Review: Four Seasons Hotel Miami

Why book?

Located in the trendy Brickell neighborhood, this Four Seasons lets you discover Miami beyond just the beach—without sacrificing those turquoise water views. With a two-acre, palm tree-lined rooftop pool overlooking Biscayne Bay, you can access the best of the city’s vibrant downtown area while still enjoying the tropical relaxation one deserves when vacationing in South Florida.

Set the scene

Most of the guests here are well-heeled business travelers, but there were also a fair amount of (well-behaved) young families and friend groups on vacation mode at the property’s sprawling pool facilities. Among Miamians, the hotel is best known for its extravagant Sunday Brunch; all tables become immediately filled with a combination of local residents and hotel guests, a natural overlap felt throughout the property, which is also home to the Four Seasons Residences.

The backstory

When most people in Miami think of the Four Seasons, they often picture the brand’s popular Surfside location (voted the #1 hotel in Florida by Condé Nast Traveler readers for the past two years in a row). The real Four Seasons Miami, located in downtown Brickell, offers a distinctly unique—but equally luxe—flavor of the Magic City. With the help of top hospitality interior designer Tara Bernerd, the Brickell outpost is in the midst of being transformed into a sought-after destination for leisure travelers, in addition to their core corporate clientele.

Four Season Miami's pride and joy is its lush two-acre rooftop terrace, recently refreshed with stylish new chairs, umbrellas, and cabanas. Perched far above street level and surrounded by greenery, you could spend an entire day here and have no idea that you’re in the center of a busy urban hub—which is exactly what I did upon landing. Surrounded by lush plants and blooming bougainvillea, I spent one of the most relaxing afternoons in recent memory in one of the private cabanas, tearing through Marjan Kamali’s new book The Lion Women of Tehran while sipping on rosé and nibbling on a fresh fruit platter. Behind the main pool is my favorite spot at the hotel, aptly named “Palm Grove.” Here, over a dozen or so hammocks hang from palm trees, swaying just over the water, close enough to dip your toes. All this to say, if you think oceanfront is the only way to unwind in Miami, this man-made paradise will have you rethinking if a beach day is even necessary.

The rooms

True to the hotel’s overall vibe, the rooms’ midcentury design is beach house meets cosmopolitan chic. The wall art and windows both frame turquoise water views—contrasted against the bold orange-patterned rug, the bright pops of colors are sunny Florida through and through. Meanwhile, the furniture itself is all dark wood and gold tones, the simple sophistication you expect from the Four Seasons.

Guest rooms and suites with spacious living areas are both available, all of course equipped with the famous Four Seasons mattresses and linens that nearly guarantee a sound night’s sleep. At the end of summer 2024, the hotel will unveil new Specialty Suites starting at 2,190 square feet, including a completely refurbished Presidential Suite. I stayed two nights in the one-bedroom bay view suite, from which I could see South Beach to the left and Key Biscayne to the right. On my last night, I watched a firework show dazzle above the bay from my living room window—the perfect conclusion to a fairytale stay.

Food and drink

The Four Seasons Miami has two restaurants: the poolside Bahía for casual alfresco dining (serving Northern Mediterranean cuisine) and the Edge, which is the main brasserie and cocktail bar serving breakfast, lunch, and dinner—and on Sundays, brunch.

Now, this is not your typical eggs and French toast brunch menu. Options abound, starting with oysters, shrimp, and crab legs galore from the seafood raw bar; open-air grilled tomahawk steaks and paella; a homemade, made-to-order pasta station; and an insane pastry selection that’ll make your mouth water just by looking at it. Fill your plate high and enjoy the lively atmosphere outside on the terrace overlooking the pool—no Sunday scaries here. For dinner, order the grilled Rohan duck served over coconut rice and topped with Caribbean curry and a maduro glaze.

The spa

The hotel offers spa services through The Spa at the Equinox gym, located on the fourth floor of the building. Hotel guests can also enjoy complimentary access to the gym during their stay, including personal trainer sessions and group fitness classes. You can request the daily class schedule from the concierge—who kindly helped me book a morning Vinyasa Yoga class—and they will confirm your spot.

The neighborhood/area

Brickell gets a bad rep among visitors as Miami Beach’s boring, business-minded sibling, but a quick walk from the hotel will reveal the up-and-coming neighborhood to be an energizing community lined with vibrant (and clean) shops, restaurants, and bars. The main difference: they’re filled with locals instead of tourists. If you’ve vacationed in South Beach before and thought to yourself, as I did after one too many spring break trips in college, that you “love Miami but could never live there,” you’re just going to the wrong parts of town—and Brickell is a great place to start exploring Miami’s unhurried residential side that’s full of culture, art, and nature. Walk 15 minutes from the hotel to Brickell City Center, an indoor-outdoor shopping mall that’s actually pretty cool (and very handy if you’re like me and forgot to pack sunglasses).

As a beach lover who typically wants to be as close to the ocean as possible, I never would have thought to stay in downtown Miami, but found myself enjoying this urban oasis so much that I didn’t want to leave. However, if you do start craving sand between your toes, the hotel is a perfect jumping off point for the less-crowded beaches of Virginia Key and Key Biscayne (both visible from my bedroom window), just a 15-minute drive over the scenic Rickenbacker Causeway. The causeway is also home to one of Miami’s most popular running paths, an 8-mile stretch with turquoise ocean views. For a shorter jog or walk, also with stunning views of the bay, take the path around the back of the hotel on Brickell Bay Drive, then go down Brickell Ave and take a lap around Brickell Key island. Also nearby is Vizcaya Museum and Gardens, a 1916 waterfront estate with 10 acres of gorgeous gardens to explore.

The service

The Four Seasons is known for exceptional service across their properties (speaking to their veteran expertise, my poolside waiter had worked at the hotel for over 20 years). From the concierge who nimbly assisted me with dining and fitness class reservations to the kind dining staff, the friendly Miami team made sure I was always taken care of and was incredibly helpful at offering local recommendations and insight. The concierge motto at the Four Seasons is “we can arrange virtually anything”: For those looking to arrange something special, one popular excursion is an evening sail throughout Biscayne Bay and the Miami River.

For families

The hotel offers kid-friendly experiences offered at the pool, in addition to onsite babysitting services. Cribs, high chairs, and play pens are also available upon request. During my stay, I saw fellow guests with young children, preteens, and teens in tow, all happily entertained.

Eco effort

The hotel donates excess food to the local community through Food Rescue and has eliminated single-use plastics, including water bottles and bathroom amenities. For a sustainable and stylish way to cruise around town, suite guests have complimentary access to a custom electric Moke jeep for the remainder of the year.

Accessibility

The hotel entrance is connected to accessible guest rooms via an accessible route with elevators. The business center, restaurant, meeting rooms, ballroom, and gym are also wheelchair accessible.

Anything left to mention?

Perhaps surprisingly, there are a few deals to be had here. If you book a visit during the off-season (May 30 to December 31), the hotel’s Stay Longer offer gives guests a third night free during select dates. There’s also a 20% off discount for off-season reservations booked at least seven days in advance. And up until October 31, 2024, Florida residents can receive up to 30% off a weekday stay and 25% off a weekend stay, as well as complimentary valet parking—making it the perfect staycation.