Foodies and oenophiles alike will descend upon Miami in late February for Food Network’s annual South Beach Wine & Food Festival (February 25 through 28), a delicious weekend full of tastings, demos, and Rachael Ray.
Many of Miami’s choicest hotels are playing host to the weekend’s events, so where better to stay while in town for the Festival? Below is a list of the hotels that are hosting events, and our thumbnail review of each. They’re all among our favorites in Miami, so you can’t go wrong.
Tickets for these events are selling out quickly and hotel rooms are bound to fill up, so for the love of Emeril — get to it!
Hotel: Biltmore Coral Gables – Miami
Location: Coral Gables
Price: $379
Festival Events:
- Barilla Interactive Dinner hosted by Lidia Bastianich & Joe Bastianich
- Barilla Interactive Lunch hosted by Scott Conant
Built in 1926, the iconic Biltmore (a national landmark) offers a deeply luxurious experience in a hotel scene that often seems to specialize in superficial glitz. Though far from any beaches, it offers doting (tip-free) service, a miraculous pool, a prestigious golf course, and a catalog of other amenities. Unfortunately, its residential neighborhood can get boring.
Hotel: Gansevoort South
Location: South Beach
Price: $444
Festival Events:
- Wine Spectator Wine Seminars A-C
- Guy Fieri’s Moon Over Miami Closing Party co-presented by Gnarly Head Wines and Miami New Times
- Taste Wine Like a Master Sommelier
- Sweet Dreams Wine Seminar
The chic new Gansevoort is far from the action on the north edge of South Beach, but it still comes with bragging rights. With a hip rooftop pool, attentive staff, large rooms, celebrity restaurant, sexy gym, and on-site salon, it’s easy to indulge in the hype. Just keep an eye on the bill — this place can be pricey.
Hotel: Loews Miami Beach Hotel
Location: South Beach
Price: $466
Festival Event:
- Tribute Dinner sponsored by Bank of America honoring Daniel Boulud (The New York Times Dinner Series)
- Paula’s Kiss My Grits Sunday Jazz Brunch presented by Paula Deen Southern Dishes and Gobo Enterprises
An extravagant, 790-room beachfront giant that emphasizes service, the Loews has the features of a mega-resort — a huge free-form pool, organized kids’ activities, and four on-site restaurants — all in the heart of South Beach. A great pick for families who don’t want to be stranded in a remote resort further north, like the Fontainebleau or Newport.
Hotel: Fontainebleau Resort Miami Beach
Location: Mid-Beach
Price: $499
Festival Event:
- Wine Spectator‘s Best of Best sponsored by Bank of America
- Midnight Amore hosted by Scott Conant, Rocco DiSpirito and Alex Guarnaschelli
After its $1 billion facelift in 2008, the Fontainebleau’s 1,504 new rooms, nine pools, phenomenal spa, and gorgeous design are hard to top. Despite its sexy ads and nightclub, it’s actually a fairly relaxed property that attracts mostly families and convention goers. Its peacful Mid-Beach location — next to the also-snazzy Eden Roc hotel — is 30 blocks from the South Beach action.
Hotel: Delano Hotel
Location: South Beach
Price: $626
Festival Events:
- Dolce Brunch presented by Tiffany & Co. hosted by Michelle Berstein with Hedy Goldsmith
- Perrier-Jouët BubbleQ presented by Allen Brothers hosted by Emeril Lagasse and Friends
The Delano’s 195 all-white rooms don’t come cheap, but you’re paying for surreal, Philippe Starck style and all-night parties at the “water salon.” To some, its hip factor has been bested by the Gansevoort or Shore Club, but in our eyes their over-the-top style doesn’t compare, and good times are still to be had.
Hotel: Mandarin Oriental Hotel
Location: Downtown
Price: $529
Festival Event:
Located on beautiful Brickell Key, this beachless island resort offers serenity by way of warm, creative design, a phenomenal spa, a first-rate gym, and invigorating (though pricey) cuisine. Drawing business travelers, honeymooners, and celebrities-in-hiding, it is not the place to party.
Hotel: Betsy Hotel
Location: South Beach
Price: $401
Festival Event:
The Betsy reopened in April 2009 after a $40 million overhaul. The pool’s disappointing and the rooms are small, but everything else is impressive; for tasteful luxury and a rare dose of tranquility on Ocean Drive, this is where it’s at.
Hotel: The Setai
Location: South Beach
Price: $775
Festival Event:
Paradise doesn’t come cheap. Striking but sober mood-lit design; impeccable service; huge, immaculate rooms; three pools, each a different temperature; and a prime beachside location make the Setai one of the best hotels in Miami. Its restaurants are more about design than food, but several of Miami’s best restaurants are just half a block away.
Hotel: W South Beach
Location: South Beach
Price: $658
Festival Event:
- Various Bank of America Lifestyle Wine Seminars with Kevin Zraly, Gary Vaynerchuk, and others
- Miami Magazine present’s Patron’s Great Debate
The stunning new 312-room W South Beach — located on the beach, on the northern outskirts of South Beach — blends cute comforts, intricate design (that spares no expense), and flawless service. Among it’s knock-out features are large, modern rooms; terraces angled to overlook the ocean; and elegant landscaping around the pool.
Hotel: Ritz-Carlton South Beach
Location: South Beach
Price: $538
Festival Event:
A huge (though relaxed) beachfront resort with reliable service, a great pool, a top-notch spa, and a modern fitness center, the Ritz offers a lot for the money. Less crowded than its hip, style-focused boutique neighbors, the family-friendly Ritz is still in a prime position to explore SoBe.
Hotel: Viceroy Miami
Location: Downtown
Price: $552
Festival Event:
- Haute Holistic Dinner (The New York Times Dinner Series)
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