Murray On Travel

Arriving at The Palms Hotel & Spa was a real pleasure, especially after three days stuck in a downtown Miami convention hotel with a bunch of travel industry executives.   This is hotel number 1 of 7 resorts I will visit during my week-long visit to the Miami Beach / South Beach area.  This ocean front Florida resort hotel has a comfortable, casual, but classic beach vibe.

Check-in was fast and easy.  Multi-linqual staff was responsive and knowledgeable.  Front desk is tucked away on the right side off of the main lobby.  Plenty of bellmen were available to help with your luggage.  I didn't have a car, but valet parking is available.  Locals told me you can park on nearby streets, but parking laws are strictly enforced.  Concierge available.  

Room #1106 / Ocean View with King Bed and easterly view of the pool, beach, and ocean.  Contrasting the classic tropical design of the public spaces, this room was modern with pastel colors, dark woods, and frosted glass accents.  A comfortable mattress with soft high quality linens.  Soft or firm pillows provided with a medium weight comforter. 

Small but useable desk with plenty of easily accessible able power outlets.  Modern touch screen phone, but it provided limited information on its screens.  No hardwired internet, WiFi was 2mb up / 2mb down.  Also in the room was a drawer unit with a well stocked and quiet refrigerator.  Three medium sized drawers, Keurig coffee maker, and a nice HDTV -- but fed with a low quality standard definition video signal NOT HD.  Bedside table had a clock radio with old 30 pin iPhone/iPod connector.  A mini-plug audio input cable provided. 

Closet had a safe large enough for a large laptop, an iron & ironing board, two pairs of slippers, suitcase stand, extra pillow, and three small drawers.  Limited space for hanging items, which might be a problem for long stays.  But then again, this is a beach hotel; you don't need much!   Note: just inside the entry door, on the wall, is a pocket for placing your room key.  This activates the electricity and AC in the room, a good energy saver....but be advised if you leave electronics plugged in when you exit (or remove your room key from the holder for any reason) they won't be recharging.

 Two small but efficient bathrooms.  Very modern and useable.  Marble and glass mosaic tiles add an elegant/stylish touch.  The drinking glasses are very cool looking, but not very practical.  A very large shower with a rain style shower head was wonderful.  Movable makeup mirror.  Two bathrobes are provided.  Hair Dryer.  Aveda branded products.

Two sets of curtains, one thin and one blackout.  Ocean view rooms are east facing; that means if you don't close your curtains at bedtime expect an early wakeup call at sunrise!  Windows were clean.  Room's air conditioning was comfortable and quiet.  This is not a large room, but a very comfortable, well appointed room. 

A great view from the room of The Palms hotel pool area, beach, and ocean.  Windows in the room go down to the floor level, providing an expansive view. 

This is one of several seating areas around the main entrance/lobby.  The furniture, fans, and artwork all add to the quiet beachfront elegance of this hotel. 

Want to puff away on a cigar after dinner?  Lots of space on the smoking porch cooled by ceiling fans.  I spent lots of time here after dark, under romantic lighting, reading my email...not very romantic.... 

Medium sized pool, with plenty of lounge chairs surrounding it.  Just a few private cabanas are available for rent.  For those shunning the sun, the surrounding vegetation offers some shade during the day, as do a few umbrellas.   Pool bar offers drinks and light bar food.  The Palms provides guests with towels poolside.  While in beach attire, guests can easily access the pool and beach by using the lower Spa  level, avoiding the lobby. Open 24 hrs.

Two sand covered areas overlook the pool and offer lounge chairs and hammocks.  Note: This property provided one night of complimentary accommodations.

One on-site eaterie: Essensia Restaurant & Lounge offers a poolside patio area, covered porch seating, and an indoor area.  See the hotel's website for more details.  I enjoyed my meal here. 

Open daily for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and Sunday brunch.  It doesn't offer ocean views, but it is very comfortable.  The restaurant has a bar, but not much wild night life.  The neighborhood around The Palms is nice with several other large hotels. 

The Palms Hotel lobby after dark has the romantic feel of an old tropical resort.

Morning wake up call...  Checkout Time:  11 am.  If you need more time, call and ask for a later checkout time.  Depending on occupancy conditions, they may provide you with an extra hour or two. 

The Palms Hotel & Spa is a very nice beachfront hotel that captures the look and feel of a classic tropical resort.  A quiet getaway from Miami's busy South Beach area, great for families or couples looking to leave their cares behind.  

NOTE: During my visit, a major hotel property was under construction next door.  This shouldn't affect the experience here, but may offer additional dining and nightlife opportunities.