Intercontinental Miami Rating: 3.5 Pearls

Downtown, Miami, Florida

The Starbucks counter adds a hum to the hotel

The Intercontinental's 34-floor pink tower is hard to miss -- I was able to spot it from five blocks away! Built on a gigantic scale, with a Henry Moore sculpture in the center of the cavernous lobby and 22 meeting rooms (totaling 286,557 square feet), it's designed for business. But it has virtually the same layout as the Hyatt around the corner. In other words, its a monster of a hotel, constructed during the year's economic boom when multiple escalators and shiny brass handrails were meant to impress.

The hotel packs in an eclectic crowd -- from vacationing families with children to school groups to businessmen to canoodling couples. Even late at night and in early morning -- thanks, in part, to the Starbucks counter -- there is a busy hum throughout the hotel. A full-scale renovation in 2012 only made the hotel made more glamorous with contemporary room updates.

View on a Larger Map

Just like the neighboring Epic and Hyatt hotels, the Intercontinental is on the downtown waterfront. By day this part of the city is bustling with business, though guests have to walk several blocks to find actual stores or restaurants that aren't affiliated with some colossal hotel or office building. Then again, if they're here for work, they're probably headed to a meeting in one of these glass and mortar confections anyway. At night the skyscrapers light up with a tropical range of pinks, yellows, blues, and greens. But for all the shine, there's very little life on the streets. If guests are going anywhere, they have to drive or take a taxi. Fortunately, there's a constant stream of cabs and a huge parking lot by the entrance (there's a steep fee for valet-only parking).

Still, if guests would like to stretch their legs, the Intercontinental is right by the large Bay Front Park, replete with an amphitheater, a playground, a view of South Beach, and loads of kids taking their skateboards for a spin.

The Intercontinental has 641 rooms atop 34 stories. The hotel underwent a major overhaul in 2012, which included much-need updates to guestrooms and suites. Decor is modern with a a colorful, but not overly bold, palette and up-to-date technologies. Rooms are also full of light with sweeping windows that look our over downtown Miami and Biscayne Bay.

• King size or two double beds
• Wi-Fi, for a fee
• Large flat-screen TVs with premium cable and on-demand movies
• 24-hour room service
• Minibar
• iPod dock with alarm clock
• Coffeemakers
• European marble bathrooms

Club Level rooms have all standard amenities, with the addition of Club Lounge access, which includes free Wi-Fi, continental breakfast, evening hors d'oeuvres, and health club access. There are also 34 suites, two of which -- the Presidential Suites -- there were designed by tennis start Venus Williams.

The pool

• Small outdoor garden with a tiny putting range and a pool with seating
• MySpa facility has a daily access fee for the gym, sauna, and steam rooms.
• Fitness center
• Starbucks

The putting range

Rooms at the Intercontinental are generally quite large, with more than enough space to fit in a complimentary crib. A rollaway bed should fit as well, though it carries an extra charge. Since there's a maximum occupancy of four people to a room, larger families will have to book more than one room. The buffet at Indigo is varied and extensive enough to have at least something the kids will like. If worse comes to worst, the intricately designed desserts are sure to lure them in.

• Blue Water Restaurant has an view of Biscayne Bay, and serves seafood for lunch only, but is open for afterwork drinks
• Toro Toro serves South American food for breakast, lunch, and dinner
• Table 40 is a Chef's Table option for 14-person maximum dining from Chef Alexander Feher
• Ole is available for breakfast only, but can be rented for private parties. The restaurant is a la carte and buffet-style, and uses local ingredients
• There is an on-site Starbucks
• Room service is 24 hours