Developed by Ian Schrager in partnership with Marriott International, Miami Beach EDITION is a hip luxury hotel with lots to offer in the heart of Miami Beach.
Located in Mid-Beach on a three and a half-acre private enclave stretching from Collins Ave to the ocean, Miami Beach EDITION exudes Shrager-esque style without compromising on the comforts that you would expect from a five-star hotel.
The hotel, which opened in 2014, boasts two ocean-facing pools, a wellness spa with a gym, a nightclub, bowling alley and an ice rink (in the basement) that doubles as a nightclub, as well as chic indoor and outdoor event space. It is also home to the Jean George-developed MATADOR BAR and ROOM, a visually stunning space with an equally impressive dining experience.
A Fair Comparison
Having stayed at 1Hotel several times (and having loved it) it is only natural for me to compare The EDITION to its neighbor a few blocks south. Both properties are relatively new, both are immensely popular and command one of the higher room rates on Collins Ave—though The EDITION is usually a little cheaper. They also seem to have similar clientele—several people I spoke to at EDITION had previously stayed at 1Hotel.
1Hotel excels in many ways that few hotels in Miami Beach can match. Their focus on natural materials like reclaimed wood and live greenery curated throughout the hotel exudes a mellowness and underlying current of energy that is truly unique. Meanwhile their standard rooms and bathrooms—equip with rain showers, jacuzzi tubs, large sinks and warm stone floors—are large and very comfortable. The enormous main pool with elevated views of the Atlantic Ocean as well as the rooftop bar have made it one of the most popular hotels in Miami Beach since they arrived in 2015.
The layout and expansiveness of the hotel, however, has some slight drawbacks. It takes quite a while to get from the pool up to your room, and while I appreciate their eco-friendly elevator system—engineered to maximize the number of guests on each ride—it can be confusing for first time guests and slow at times. And while the expansive lobby is a wonderful space—with well-appointed bar, dining and sitting areas—it is not on your route from room to pool/beach, nor does it have a view of the ocean.
This is where The EDITION excels.
It’s Easy To Get Around and Has Everything You Need
The layout at The Edition is simple and intuitive. Virtually everything is a stone’s throw from the lobby which makes getting around easy and efficient and adds a whimsical flow of energy and comradery to the place. Everyone is coming and going to or from something enjoyable. The hotel is also outfitted with everything you need. One of Shrager’s top goals with the hotel was to make it a one- stop shopping experience, providing everything a guest could imagine—dining, nightlife, socializing, recreation, culture, work and meeting space—within the complex. Once you are there, there is no reason to leave if you don’t want to. Personally, I can’t imagine forgoing a dinner at Joe’s Stone Crab or walking across the street to the Broken Shaker and Twenty Seven restaurant at the Freehand Hotel, but if you’re the type that just likes to chill at your hotel, Miami Beach EDITION has you covered.
The Lobby
The lobby is visually stunning with pristine white marble floors and polished white pearl Venetian plaster walls, highlighted with subtle tones of gold and deep green form the indoor palms. One of the few hotel lobbies in Miami Beach to offer a view of the ocean, the spirit of the space, like the hotel itself, is “barefoot chic” or “new tropical” as Shrager likes to say.
“You might see people in golf attire, a bathing suit, a Pilates uniform, formal evening clothes or jeans,” Schrager notes. “All comfortable, all being themselves, all connected by a certain sensibility.”
The lobby is also the central nervous system of the hotel with a fun pool table (great for the kids) and adjacent MATADOR BAR—with the pools, beach and outdoor tiki bar, “Tropicale,” just a short jaunt away.
Dining
There are several dining options at EDITION including the Jean George-developed “Marketplace” which offers lots of indoor and outdoor seating, perfect for Breakfast or an afternoon snack if you need to get out of the sun or satiate the kiddos. Meanwhile, overlooking the pool with Miami Beach in view is “Tropicale,” the strategically located tiki bar, offering tropical drinks, light bites and island music.
The real attraction, however, is MATADOR. Upon entering the stately MATADOR BAR, one cannot help but feel, “instantly transported to another era where class and glamour reign supreme,” as Ian Shrager says. An expansive black walnut and stone bar is the room’s centerpiece, with floor-to-ceiling windows that provide an unobstructed view of the ocean and palm trees dancing in the wind. In the early evening when the light-permeable curtains are closed it presents an even more mystical setting with the tropical setting silhouetted in the background. Additional LED lights in the ceiling illuminate the walnut-paneled walls which are covered with photographs by famed French photographer Lucien Clergue and portray the art of bullfighting. Additional floor lights illuminate the half-oval shaped bar giving the illusion that it’s almost levitating.
After having a Martini at the bar, make your way into the MATADOR ROOM, the hotel’s main restaurant—a grandly proportioned, glamorous oval-shaped space that recalls all the excitement of Miami Beach’s heyday. The kind of place, Schrager says, “one might expect to see Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers waltzing through.”
Top Chef Jeremy Ford’s modern interpretation of Latin cuisine influenced by Spanish, Caribbean and South American flavors are wonderfully integrated with a variety of dishes that are ideal for sharing. The seasonal menu, composed of small and large dishes, utilizes a bounty of locally sourced, Floridian ingredients. The space’s original chandelier has been restored and is suspended over the sunken oval dining room, reminiscent of the glamorous supper clubs of the 1940s and 50s.
The Beach (and getting there)
Access to the beach is very close to the hotel. While this is not unique to The EDITION, the proximity of the beach to the main pool seems extra close at EDITION. This may seem like a small perk but if you like to go to and from the beach several times a day, it matters.
Want to spend the day at the beach? EDITION has you covered with plenty of beach chairs—two chairs complimentary per room—as well as food and drink service that, while not super quick, is nonetheless a reliable perk.
The stretch of beach at the hotel is also unique due to a line of rocks at both ends that gives it a sort of “cove” feel, lessening the foot traffic and giving it a more private feel.
Kid Friendly
While “kid friendly” is not the first adjective that comes to mind with the Ian Shrager brand, Miami EDITION is surprisingly hospitable towards little ones. From the pool table in the lobby, to the ping pong table in the palm-tree sheltered area off the pool, to the basement bowling alley and skating rink, the hotel is quite kid friendly.
…And Did Not Love
As for the aspects of Miami EDITION I did not love? While there was nothing at the hotel I flat-out “disliked” there were a few things I did not “love.” In no way are these deal breakers.
The Rooms
Standard rooms are sizeable and chic with coconut white and light wood colors that is elegant and easy on the eye. My standard room at EDITION was plenty big and looked the part, however the minimalist design can lack in functionality in some areas. The bathroom, for example, was equipped with a sink that had no cavity and a very slight slant which results in a very slow draining process. While not a dealbreaker, these low-cost sinks—posing as fashionable—don’t work so well.
Pools & Benches
Like the rooms, the pools at EDITION are perfectly fine—just not great. The smaller pool (shown below) is actually the main pool or feels like it while the larger “Tropicale” pool, with gets less sun and was more popular with families given the extra space and proximity to food and drinks at Tropicale. Nothing to really pick on here but I would not say it’s their selling point.
My main gripe is more with the positioning and comfort of the benches than the pools themselves. Half the benches have morning sun and half have afternoon sun so you kind of have to choose when you want sun. While this may be a problem for many Miami hotels it seemed more pronounced at EDITION. Of course, many people today will actually appreciate this as younger generations are much more careful about sun exposure, particularly in places where the sun is so strong.
The benches are also quite stiff and low to the ground. The minimalist design Shrager is famous for can sometimes look more comfortable than it actually is. Think futon not featherbed.
The Final Verdict…
The beauty of Ian Shrager’s hotels is that their modern, minimalist design provides style and panache at a reasonable price. While Miami EDITION is certainly not cheap, it is a relative value for a five-star hotel on Miami Beach. It has everything that sun-deprived snowbirds could want, including two ocean-facing pools, with beach access that is as easy as it gets in Miami Beach.
The most unexpected treat? MATADOR Bar. Shrager is right. It does indeed, “transport you back in time to an era where class and glamour reigned supreme.” Order The Pineapple, served in a custom-made copper pineapple or opt for a simple Martini while you enjoy the surroundings. Either way you won’t be disappointed.
