Miami’s 1 Hotel South Beach Takes Eco Luxury to the Next Level
South Beach Miami is filled with white sand beaches, sparkling blue water, international jetsetters, and a range of beautiful hotels. My favorite hotel here is the new eco luxury, Leed-Certified 1 Hotel South Beach, which occupies an entire city block and backs up to the ocean.
Upon entering the 1 Hotel South Beach, you are lured into calm by the décor of white-washed wood, thoughtful play of natural light, and strategically placed plant art and use of natural elements woven in throughout the comfortable, modern theme. Much of the whitewashed wood that covers the walls was retrieved from different parts of the country, even some from the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.
All of the natural plant accents from Plant The Future are just wonderful. Living green hearts, walls, and artwork are located throughout the entire hotel; lobby to suites, and residences alike. The plant art pieces take on different faces and shapes depending on the angle they are viewed from .¨ which will keep you moving around just to try and see them all. My personal favorite was the LOVE sign made of greenery anchored above a headboard in one of the residences.
The 426 guestrooms are very spacious, each averaging 700 square-feet. The rescued wood furnishings resemble a chic Malibu beach house, and all of the rooms have relaxing, outdoor patios, most of which feature sweeping views of the pool and beach below.
The .≤eco-luxury’ tag carries on throughout every aspect of the rooms. The bed is incredibly comfortable, made of hemp materials, and has linen bedding. Housekeeping uses all green cleaning in the rooms. Triple filtered water is on tap, and organic, healthy items are stocked in the mini bar; including vegan energy bars and dark chocolate. There are and yoga mats in all rooms, and the unique amenity of socks, instead of throwaway slippers. The 1 Hotel even has its own line of natural bath products.
A very pleasant treat – each morning you are greeted with an array of fruits and nuts, all harvested from a local farm and laid out near the juice bar in the lobby.
The 1 Hotel South Beach features four outdoor pools, allowing for an even flow of guests and your pick of scene. Two of these swimming pools are oceanside with 180 degree views, and another is an adults-only pool – which happens to be the largest rooftop pool in the city, stretching 110 feet long, and incredible views of the Atlantic on one side and Miami on the other.
During the day, the beach cabanas beckon you onto the white sand, and the servers attentively cater to you. The ocean water is much warmer and clearer than in Los Angeles, so we spent hours in the sea. Our group enjoyed a bottle of Rose and the most delicious black bean quinoa fritters with guacamole and grilled pineapple.
There are seven unique dining venues, one of which is Watr. Watr, is the sky-high Polynesian-Japanese fusion restaurant sits on the rooftop of this 18-story hotel. They offer an impressive range of plant-based dining options, including veggie sushi rolls with cashew cheese, spicy glass noodle salad, seaweed salad, brussels sprouts, miso eggplant, and more. And the restaurant is known for having exceptional cocktails and wine, and a very lively atmosphere at night.
My previous trip to 1 Hotel South Beach was during Swim Week. The hotel hosted fashion designers showcasing their swimwear for the upcoming season. The chic fashion show was held by the main pool on the lower level, and held a media party in one of the pool cabanas. There were several events taking place around the city, many hosted here, including a lavish rooftop party for model & designer Tori Praver.
No matter what you decide to do in Miami, the best way to get around South Beach will be hoping into one of the fleet of Tesla electric vehicles, ready and waiting to take guests anywhere within a three mile radius – complimentary.
This incredible combination of thoughtful design, luxury lifestyle, and creative and productive eco-friendliness has captured my heart. Everything about this hotel is very welcoming, and I want to move in permanently.
*The Spartan Gym & Bamford Haybarn Spa Opening
December 2016
