We move on to the second part of this American vacation, this time with a relaxing stay in Miami.

After a heavily delayed flight from Boston, we finally arrive at our hotel, in the middle of the night.

Booking

I made the reservation for this property a few months before our arrival. I wanted to book a hotel in Miami Beach that offered both a private beach and all the services of a luxury hotel.

Therefore, I opted for the EDITION Miami Beach and booked through a travel agent to benefit from the Marriott STARS rate, which includes several perks such as early check-in and late check-out, a $100 Food and Beverage credit, and breakfast for two.

Additionally, a few weeks before our arrival, I asked my Ambassador to confirm the presence of a crib in the room and to request an upgrade at the hotel reception, which was done.

I tried several times to confirm my upgrade, without success, and finally opted for a paid upgrade through the reservations service, which offered me a beachfront suite for $265 per night. Later, we were further upgraded to the Deluxe Suite, which is over 100 m², offering a large living area—perfect for our seven-night stay.

Arrival

We arrived at the hotel about 15 minutes after leaving the airport, around 3 a.m.

It took a few minutes for the valet to arrive and help us with all our luggage (we were quite loaded as we were traveling with a newborn).

The check-in process was swift, perhaps too swift, as the STARS benefits and how they applied to the hotel were not explained to us.

Our upgrade to a Deluxe Suite with ocean views was confirmed, and the suite was located on the hotel’s top floor, maximizing the view quality.

The valet followed with our luggage, which was delivered just seconds after our arrival in the suite.

Suite

Our suite was located on the 10th and penultimate floor of the hotel.

The entrance led to a vestibule, which opened into the living area.

To the right was a powder room, featuring a toilet and sink.

To the left was a closet to store coats and shoes, along with a safe and a few drawers. Continuing on, there was a mini-bar, well-stocked with high-quality items, though predictably overpriced, and no coffee machine this time.

Next came the living area, with a large wooden table that could easily accommodate meals, followed by a sitting area with a coffee table, sofa, and armchairs. This area faced a large TV. This was where we set up the crib for our son, who slept peacefully in the living room.

A sliding door separated the living area from the bedroom. The bedroom had a king-size bed, which was very comfortable, with a headboard and two bedside tables, plus a large armchair by the window.

The bed faced a desk area, which also had a large TV.

On the opposite side was a very large closet where we unpacked for the week. Across from it was a massive bathroom, equipped with two sinks, a large bathtub, a walk-in shower, and separate toilets.

The entire design was exceptional and exactly to our taste. The décor was slightly different from other EDITION properties, in keeping with the tropical environment.

Finally, the virtual tour:

Hotel facilities

Being a resort, the hotel offers many facilities to help guests make the most of the sun and their vacation.

Gym

The fitness center is located in the basement of the hotel. It’s relatively small but has high-quality equipment. Note that there’s not much space to use the free weights.

Spa

The spa is also located in the basement, next to the fitness center. Unfortunately, as we were traveling with a newborn, we couldn’t use the spa.

Outdoor Pools

The hotel has two outdoor pools, located below the main hotel buildings.

One is the main pool, which is rectangular and about 25 meters long. The water temperature is slightly cooler, around 23°C, and it’s more geared toward adults.

The second pool, located at the foot of the Bungalow, is more family-oriented, with the water around 40°C.

We used the latter with our infant, and it’s pleasant for everyone. I can’t quite understand who would enjoy swimming in completely cold water!

Private beach

The hotel has its own Beach Club, a private beach located at the foot of the hotel.

Hotel guests can use one of the sun loungers at their convenience, and this service is included in the room rate.

The beach is very pleasant and well-maintained. We didn’t use the sun loungers but enjoyed the ocean several times with our baby.

Basement – Bowling and Ice Skating

The hotel has its own bowling lanes and ice-skating rink, located in the basement.

This area is accessible via a dedicated bank of elevators.

We reserved it twice for an hour-long session, and the lane was fully privatized for us.

We played three games with my wife and ordered some snacks that served as our dinner. The truffle pizza we ordered was divine, and the chicken tenders for my wife were also good. Please note that the noise level is quite high, so we had to use noise-canceling headphones for our baby. Also, starting at 8 p.m., the venue is reserved for adults over 21.

Catering

Dining at this hotel is provided by several establishments scattered around the lobby.

All dining outlets are overseen by Chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten, a famous French chef based in the U.S. for over thirty years, who runs several Michelin-starred restaurants, including his signature three-star restaurant at the Trump Hotel in New York.

Breakfast service – The MARKET

Every morning of our stay, we had breakfast at The MARKET, the hotel’s all-day dining venue.

At first, the welcome was a bit cold, but it warmed up over the course of the week.

The service was very friendly, and the menu was nice. In addition to the à la carte offerings, an excellent quality buffet is available on weekends, which we opted for several times.

On the first morning, I had a cheddar-bacon omelet, which was very generous and tasty, while my wife had the pancakes, which were decent.

Dinner service – Matador Room

We dined at the Matador Room, the hotel’s fine dining restaurant with South American influences, twice during our stay.

On the first night, I had a Young Ginger Julep, which was a bit too sour for my taste.

We shared a plate of excellent Jamón Ibérico and an artichoke-spinach pizza with bacon, which was good but not exceptional.

The service was cold during our first experience but excellent the second time.

Lunch service – Tropicale

Every day of our stay, we had lunch by the pool at Tropicale, a restaurant that serves a selection of hot and cold snacks, which we enjoyed with our feet in the water.

Several times, I had the Grilled Cheese sandwich, served with either chips or fries, which was excellent. On one occasion, I tried the Lobster Roll, which was also outstanding.

Service

The service at this hotel was quite inconsistent. While the restaurant staff was friendly, the front desk staff was regularly bad—very bad, in fact.

Overall, the service didn’t meet the brand’s standards.

Departure

The check-out process was laborious, and securing the late check-out was a real hassle!

However, at the time of departure, the bill was accurate, and the formalities were handled quickly.

The valet service was very efficient, and the porters were charming.

Bottom line

A well-executed stay, but we regret the lackluster service, especially at the reception desk.

At a property of this caliber and under such a prestigious brand, one expects relaxed yet highly professional service. Unfortunately, that was not the case.

Itinerary

As a reminder, here is the itinerary followed:

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