1 Hotel South Beach is an eco-chic resort with one of the most scenic poolscapes on the beach. Spacious guest rooms, elegant décor, a spa, high-end gym and multiple dining venues add to the appeal.
Location 10/10
Occupying the entire oceanfront block of Collins Avenue, between 23rd and 24th streets, 1 Hotel is at the crossroads of two Miami Beaches. All the frenetic decadence of South Beach lies to the south, while to the north, mid-beach is a more residential respite with newer hotels and an air of sophistication. It places travelers in an ideal position to take advantage of everything Miami Beach has to offer, while staying slightly out of the fray.
Editor’s note: Full disclosure, this hotel was essentially my home for the entire near-decade that I lived in Miami. There’s a reason I never left—you can’t beat the location.
“Last year I thought it might help me as a writer to understand psychoanalysis and so I did… But unfortunately I got restless and started hopping between the analyst’s couch and some Caribbean beaches.”
Tennessee Williams, 1959
Design 9/10
With locations in New York, LA and beyond, 1 Hotel South Beach marked the group’s debut in 2015. The brand embraces an eco-luxury ethos and aesthetic, and in South Beach that means a “living wall” composed of 11,000 varieties of local plants crawling up the façade and a porte-cochere lined with white Audi electric house cars docked in their charging stations. The sun-drenched, high-ceilinged lobby is awash in white with slouchy canvas sofas and natural wood furniture, alongside a lobby bar and healthy grab-and-go eatery. Two pools are situated on an elevated plaza, placing the ocean at mesmerizing eye level, while a smaller cabana pool one level down acts as the perfect hideaway. A narrow rooftop pool lined with cabanas crowns the 18th floor of the hotel’s north wing with a sushi restaurant, bar and unbeatable 360-degree views.
Amenities & Hospitality 9/10
In addition to four swimming pools, there’s also a beach club, Bamford Wellness Spa, Anatomy gym and a high-end boutique. The ground level retail is occupied by fashion boutiques, the clubby steakhouse STK and a Soul Cycle studio.
The hotel staff is well-trained, competent and friendly.
Rooms 9/10
1 Hotel South Beach is home to some of the largest guestrooms in South Beach. Designed by Meyer Davis, they immediately put you in Zen mode with a raised platform bed, rustic-edged wooden tables and gold coral sea fan prints on the wall. Doors are made of reclaimed Colorado “beetle kill” pine wood, which is naturally dyed a shade of cornflower blue due to the insidious bugs. Bathrooms are equally oversized with Calacatta marble soaking tubs, rainfall showers with peek-a-boo windows and trough sinks. While not every room has a balcony, many do, and an ocean-facing room is well worth the upgrade if you can swing it.
Food & Beverage 8/10
Multiple dining venues lend 1 Hotel a true destination resort appeal. Breakfast lunch and dinner are served at Habitat, an upscale Mexican eatery. At the main pool, Sandbox focuses on fresh coastal cuisine, while Plnthouse dishes up refined vegan fare. On the rooftop, Watr specializes in creative Japanese and sushi dishes. There’s also the healthy grab-and-go café in the lobby.
Value 8/10
Rates from approximately $399 in low season and $799 in high; Book
The Bottom Line
A destination for health and wellness, alongside the requisite South Beach decadence, in an unbeatable location with four oceanfront swimming pools and a beach club adding up to one of the prettiest poolscapes in town.
Contact
2341 Collins Avenue, Miami Beach, 33139; 305-604-1000; 1hotels.com/south-beach
