An Inside Look at the Miami Biltmore
The hotel, built in 1926, is steeped in elegance and artistic detail.
We are enjoying a sea day sailing the Atlantic, so I thought I‘d share a few photos from the Miami Biltmore Hotel. Regent Seven Seas Cruises arranged for a one-night pre-embarkation stay at this hotel before boarding the Mariner for the World Cruise. We left the cold Midwest a few days early and thus enjoyed these palatial surroundings over a long weekend. What luxurious surroundings!
The Miami Biltmore was built in 1926 at a cost of 10 million dollars. It has had a storied history involving both glamour and ruin. The winter home (and Oval Office) to US presidents and a destination for the rich and famous in its heyday, it also served as a military hospital during WW2, then a VA facility and training grounds for the University of Miami Medical School. Later it was abandoned and sat empty for a decade. The City of Coral Gables took over ownership, and after extensive restoration, reopened it as a luxury hotel in 1987.
This colonnaded lobby with hand-painted ceilings and beams is consistent with the flamboyant style throughout the hotel. Vintage photos in the lobby and hallways showcase the hotel’s grandeur from a different era.
The outdoor pool is one of the more eye-catching features. The massive 23,000-square-foot pool holds 600,000 gallons of water. When the pool was built, it was the largest in the world. We never did take a dip, because the weather turned cool and windy — for Florida.
The hotel's architecture is Mediterranean Revival and consistent with the homes common in the Coral Gables area. One of its main features is this open-air courtyard with a decorative fountain which serves as an outdoor restaurant.
Details make all the difference. These colorful tiled benches surround the upper loggia. Matching tile on the outer walls completes the opulent look.
The lobby! More opulence! Fabric-wrapped columns, velvet settees and circular chairs, Turkish rugs, and copper birdcages with chirping lovebirds, finches, and other songbirds provide the finishing touches.
In the pool’s nearly 100-year-old history, one of its more famous swimming instructors was Johann Peter Weißmüller, also known as Johnny Weissmuller. Weissmuller was a 5 time gold-medal Olympian and actor best known for his title role in Tarzan. Doesn’t this look inviting?
Bird of the day! Well, actually, two birds of the day. Egyptian Geese. We watched the geese as they honked at passers-by and made a general nuisance of themselves. Then they flew down…down…down… and landed in the pool. After a lovely float about, and some arm waving by a staff member, they flew off and landed on a nearby roof.
Our next destination is Devil’s Island, French Guiana. We are crossing our fingers for calming winds and seas safe enough for tenders to dock.
The hotel looks like it should be a set for a period movie, or the perfect setting for a novel! Stunning!