In Miami, hotels are opening at the speed of Kim Kardashian selfies. Does this green-leaning newcomer to South Beach have a shot?
Eco-friendly digs with a luxury twist.
Entry-level rooms start at a whopping 650 square-feet, which is massive for South Beach. Green-leaning touches include cardboard hangers, a triple-water filtration system, and reclaimed wood headboards. We loved the spacious sitting area with its white-linen sectional—big enough to seat you and 10 friends—and the enormous marble bathroom, with its cedar-scented bath amenities in refillable bottles.
Youthful yet sophisticated. Guests ran the gamut from locals grabbing coffee in the airy lobby, which has a living wall and comfy couches, to girlfriends on holiday hanging at the small, casual bar. In a refreshing break from the nightlife-centric scene on SoBe, 1 focuses on #daylife—even using a hashtag to promote the concept. Don’t expect to be woken up by all-night ragers and DJs, which for couples, business travelers, and the sleep-deprived, is an absolute blessing.
Friendly and attentive. The doormen were quick to pick up our bags, and offer us a ride in the house Tesla (it’s free, and a snazzy ride). Check-in was crisp and efficient—check out, even more so at the ungodly hour of 5:30 a.m.
Beachcraft, the Tom Colicchio restaurant, stood out for it’s excellent farm-to-table food: At dinner, don’t miss the roasted lamb saddle, the flatbreads, or any of the homemade pastas, and at breakfast, order the gooey egg and cheese sandwich. The fact that there are not one, but three pools, means that you’ll never have to fight for a lounge chair.
The plantable welcome note: On brand, thoughtful, and something we’ve never seen before!
The in-room tablets still have a few kinks to work out; our request for room service coffee never went through, so we had to pick up the phone to order, anyway. The concierge team seemed a bit frazzled by our request to store a laptop, but quickly recovered. All things considered, for being just three months old, the hotel is up and running and ready to be a veteran Miami player.
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