Miami is a sultry, steamy, busy, beach city on Florida’s central east coast. Its also home to 2.6 million residents from 120 countries, with Spanish emerging as a top language. Miami is also the Cruise Ship Capital of the World, serving almost 5 million passengers annually.
Port of Miami is global headquarters for five leading cruise lines and 18 cruise ship brands – Carnival Cruise Lines which also owns Cunard, Holland America, Costa and Seaborne; Norwegian which is parent company of Oceania Cruises, Princess and Regent Seven Seas Cruises; and Royal Caribbean who also operates Celebrity and Azamara, plus MSC- Mediterranean Shipping Company. Over 40 ships call Miami their home port, its the perfect embarkation point for passage to the Bahamas, Eastern and Western Caribbean and Mexico. Port Miami can accommodate 8 major cruise ships daily – so you can imagine the bustling turnover on a typical Saturday in season.
Stay the night before or after your cruise from Miami in a luxury hotels – Miami has many to choose from, with over 50,000 hotel beds, on Miami Beach – America’s Riviera of South Beach at the trendy W South Beach, or in downtown Miami overlooking Biscayne Bay at the impressive W Hotel. We have stayed at both…
South Beach is cool – the sand is hot and so is the nightlife along Ocean Drive, Collins and Washington Avenues. Art deco hotels with sultry swimming pools create a luxury daytime of leisure leading up to chic dining at places like Tantra, and late nights clubbing. Meanwhile downtown Miami across the causeway has an urban sophistication, and dramatic lights at night from upper floors in Miami’s best hotels with rooftop swimming pools and cool bars with the best view of pricey yachts and cruise ships parading out to sea. Between Downtown and Miami’s beaches is Dodge Island where the cruise ships dock at the Port Miami.
LOVE MIAMI…
The W Miami is a beautiful downtown luxury hotel . Its chic, especially the 15th Floor roof pool- the largest in Miami, with a spectacular view of Biscayne Bay. Pool guys serve drinks and snacks from the café and a DJ plays poolside. The W has a 50th Floor Bar with amazing views and a nightclub. Our suite at The W was posh, palatial even, with a huge water view bathroom all decked in gorgeous marble, floor to ceiling windows by our king bed, plus a balcony overlooking downtown. Another favorite The W at Snowmass at Aspen, and The W Verbier Switzerland, slightly different climate than Miami!
The W’s restaurant near the pool, 15th floor ADDIKT- their signature restaurant., has extraordinary views from the outdoor patio tables. You are a $30 cab to the airport, cruise ship terminal or South Beach and Miami Beach, and you can walk to the Capital Grill and shopping in Brickell.
Miami luxury hotels also include Mandarin Oriental, Ritz Carlton, Four Seasons, Hilton, Hyatt, Marriot, Wyndham, Intercontinental, EPIC Kimpton Hotel, Holiday Inn, Sheraton, and Embassy. On South Beach and Miami Beach the top hotels are W South Beach, South Seas, Loews, Fontainbleu, Delano, Clevelander, Shore Club, Nautilus, Aloft, Faena, 1 Hotel, AC Hotel, and Mondrian – all hip and happening by the sand and the strand of shops, bars and trendy restaurants.
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