The Definition of Sophistication... The Ritz-Carlton, South Beach

When your brand boasts 77 hotels worldwide in exotic places such as Chile, Grand Cayman, Indonesia, Mexico, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates; and the United States its hard not to attract a clientele that expects only the best. Whether it be a quick overnight business trip or the Honeymoon that dreams are made of, lets face it, The Ritz-Carlton name exemplifies excellence, everywhere.

The Ritz-Carlton, South Beach is without a doubt the area’s most lavish oceanfront hotel. Situated perfectly in the heart of Art Deco district (surrounded by great shopping and pristine beaches) the property is affectionately referred to by locals as “the hotel where the action meets the ocean.”

We flew into Miami for a brief stay prior to taking a cruise and found ourselves stuck in the lap of luxury. (click read more for the Entire Story & More Photos)

Upon checking into the hotel, (literally taking all of 5 minutes) we were escorted to our room through the lobby or should we say multi million-dollar art gallery. With exquisite paintings found only a true collectors home, it was evident that no corner was cut during the massive renovations that took place prior to the hotel opening.

Our room, labeled a City View Club Level Room, overlooked all of the local shops and tourist spots surrounding the hotel (perfect for people watching or just chilling and enjoying the weather.) Quickly making our way down to the 16,000 square-foot Four Star Spa, we took our own advice for once and enjoyed some of the most mind-blowing spa treatments you could imagine having in such a luxurious setting.

Going all out and getting the Carita Silk Stone Massage & Carita Anti Aging & Firming Facials it wasn’t long before our group of 2 was reduced to silly putty in need of strong drinks and some quiet time.

For those of you who never take a moment to pamper yourselves, who find your joy in helping others find happiness in life, you deserve to be selfish for a couple of hours and watch how truly glorious you will feel after subjecting yourself to these spa treatments from Heaven.

To put it mildly we had reservations at one of South Beaches hottest restaurants following our treatments and nobody wanted to ruin the relaxed mood we were in, so we allowed the Ritz-Carlton, South Beach to further work their magic by calling in for some room service. Talk about gourmet dining right in the comfort of your own home / room, the hotel pulls out all stops when you order from their extensive menu which feature steaks, chops and seafood accompanied by just about anything you could ask for.

A bit of elegance is weaved into every aspect of dining whether it be in the DiLido Beach Club, Bistro One LR, Lapidus Lounge or the Lobby Bar. Echo the ‘50s modern theme in the design of their flatware and glassware, with touches such as: red, orange and green champagne flutes which are stem-less, so as to be easily stuck into South Beach sand; Art Moderne-style glasses and Mikasa Satinique china.

Even the flatware is unique;

“Wedgwood created its first flatware ever, designed with round shapes instead of linear, echoing the hotel’s curved-line architectural motif.”

For those guests out to simply soak in as much Sun as can possibly be absorbed, have no fears of how your going to get your drinks delivered, hands cleaned to eat the delicious snacks you just ordered or cool off internally, complimentary pool side amenities are offered throughout the day such as scented hand towels, refreshing water sprays, and hourly culinary tastings that include various smoothies and frozen fruits.

A uniformed server strolls the pool deck every weekend with a martini, mimosa and Bloody Mary cart so guests never need to leave the comforts of plush lounge chairs to indulge in a cool fresh-made libation. Need we say any more?

We chose to get our glutton on one more time at perhaps the most immaculate spot on the beach, the DiLido Beach Club. By incorporating locally caught seafood with organic produce and spices with the diverse and dimensional South Beach environment the Culinary team have produced an intricate menu loaded with delectable treats coming together to create what they call “Sun Cuisine.”

 Dining at the 140-seat restaurant offers guests a relaxing beachside respite for lunch, dinner or simply cocktails in a beautiful lush, tropical setting.

Chef de Cuisine Andrew Balick’s menu allows guests to experience a wave of succulent, refreshing flavor with each bite featuring organic farm-to-table produce and fresh local ingredients in every entrée. When asked why the hotel has such subdued plating presentation, they take rather relaxed stance in saying “nothing can compete with the ocean views, the plate presentations are subdued for guests to converse and focus their attention on the nearby beauty – natural and otherwise.” Again this is the mark of a fine hotel, knowing just when and where to pour on the charm, and with a team as classically trained as theirs in the kitchen, a plate full of pretty accents is simply not needed.