As things cool down in the northern states, peak season begins heating up in Florida making good bargains hard to find once the winter months hit. The Art Deco district along Collins Avenue and Ocean Drive is still the center of all things glamorous so when in Miami, do as the locals do and rub shoulders with the rich and famous in South Beach.
Go chic without the price tag at Catalina Hotel and Beach Resort (tel. 305/674-1160; www.catalinahotel.com), part of the South Beach Group. Rooms here are decked out in pure white (with red accents), complete with fine linens, flat screen TVs and plush bath robes. During November midweek prices start from $120 per night (for two double beds) or $135 (for a king room). A resort fee of $5 a day applies, as does 13% tax. Current specials include free nights for bookings with arrival days of Sundays, Mondays or Tuesdays -- i.e. pay for two nights and stay for three or pay for three and get four. This deal is available until January 31, 2007. And you can forget about paying for cab fare: The hotel has an airport shuttle bus that will save you a few bucks on a round-trip airport transfer.
Mercury Resort and Spa (tel. 305/398-3000; www.mercuryresort.com), also located on Collins Avenue and part of the South Beach Group, is even cheaper with a junior suite featuring a king-size bed, sleek contemporary furnishings and a Jacuzzi starting at $80 per room per night for midweek stays in November 2006. A resort fee of $8 a day, as well as 13% tax is additional. Like its sister property, a stay here includes a free airport shuttle service.
Travelocity (tel. 888/TRAVELOCITY; www.travelocity.com) has three-night airfare and accommodation packages for South Beach that will put you right in the heart of the action. Schedule mid-week travel during the month of November, 2006 (holiday season black-out period applies) and get round-trip airfare from New York on American Airlines plus three nights' accommodations in a deluxe king room at the Beacon Hotel on Ocean Drive with complimentary breakfast for less than $400 -- $396, actually, with taxes included. A similar package from Chicago, flying United and staying at the Carlton Hotel South Beach on Collins Avenue for the same dates is priced from $237 per person based on double occupancy. From Boston, pay $329 per person for airfare on America Airlines and three nights at the Carlton Hotel or $430 staying at the Beacon Hotel. If those prices aren't incentive enough, Travelocity's "Gigantinormous" will certainly clench the deal: Book airfare and at least three nights' accommodations for two people and get $100 off the price when you enter the promotional code "giantsale" when making the purchase. But wait, there's more. Book by November 16, 2006 and Travelocity will send you a unique $200 off promotional code which can be used towards any five-night vacation package booked by March 31, 2007.
Priceline (tel. 800/658-1496; www.priceline.com) has similarly well-priced packages of airfare and three nights' accommodations at a variety of South Beach properties. Sample packages during the month of November, 2006 include:
- Wave Hotel (2½ stars): Detroit $288; New York $291; Washington D.C. $271
- Richmond Hotel (2½ stars): Detroit $315; New York $317; Washington D.C. $298
- New Clinton Hotel and Spa (4 stars): Detroit $333; New York $335; Washington D.C. $315
Festivals and Events
If checking out the bodies on South Beach isn't enough to keep you busy, maybe you'd like to gawk at some serious muscles (male and female) at the 2006 NPC Body Building Championships (tel. 305/358-5885), which will be taking place from November 10 to 11, 2006. The championships will take place at Jackie Gleason Theater in South Beach on Washington Avenue and tickets ($39 to $55) are available through Ticketmaster (www.ticketmaster.com).
If you happen to be in Miami on the last weekend in October (October 28, 2006 to be precise) enjoy traditional Cuban Son music and Argentine tunes at the first Miami Beach Arts in the Parks (tel. 305/604-2489; www.miamibeachfl.gov) event. Tango Conspiracy and Conjunto Progreso will perform from 4 to 6 pm and free tango lessons will also be offered prior to the concert at 3 pm. The event takes place at North Shore Open Space Park at 86th Street and Collins Avenue.
Design buffs won't want to miss being in Miami from November 6 to 12, 2006 for Architecture Days (www.architecturedays.com), a series of lectures, tours, exhibits, competitions and activities coordinated by the American Institute of Architects and co-sponsored by Architectural Digest magazine. My two personal favorites are:
- The "Miami Vice: Then and Now" tour on November 9 from 2 to 5 pm. Visit the private home by Chad Oppenheim and other locations seen in the original Miami Vice TV series and recent feature film, and see the effect of pop culture on the stylistic changes in Miami's architecture. Champagne reception follows at a private home. Cost is $65
- The "Inside Miami's Elite High-Rises" tour on November 10 from 1 to 4 pm. Go inside lobbies, luxury suites and penthouses of breathtaking new spaces in Miami, including Grovenor House, Tequesta and One Miami. Cost is $40
Tickets are available on the Architecture Days website.
November 11 to 12, 2006 sees the Miami Wine Fair (tel. 877/577-WINE; www.miamiwinefair.com) at the Miami Beach Convention Center. More than 1,500 wines from 18 countries will be featured and available to taste and pair with culinary delights from top area restaurants. Network with wine producers and buyers, and attend seminars given by wine experts and culinary authorities. Daily entry including, wine tasting, is $60 or $90 for the Grand Tasting Collectors' Club. A two-day pass is $105 or $160. Seminars range in price from free to $60.
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