Frommer's Review
This hotel presents a serious catch-22: It's got a front-row view of all of Miami Beach, Biscayne Bay, the Miami River, and the Atlantic Ocean, but it is also located in downtown Miami. If it's a view that you want, then you should stay here; but if you're more interested in location, you may want to reconsider.
With the decidedly threatening presence of the hyperluxurious Mandarin Oriental just over the Brickell Bridge, the Inter-Continental had no choice but to keep up with the competition. A $34 million renovation has brought it up to speed, rendering it downtown proper's swankiest hotel. It boasts more marble than the Liberace Museum (both inside and out), but it is warmed by bold colors and a fancified Florida flavor. The five-story lobby features a marble centerpiece sculpture by Henry Moore and is topped by a pleasing skylight. Plenty of plants, palm trees, and eclectic furnishings also add charm and enliven the otherwise stark space. Perfectly designed for business travelers, each room is outfitted with a desk and Internet-ready telephone lines, but is not fabulous. They're really just swankier versions of the rooms in a typical chain hotel, albeit a little more froufrou and elaborate, with marble bathrooms, upholstered seating areas, and sit-in windowsills. Some suites have fully equipped kitchenettes. Guests who stay in the Inter-Continental are big fish in the very small sea of desolate downtown Miami, but don't worry about your safety -- this hotel is extremely secure. Note: Construction on several new condominiums adjacent to the Inter-Continental may disturb the deafening silence common to downtown Miami.
Facilities: 3 restaurants; 2 lounges; Olympic-size outdoor heated pool; access to nearby golf course; spa; concierge; tour desk; car-rental desk; large business center; shopping arcade; salon and barbershop; 24-hr. room service; coin-op washers/dryers; 24-hr. laundry and dry-cleaning service.
Note: This information was accurate when it was published, but can change without
notice. Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the companies in question before
planning your trip.
