Your clients can feel as if they’ve been transported to South America at the new Faena Hotel Miami Beach, which opened this past December. The opening of the hotel also marked the inauguration of Faena District—a new neighborhood focusing on art and culture that spans six blocks. This new neighborhood consists of Faena House, an 18-story condominium; Faena Art and Faena Forum, both which focus on arts and culture; Faena Versailles, two residential towers, Casa Claridge’s a beachside guesthouse featuring 59 guestrooms; and Faena Bazaar, a retail area.
The new 169-guestroom Faena Hotel , of which 111 are suites, is located where the historic Saxony Hotel, built in 1957, once stood. Once guests walk in to Faena Hotel, they won’t be stepping in to a standard lobby, instead their first view is of a long space, featuring rich colors, paintings along the wall by Argentine artist Juan Gotti, and seating as if you were in an art gallery. Faena calls this space its Cathedral, not in a religious form, but as a space to sit and reflect. The paintings feature many of life’s virtues—love, religion, peace—and are said to depict the way to the Faena soul. Guests will check in with Experience Managers at large desks set at a side area to the left of the lobby, where only a few desks are featured to offer guests one-on-one check-in services; guests can also check0in via an iPad and go directly to their room. The Experience Managers take care of everything for the guests from arrival to departure.
Fine Dining
Right outside the Cathedral area stands the Tree of Life, here guests can find an outdoor dining area serving breakfast and coffee. The Living Room, decorated in rich colors and cheetah prints is a hang out area during the day where guests can read their paper and have a coffee; at night it transforms to an area featuring live music with a band or a DJ and serves cocktails and wines. The impressive chandelier featured above this area was designed by Alberto Rebuti and is said that when lightening strikes in Buenos Aires, the lights of the chandelier in Miami flicker. Next door to the Living Room is the Verrandah Restaurant serving breakfast, lunch, and dinner. The poolside eatery, Los Fuegos by Chef Francis Mallmann, is a 100 percent wood fire kitchen serving grilled meats and veggies; and also features an outside bar next door. But those aren’t all the dining options available onsite. Guests can also dine at La Cava, a dining venue and wine cellar for private dining for up to 22 guests; the all day dinning restaurant, Veranda; and Pao, serving modern Asian cuisine with Fillipino influences.
Arts & Entertainment
The pool offers views of the beaches, but that’s not the most impressive view guests will find outdoors. A giant, encased, golden Mammouth skeleton takes the focal point from not only the pool, but from many guestrooms as well. The art featured throughout this property will have guests saying, “awe…wow,” every turn.
With a big focus on the arts, the property houses it’s own theater featuring a European opera house style with seating for 150 guests. This space can also be used for private dinners, weddings, and private concerts. One bar is conveniently located inside the theater, while the Saxony Bar is right outside and serves late night cocktails until 4 a.m. Thursday to Saturday.
A Room with a View (and Art)
Guestrooms also feature gorgeous art pieces throughout, and the walls of the balconies are also painted to depict the South Florida tropical lifestyle. With a clean and bright color palette featuring South American influences and spacious bathrooms with double vanities—all guestroom categories come with the service of a butler who can prepare cocktails on the balcony for guests or bring tea and other treats to the room. Room controls for light, room temperature, and TV are all controlled through the in-room iPad. Guestroom rates start at $745 per night; Junior Suites start at $895 per night and the Penthouse Suite ranges from $8,000 to $20,000 depending on the season.
Spa Time
The Tierra Santa Healing House spa is a 22,000-sq.-ft. oasis of its own. Once you walk in you feel as if you’ve been transported to South America. The white, airy design featuring hints of colorful tapestry made by local artisans in South America is the perfect balance between a peaceful atmosphere and art. Here, guests can relish in spa services in 11 treatment rooms, enjoy personal training through fitness classes, or relieve some stress at the gym with views of the ocean. Spa services feature custom treatments that meld ancient South American healing rituals, indigenous ingredients, with the latest anti-aging technologies, including shaman-developed body treatments, acupuncture, and sound and color therapy. Guests can also take part in the wet spa experience, where guests go through a journey of temperature changes that are designed to promote relaxation and detoxification featuring a waterfall, a hamam, the Herbal Steam Room, and a Tepidarium where guests can recline on heated stone beds to slowly return the body to its normal body temperature. The spa is also currently developing a preventative medicine program that will be out soon. For more information, please visit faena.com.
