Moxy Miami South Beach review: forget Miami Vice, this is more Miami very, very, nice

Bedrooms at Moxy Miami South Beach come in a range of configurations: one king or two queen beds; quad rooms featuring bunk beds; and suites. The latter features a king bed, ocean views, a separate seating area with an L-shaped sofa, a wet bar with sink and refrigerator, bar cart, two 55” wall-mounted flat-screen TVs, and custom neon artwork.

The hotel’s eclectic check-in area

Where to eat and drink

Moxy Miami South Beach is not just a hotel, it’s a resort. To illustrate this, there are no less than six dining and drinking venues, developed in partnership with the founders of Miami’s uber-popular Coyo Taco and 1-800-LUCKY.

The stand-out among these is Como Como, which feels reverential and momentous, like the inside of a cathedral. Patrons enter through carved wooden doorways and archways of wrought iron and glass, with shelves displaying Mesoamerican artefacts. Once inside, they can watch chefs prepare their meals according to ancient Mexican techniques: whole fish cooked over a wood-and-charcoal-fired grill; vegetables roasted in cast iron pans in a charcoal-burning Josper oven; tortillas sizzling on a comal, the traditional flat-top griddle used for centuries.

The stand-out among Moxy’s dining and drinking options is Como Como

At the restaurant’s centre is a spectacular ‘tequila tree’ sculpture of hand-blown glass and copper pipes, which symbolises the drink’s distillation process. The tequila travels through this dramatically-lit centrepiece and is dispensed by bartenders into moreish cocktails. Impressive stuff.

The site’s other food and drink venues include Mezcalista, a sexy mezcal lounge; Serena, an open-air rooftop restaurant and bar with a casual-but-classy vibe; Los Buenos, a taco bodega in the lobby (which serves delicious quesadillas and home-made ice-cream); Bar Moxy, which doubles as a social hub and check-in desk; and The Upside, a rooftop bar on the eighth floor.

Mezcalista, the mezcal lounge

Outside the hotel, guests should venture down to Nikki Beach (1 Ocean Dr), which is America’s first luxury beach club. There, you’ll find sushi boats, sharing platters, oversized salads and rotisserie chickens all paired with organic wines. Think Soho Farmhouse, but in the sand.

What to do

Miami has a thriving art scene to rival Europe’s biggest cities, including London. This is fitting because, over in Ice Palace Studios (1400 N Miami Ave), there’s an entire museum dedicated to Banksy, which includes a full, painstaking recreation of an underground tube platform, alongside 150 of his other pieces.

Conversely, hip art gallery Superblue Miami (1101 NW 23rd St) is Florida’s equivalent to the Tate Modern, but with a focus on light-based displays and digital installations. One exhibition, Massless Clouds Between Sculpture and Life, invites visitors inside a huge cloud made of soap suds. The Miami Herald described it as “art that you can literally be inside”.

The immersive art experience ‘Flowers on People’ at Superblue Miami by a group of artists called Teamlab

Chandan Khanna/AFP via Getty Images

Thankfully, not all of the city’s art is indoors. South Beach’s famous collection of Art Deco buildings is a also must-see, not least because its virtually unchanged since its completion in 1941. Highlights include The Carlyle and The Breakwater.

Depending on the time of year, visitors can also enjoy the international Art Basel Miami Beach fair, which takes place every December, or the Miami Film Festival, of which the Moxy is an official partner. Then again, of course it is. It’s Marriott’s brightest new star.

Moxy Miami South Beach opened its doors in February 2021

Verdict

Moxy Miami South Beach is a stylish and playful celebration of Miami’s cosmopolitan culture. A stand-alone resort with six restaurants, two pools and a gym, plus an open-air cinema on the roof, it anchors the city’s Art Deco Cultural District and is just two short blocks from the golden sands.

Forget Miami Vice, this is more Miami Nice. Very, very nice.

Rooms at Moxy Miami South Beach start from $159 (about £120) per night. Book online at moxysouthbeach.com

Article source: https://www.theweek.co.uk/arts-life/travel/956521/moxy-miami-south-beach-hotel-review