Who's Going
Dan Macmillan, Samantha Rosen, Gisele Bundchen with Tom Brady, Jay-z with Beyonce, Leonardo DiCaprio
Reason to Stay
All-Suite Hotel, Resort Pool Area, Designer Interior
Hotel Type
All-Suite Beach Resort
In the world of over-the-top luxury hotels, the Setai would probably fit better into the world of Dubai than deco-sexy Miami Beach. Located on a congested stretch of Collins Avenue, a bit too far from South Beach to walk, the 40-story hotel features an all-suite concept with luxurious and at-times decadent Baliense theme. The hotel is divided between two sections, the sculpted glass 'owners' tower located along the beach and louder Collins Avenue-side within the refurbished facade of the Dempsey Vanderbilt Hotel. The interior lobby area is elegant and ornate, incorporating black brick and granite with natural teak tones and volcanic rock that feel far more Malaysian than Miami. Bronze and pottery sculptures are displayed on minimalist black tables with spotlighting and sedate background music.
Setai Miami operates under a condo-hotel concept that at times struggles between being a property manager and hotelier. The concierge service could be better, offering antiquated restaurant recommendations and unable to snag guest list slots at local nightclubs like Prive. The outdoor resort area features three separate azure pools, each maintained at different temperatures, dotted by oversize loungers with thin-green mattress padding. We wish the staff were a bit cuter, subserviently making their way around the pool with towels, water, magazines and iPods. There's a small beach located through a private gate, offering private jet skis and the odd ocean activity, but no real beach club. The downstairs spa delivers to the nines, offering plunge pools and lavish treatment rooms catering to a high-demand, if not high-end clientele. A much-touted restaurant serves-up fusion cuisine that sometimes feels more French than Asian in its menu selections, adjacent to the hotel bar and library lounge that's currently the place to be seen in Miami.
The Room
Divided between two buildings, you’ll definitely know what side of the hotel you’re on if you look out the window or check your bill. Rooms priced under $5oo are located within the old building along Collins Avenue offering Studio and Junior Suites with head-on views of Miami traffic. The rooms are meticulously remodeled with not a single gesture towards its deco roots. Instead polished woods floors are offset with stone accents and glass-encrusted doors. Black granite bathrooms are concealed behind the bed in junior suites, with dual splash sinks and rain showers, or in adjoining rooms within standard accommodations. The Italian Acqua Di Parma bath accessories are heavenly. Beds are made with hand pressed Irish linens and perfect for enjoying a morning Americano from the in-room Lavazza espresso coffeemaker. Although the deco building is entirely adequate, the tower is where you want to be. Rooms measure upwards of 900-sqaure feet and offer head-on views of the Atlantic and Setai pool area. Rooms are decorated in a modernist Italian spirit with substantial furnishings and well-selected artwork. Bathrooms are outfitted much the same, black granite but with a deep-soaking spa tub and floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the sea. One-Bedroom and two-Bedroom suites include private kitchens equipped with small cooking facilities and cozy dining room tables �" but then who ever really eat in while in Miami?
Preferred Room
One-Bedroom Suite �" Tower
Special Features
Resort Setting, Trendy Clientele, Be-Seen Lobby
Amenities
Restaurant, Lounge, Bar, Outdoor Bar, Swimming Pool, Beach
