The Raleigh
COST: $$$
A 1940 Art Deco masterpiece that served as a backdrop for many Esther Williams films, this hotel delivers the grace and pure fantasy of old-line Miami. After an Andre Balazs update in 2002, it's now filled with wicker furniture and done in a color scheme of muted tans and olive greens. In a few instances, the perfectionist Balazs has fine-tuned the aesthetics to a point of refined chilliness, but it's still a place that feels more sophisticated than other properties, with Sarah Vaughn over the pool stereo system; a languid grace, set by the vintage décor; and soft, alluring music in the lobby. The rooms tend to be small—they start at about 300 square feet—and are furnished with rattan couches and chairs. But then, this is a hotel that's all about the public realm, from the Raleigh's pocket-size Martini Bar to the world's most beautiful pool—a retro setting that somehow makes everyone look more beautiful and glamorous in a bathing suit. <p><strong>Tip:</strong> If you like peace and quiet, avoid the pool during the monthly Full Moon parties, which attract a horde of celebrants, dancing and whooping it up with live music until midnight. On this night, a room facing Collins Avenue might be quieter.</p> <p><strong>Room to Book:</strong> Apart from the penthouse, only eight rooms have balconies. They cost about $100 more, but the ocean views help complete the fantasy package that is the Raleigh.</p>
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From Travel + Leisure , DEC 2007
A 1940 Art Deco masterpiece with an André Balazs update and a renowned pool, where silver-screen legend Esther Williams once cavorted....MORE>>
From Travel + Leisure , JUN 2006
For a stylish mix of Muriel Brandolini caftans, Missoni bikinis, and jewelry designed by Alexis Bittar, Julie Sandlau, and Colette Malouf—in short, everything you need to fit in poolside in South Beach—we love the shop at the Raleigh....MORE>>
Last updated December 2007
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