InterContinental Miami is a 5-star hotel that rises over the heart of Miami’s business district with an amazing view over the Biscayne Bay.
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About Miami
Miami – “The Capital of Latin America”, “America’s cleanest city” or “The cruise capital of the world”. This city has so many faces, and it’s exactly that which makes it the perfect travel destination.
You can enjoy Miami Beach with its unique Art Deco architecture, go on a shopping spree in the Bayside Market or spend a day adventuring through Everglades National Park. And that’s just the beginning. Miami offers you the opportunity to experience other cultures without having to cross the border, with Little Havana being the ultimate destination for Cuba Libre admirers.
Location & Transportation
The outside of the InterContinental Miami hotel looks massive and imposing. The tall gray building gives you a slight Wall Street feel. No wonder, we are in the center of Miami’s business district. It is right next to the ocean and appears to be the perfect location for those who would like to splurge on an amazing cruise. Miami’s famous port is just a 6-minute drive away, while Miami Beach and the Miami International Airport (MIA) are about 15-20 minutes from the hotel. An UberX to the famous Miami Beach will cost you around $14 and a traditional cab to the airport would be approximately $30, but it depends a lot on the traffic.
Lobby & Check-In
The lobby area is spacious with plenty of seats. It looks modern and sophisticated, just what you expect from a 5-star luxury hotel. The illuminating details look surprisingly good with the natural material touches. The atrium area even features a spectacular Henry Moore sc
The Room
After the excellent, up-to-date lobby your expectations for the room are pretty high. That is not exactly what you get. In comparison to the atrium, the room looks a bit old and worn-out. There were even a few stains on the carpet. Maybe the worst aspect of the room was the sound proofing, or the lack of it. You can easily hear commotion in the hallway or what the neighbors are up to. The noise from landing planes can as well be an issue. This was definitely a problem for light sleepers like us.
The hotel also has an extra “service fee”, a similar concept to the Resort Fee in Las Vegas. As long as you pay this mandatory $15 extra per day, you can use the spa, gym and get 2 bottles of water every day.
That is quite it for the downsides. Apart from that, the scenery from our room window was a splendid ocean view; we couldn’t have asked for a better one. The room itself was spacious, decorated in warm, cozy colors, with a Keurig coffee machine and a fully stocked mini bar. Additionally, the Wi-Fi was working perfectly throughout our whole stay.
InterContinental Miami sunset
The marble bathroom was clean, had plenty of space, a built-in wardrobe and had all the basic bathroom amenities – shampoo, conditioner, and body lotion as you would expect from a 5-star luxury hotel. The common problem in US hotels, low shower water pressure, was also the case here. So be patient and prepare to spend a bit more time than usual when taking a shower.
The Restaurants
The Toro Toro restaurant serving Latin American food really was a top-notch experience. I can’t say for the whole menu, but at least the smoked swordfish dip and the empanadas we tried were delicious. The rest of the menu looked appetizing as well. The service seemed to be “relaxed” in the evening, which can be a problem for those in a rush.
The food during our breakfast at the Ole! restaurant was also excellent. The buffet offered a made-to-order omelet, the choice of pastries was impressive and the staff was friendly and helpful. The only downside was the price – $35 for a buffet style breakfast (including an automatically added 18% service charge) is a bit steep.
The food was good in both restaurants, but the mandatory 18% service charge was a disappointment.
For those who want to have a quick snack or grab a coffee, there is an on-site Starbucks right in the lobby area. But it might get a little crowded, especially in the morning hours, so prepare yourself in advance.
Club InterContinental Lounge
Located on the 29th floor of the InterContinental Miami hotel, the Club InterContinental Lounge offers a place to enjoy hot breakfast in the morning and hors d’oeuvres and drinks later in the evening.
On our first morning, we went there for breakfast, but found the options a bit limited for our taste. Since we had a full American breakfast in mind, we decided to head down to the restaurant Ole! for the breakfast buffet.
During the afternoon, we came back for the happy hour and were again greeted by cheerful Club lounge representatives. We delighted in a couple of cocktails there while enjoying the high floor views of Miami – a perfect spot to start your evening.
Pool & Gym
A rooftop pool sounds nice, but in this case, it’s on the third floor – technically still correct, as it’s on the roof of something. Anyway, due to the low floor location, you have to be an early riser in order to get some sunshine – around noon the taller buildings start blocking the sun. Moreover, it is quite a windy area, so make sure to secure all lighter items you might have.
There are about 40 pool chairs available right next to the pool, plus a couple of daybeds which need to be booked separately. The on-site Bluewater Café is open until 10 p.m.
You don’t have to go far to get to the fitness center – it’s right next to the pool. The gym is rather small, but quite well equipped. There you can find weight machines, a couple of treadmills, exercise bikes, and a small free weights area.
Conclusion
Overall, our visit in April 2017 was mostly positive. Those who are interested in peace and quiet should keep in mind the noise issues mentioned above. Also, there was some kind of loud construction work going on outside the hotel, which may or may not be a factor in your stay.
The hotel lobby looked shiny, but the rooms felt a bit worn-down. It felt as if it used to be considered a luxurious place, but got tired of chasing the latest trends. Then again, all the restaurants we visited were great and the service in general was quick and polite.
So, if you want to stay near Downtown in Miami, InterContinental Miami is definitely a solid option to consider, especially if you are able to catch a room at a discounted price.
Address: 100 Chopin Plaza, Miami, FL 33131, United States of America
Phone: +1 (305) 577 1000
Website: InterContinental Miami
Remember to check also our other InterContinental Hotel Group reviews.
