10 New Miami Venues for Spring 2020 Meetings and Events

Following a $90 million, property-wide renovation, the Ritz-Carlton, South Beach reopened in January—just in time for Super Bowl LIV. The historic hotel, originally designed by famed Miami Modern architect Morris Lapidus, was updated by HBA Miami's Cristian Rubio, who designed the 376 guest rooms and meeting space, and Meg Sharpe, who designed the lobby, the Lapidus Bar, restaurant, pool, club, and spa. The luxury property flaunts more than 20,000 square feet of indoor and outdoor event space. The ballroom spans 10,212 square feet and seats 720 guests at banquet rounds of 10 or 1,075 for receptions; it can be divided into three spaces. Other gathering spaces include the classic cocktail lounge Lapidus Bar, new Latin-American restaurant Fuego Y Mar, and the alfresco eatery DiLido Beach Club, which can be used for events.

The 96-room Kimpton Hotel Palomar South Beach opened in March. Though the hotel doesn't offer traditional meeting space, it has a 6,000-square-foot rooftop pool and a two-tier roof deck with cabanas. In May, the hotel plans to open Osteria Morini from Altamarea Group and chef Michael White. The all-day eatery will serve Northern Italian fare and will have space for small private events.

Located on the 25th floor of Conrad Miami in Brickell, Nativo Kitchen & Bar opened January 6 with a menu filled with Latin American influences. Chef Pablo Lamon—who appeared on season 16 of Top Chef—crafted a menu with a signature dish of Causa De Pulpo: octopus al escabeche served atop pureed purple potato, avocado, and lavender-pickled orange. The interior design from Champalimaud—which also redesigned the hotel's meeting space, guest rooms, and lobby—features a dramatic custom chandelier designed with Lasvit. Overall, the restaurant seats 131 guests and includes a private dining room.

In January, Fontainebleau Miami Beach finished a redesign of its oceanfront Sorrento Tower. The 18-story tower, named after the coastal Italian town, features a new look from Marzipan Interior Design that combines Art Deco style and influences from 1950s Italy. The tower's lobby also was refreshed, with design by Marcy Garcia of MG Design Lab that features white wood paneling, a grand chandelier, and aqua and cerulean blue tones that evoke the Atlantic Ocean. The tower's 285 suites include junior, one- and two-bedroom suites. Overall, the iconic Miami Beach hotel offers 107,000 square feet of indoor meeting and event space.

For a cocktail reception or meeting over drinks, the Regent Cocktail Club reopened in late December in a new space within the Gale South Beach hotel. Now located in the larger, former Rec Room space, the lounge features a cocktail list created in collaboration with Bar Lab, as well as a new small plates menu. LDV Hospitality operates the venue, which holds 175 guests and has a semiprivate lounge for groups of as many as 25 guests.

Miami Beach rooftop lounge The Nest opened in January, offering skyline views and 3,320 square feet of space. The venue is accessed through a "secret" elevator inside the Lincoln Eatery food hall, and seats 150 guests or holds nearly 350 guests for reception-style events. The design veers toward the whimsical, with oversize bird cages, string lights, candles, and lanterns. Stay tuned, as operators plan to offer culinary activations, a dinner series, and cocktail carts.

This past January, Shelborne South Beach debuted the renovated Grand El Dorado Ballroom. The 4,388-square-foot, two-tiered ballroom—which holds 360 guests for receptions—underwent a $500,000 renovation but retails the vintage feel of the property. The redesign features elegant chandeliers, cove lighting, and a neutral palette.

The Reach Key West has joined the Curio Collection by Hilton following a renovation of the 150-room hotel that debuted in December. Located within walking distance of Duval Street, the property has 22,151 square feet of indoor and outdoor meeting and event space spread over 17 venues. The Reach Ballroom, at 2,781 square feet, holds 150 for banquets or 285 for receptions and has an adjacent terrace with views of the Atlantic Ocean. Outside, the Palms Lawn center courtyard seats 160 guests for banquets or holds 200 for cocktails. There’s also a new oceanfront restaurant and bar, Four Marlins, with an open-air wood deck. Activities for groups include an escape room in partnership with Key West Room Escape, a bocce ball court, and jet ski tours, snorkeling, and coral reef exploration with vendor Barefoot Billy’s. The property also has a resident sand sculptor, Marianne van den Broek, who leads workshops.

In January, 1 Hotel South Beach debuted a members-only club dubbed 1 Beach Club. Designed as a "Tulum-inspired" space, the club offers a yoga deck, DJ platform, and activities including a wellness-focused mercado and Mind & Movement classes led by Marc Megna’s Anatomy gym. The club is also home to Wave, a 10,000-square-foot restaurant that's open to the public and boasts seafood and Latin fare. Wave seats 140 guests and also offers a bar and six cabanas.

Miami’s newest museum, the Rubell Museum opened in December in the city’s Allapattah neighborhood in time for Art Basel Miami Beach. Housing the Rubell family’s collection of contemporary art, the 100,000-square-foot campus designed by Selldorf Architects includes 36 galleries, an art research library, gardens, and courtyards, as well as dedicated event space. The East Wing is a 7,300-square-foot event hall that holds 1,000 guests for a reception or 490 guests for a seated dinner, while an adjacent outside area holds 500 for cocktails. Le Basque Catering is the museum's caterer and will also operate the museum’s restaurant, Leku, when it opens later in the year.