Miami, Florida



Miami is a major international business center with numerous multinational and Fortune 500 companies. While tourism and international trade are the economy’s strongest segments, real estate, construction and biotechnology are rapidly growing. Many U.S. corporations—including UPS, FedEX and Hewlett-Packard—run their South American operations from Miami. Downtown, about 35 miles in size, is Miami’s international banking and finance center, but for accomodations closer to the convention center and the center of nightlife, choose to stay in Miami Beach.

Facts to Know Before You Go

Transportation:

Taxi cabs and shuttles: Cabs are located just outside each terminal’s baggage claim area. The flat-rate fare from the airport to Miami Beach is $24. Any of several share-ride shuttles can save you money if you reserve ahead; SuperShuttle also offers walk-up service just outside baggage claim. Wait time for a shuttle is about 15 to 20 minutes. Expect to pay about $14 for a ride to Downtown Miami and $16 to reach Miami Beach.
Rental Car: Renting a car can be a great way to get around South Florida. Most national car rental chains have airport counters, but all pick-up/drop-off locations are outside the airport facility, three to five minutes away. Before you leave the rental car facility, make sure that you get a map with its location; the signage is not great around the airport, and the facilities can be tricky to find.
Public Transportion: Public transportation is not recommended for business travelers. Although it only costs $1.50, the Metrobus trip from the airport to Downtown takes about one hour.

Information:

For local business news try the South Florida Business Journal, which is published weekly, or the Daily Business Review for more frequent business and legal news.

The Miami Herald, a general interest newspaper, also has a daily business section covering business news from the local to the international.

Internet:
AT&T Public Wireless offers wi-fi Internet access in the D and H concourses and plans to add more hotspots in the future. In Concourse G, look for Wireless service by Airpath at gate G2. Yet another provider, Boingo Wireless, offers service at the Bacardi Bar in Concourse E. For a full-service Internet workstation, try the Hotel Lobby Bar on the 8th floor of the Miami International Airport Hotel.


For more on South Florida travel, see our 72-Hour Vacation guide to Miami.



Where to Stay


Delano
1685 Collins Ave. (16th St.)
305-672-2000 Book a room

Named after President Franklin Delano Roosevelt, this 1947 landmark was completely renovated in 1995 at a cost of $28 million. Inspired by the islands of Greece, Phillipe Starck transformed the complex into a magical retreat with a 250-foot-long lobby corridor and floor-to-ceiling windows with flowing sheer drapes. This boutique hotel continues to be one of the premier South Beach destinations for celebrities as does its popular restaurant, the Blue Door. Its 238 elegant lofts, one-bedroom suites and pool bungalows are romantic with their virginal white furnishings, but more importantly, they’re practical. All rooms include both wired and wireless high-speed Internet access. Guests will feel like royalty as they take advantage of in-room massages, personal trainers and maids who discreetly unpack their bags.



The Astor
956 Washington Ave. (Tenth St.)
305-531-8081 Book a room

Although refurbished in 2002, this 1932 hotel retains many of its original Art Deco elements like terrazzo floors and aluminum fixtures. Although the hotel considers the pricey one-bedroom suites its signature rooms, it is possible to rent a small, quiet room in the back of the hotel for $145 during the off- season. En suite marble bathrooms are standard, and all rooms come with Web TV (many with flat screens) and high-speed Internet access.



Hyatt Regency Miami
400 SE Second Ave. (Fourth St.)
305-358-1234 Book a room

Located downtown on the Miami River and enviably convenient to the Riverwalk and Convention Center, this majestic hotel offers the kind of modern and practical accommodations travelers have come to count on from Hyatt. Many rooms have private balconies overlooking Biscayne Bay and the Miami skyline and all have wireless high-speed Internet access and fax machines. Among the property's
several restaurants and lounges is the tropical Riverwalk Café, serving gourmet and casual cuisine. Japengo’s nightclub keeps the Latin rhythm beating ’til morning.



Mayfair Hotel & Spa
3000 Florida Ave. (S. Bayshore Dr.)
Coconut Grove, FL 33133
305-441-0000 Book a room

In the affluent enclave of Coconut Grove, this avant-garde hotel is a whimsical tribute to the architectural visions of Antonio Gaudi. Its location is right in the center of an array of holiday pleasures, including Cocowalk's outdoor shopping and dining. Each of the 179 accommodations is uniquely decorated, but all have vibrant color schemes and luxurious fabrics. The bedrooms are equipped with mini bars, complimentary high-speed Internet access and VCRs. Suites include all of these amenities along with private terraces and either Roman tubs or Japanese-style hot tubs.



The Ritz-Carlton, Coconut Grove
3300 SW 27th Ave (Tigertail Ave.)
Coconut Grove, FL 33133
305-644-4680 Book a room

This magnificent grand hotel knows how to go the extra mile. For a special visit, customized packages incorporate local tours in a Mercedes-Benz, gourmet picnic baskets, “shopping invigoration” spa sessions and romantic breakfasts in bed. Each of the 115 guest rooms and suites has a private balcony and floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking manicured gardens, Biscayne Bay or the Miami skyline. With high-speed Internet access in every room and an on-site business center, this hotel is as convenient as it is luxurious. Bizcaya Grill, the hotel’s restaurant, features upscale steaks and Continental cuisine.


See our list of Miami's 10 Best Business Hotels


Where to Dine


Azul
Mandarin Oriental Miami
500 Brickell Key Dr. (Brickell Ave.)
305-913-8254
15/20
$$$$$

The Mandarin Oriental, Miami hotel is built on prestigious Brickell Key, and as such its restaurant Azul offers incredible views of Biscayne Bay and the Miami skyline. The dining room is handsomely appointed too, but there’s no question that the main attraction here is the cuisine of chef Michelle Bernstein, who has gained national recognition for her savvy synthesis of Latin, Asian, Caribbean, Mediterranean and American culinary influences. Her global agility is convincingly displayed in innumerably innovative ways: Duck legs get glazed with five spice mix, and roasted chestnut soup is sumptuously spiked with black truffles, minced mushrooms and pancetta. Top flight service and a great wine list make Azul one of Miami’s premier dining destinations.


Baleen
Grove Isle Club & Resort
4 Grove Isle Dr. (Grand Ave.)
Coconut Grove, FL 33133
305-857-5007 Book a table
14/20
$$$$$

Baleen’s indoor dining room is richly decorated steakhouse-style with oak-paneled walls, mahogany furnishings and cozy booths around the perimeter. Lovely space, but stuffy compared to sitting on the semicircular patio amidst diaphanous white linen curtains billowing in the breeze. The food provides a bold contrast to this soothing setting;, executive chef Arturo Paz is adept at elevating pristine seafood with creative and robust global accents. Main courses are available sauced or unsauced, the former featuring dishes like herb crusted Pacific sea bass with fennel and leek stew, and Chinese fried snapper with coconut rice and black bean vinaigrette, the latter referring to various fish and shellfish that can be ordered simply roasted, grilled or sautéed.


Blue Door
Delano
1685 Collins Ave. (17th St.)
305-674-6400 Book a table
14/20
$$$$$

The Blue Door, decadent in an understated 90s way, wows with white curtains, white candles, a white grand piano and impossibly high ceilings. The outdoor verandah is an equally impressive spot to dine, overlooking a Philippe Starck life-sized chessboard and eclectic, pastoral garden. The tropical-accented French cuisine is also a sight to behold—and be eaten with gusto. A filet of black grouper gets eloquently enhanced with cashews, brown butter and roasted fresh hearts of palm; beef tenderloin crusted with distinction by a green peppercorn tempura; and roast duck breast enlivened by bacon, figs and caramelized pears. Blue Door remains South Beach’s standard of grandeur, befitting Miami’s flashy elite, deep-pocketed tourists, or anyone who dares to dream.



Nemo
100 Collins Ave. (First St.)
305-532-4550

15/20
$$$$$

Some come to Nemo for the Mediterranean dishes, others for the contemporary American-Pan Asian creations as well as numerous signature dishes, like the house-cured salmon and sprout rolls, grilled Indian-spiced pork chop and pristine shellfish platters presented on three-tier pedestals. Choose to enjoy your meal from one of the bar stools and you'll be entertained by the chefs in the open kitchen. If that's not your style, then nestle into a deep booth or select a table on the cobblestone patio under an enormous old oak tree. Wherever you sit, an air of festivity permeates this exceedingly comfortable restaurant.


Tuscan Steak
431 Washington Ave. (Fifth St.)
305-534-2233
14/20
$$$$$

Posh décor with state-of-the-art lighting, deep-wood finishes and luxurious high-backed booths create the perfect milieu for this quintessentially South Beach steakhouse. Mammoth martinis from a bar running the length of the dining room suggest that the drink is as significant to the experience as the food. That’s true, but the cuisine here has matured over the years like a well-aged Florentine steak. That hefty cut of beef is still the most popular item, but chef Barbara Scott has invigorated the menu with bright Mediterranean additions like whole duck glazed in truffled honey and sea bass saltimbocca with baby artichokes.

Off the Clock


Doral Resort & Spa Golf Course
4400 NW 87th Ave
305-592-2000

The Doral Resort’s five championship courses include the world-famous Blue Monster. After hosting the PGA tournament for more than forty years, this course is one of the most recognizable in the country. The 18th hole, with its iconic fountain, was actually named one of the top 100 holes in the world by Golf Magazine. Each of the challenging courses includes thick rough and numerous water holes; in fact, 16 of the Gold Course’s 18 holes are surrounded by water. To hone your game, spend some time at the Jim McLean Golf School.



The Spa at the Biltmore
The Biltmore Hotel
1200 Anastasia Ave. (Granada St.)
Coral Gables, FL 33134
305-445-1926


Hidden within the hotel's fitness center, The Spa at The Biltmore feels a little bit like a secret club. You ring a bell for entry, and are ushered into the sanctuary of all sanctuaries—a waiting area whose subtle golden lighting and pillowed sofas bring to mind the earthier, Moroccan works of Matisse. All the requisite treatments are offered and then some. Those who believe the luxury should never end will appreciate the seven-hour Biltmore Ultimate Package, which includes a body polish, signature massage, facial, manicure, pedicure, make-up and hair-styling.


Rumi
330 Lincoln Rd. (James Ave.)
305-672-4353

Retro decor, fine dining and trendy nightclub unite as one at Rumi. Creative Caribbean dishes fill the menu in this two-level chic club, where the stroke of midnight transforms the lounge into a hip dancing hotspot. Tables disappear, lights go down and the live entertainment begins. Acts range from rockstars to world-famous comedians and hip local DJs.

Ocean Cruise
401 Biscayne Blvd. (Port Blvd.)
Island Queen Cruises 305-379-5119
Heritage Schooner 305-442-9697

No tour of Miami would be complete without a spin on the Atlantic. Island Queen Cruises offer sightseeing tours aboard its yachts seven days per week. Hosting a meeting and need to impress? Charter a yacht for the day and cruise the neighboring islands. For something more old-fashioned, consider the Heritage Schooner, a tall ship with billowing sails that offers scenic tours of the Miami River, Coconut Grove, Biscayne Bay and more. Boats for both companies depart from the Bayside Marketplace at 401 Biscayne Blvd.



Salsa Dancing
Starfish
1427 West Avenue
305-673-1717

Let the rhythm get you while learning salsa. Head to Starfish to learn Salsa Rueda, Miami’s own square-dance-style take on the sexy dance. Lessons, beginner through advanced, are offered every Monday and Wednesday. By Friday night, it’s time to strut your stuff when the club goes 1940s Cuba and you’re surrounded by serious dancers with cigars, panama hats and ruffled dresses. Also try Gloria and Emelio Estéfan’s club, Bongos Cuban Café. Their modern Cuban restaurant turns into a rocking salsa club on Friday and Saturday nights. You can find Bongos at 601 Biscayne Blvd. or call 786-777-2100 for more information.


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(Updated: 05/15/08 HC)


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