Located on famous Ocean Drive in South Beach, the newly revamped Marriott Stanton South Beach is a great complement to the area’s trendy eateries, shopping, and nightlife. Recommend’s Associate Editor, Michelle Marie Arean visited this boutique hotel recently, where she had some time to soak up the Florida sun and check out the local goodies.
A Miami native playing tourist for the weekend in this 224-room, surf-inspired property with eight suites, was quite the assignment. (Sometimes, we just have to roll up our sleeves and do the “tough” work.) The property, which has gone through recent pool renovations, room upgrades, and debuted its touch-screen, interactive elevator kiosk during our stay, is scheduled for a slew of additional renovations throughout the end of the year and into 2015. These additions include in-room closet renovations, four new onsite restaurants, tweaks to the pools, redesign of the lobby area, and a few more surprises, as we were told by general manager David Cronin during dinner at nearby RED, the Steakhouse. On the topic of dining, recommend your clients dine at RED, not only is the food delicious (we can’t tell you what from our grand selection of tastings we liked best), but the chef-owner, Peter Vauthy, is extremely sweet and personable. We were impressed by the restaurant’s wine selection.
Now back to Stanton. If fun in the sun is what your clients are after, this hotel has two infinity pools with poolside dining just steps away; outdoor massage areas for pampering to the sound of ocean waves; and plenty of seating and cabanas, where we saw families sitting together and reading, others having lunch, and most lounging or tanning. The pool deck does a great job of keeping your feet cool from the blaring sun with grassy areas by the lounge chairs, where a waterfall cascades down from a wall behind the chairs. Also keeping guests cool, is a pitcher of fruit-infused water, where guests can take a cup before heading out from the lobby, or even while lounging poolside (flavors change daily from orange and pineapple to cucumber and mint water, among others). If your clients like drinks with a kick, the property also offers guests complimentary mojitos daily from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m.—you don’t have to go far to indulge in happy hour at Stanton. These mojitos are made with award-winning, locally made Miami Club Rum—rum enthusiasts can sign up for a tour of the distillery in Wynwood to learn a bit about the history of this local spirit. As if that weren’t enough, the property also gives guests a taste of Miami on Mondays at exactly 3:05 p.m. (Miami’s area code is 305), serving complimentary cups of Cuban espresso shots, otherwise known as cafecito, for a mid-day pick-me-up.
For active clients, recommend a paddleboard lesson or tour (starting at $30 pp) from F1rst Surf Shop, located walking distance from Stanton—bookings can be made through the hotel’s concierge. Take it from us, and we’re no paddleboarding experts here, it’s quite the physical workout, but a scenic journey for sure—there’s even a sunken Jose Cuervo bar just feet from shore, and we even scoped out a small stingray swimming below.
When guests are ready to escape the Florida sun, the renovated guestrooms provide plenty of comfort and style with white walls, marble tile floors, tan and orange accents, and spacious bathrooms. The showers in the bathroom feature not one, but two shower heads—a rainforest shower head, and a European-style shower head—that are the perfect way to cool down. Speaking of this shower, a cut out on the shower door allows guests to turn on the water without getting inside—a perfect way to make sure the temperature is perfect before stepping in.
Your guests can experience their own fun in the sun escape at Marriott Stanton South Beach with the Life’s a Beach package, which includes two drinks by the pool, two beach chairs, an umbrella rental, and WiFi for each night of their stay. This offer is valid now through Oct. 15, 2014 with rates starting at $299 per night. High season rates average $569 a night. Room rates start at $242 per night.
For more information, visit marriottstantonsouthbeach.com; and for information on local tours, including the Miami Rum Club distillery visit theartexperiences.com or Miami Rum Club at miamirumclub.com.
