Hotel Review: One Hotel Miami

A friend of mine was visiting Miami and asked me to join him this past weekend. I have visited the city numerous times and generally stay at the Fontaine Bleu. However, it was booked so I decided to try the One Hotel located on Collins Ave in South Beach. All I knew prior to visiting the hotel was that it was relatively new opened in March of 2015. As soon as I walked into the Hotel, it impressed.

One Hotel Lobby

I also noticed a room in the lobby where three employees were gardening which I found bizarre to find in a five star hotel. When I asked if they were associated with the hotel, they had informed me that the hotel was an all organic and sustainable establishment and all of the plants they were making are used to decorate the entire resort.

After checking in, I was given a wooden chip. I had to ask what it was and the woman working at the desk informed that it was my room key. I felt no magnet inside of it whatsoever.

This hotel was the only one I have been too where the elevator had no physical buttons. Everything was on a screen. Once you push your floor number, you are guided to an elevator door where each is identified by a letter.

Little did I know, it scanned like a charm. We decided to take a room with two king beds in room 309. It was extremely spacious and beautifully decorated with a 50 inch TV. It also had a wooden table with two chairs.

I should also note that the room features a Nexus cell phone where I could schedule when I wanted our room cleaned and also order in room dining.

The closets were probably big enough to fit all of the clothes I own. Every room contains a yoga mat with a complimentary yoga class every Sunday. All of the clothes hangers were recycled from wrapping paper as well.

The room also come with organic products for sale such as chap stick, sun screen, potato chips, and more. Every room also includes complimentary coffee.

The bathroom was impressive and featured only organic toiletries. The toiletries were in push down dispensers which is quite convenient as opposed to small tubes. The sink was so big that I probably could fit inside of it and the shower was nothing out of the ordinary.

At night, we decided to check out the rooftop which features a restaurant and bar. It is open till 2 am. We decided to order sushi. The spicy tuna was deliciousAfter looking at the menu, the prices seemed reasonable for a five star hotel. However, each bill has an 18% gratuity charged tacked on to the total along with a city tax. I made sure with the manager that the 18% gratuity was solely for our waiter. Once he confirmed, I felt better and just figured they were doing the math for me.

The next day, we went to the pool which is located on the third floor so we did not have to take an elevator. It was quite impressive.

My only complaints were that there were not enough chairs and had to put my name on a waiting list. Also, there was no security to ensure that only guests were using the pool. A man next to me lived in Miami and said he comes to the pool every weekend because no one checks. You do not need a room key to enter the elevator or the pool area. You can essentially access the entire resort except the fitness center. The pool area also featured a ping pong table made out of wood. I decided to sit at the bar, also known as the Sand Box, and order a dessert. Jose served me. He told me how he came from Cuba 11 years ago and spoke no English. Now he is a US citizen with a full time job. He recommended that I try the Churros. They were the best I have ever had. I also ordered a water. When I bowed to take a drink, I realized that the straw was made out of bamboo. It was an environmentally friendly biodegradable straw and worked fine.

Whenever we wanted to travel somewhere near the hotel provided transportation anywhere within 3 miles. When we went to the lobby to go to a restaurant for dinner on Collins Avenue, I should not have been surprised that our ride was a Tesla.

I should also note that the hotel had an excellent fitness center which featured a grass field and cardio room.

Overall, I had an amazing experience. The staff is extremely friendly. I’d like it if they at least had some verification process to ensure that only hotel guests were using all of the amenities. Also, I understand it is a new hotel but they need to have partner with a current rewards program. If not, plan on spending around $500 per night for the most basic room. Nevertheless, I will definitely be a repeat customer on my next trip to Miami and recommend this sustainable and efficient resort to everyone.