Miami Suite at The Confidante Miami Beach Review

Miami Suite at The Confidante Miami Beach Review

During Alaska Airlines’ end of year sale, I was able to get a fantastic deal from Seattle to Fort Lauderdale in First Class.  After realizing that Miami is only a short drive, I decided to book a night at The Confidante Miami Beach, owned by Hyatt and part of The Unbound Collection.

The beach front property dates back to the 1940s but has had many evolutions over the years including as an apartment and most recently a Thompson Hotel (prior to Hyatt’s acquisition of the brand).  When Hyatt purchased the property it was rebranded as The Confidante and added to The Unbound Collection portfolio of brands.

I was able to book a room for $214 + tax on a Saturday night in January during COVID.  There is a $40/night Resort Fee (waived for Globalist members or on points stays).  Parking is $45/night.

Location

The Confidante is located at the end of I-195 in mid Miami Beach.  Coming from MIA, it is a straight shot to the property.

A few properties to the north is the Fontainebleau and if you head south you get to South Beach.

The Confidante is sandwiched between Collins Ave and the Miami Beachwalk.  Currently the wooden boardwalk is being replaced in front of the property.  Instead of a wooden boardwalk, it is being replaced with a paved path.

Check In

I arrived around 7pm on a Saturday night.  Collins Ave in front of The Confidante is under construction so it takes a detour to get in to the valet driveway.  The lobby was busy, a surprise compared to other hotels I have visited during COVID.

I had reserved a standard room and was upgraded to a Miami Suite as a Globalist.  I was also given  a late check out when I asked.  I also asked about breakfast.  Not much else about the property was explained.

Room

I was assigned Room 1501, a Miami Suite, in what I would call the 16 story main tower (the one with the radio antenna on top).  The top two floors of the tower are smaller; Floor 15 only has five rooms.

The door opens into the living room area of the suite.  There is a wet bar and dining area as well as a sitting area and wall mounted TV.

Both the bedroom and living room have direct access to the bathroom which is a bonus if you are having guests to your room.

The bedroom has a king bed, a second TV above a desk and a free standing closet.

My suite was on the northwest corner looking back towards Miami and towards the neighboring property.  The bedroom is above Collins Ave and if honking keeps you awake, you would not sleep well.  The suite also doesn’t have a balcony.  I would have preferred a non-suite with a balcony out towards the ocean.

The decor of the entire suite is mid-century modern with a distinctive Miami vibe.  It is very casual and fun.  It does not feel like a business hotel at all; this is definitely a vacation destination.  The room is showing its age in places; I noticed tears in the carpet and the furniture is worn.  Everything is very clean and maintained — it is just well used.

Bathroom

As I mentioned, there are two entrances into the bathroom.  The toilet is just off the living room area while the shower and sink area are just off the bedroom.

A single vanity sits under a mirror that looks like the window of a ship.

A glass wall divides the sink area from the shower and bath area.  There is no door which can lead to a flooded floor after a shower.

The shower has both a ceiling mounted rain shower as well as a hand held sprayer.  The controls for the temperature are located on the back wall so you can turn on the water without getting wet.  There is no pressure control, it is either on or off.  The knob to switch between hand held sprayer and overhead shower was broken.  The tub sits next to the shower.

The bath products are Jonathan Adler “Champagne” scented.

Dining

Currently the only open restaurant is Ambersweet that offers both inside and outside dining.  I ate both dinner and breakfast in Ambersweet.  The prices are high — I paid $70 (including tax + 20% automatic gratuity) for my dinner of chicken with brussels sprouts and one cocktail.  My breakfast came to $40 but was covered as a Globalist.

The food was okay but the service, especially at breakfast, was poor.  I was never brought a napkin or silverware; the person at the next table over ended up giving me his when he saw me waiting.  I noticed a server bring a plate to the wrong table.  When the customer told him, he picked it up and took it to the correct one after it had been sitting in front of the wrong customer.  Bad any time but especially during COVID.  Maybe the automatic gratuity disincentivizes proper service.

There is also a bar off the lobby that serves coffee in the morning and drinks in the evening.  You can also order drinks and food at the pool.

Pool & Beach

Behind the restaurant is an area they call the Backyard.  There is a separate house (perhaps used for special events) in addition to a courtyard with some seating.

Two pools, one for families and one for adults, sit at the edge of the property.  There are numerous lounge chairs and (rentable) cabanas.

From the pool you can exit into the beachwalk and sandy beach.

The section of beach behind the property is reserved for guests and includes pastel colored chairs and umbrellas at no additional cost.

Additionally on the 10th floor is a gym with an open air deck.  Occasionally fitness classes are offered.

Overall

The Confidante offers a unique place to stay right on Miami Beach.  The location is fantastic.  The rooms and public spaces have a ton of character.  With over 300 rooms, it is a relatively large “boutique” hotel.  I was disappointed by the service — considering this is a Hyatt owned property I would think it would be of highest quality.  If you have to pay the resort fee and parking, add an additional $95/night to your rate.  I also would like to see them offer Globalists the choice between a standard suite and a more basic room but with a view/balcony.