Winter is hands-down the best time to visit Miami with balmier temps and a whirlwind of parties and people blowing from now until April. Kicking off the season is art juggernaut Art Basel (5-8 Dec) and the wider Miami Art Week (2-8 Dec) repping satellite shows, exhibits, parties and events dotted along Miami Beach and Miami-Wynwood.
Miami resident editor Valeria Avirett frequently distils the city’s best bits into the LUXE Miami guide and here’s her skim on where to eat, drink, play and stay during Art Basel – and beyond.
Updated 3 Dec, 2019
Where to stay and play: Faena Hotel, Miami Beach
Chances are by now your bunk for Art Basel is booked, but even so, it’s worth checking out gorgeous, scarlett-hued dolly Faena Hotel. Occupying an enviable 100,000 sq ft of beachfront, former Deco darling, the Saxony Hotel, has been nip/tucked into opulent digs for the modern jet set with sumptuous suites (with Atlantic panoramas). During Art Week, Faena is hosting a vibrant fiesta of multicultural screenings, installations and events under the banner of ‘This is Not America’. faena.com
To seal the deal or dinner à deux: Le Sirenuse
Amalfi-in-Miami enchantress Le Sirenuse is one of a handful of sophisty drink n’ dine options at the Four Seasons Hotel at The Surf Club. Serving the same southern Italian dishes as the Michy-spangled Positano sibling, this is casual elegance Miami style; although grand, the plant-festooned dining room is well lit and cosy. Perfect for a post-show date.
For a quintessential Miami Lunch: Amara at Paraiso
Yes you’re in hot n’ steamy Miami, but ditch the aircon for lunch at this waterfront scenester helmed by local culinary king Michael Schwartz. The focus on upscale Lat-Am food; expect reinterpretations of the classics like empanadas, feijoada and tiraditos are served as share plates. Also contributing to the riverside revival is sexy, sultry Greek goddess Kiki on the River.
To sample real-deal local flavours: Alter
The very best of Florida on a plate. Chef Brad Kilgore’s spotlight shines squarely on local provenance, with beautiful ingredients presented in interesting combos like duck breast atop cardamom and tom kha risotto. And of course, dazzle wines to pair.
Mwah-mwah and tipples: Champagne Bar at The Surf Club
Housed in the 1930s Surf Club this glama-mama is the Miami go-to at aperitivo hour; prepare to vye with socialites and stylistas for a coveted perch at the bar. Like it says on the tin, Champagne is the tipple of choice, but also worth noting is the strong cocktail menu riffing on the bar’s Deco origins and Amalfi Coast flavours.
sirenusemiami.com/en/champagne-bar
Vibey rooftop bar: No.3 Social
In the city of tans, hustle n’ muscle, thong and dance, this vibey rooftop in Wynwood is a refreshing change. Smart, colourful and sophisticated it pulls a lo-fi creative crowd mingling over Latin nibbles and zingin’ craft tails. Host to DJ-spun sounds and live performances skewing Latin, Afro-Caribbean and funk every Thu-Sun.
Recovery of body, soul and mind: Tierra Santa Healing House
All scened out and socially stressed? Nurture some self care with a trip to this South American-inspired sanctuary where traditional shamanic rituals influence a range of therapies based on ancient healing techniques. Try the Palo Santo and Sound Bowl treatment – a massage that involves both medicinal Palo Santo Oil and sound-emitting bowls placed on your key tension areas = 110 minutes of pure bliss.
For Miami that’s more nice than vice…
