Blue Moon Hotel Rating: 3.5 Pearls

South Beach, Miami, Florida

Book now by phone with Hotels.com – Call 1-800-246-8357

Fresh popcorn at the Blue Moon Bar

Like many of its South Beach art deco neighbors, the 75-room Blue Moon was built in the 1930s and is now listed in the National Register of Historic Places.

There are two wings: the art deco wing and the Mediterranean wing. Architecturally, both are actually art deco, but on the inside the two wings retain distinct personalities. The art deco building is colorful and charismatic, in a '70s sort of way; polygons (especially triangles) and the color blue are the dominating motifs. By contrast, the Mediterranean wing -- the main building, essentially -- is more sedate, with sleeker, more modern rooms.

It's difficult to comment on the Blue Moon's vibe. I saw only four people use the tiny pool in the back yard, and that includes any guests who have come over from the Blue Moon's cheaper sister, the Winter Haven hotel. Both the lobby and the patio are pleasant -- clean and nicely designed -- but no one really hangs out in either area. On a Saturday night, the lobby bar's half-dozen stools might be filled until about midnight, but the hotel doesn't draw much of a local following.

Finally, it's worth mentioning that unlike most hotels in SoBe (or anywhere, for that matter), the pictures on the Blue Moon's home page are actually pretty accurate. (It's equally noteworthy, however, that those in the photo gallery enhance the romance quite a bit.)

Front desk attendant

The Blue Moon is a do-it-yourself affair. Don't expect help with your bags, passes to clubs or lounges, or drink service by the pool.

When I checked in, the clerk at the front desk was competent but a tad indifferent. I arrived early, and my room wasn't ready yet, so I left my cell phone number with the guy and asked if he would call me when I could check in, but he never did.

After checking in, I tried to use the hotel's free Wi-Fi, but the connection wouldn't work. I called the front desk for help, but he spoke to me brusquely before hanging up. A minute later I had to call back again, and he was equally anxious to get off the phone. (I ultimately figured it out.)

Indifferent, lackluster service isn't unusual in South Beach, but after reading a number of reviews praising the excellent staff, I was expecting more. Maybe I caught them on a bad week.

On the positive side of the ledger, one of the front-desk clerks provided plenty of details with his dinner recommendations. And the bartender was extremely friendly, greeting me with a hello every time I saw him, even when I was just passing through.

View on a Larger Map

Located on Collins Avenue, about six blocks south of the high-end hotels, the Blue Moon sees less foot traffic from shoppers and guests at other hotels; it's nothing like the dense throng on Ocean Drive. It's in the center of South Beach, an ideal mid-point in the art deco district, within blocks of several iconic buildings, including the Park Central Hotel and Casa Casuarina, better known as the Versace Mansion. The location also puts you within blocks of most of SoBe's most popular bars and clubs. If you're looking to drink (and drink, and drink ...), the Clevelander, a block away on 10th and Ocean, is the place to be -- at least until the thrill of its '09 reopening wears off.

The area is generally safe -- well-lit and trafficked enough to make even petty crime a rarity.

Beach one block away

It's a three-minute stroll 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. South Beach makes it clear why there's a diet named after it.

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.

The hotel provides beach towels as a part of the mandatory $7.50 "daily amenity charge." You can rent chairs and umbrellas from one of the countless Boucher Bros. stands dotting the beach.

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

The Standard Room

Updated with new beds, fresh paint, digital safes, and flat-screens in 2012 after joining the Autograph Collection, the Blue Moon has 75 rooms in two buildings. I had a standard room in the back of the art deco wing. It was small -- the king bed took up most of the room -- but comparable to most art deco hotels. The "sitting area" advertised on the website is really nothing more than two rather uninviting stuffed chairs underneath a lamp by the window. If you want more space or are traveling with the family, there are also four suites, each with a different layout, each with a futon/pull-out bed.

My room didn't get much natural light, and the numerous lamps didn't help a whole lot; however, the rooms I saw in the main building (aka the Mediterranean wing) were significantly brighter.

Before joining the Autograph Collection in 2012, the Blue Moon went unnoticed in the drama of its Art-Deco neighborhood. The rooms in the art-deco wing were distinctly 70's, slathered in blues and triangle motifs. But the rooms now reflect a more typical Miami-chic decor, with all-white (triangle-less) rooms and bathrooms. All rooms are equipped with flat-screen TVs.

Speaking of the bathroom, it's nice -- clean, bright, and cheerfully decorated. The highlight is probably the Bath & Body Works "coconut-lime-verbena moisture-rich cleansing bar" (aka soap).

Mattress are soft but sturdy, and the pillows are softer than what you'd find at most mid-range Art Deco places in SoBe. The Wi-Fi is free, but the connection was very spotty from my room near the back of the building (more on that in Features). Other amenities include terry-cloth bathrobes, complimentary Barnie's coffee and coffee machine, and a minibar and snack basket.

As for noise, it depends where your room is located. Though this part of Collins Avenue isn't quite as hopping as Ocean Drive or upper-Collins, street traffic still persists. In my room at the back of the hotel, however, noise wasn't a problem.

Tiny Spa Pool

That's pretty much what you get for your mandatory $10 (+ tax) "daily amenity charge." The pool, if you can call it that, is really just a splash pool behind the main building; I only saw four people use it during my entire stay. Guests of the Winter Haven hotel also have access to the pool.

Internet: There's free Wi-Fi throughout the hotel, but computers are available for a hefty $5.95/15 minutes

Valet parking is available for $25 per day. This is a must in South Beach, where overnight parking is hard to come by.

As part of the amenity charge, you also receive a $5 drink coupon for each day of your stay.

Also noteworthy: Despite being built in the '30s, the Blue Moon is quite handicap-friendly, with a wheelchair ramp out front and a motorized wheelchair lift in the lobby.

Art deco means small rooms, with no extra room for pullouts or cribs. Furthermore, most of the rooms have queen or king beds, though there are a few with two twin beds (just be sure to reserve them well in advance).

I didn't see any families during my stay. On the other hand, there's nothing that's particularly not kid-friendly about the place; at least it's located away from the debauchery of Ocean Drive.

Even before the 2012 renovation, the rooms were well-kept and only showed minor wear and tear. For the most part, everything was tidy, functional, and hygienic.

Outdoor patio at the Breakfast Restaurant

The complimentary breakfast, which you can eat indoors or out, is pretty good. Just be sure to set your alarm -- it ends at 10:00 a.m. (I missed it one morning after a long night of, um, typing up notes about the Blue Moon hotel ...)

This being South Beach, there's no shortage of world-class dining options. For a cheaper lunch, I recommend Café Bonjour, on Ninth Street between Ocean and Collins, about two blocks away. Despite its name, it's really more like a deli/bodega than a café with any atmosphere, but it's a cheap, decent place to grab breakfast or a sandwich. Expect a wait, though, if others are there too.