Sun spot
November 28, 2024
Acqualina, a luxe Miami Beach resort, sparkles with international vibes and indulgent amenities.
by Michael J. Solender
Minutes after arriving under the domed, Mediterranean-style porte cochere at Acqualina Resort, my wife Harriet and I are already experiencing the regal guest treatment for which the boutique property is known. We are greeted by soothing tropical fountains, Italianate statuary and smiling staff who quickly disappear with our luggage in tow. Prosecco, Champagne or mineral water are on hand to toast our arrival.
We’re here on a four-day weekend, where time away from cell phones, email, household chores and work obligations are the order of the day. Sleeping late, some spa polishing, lots of beach time and a bit of culinary indulgence are on the agenda.
We’ve come to the right place. Earning the top spot among both U.S. hotels and resorts by U.S. News & World Report, Acqualina delivers a guest experience that anticipates and exceeds expectations at every turn.
Ample accommodations
There are 44 suites and 54 guest rooms, each with furnished balconies overlooking the Atlantic or the intracoastal waterway. Oversized floor plans are standard, and there’s plenty of room to spread across the lush property (which shares space with its sister, Acqualina residences) with four pools, an oceanfront lawn and umbrella-lined beach.
Our 14th-floor deluxe oceanfront suite would be better described as a large apartment, with a full kitchen, living and dining rooms, a grand bathroom and separate half-bath, walk-in closet, and a spacious balcony for gazing at the azure sea below. Cool white and neutral tones blend with angular light fixtures and framed botanical prints throughout, while handblown glass art adorns clean-lined curios and cabinets.
Comforts beyond home
In a hospitality world where luxury is often a commodity, a true luxe barometer is found in the service and surprise factor — Acqualina delivers both.
On our first night, we returned from dinner to find fresh-cut flowers in the bathroom, a nifty microfiber cleaning cloth underneath my reading glasses, and my unwieldy phone-charger cord tamed by an Acqualina-branded Velcro mini-strap.
High touch is accompanied by high tech at Acqualina, with an app-loaded iPad in each room. There are dozens of global daily newspapers (even The Charlotte Observer!) and magazines to peruse, guided daily meditations and yoga instruction (for use with the in-room yoga mats), and a Bedside Reading app, which puts dozens of bestsellers at the touch of a button. If you prefer hardcovers, you’ll find plenty of those as well.
Pampering was on our menu, and we were greeted at the spa — rated Five Stars by Forbes Travel Guide — with detoxifying green juice, then guided to the Royal Suite, an expansive private treatment room with soft classical music playing in the background. Guests find a European day spa feel here, with wellness offerings including Ayurvedic massage, body wraps, nail treatments, and HydraFacial and collagen-sculpting facials. After our treatments, we lounged in the suite’s steam shower, nibbled on fresh-baked cookies, and enjoyed a glass of bubbly, because — why not?
Dining
Old school meets New World at Il Mulino of New York, an outpost of the top-ranked NYC flagship serving traditional Italian cuisine. Tableside service begins with aged Parmesan straight off the wheel, lightly fried zucchini chips in a spicy garlic oil, tomato-topped bruschetta and warm focaccia. Next, we shared a half-order of wild mushroom risotto, followed by Dover sole, expertly filleted tableside, and shrimp scampi.
Avra Miami is the newest addition to Acqualina’s dining roster, with an upscale Greek taverna feel and an open kitchen dishing out beautiful whole grilled fish, bountiful salads, Prime steaks, lamb and organic chicken. Avra delivers great food and people-watching with a high-energy vibe.
We ended our trip with dinner at Ke-Uh, an izakaya-style (Japanese “tapas”) eatery with sushi, sashimi, rolls and small plates that’s a fun, casual place to unwind after a day in the sun. Shareables include salmon crispy rice (toasted sushi rice pads topped with salmon tartare), vegetable-stuffed gyoza dumplings, shrimp tempura rolls, sweet and spicy shrimp, and Korean baby back ribs. Of course, a couple of cold Sapporo beers made it all the better.
**
Acqualina boasts an industry-leading return rate, and it’s easy to see why. While our long weekend getaway got away from us all too soon, we’ll almost certainly be back.
GETTING THERE: There are multiple nonstop flights (about 2 hours) from CLT to Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport. Acqualina Resort is about a 30-minute drive south of the airport, and transportation can be arranged through Limo Miami.
