Brickell City Centre in downtown Miami had multiple phases of openings in 2016. The 5.4 million-square-foot, mixed-used development property from Swire Properties includes luxury condominium towers and office buildings. The luxury East, Miami hotel, which debuted in May, has 352 guest rooms and numerous spaces for events, including a 3,400-square-foot ballroom called the Crush, which can hold 300 for receptions or seat 250 for banquet-style events. The hotel also has a 20,000-square-foot outdoor pool deck, a rooftop bar called Sugar, and the Uruguayan restaurant Quinto La Huella. Meanwhile, the development's 500,000-square-foot, open-air shopping center debuted in November and has an 11-screen dine-in movie theater called CMX that seats 622 people.
Bringing its brand of high-energy hospitality and nightlife to downtown Miami is SLS Hotel & Residences Brickell, a project that opened in October from SBE and developer the Related Group. Designed by Philippe Starck, the property has instant curb appeal wiith huge multicolor murals on the northern and southern facades of the building. The 124-room hotel occupies the first eight levels of the tower, and includes more than 58,000 square feet of indoor and outdoor event space, including 8,000 square feet of traditional meeting space. There is a 3,500-square-foot ballroom with a 1,300-square-foot terrace, as well as multiple breakout rooms. There are also restaurants Bazaar Mar by José Andrés (which serves seafood) and Fi'lia (an Italian eatery from chef Michael Schwartz), two large pools on the ninth floor, and a screening room.
Nobu Matsuhisa and Robert De Niro are among the owners of the David Rockwell-designed Nobu Hotel Miami Beach, which opened in September. The venue shares an address with Eden Roc Hotel. Nobu Hotel Miami Beach has 206 guest rooms; four penthouses; three pools; Nobu Restaurant, serving Japanese cuisine; Malibu Farm, serving farm-to-table California fare; a spa with more than 18 rooms; and nearly 77,000 square feet of meeting and event space. The largest space is the 11,921-square-foot Ocean Garden, which holds 1,500 for receptions or seats 560 for banquets.
Debuting in June in Miami's artsy Wynwood district, Private Key is a 14,000-square-foot warehouse venue for meetings and events. There are two event spaces, an enclosed patio area, and four private lounge suites; when used together, these areas hold 1,500 guests for reception-style events. The indoor event rooms each measure 5,000 square feet, and each hold 700 for receptions or seated events for 445. The Gallery space has white walls and minimalist decor while the Club features a 270-degree projection mapping system. There is also a 4,000-square-foot-garden with cabanas, bench seating, and mobile bars for receptions of 400 guests. The venue also has state-of-the-art audiovisual equipment for concerts or other live performances.
When it opened in January, Hilton West Palm Beach became the first hotel in South Florida connected to a convention center. The 400-room hotel, attached to the Palm Beach County Convention Center, offers 24,000 square feet of meeting space, including the 13,000-square-foot Oceana Ballroom, which is the largest hotel ballroom in the county. For outdoor events, there is a resort-style pool with a deck for receptions and three event lawns: two that each measure 2,400 square feet and can be used together, as well as a 4,000-square-foot lawn in the front of the hotel.
Spanning a stretch of land along the Miami River is River Yacht Club, a stylish members club from Dupoux Partners with space for events. Open since February, the 35,000-square-foot waterfront venue offers a restaurant, outdoor garden and lounge, art gallery, and a rooftop terrace dubbed the VanDutch Lounge in a partnership with the yacht company. The luxe maritime-influenced design features a white and navy blue color scheme, dining chairs constructed from dark woods and nautical rope, and decor touches such as a captain’s wheel. The restaurant will feature menus created by a roster of acclaimed chefs who rotate seasonally. The entire space holds 2,000 for reception-style events or seats 1,000. The indoor dining room seats 100 or holds 140 for receptions.
Debuting in April, the Confidante Miami Beach, the Unbound Collection by Hyatt (formerly the Thompson Miami Beach) underwent extensive renovations. The hotel has 380 guest rooms, 15,000 square feet of meeting and event space, a revamped Backyard lounge/pool area that can hold 1,000 for receptions, a new 165-seat restaurant called Bird & Bone, and a converted 1930s-era guest house that has reopened as Nina’s House.Â
Open since January, the Event Space at 1306 is an independent event venue in the Park West neighborhood near downtown Miami. The 4,000-square-foot venue comprises an indoor space with white gallery walls and 15-foot vaulted ceilings, as well as a large garden courtyard. It holds 400 for reception-style gatherings but also is available for photo shoots, product launches, and other corporate events. The venue can provide in-house sound and lighting, bar service, security, valet, and event management. It is attached to sister venue the Bar at 1306.
Billed as a subtropical Tavern on the Green, the restaurant Glass & Vine opened in March on the grounds of Peacock Park in Coconut Grove. Floor-to-ceiling glass sliding accordion doors open the 4,600-square foot restaurant to the natural surroundings, as do skylights and a vine-covered roof. Chef Giorgio Rapicavoli’s eatery specializes in Florida cuisine made with locally sourced ingredients—dishes include watermelon salad with crema, cotija cheese, toasted corn and cilantro; local fish tartare; and lamb ribs with spiced cashews, green herbs, and a local spice blend. The restaurant has indoor and outdoor seating for 200, including a 24-seat bar.
In October, French bistro chain Paris 6 opened an outpost in Miami Beach's City Center. The 3,638-square-foot restaurant seats 138 people in the main dining area and 48 outside. Chef de cuisine Atillo Padra oversees the menu for the 24-hour restaurant, which has Midnight in Paris-inspired paintings by Brazilian artist Flavio Rossi.
