GONE: Le Meridien Sunny Isles (Miami, FL) (Master Thread)
Mar 23, 2006, 8:23 am
#1
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GONE: Le Meridien Sunny Isles (Miami, FL) (Master Thread)
Anyone have expereine with the Le Meridien Sunny Isles Beach? I want to stay there and am curious of thier possible treatment of Platinums / Lounges /Exectutive Level Rooms? I noticed it says that have 126 one bedroom suites and 80 two bedroom suites, does this mean Platinums will have good chances here?
Looking to stay 4/28-5/2, general information / expereinces is appreciated though.
-Vincent
Looking to stay 4/28-5/2, general information / expereinces is appreciated though.
-Vincent
Mar 23, 2006, 8:29 am
#2
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Just four threads down from the one you just posted is this thread where a very recent stay was mentioned.
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=538971
Others have commented that this is a nice property, but in the middle of the nowherezone. Meaning FLL and MIA are both 20 minutes away. Also, this was not intended as a hotel originally (I have read, but cannot confirm) but rather as a condo complex. If so, that's wild. Regardless, folks comment that while the rooms and services are great, the "resort" options remain very limited. (i.e. no amazing waterpark with falls and multiple pools like Bal Harbor, very limited space around pool decks, etc.)
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=538971
Others have commented that this is a nice property, but in the middle of the nowherezone. Meaning FLL and MIA are both 20 minutes away. Also, this was not intended as a hotel originally (I have read, but cannot confirm) but rather as a condo complex. If so, that's wild. Regardless, folks comment that while the rooms and services are great, the "resort" options remain very limited. (i.e. no amazing waterpark with falls and multiple pools like Bal Harbor, very limited space around pool decks, etc.)
Mar 30, 2006, 8:15 pm
#3
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Le Meridien Sunny Isles (Miami, FL) (Master Thread)
Staying Apr 17 - 19 with wife and 2 young children.
Any feedback?
Any feedback?
Apr 21, 2006, 9:00 pm
#4
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Le Meridien Sunny Isles (Miami, FL) (Master Thread)
We recently stayed at this Le Meriden resort. The photos on the web are a heck more desirable than the real thing.
We arrived to a smoke filled room. Reserved a crib and told no more were available, went to the pool only to find out there were no lounge chairs available at either the pool or beach and on our last day the pool was closed!
The restaurant was great.
Not exactly SPG standards. Should I complain? If so, what should I ask for in return for the less than great stay?
We arrived to a smoke filled room. Reserved a crib and told no more were available, went to the pool only to find out there were no lounge chairs available at either the pool or beach and on our last day the pool was closed!
The restaurant was great.
Not exactly SPG standards. Should I complain? If so, what should I ask for in return for the less than great stay?
Apr 21, 2006, 10:03 pm
#5
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Originally Posted by jtmnyc00
We recently stayed at this Le Meriden resort. The photos on the web are a heck more desirable than the real thing.
We arrived to a smoke filled room. Reserved a crib and told no more were available, went to the pool only to find out there were no lounge chairs available at either the pool or beach and on our last day the pool was closed!
The restaurant was great.
Not exactly SPG standards. Should I complain? If so, what should I ask for in return for the less than great stay?
We arrived to a smoke filled room. Reserved a crib and told no more were available, went to the pool only to find out there were no lounge chairs available at either the pool or beach and on our last day the pool was closed!
The restaurant was great.
Not exactly SPG standards. Should I complain? If so, what should I ask for in return for the less than great stay?
Apr 22, 2006, 8:46 am
#6
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Interesting. I've stayed there twice in the last month and the hotel did nothing but exceede my expectations. Service was phenominal. Both the front desk manager and GM stopped me to introduce themselves. Even the valet's addressed me by name. They also went out of their way to upgrade me. I believe the front desk girl said to me "oh, you're a plat, you can't have the room you're assigned, let me find a suite for you." Perfect!
Apr 22, 2006, 9:28 am
#7
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Originally Posted by BigBopper
Interesting. I've stayed there twice in the last month and the hotel did nothing but exceede my expectations. Service was phenominal. Both the front desk manager and GM stopped me to introduce themselves. Even the valet's addressed me by name. They also went out of their way to upgrade me. I believe the front desk girl said to me "oh, you're a plat, you can't have the room you're assigned, let me find a suite for you." Perfect!
I have heard many great things too actually. Infact I called ahead of time and a manager went out of thier way to preupgrade me from my super cheap room. (I am going 4.28-5.2, I was upgraded just the other day).
-Vincent
Apr 22, 2006, 10:21 am
#8
Join Date: Apr 2006
Posts: 4
Plat upgrade
Originally Posted by vincom
I have heard many great things too actually. Infact I called ahead of time and a manager went out of thier way to preupgrade me from my super cheap room. (I am going 4.28-5.2, I was upgraded just the other day).
-Vincent
-Vincent
Thanks, MP
Apr 22, 2006, 11:28 am
#9
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Originally Posted by mprimo
A quick q. re the plat upgrade - I know it's based on "availability" but does this mean available for each day of your stay? I guess my question is if you have a 5 night stay, for exmaple, and a nice upgrade is avail when you check in, do they have to give it to you as a plat for all 5 days thus forgoing the opportunity that a cash customer might want to pay for your upgraded room on days 2, 3, 4, or 5 of your stay?
Thanks, MP
Thanks, MP
It is unusual for someone to get upgraded as far as in advance as I did, but I am celebrating a special ocassion and explained it to the manager I spoke to, understanding my situation he agreed to help out and upgrade me in advance. (I spoke with the Revenue Manage ironically).
Just goes to t show you - it never hurts to ask.
-Vincent
May 12, 2006, 12:04 pm
#10
Join Date: Jan 2006
Posts: 170
In-depth review available???
Anyone have any more in-depth review of this property?
I'm thinking of staying here with cash & points but the reviews are so mixed (especially on tripadvisor) that I'm looking at other hotel options. I'd like to try the property but don't feel like ruining my beach weekend just to take advantage of the cash/points.
I hear that the property casts an overshadow on the beach after 2pm or something...that would suck...
I'm thinking of staying here with cash & points but the reviews are so mixed (especially on tripadvisor) that I'm looking at other hotel options. I'd like to try the property but don't feel like ruining my beach weekend just to take advantage of the cash/points.
I hear that the property casts an overshadow on the beach after 2pm or something...that would suck...
May 25, 2006, 9:18 am
#11
Join Date: Jan 2006
Posts: 170
After considering the property, I've decided to stay at a Marriott instead.
Still wondering if anyone can confirm all these extra fees I keep reading about for Le Meridien Sunny Isles. I expect the occasional resort fees and such but it's been posted that there's fees to use the beach/chairs?
Well, Marriott had a great deal that had free daily breakfast and daily self-parking included in the rate so I am switching to Marriott for this trip...
Still wondering if anyone can confirm all these extra fees I keep reading about for Le Meridien Sunny Isles. I expect the occasional resort fees and such but it's been posted that there's fees to use the beach/chairs?
Well, Marriott had a great deal that had free daily breakfast and daily self-parking included in the rate so I am switching to Marriott for this trip...
Jul 1, 2006, 4:11 pm
#12
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New York Times review of Sunny Isles
Check In, Check Out
Sunny Isles Beach, Fla.: Le Meridien
By CHARLES PASSY
Published: July 2, 2006
THE BASICS That the upscale international chain Le Meridien chose Sunny Isles Beach, a small oceanside municipality about 22 miles north of Miami Beach, for its first Florida location is a sign that this once fairly quiet, retiree-oriented community is coming of age. The 26-story, 215-room condo hotel — it functions as a hotel, but the units are individually owned — has a sleek sensibility, but the fact that many of the rooms are essentially apartments, with full kitchens and one or two bedrooms, makes it family-friendly.
Le Meridien is an alternative to South Beach.
THE LOCATION Sunny Isles isn't South Beach — there aren't many hip and happening nightspots — but it's only about 30 minutes away. The beach is much the same — expansive and inviting. There is plenty of condominium construction going on — yes, even Donald J. Trump has his name on buildings there — giving the area a busy vibe. But if you want to step back in time to the Sunny Isles Beach of the past, pay a visit to Wolfie Cohen's Rascal House, a beloved (though overrated) South Florida deli.
THE ROOMS This is condo-hotel living at its best, with an abundance of amenities in each room. Our 16th-story one-bedroom unit was marvelously equipped with two televisions (a flat-panel one in the living room, a standard one in the bedroom), a kitchen with plenty of cookware and flatware, and a wrap-around balcony that offered views of the Atlantic Ocean and the Intracoastal Waterway (not all one-bedroom units are so large, however). The living room was spacious enough to accommodate not only a queen-size sofa bed, but also a rollaway bed my wife and I requested, thus allowing our two children to sleep separately. But there's grown-up appeal here, too. The contemporary design — more like Manhattan modern than South Florida tropical — includes stainless-steel appliances, beige-colored striped carpeting, pale wood cabinets and a frosted-glass coffee table. In a word, cool.
THE BATHROOM Make that bathrooms — there was a master in the bedroom and another bathroom in the living area. The master was nicely appointed, with a marble sink, a shower (with a huge shower head), a bathtub and even a scale. (Not all one-bedroom units have two baths.)
THE AMENITIES A bit disappointing, especially given that the hotel charges a daily $16 resort fee. The outdoor pool and Jacuzzi area is ridiculously small. The health club is nothing special, either. (There is also a spa, with a full menu of services.) And the narrow lobby doesn't leave guests with much room to lounge around. As for dining, the main restaurant is an outpost of the high-end Italian chain Bice.
THE SERVICE Problematic. The hotel staff was often very slow to respond to requests. Even though we had asked for the rollaway bed in advance of our arrival, it took a couple more calls once we were settled to see that it was delivered. Mandatory valet parking service, obscenely priced at $25 a day, is also pokey. ROOM SERVICE The high price is perhaps to be expected. We paid $69.04 for a modest-size breakfast (eggs, waffles, breakfast breads, coffee, juice) for the family, but we were disappointed in the quality, which was about on par with what you'd find at Denny's. At least there is a kids' menu. And for adults, the lunch and dinner offerings reflect the sophisticated Italian fare served at Bice.
THE BOTTOM LINE: If you're a family looking to stay in the Miami Beach area but want to avoid the see-and-be-seen scene on South Beach, Le Meridien might be a good bet. And the hotel's contemporary sensibility should still appeal to the hip. That said, the hotel needs to work on a few of the problems
Sunny Isles Beach, Fla.: Le Meridien
By CHARLES PASSY
Published: July 2, 2006
THE BASICS That the upscale international chain Le Meridien chose Sunny Isles Beach, a small oceanside municipality about 22 miles north of Miami Beach, for its first Florida location is a sign that this once fairly quiet, retiree-oriented community is coming of age. The 26-story, 215-room condo hotel — it functions as a hotel, but the units are individually owned — has a sleek sensibility, but the fact that many of the rooms are essentially apartments, with full kitchens and one or two bedrooms, makes it family-friendly.
Le Meridien is an alternative to South Beach.
THE LOCATION Sunny Isles isn't South Beach — there aren't many hip and happening nightspots — but it's only about 30 minutes away. The beach is much the same — expansive and inviting. There is plenty of condominium construction going on — yes, even Donald J. Trump has his name on buildings there — giving the area a busy vibe. But if you want to step back in time to the Sunny Isles Beach of the past, pay a visit to Wolfie Cohen's Rascal House, a beloved (though overrated) South Florida deli.
THE ROOMS This is condo-hotel living at its best, with an abundance of amenities in each room. Our 16th-story one-bedroom unit was marvelously equipped with two televisions (a flat-panel one in the living room, a standard one in the bedroom), a kitchen with plenty of cookware and flatware, and a wrap-around balcony that offered views of the Atlantic Ocean and the Intracoastal Waterway (not all one-bedroom units are so large, however). The living room was spacious enough to accommodate not only a queen-size sofa bed, but also a rollaway bed my wife and I requested, thus allowing our two children to sleep separately. But there's grown-up appeal here, too. The contemporary design — more like Manhattan modern than South Florida tropical — includes stainless-steel appliances, beige-colored striped carpeting, pale wood cabinets and a frosted-glass coffee table. In a word, cool.
THE BATHROOM Make that bathrooms — there was a master in the bedroom and another bathroom in the living area. The master was nicely appointed, with a marble sink, a shower (with a huge shower head), a bathtub and even a scale. (Not all one-bedroom units have two baths.)
THE AMENITIES A bit disappointing, especially given that the hotel charges a daily $16 resort fee. The outdoor pool and Jacuzzi area is ridiculously small. The health club is nothing special, either. (There is also a spa, with a full menu of services.) And the narrow lobby doesn't leave guests with much room to lounge around. As for dining, the main restaurant is an outpost of the high-end Italian chain Bice.
THE SERVICE Problematic. The hotel staff was often very slow to respond to requests. Even though we had asked for the rollaway bed in advance of our arrival, it took a couple more calls once we were settled to see that it was delivered. Mandatory valet parking service, obscenely priced at $25 a day, is also pokey. ROOM SERVICE The high price is perhaps to be expected. We paid $69.04 for a modest-size breakfast (eggs, waffles, breakfast breads, coffee, juice) for the family, but we were disappointed in the quality, which was about on par with what you'd find at Denny's. At least there is a kids' menu. And for adults, the lunch and dinner offerings reflect the sophisticated Italian fare served at Bice.
THE BOTTOM LINE: If you're a family looking to stay in the Miami Beach area but want to avoid the see-and-be-seen scene on South Beach, Le Meridien might be a good bet. And the hotel's contemporary sensibility should still appeal to the hip. That said, the hotel needs to work on a few of the problems
Jul 1, 2006, 7:35 pm
#13
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Certainly this property has its place, but personally I'd only stay there if the Diplomat down the street was booked up.
Jul 26, 2006, 1:17 pm
#14
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Originally Posted by gleff
Certainly this property has its place, but personally I'd only stay there if the Diplomat down the street was booked up.
i, too, love the diplomat but i was going to give the meridien a try in november. but, if they are that close, i am tempted to just hit the diplomat.
and, any recent reviews of the meridien?
Jul 26, 2006, 1:52 pm
#15
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Originally Posted by fly co to see the yanks
and, any recent reviews of the meridien?