Viceroy Miami Rating: 4.5 Pearls

Downtown, Miami, Florida

The lobby

Two heavyweight developers and $1.3 billion helped make Icon Brickell one of the most important residential projects to hit Miami in recent years. Real estate mogul Jorge Perez and celebrity designer Philippe Starck collaborated to create a stunning complex of three high-rise towers, a two-acre park and pool deck, and a powerful brand image of stylish, sophisticated urban living. The project is part of an ongoing transformation in corporate Downtown and Brickell; new hotels, hot restaurants, and high-design residences are helping to turn these fast-growing areas into destinations in their own right.

The Viceroy Hotel resides in this buzzed-about complex, in a 50-story tower it shares with more than 500 residential units (the two neighboring 57-story towers house an additional 1,276). With the famous name of Playboy-bunny-turned-decorator Kelly Wearstler added to the mix as the hotel's designer, and Michelin-starred chef Michael Psilakis designing the menu of the hotel's restaurant (though he moved on to other projects in 2011), the Viceroy became something of a celebrity brand name tour-de-force. But all that star power doesn't change the fact that this isn't South Beach -- yet. While the Viceroy is an excellent option for stylish business travelers who want to stay near Brickell's corporate offices, the hotel seems geared toward a hip, jetsetting crowd that the neighborhood is only starting to attract.

• 24-hour concierge service
• 24-hour room service
• Same-day dry cleaning and laundry service
• Free house car service available for pick-up and drop-off within a two mile radius on weekends
• Two laptops available for use in lobby upon request
• Poolside food and drink service from Cafe Icon, available from 9 a.m. to sundown

View on a Larger Map

The Viceroy is part of a 10-acre residential high-rise complex in Brickell, a fast-growing business and residential district.

• Walking distance to Brickell's financial district
• 20-minute drive to South Beach
• 15-minute drive to Miami International Airport
• 1-minute drive or 20-minute walk to American Airlines Arena
• 3-minute drive to the Adrienne Arsht Center for Performing Arts
• 6-minute drive to the Wynwod Arts District
• 10-minute drive to Coconut Grove and Coral Gables

Viceroy King

All rooms include:

• 42-inch flat-screen TVs and iPod docks
• Kitchenettes with stoves, microwaves, sinks, dishes, and coffee machines (fee for each coffee pod used)
• Kelly Wearstler design: Asian-inspired accents, bold colors, antique woods, mirrors, four-poster beds
• Sferra linens and robes
• Large marble bathrooms
• Free in-room Wi-Fi and wired internet
• Reading lights on the beds
• Neil George toiletries
• In-room safe; minibar; dry cleaning and laundry service

Room types:

• Viceroy Kings: 410 square feet; glass-enclosed shower
• Viceroy King Deluxe: 480 square feet; deep tub and separate shower
• Viceroy Doubles: 630 square feet; two double beds; deep tub and separate shower
• Junior Suites: 588 square feet; deep tub and separate shower
• One-Bedroom Suite: 784 square feet; deep tup and separate shower

One- and two-bedroom residences with spacious balconies are also avaialbe for stays of three days or more.

Water lounge

• 28,000-square-foot spa with Philippe Starck design, 10 treatment rooms, redwood saunas, eucalyptus steam rooms, and a media screening room. Massages range from $60 to $320; body treatments from $125 to $190; and facials from $120 to $175.
• Beautiful water lounge with white marble floors, three Jacuzzis, a shallow foot-deep reflecting pool, white furniture (some of it in the pool, a la the Philippe Starck pools at SLS Hotel in Beverly Hills), floor-to-ceiling wooden bookcases with white books, floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the bay, and a giant yellow chandelier
• 2,500-square-foot fitness center with yoga and Pilates classes, spinning studio, and expert trainers
• Two-acre pool deck with huge infinity pool, bay views, poolside food and drink service from Cafe Icon, a fireplace, and a floor chess board; shared with Icon Brickell Condo residents

Eos Restaurant

• Eos Restaurant: Acclaimed Mediterranean-inspired small plates menu in a trendy space with bay views. Sushi and ceviches, $10-$12; pasta, $12-$16; fish, poultry, and meat, $12-$42. Dinner only.
• Bistro e: During breakfast and lunch, Eos restaurant becomes known as Bistro e and serves eclectic American cuisine, such as Michael's Lamb Burger ($17) and a brisket French dip ($16).
• Club 50: This 50th-floor rooftop pool and lounge -- a guests-only hangout by day, and classy club by night -- delivers stellar views and high design. But it's far from the South Beach party scene.
• Cafe Icon: Casual cafe with paninis, coffee, and gelato; poolside service available for guests