Betsy Hotel — Hotel Review Rating: 4.0 Pearls

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Oyster Hotel Review

Reporter: Michael W.
Updated: March 10, 2010

 Scene

Having completed a $40 million renovation -- a complete overhaul, really -- the Betsy reopened in April 2009 to much acclaim. Although built in 1940 by L. Murray Dixon, who is known for his Art Deco buildings, the Betsy stands out on Ocean Drive as the only example of an oxymoronically named architectural style known as Florida Georgian. The hotel has an Art Deco touch or two, but with its plantation-style shuttered windows, colonial columns, and ceiling fans, it looks like it belongs in rural Georgia, not South Beach. For those reasons, and because it's just drop-dead gorgeous, the Betsy is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Three years ago, the Betsy was restored as a luxury boutique hotel, and both those elements -- luxury and boutique -- are apparent, especially after this most recent renovation. With only 63 rooms, the Betsy shares a sense of intimacy with its Art Deco neighbors. But the lobby, designed by a team that's worked on homes for Ralph Lauren and stores for Bulgari, displays the kind of details that place the Betsy a notch above the others. Among the highlights: evocative photography, mini-palm trees, and understated, eclectic furniture.

What I like best about the Betsy is that it seems comfortable in its own skin. It knows what it is and, just as important, what it is not. That is to say, it knows it's not located in Ocean Drive's mosh pit (some would say armpit), four to six blocks down, or among the chic see-and-be-seen haunts like the Delano. The bar is less a place to meet other people than a quiet spot to unwind after a tough day on the beach. The clientele tends to be upper-class and middle-aged. If any a spot on Ocean Drive could be considered romantic, this is it.

There are a few quirky touches -- the bell staff's "safari" getups, for example, and the photos of rock stars near the bar -- but don't look for fluorescent lights, Euro-trance club beats, or design-driven trendiness. The M.O. at the Betsy is understated luxury. Genuine class. Like Alec Guinness.

 Service

I got what I wanted for my $400 a night. The front desk staff greeted me with warm smiles upon check-in and checkout, as well as every time I had a question. They also handle concierge duties, and know their stuff.

After I checked in, a bellman guided me to my room and gave me a short tour. The doormen open the front door every time, always with a nod or hello. They also flagged down my cab and helped me with my bags. The bartenders at the lobby bar are friendly and knowledgeable mixologists. When one overheard me discussing the ingredients of a particular drink, he promptly mixed one up and gave me a free sample.

The on-site restaurant, BLT Steak, is independently owned and operated, but it's worth noting that the service is impeccable there as well.

 Location

This is the only part of Ocean Drive (north of Fifth Street, anyway) that could be considered tranquil. Fifteenth Street forms the northern boundary of Ocean Drive, and the Betsy sits halfway between 14th and 15th. It's an ideal location for those who don't want to be overwhelmed by the tourist hordes and thumping beats a few blocks to the south yet still want easy access to said madness.

With the exception of its on-site restaurant, BLT, and the Front Porch a few doors down, the eateries along Ocean Drive are all overpriced tourist traps. You're better off walking a few blocks north to the Lincoln Road Mall, an outdoor pedestrian promenade with everything from pharmacies and Starbucks to designer clothing shops and premier cuisine. Even closer is Lincoln Road's little sister, Espanola Way. It's smaller and less popular than Lincoln, and there aren't many stores there, but the restaurants are more reliable.

To get your groove on, you can head south four blocks to the veritable mosh pit that is the Clevelander or, for a classier version, north to the Delano. For that matter, you can pretty much head any direction to get your groove on. (Except east. You'll get wet if you do that.)

 Beach

It's a one-minute stroll across the grass to one of the most famous beaches in the world, where a jumbled horde of bikini babes, jacked dudes, couples on vacation, and families with kids play on a stretch of sand 100 yards wide. The beach is a tad more mellow up by the Betsy, but you're still in the thick of things.

In the mornings, the occasional runner trots along the harder, inland half of the beach. By the afternoon, the joint is packed with sunbathers; at dusk the scene thins out again.

Chairs and umbrellas are available for no extra charge, though they get put away at 5 p.m., which is too early if you ask me.

Mobile snack stands are also scattered along the beach, selling soft drinks and chips (note, however, that alcohol is not allowed).

 Rooms

As long as you don't expect the room to be as large as those of most $400-a-night hotels, you should be content because these have everything else going for them -- they're comfortable, beautiful, bright, and well appointed. My standard room with a classic king-size bed was the biggest I'd seen at any of the Art Deco hotels I stayed in.

The bed is a treat in and of itself. The mattress, a Simmons HealthSmart Beautyrest World Class Felicity II 1X Super Pillow Top Plush (try saying that five times fast), is super-comfy; the Frette linens are, as one TripAdvisor guest noted, "yummy/yummy/yummy."

The 32-inch LG flat-screen TV, has more than 80 channels of basic cable, plus dozens more music channels. (Just go to Channel 97 and scroll from there.)

Among the useful amenities: an iHome iPod dock, a minibar and snack basket, terry-cloth bathrobes, and fast, reliable Wi-Fi. Among the slightly less utilitarian amenities: the lovely throw blanket and an umbrella that you can take home for the low, low price of $80.

It's also worth mentioning that while the hotel's Web site doesn't exaggerate the attractiveness of the rooms -- mine was as beautiful as those in the photo gallery -- it does misrepresent them a bit. Mine was sleeker and more sedate in reality than in the photos. Also, a few promised amenities (notably the slippers and the pillow menu) were missing during my stay.

The bathroom is probably as small as any you'll ever see in a hotel this pricey. But at least you get a flat-screen TV embedded in the mirror, which makes cleaning your ears more fun than you ever thought possible. The Malin + Goetz bath products include peppermint shampoo, cilantro conditioner, and bergamot body wash.

The only negatives were minor annoyances. The stopper in my bathroom sink didn't work, the glass wall encasing the shower didn't extend far enough to prevent water from soaking the floor, and -- unless I was blind to the obvious -- there wasn't a single trash can anywhere in the room!

 Features

To their credit, the Betsy's developers did all they could with the pool. It's as big as it could possibly be, given the space, and the potted orchids and glass-encased candles are lovely accompaniments. Unfortunately, the lay of the land just doesn't allow for more than a small rectangle of water surrounded by buildings on all four sides. It's big enough to swim some short laps in, which is more than you can say for most hotel pools along Ocean Drive, but it was cold the day I took a dip. And because of those buildings, the area is shady in the morning and late afternoon.

The Wi-Fi is fast, reliable, and "free" -- "free" in quotes because a mandatory $14 (tax not included) "resort fee" for such amenities is tacked onto your bill at the end of your stay.

Unfortunately, three of the Betsy's finest features -- the rooftop solarium, the spa, and the fitness center -- hadn't yet opened when I stayed, so I can't comment on them. According to management, they'll be opening by late June 2009. If you've been there since then, please tell us about them!

 Family

The Travel Channel gives South Beach 1 out of 5 on child-friendliness, but there are certainly plenty of families around. I didn't see any at the Betsy, however, probably because the vibe is more "romantic getaway" than "take the kids along." And unless you spring for a suite, there's no space in the rooms for cribs or rollaways.

 Cleanliness

The strangest ommission I've encountered in my tenure as a hotel reviewer was the lack of a trash bin anywhere in my room at the Betsy. I assume this will be remedied by the time you go. Then again, there weren't any out by the pool either. Very strange.

Perhaps the hotel was trying to prove a point: that dirt and grime magically steer clear of the Betsy's premises. A strong case could be made -- I didn't notice a single blemish. Even the hardwood floors in my room didn't leave dust on my bare feet -- the ultimate mark, as it were, of cleanliness.

 Food

The restaurant at the Betsy is called BLT Steak. For those of you as unrefined as I was before my stay at the Betsy, you should know that in this case BLT stands not for bacon, lettuce, and tomato but rather for Bistro Laurent Tourondel -- as in the renowned French chef who was named the 2007 Restaurateur of the Year by Bon Appétit magazine. With this branch of BLT, Tourondel has finally tossed his own bon name into the venerable South Beach culinary scene.

So how is it? Well done, as it were. My filet was a little bloodier than I had requested but still tender and delicious. The highlights, for me, were the unique starters. In lieu of bread, I got complimentary popovers with chicken pâte. Strange but tasty, and I liked the little copy of the popover recipe attached to it with a ribbon -- a fun touch. By night's end, with a plate of green beans and a glass of wine thrown in, the damage came to $71 with tax and tip -- steep but not outrageous.

Breakfast there is equally pricey but delicious. My waffles with bananas and berries, plus fresh-squeezed OJ and coffee, came to $26. For a better value, check out the Front Porch Cafe just down the block. I had lunch there on the recommendation of one of the front-desk clerks, and it was both delicious and reasonable: $20 for an entree and smoothie, including tax and tip.

 Bottom Line

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.