Gunpowder Does Miami

Just 90 poignant miles from the coast of Cuba, Miami has become America’s hedonistic capital of entertainment, music and fashion. Indeed, celebrities such as Gloria Estefan and Shaquille O’Neal have set up multi-million dollar homes here on the gated community of Star Island, while other A-list visitors prefer to stay at fabulous hotels when in town. Wherever they choose to hanker down, the fashion pack are undoubtedly drawn to Miami’s shores thanks to its pristine white beaches, designer shops, trendy restaurants and heady nightlife, all of which leaves us in no doubt whatsoever as to why this southeastern city was dubbed ‘Miami Vice’.

A town of unapologetic excess, it all starts in Miami with the iconic sands of South Beach; possibly the showiest beach in the world, South Beach runs along Ocean Drive and is where the silicone-filled and steroid-pumped beautiful women come to top up on their St Tropez trans and flaunt their rock-hard bodies in the Atlantic Ocean. Dotted with lifeguard post that wouldn’t look out of place on the set of Baywatch, South Beach is every inch as over the top as you’d expect it to be, and so much more. Spend your days lazing on oversized (and overpriced!) sunloungers and watch gorgeous model-types play volleyball, teasing you with the sweat that trickles tauntingly down their sculpted bodies. If you’re feeling inadequate – and let’s face it, who wouldn’t? – then work up a sweat of your own with the handy gym equipment that’s built right on the sand. Here on South Beach, image is everything.

If you’d rather steer clear of the beach (perhaps you’ve had one too many pancakes with maple syrup for breakfast?), then indulge in America’s favourite pastime; shopping. Strut down adjacent Ocean Drive like you own it, clutching designer shopping bags in one hand and your treasured Black AmEx in the other. As well as giving you the chance to browse some of Miami’s finest stores, a stroll along Ocean Drive will reveal the Art Deco district the city is famed for. Epitomised best by the front of The Carlyle Hotel, the style is everywhere and makes Miami one of the most architecturally stunning places on earth. Ocean Drive is also home to Gianni Versace's former oceanfront mansion, God rest his stylish soul. For those who love nothing more than wearing a sleek designer label at the back of their necks, there’s no mall quite like Miami’s waterfront Bal Harbour Shops. Ranked the number-one shopping mall in the US, the flashy shopping centre boasts big-name stores such as Brioni, Chanel, D&G, Emilio Pucci, Jimmy Choo and Marc Jacobs, as well as a range of trendy restaurants in which to refuel. Complete with valet parking and a nifty concierge service, it’s the only way to splash your hard-earned cash in true superstar style.

When the sun sets on another gloriously decadent day in Miami you’ll want somewhere suitably cool to rest up. If you’re all about prestige then there’s no better place than The Delano, the city's most famous hotel. Reopened in 1995 with sleek new interiors by Philippe Starck, The Delano comprises 208 guestrooms, suites and lofts, and boasts America’s first indoor/outdoor lobby (you’ve got to see it to believe it). Other amenities include the stunning outdoor swimming pool framed by palms, a host of Michelin-worthy restaurants and gorgeous bars, direct access to the beach and a funky rooftop spa; it really is no wonder The Delano is a magnet for celebrities, fashion hounds and the filthy rich. Another VIP favourite is The Setai, an oceanfront beauty that’s appropriately ranked as the most expensive hotel in the city. Flanked by a 40-foot tower and Zen-like courtyard, the five-star glass-and-steel skyscraper features 75 rooms and 50 suites, a restaurant headed up by Australian chef Shaun Danyel Hergatt, on-site spa, three swimming pools and a Champagne, crustacean and caviar bar. We recommend sleeping in the £15,000-a-night penthouse, which comes with two master bedrooms, black granite floors, private rooftop swimming pool and its own former Buckingham Palace butler. With Asian-inspired design detailing and a contemporary approach to service, it’s no wonder this centrally-located hotel has welcomed the likes of Paris Hilton, Jay-Z and Madonna through its sleek glass doors.  

When it’s time to dine there’s no better place than Azul. Hidden deep inside the Mandarin Oriental, Azul is an exquisite restaurant that offers diners breathtaking views of the bay and delectable Mediterranean/Asian fusion cuisine cooked up by acclaimed chef Clay Conley. Dishes on offer include grilled chop and loin of Colorado lamb with harrisa and braised shank bastila and feta, all washed down with over 700 wines carefully selected by renowned sommelier Cynthia Betancourt. Listed as one of America’s finest restaurants in the 2007 March issue of The Robb Report, it’s sure to whet even the most discerning foodie’s appetite. Alternatively, head to Joe’s Stone Crab at 11 Washington Avenue. Open only during stone crab season (which runs from October through to May), Joe’s Stone Crab has become as much of a Miami landmark as the Art Deco style that characterises the nearby buildings. Serving the best damn stone crab around, plastic-bibbed diners can expect to wait no less than two hours for their meal in this titanic-sized establishment.

After dinner you’ll want to check out Miami’s famed nightlife, so start off in South Beach before making well-heeled tracks for Nikki Beach. One of the most glamorous beach resorts in the world with locations in St Tropez, Cabo San Lucas, Reno, Puerto Vallarta and Marbella, Nikki Beach Miami attracts Dior-clad sun worshippers by day and hard-partying cocktail-gulpers by night. With crisp white parasols and wooden decking underfoot, it makes sense that Nikki Beach Miami is located in prime position at 1 Ocean Drive. When the booze has kicked in hail a cab to superclub Mansion. With a queue to get in that’s like a who’s who of an issue of US Weekly, Mansion is where the after-party’s at. With the likes of Lindsay Lohan and Britney Spears pictured falling out of its doors onto adjacent Washington Avenue in the early hours, the nightclub is only for those who can stand the pace. With three beautifully designed rooms pumping with house music, Mansion has a strict door policy and only the best-dressed will get past the velvet ropes to enjoy the celebrity hosts often found partying up a storm inside.

Indulgent, flamboyant and wickedly over-the-top, Miami knows what it is and doesn’t make excuses for itself; if style is the most important thing in the world to you, then you’ll struggle to get away from it here.

/ Hotels
www.delano-hotel.com
www.setai.com