Telescopic Views at the Tides
Written: Oct 19 '01 (Updated Feb 02 '02)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Cool, dreamy rooms, good service, great location
Cons: You will lose your wallet in these currents
The Bottom Line: A cool tower of style and fashion, combined with genuinely good service make this a good, if expensive choice.
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| tombarnes's Full Review: Tides Hotel |
The Tides sat forlornly for years as a sad, bombed out shell. Chris Blackwell and his Island Outpost Group bought it in the mid-90's and "restored" the building into a towering beacon of fashion and verve.
Lobby
The Tides is right in the middle of the screaming noise and activity of modern-day South Beach. You would not imagine it to be so, from the calm and cool of the lobby. Even at night, when the lobby is transformed into a swinging hot spot (a la Joni Mitchell), there is still a sense of peace and remoteness from the rest of the South Beach noise and glitter. Calming colors (or the absence of color--what isn't taupe is white) and a marble floor kept waxed to sheen keep this lobby from feeling like the very busy place it always is.
Rooms and Suites
The number of rooms was severely reduced from 120 to only 45 rooms, all of which face the ocean. Mine was a junior suite on a 6th floor corner. Not as blindingly white as the rooms at the Delano, these rooms are cool, spacious and restful. Rattan chairs and metal tables are offset by white beds and reading chairs. A large selection of CD's is available. If you do not want the mostly jazz and reggae music, the bellman will find something else for you. The most remarkable feature of each room or suite is the telescope by the window. Just powerful enough to bring the beach into focus, it can be very diverting. I can hardly blame the residents of the condominium next door for having their shades permanently drawn. Bowls of fruit and decorative conch shells are placed around the rooms as liberally as the fresh flowers (changed daily). Baths are very large and have nice details like shaving mirrors, very thick bathrobes and Aveda bath products. The rooms are cleaned twice daily. The Goldeneye, Firefly and Terra Nova Suites occupy the top floors of the hotel. I was allowed to have a look around. If you can afford them, these suites are spectacular. Try to get someone ELSE to pay the $2-3000 price tag!
Dining
1220 at the Tides is the restaurant that takes up most of the lobby. Dominated by a smart looking bar, the priorities of the place are immediately apparent. I did not try their dinner menu (though it seemed fairly interesting), as I elected to go to Pacific Time, a short walk away of Lincoln Road Mall (an outstanding restaurant). I did try the Terrace, in front of the hotel, for breakfast. It's great to sit out on this terrace and watch the world pass by. The food is good, but not particularly remarkable. It is more of a design set-piece. Definitely a place to be SEEN in South Beach, if you are into that sort of thing.
Pool
The pool is located on the mezzanine level and faces the rear. They have done a nice job of creating an attractive space out of nothing. The long lap pool is flanked by serried rows of deck chairs and tables. You can get a drink or a light meal from the Pool Restaurant menu. Try not to think of how much things cost here. If you do, you may not get to sleep at night. There are two things here that are free, the Fiji water and popsicles that the attentive staff are always bringing by. August may not be the time to visit Miami Beach if you can't stand scorching heat.
General
The staff here are very, very professional and nicer than that found at some other South Beach temples of fashion. Try to stay away from the small shop off the lobby if you do not want to spend $25 for sunblock. If you want one, they have T-shirts for $40. Their least expensive rooms here are now close to $600. You may be able to bargain with them in August, but forget about it in December or January.
Recommended:
Yes
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Epinions.com ID:
tombarnes
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 - Top 200 |
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Member: Thomas Barnes
Location: Fort Lauderdale & Washington, DC
Reviews written: 688
Trusted by: 443 members
About Me:
With Barbara in Miami, 2004
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