfront restaurant, a poolside bar, a lobby lounge, a full-service spa and more than 10,000 square feet of meeting and event space. Florida Cookery, its signature bilevel restaurant, will be overseen by chef Kris Wessel, who also will oversee the hotel's banqueting program.

PGA National Resort & Spa in Palm Beach Gardens is finishing its $65 million renovation this fall. It included a makeover for the 379 guest rooms as well as upgrades to several venues. The 19th Hole bar and grill will be renamed Bar 19 and feature new clubhouse furnishings, high-definition televisions, and expanded outdoor dining; the Citrus Tree Cafe also has been renovated and renamed the Palm Terrace and is available for poolside evening events. Its championship golf courses have new turf, irrigation systems, rebuilt bunkers, and expanded tee and green complexes. Finally, the 40,000 square-foot European Spa is being updated.

The Riviera South Beach opened its second phase in May with 52 one-bedroom suites with full kitchens and two penthouses with terraces that can be used for events. The hotel has more than 800 square feet for conferences and a courtyard pool area for catered functions.

The Breakers Palm Beach is renovating a dedicated wing of the Southwest Mezzanine Level of the hotel to create six new meeting rooms and an office by winter of 2013. The space will feature 11 state-of-the-art meeting rooms and an office intended for intimate meetings, break-outs and executive events. Each of the new meeting rooms ranges from 390 to 485 square feet to accommodate as many as 20 attendees.

The Hilton Fort Lauderdale Beach Resort announced a green renovation that will add six wind turbines to the roof top of the 25 story all-suite resort. The wind turbines stand approximately 40 feet tall and will be strategically positioned on each corner and center of the hotel's rooftop providing maximum wind velocity. The renovation also includes installation of solar panels, an observation deck, and a bar.

The Hyatt Place Delray Beach—Palm Beach County's first new hotel opening in more than two years—is planning a September 1 opening. The 134-room hotel will have more than 2,000 square feet of flexible, high-tech meeting/function space as well as an elevated second floor outdoor pool and Jacuzzi. It offers free Wi-Fi throughout the hotel.

This 252-room hotel, part of the B Hotels & Resorts group, is planning to open in the first quarter of 2013. It will feature 3,000 square feet of indoor function space and 10,000 square feet of outdoor function space. A rooftop hospitality suite will have a 2,000 square-foot terrace.

b2 Miami Downtown is a new concept from the B Hotels & Resorts group. A full-service hotel that targets value customers, it is slated for a December opening. The hotel is located across the street from the American Airlines Arena, home of the NBA's Miami Heat, and Miami Cruise Port.