The Biltmore by Hal Peat

No question but that treating oneself to a stay at The Biltmore Hotel on a Miami visit is a unique opportunity to savour some of the spirit and style of the city’s original golden age of travel. Originally opened in 1926, The Biltmore has in fact come and gone as an operational hotel no less than four times over succeeding decades, but the premises of today retain most of the architectural intent and grandeur of its earliest era.

Anyone’s first impression must include the main Moorish-style tower with its copper-clad dome, flanked on each side by the Venetian style exterior of the main building. The overall design intent is “Mediterranean-revival”, deriving from southern European and North African accents. This continues in the quite vast public areas with their barrel-vaulted ceilings arch above you replete with hand-painted frescoes, while travertine floors and marble columns sweep along endlessly between lobby and meeting room, ballroom and restaurant

You somewhat expect the retinue of a visiting prince, prime minister or Hollywood star to come sweeping into the main foyer each time you descend from your own quarters. With its lengthy list of such stellar guests, that may just happen during your visit.

The rooms
Rooms and suites also reflect the stylistic Mediterranean old world mix in their use of design. At the same time, plenty of attention has been paid to comfort and modern efficiency: feather beds ease you into instant sleep, and signature robes and slippers invite you to lounge at ease in privacy while you work at your writing desk or have breakfast in front of an expansive window vista of Coral Gables, the pool or the adjacent golf course. Suites and deluxe rooms have a separate sitting area. All guest quarters are wired for high-speed internet, while suites also have flat screen plasma TV’s. Mini-bars, safety deposit boxes, and dual phone lines with voice mail and data port are also standard guest features.