Acqualina Resort and Spa
A Swanky Spot North of SoBe
Acqualina raises the bar on Miami beachfront luxury, delivering a fantasy of Mediterranean opulence, with oceanfront lawns and pools that evoke Vizcaya. With Ferraris and Lamborghinis lining the driveway, three stylish swimming pools, a colossal ESPA spa, Miami's superlative Italian restaurant Il Mulino New York, and sumptuously appointed interiors, this resort is a destination unto itself.
When the 51-story resort with its Mediterranean revival architecture and massive clock tower opened in 2005 it was the swankiest spot north of South Beach with Baroque fountains and marble-and–gold leaf columns in the public areas evoking an opulent Venetian palace. Ten years on it has managed to maintain its reputation with gracious service, impeccable grounds and plush rooms.
Earlier this year Forbes Travel Guide recognized Acqualina Resort & Spa as a Five Star Hotel, marking it the third year in a row the property received this award. Details like a fresh towel at check-in and offering choice of beverages, free wifi throughout the resort, spacious closets and complimentary shoe shine service set this spot apart from chain resorts that tend to overlook those needs.
Guests at the The Acqualina run the gamut from packs of women on spa-heavy bachelorette weekends to affluent families to business travelers holed up in the hotel’s many conference rooms. Kid-friendly amenities include a gelato bar off the lobby and a marine biology-based kids program.
Located on 4.5 beachfront acres in Sunny Isles Beach, Acqualina Resort & Spa features 98 guest rooms and suites and 188 residencies with views of Atlantic Ocean.
About Sunny Isles:
In a city brimming with optimism and reinvention Sunny Isles Beach stands at the pinnacle of the Miami zeitgeist. What was once a sleepy strip of dilapidated Sahara-themed motels and rows of sea grape trees and patches of sea grass is now glitzy community of soaring condo towers and upscale hotels.
The 1.7-mile city is known for its enviable waterfront property–bounded by the Atlantic Ocean on the east and the Intracoastal Waterway on the west–and its lax restrictions on height limitations, thereby paving the way for ambitious developers to outdo each other with cloud-grazing projects.
Swanky Suites at Acqualina
Accommodations are sinfully comfortable and undeniably lavish, with every conceivable frill. We stayed in an ocean-facing one-bedroom king suite which was really an apartment with a full kitchen, living room gargantuan bathroom, and large balconies.
The spacious accommodations, which include standard rooms beginning at nearly 750-square-feet up to three bedroom suites spanning more than 2,300-square-feet, recently underwent an extensive renovation which included a classical palette of taupe, sandy tans, and soft greys with hints of violet, brought to life with a collection of rich, custom fabrics woven throughout the space.
Satin draping frame windows and sliding glass doors that give way to oversized balconies with views of the resort’s more than 400-feet of Atlantic oceanfront, the Intracoastal Waterway, or Miami’s sparkling city lights. Sand-grey carpeting, sculpted to represent the beach’s sandy shore, provides guests with cozy, comfortable flooring underneath their feet.
A contemporary bronze coffee table is the centerpiece of the room’s sitting area, bordered by a traditional wingback chair crafted from grey bouclé fabric with exposed buttons and modernized by clean lines. Hidden under the sofa’s plush cushions, guests will uncover the added practicality of a pullout pillow-top mattress.
Service at Aqualina
Like all Leading Hotels of the World properties, this resort emphasizes guest service. Staffers perform their jobs well, with warmth and flair.
Acqualina resort exemplifies five-star hotel service. Some observations:
• Staffers know your names, and address you with accuracy and respect
• With few exceptions, things are done and requests satisfied when they should be: your ice, welcome amenity, extra towels arrive quickly, bellboys deliver luggage even before you get to your room
• Housekeeping is ultra-thorough, with evening turndown
• Housekeepers respect eco-conscious guests' preferences not to have their linens and towels changed daily
No Corporate Personalities Here
There's a fine line between too-corporate and too individualistic. Personnel at this resort walked the tightrope beautifully.
• They showed their own personalities and opinions, but did not overshare or editorialize
• They made me feel that I was getting to know interesting young people, not merely being served by rank-and-file. It was a nice feeling
ESPA at Acqualina
The Acqualina is not lacking in luxury, with an outpost of the British-based spa company, ESPA. The 20,000-square-foot pampering haven features a crystal steam room, Finnish sauna, spa pool, Roman waterfall, and sun deck.
The two-story tranquil sanctuary of relaxation features 11 multi-functional treatment rooms and an extravagant private spa suite for two, along with the opportunity to enjoy the beautiful outdoor terrace complete with a spa pool, heated jet pool, and Roman waterfall – all set against the alluring backdrop of the Atlantic Ocean.
My favorite part of the lavish water features was the experience shower that featured cool artic or warm Caribbean mists. The spa’s his-and-hers relaxation lounges are stocked with teas, cookies and fruit which made for a comfortable spot to transition between treatments.
I also love the crystalized steam room with its mood-enhancing colored lighting. This is an eastern alternative method known as Chromotherapy. Chromotherapists believe light in the form of color can be used to balance energy lacking from a person's body, whether it be on physical, emotional, spiritual, or mental levels.
One could easily spend their entire stay taking in the waters at this impressive 20,000 square-foot cathedral of relaxation. The pampering campus includes:
There are two main restaurants at Acqualina - AQ and Il Mulino New York. A small sushi bar in the lobby also provides an additional option.
Breakfasts at Aqualina are a healthy and well-stocked buffet of fruit, pastries, smoked fish and hot entrees. We appreciated the fresh smoothies and granola bar as well.
Chef Dewey LoSasso (formerly of The Forge) reinvented the in-house restaurant AQ earlier this year.
The chef has since left, but his creative-yet-comfortable menu remains.
The restaurant occupies the opulent salon flanking the hotel’s lobby bar. Ample outdoor seating is available on a Romanesque patio with arched walkways and a gurgling infinity pool. There’s a small indoor market with wine and gourmet items for sale.
The menu comprises Mediterranean-inspired eats…and a short sushi menu (courtesy of North Miami Beach’s Hiro’s Yakko-San). Chef LoSasso adhered to a Florida-centric ethos with items like local heirloom tomatoes, grouper cheeks and cured snapper.
Eclectic starters included cured snapper croquetas (really more like beignets), spaghetti squash crostini and lobster paninis. Salads include a hearty fried grouper cheek with chopped escarole, pistachio dust and avocado oil powder.
Vegetarians will be pleased: almost half of the dozen entrée selections are veggie-friendly including dishes like Indonesian chili, faro risotto, trofie pasta and a pea risotto with pan-seared baby beets.
The list of mains is rounded out by pan-seared black grouper in a carrot-pomegranate reduction, roasted Bell and Evans chicken and a ten-ounce Creekstone Farms burger.
For dessert, diners can choose from the offerings of the small adjacent market that stocks homemade gelatos and a dessert case containing confections like French macarons, dessert tarts and cakes.
Will You and Your Family Like The Acqualina?
The Acqualina may be the right hotel for you if:
The Acqualina may not be the right hotel for you if:
Acqualina raises the bar on Miami beachfront luxury, delivering a fantasy of Mediterranean opulence, with oceanfront lawns and pools that evoke Vizcaya. With Ferraris and Lamborghinis lining the driveway, three stylish swimming pools, a colossal ESPA spa, Miami's superlative Italian restaurant Il Mulino New York, and sumptuously appointed interiors, this resort is a destination unto itself.
When the 51-story resort with its Mediterranean revival architecture and massive clock tower opened in 2005 it was the swankiest spot north of South Beach with Baroque fountains and marble-and–gold leaf columns in the public areas evoking an opulent Venetian palace. Ten years on it has managed to maintain its reputation with gracious service, impeccable grounds and plush rooms.
Earlier this year Forbes Travel Guide recognized Acqualina Resort & Spa as a Five Star Hotel, marking it the third year in a row the property received this award. Details like a fresh towel at check-in and offering choice of beverages, free wifi throughout the resort, spacious closets and complimentary shoe shine service set this spot apart from chain resorts that tend to overlook those needs.
Guests at the The Acqualina run the gamut from packs of women on spa-heavy bachelorette weekends to affluent families to business travelers holed up in the hotel’s many conference rooms. Kid-friendly amenities include a gelato bar off the lobby and a marine biology-based kids program.
Located on 4.5 beachfront acres in Sunny Isles Beach, Acqualina Resort & Spa features 98 guest rooms and suites and 188 residencies with views of Atlantic Ocean.
About Sunny Isles:
In a city brimming with optimism and reinvention Sunny Isles Beach stands at the pinnacle of the Miami zeitgeist. What was once a sleepy strip of dilapidated Sahara-themed motels and rows of sea grape trees and patches of sea grass is now glitzy community of soaring condo towers and upscale hotels.
The 1.7-mile city is known for its enviable waterfront property–bounded by the Atlantic Ocean on the east and the Intracoastal Waterway on the west–and its lax restrictions on height limitations, thereby paving the way for ambitious developers to outdo each other with cloud-grazing projects.
Swanky Suites at Acqualina
Accommodations are sinfully comfortable and undeniably lavish, with every conceivable frill. We stayed in an ocean-facing one-bedroom king suite which was really an apartment with a full kitchen, living room gargantuan bathroom, and large balconies.
The spacious accommodations, which include standard rooms beginning at nearly 750-square-feet up to three bedroom suites spanning more than 2,300-square-feet, recently underwent an extensive renovation which included a classical palette of taupe, sandy tans, and soft greys with hints of violet, brought to life with a collection of rich, custom fabrics woven throughout the space.
Satin draping frame windows and sliding glass doors that give way to oversized balconies with views of the resort’s more than 400-feet of Atlantic oceanfront, the Intracoastal Waterway, or Miami’s sparkling city lights. Sand-grey carpeting, sculpted to represent the beach’s sandy shore, provides guests with cozy, comfortable flooring underneath their feet.
A contemporary bronze coffee table is the centerpiece of the room’s sitting area, bordered by a traditional wingback chair crafted from grey bouclé fabric with exposed buttons and modernized by clean lines. Hidden under the sofa’s plush cushions, guests will uncover the added practicality of a pullout pillow-top mattress.
Service at Aqualina
Like all Leading Hotels of the World properties, this resort emphasizes guest service. Staffers perform their jobs well, with warmth and flair.
Acqualina resort exemplifies five-star hotel service. Some observations:
• Staffers know your names, and address you with accuracy and respect
• With few exceptions, things are done and requests satisfied when they should be: your ice, welcome amenity, extra towels arrive quickly, bellboys deliver luggage even before you get to your room
• Housekeeping is ultra-thorough, with evening turndown
• Housekeepers respect eco-conscious guests' preferences not to have their linens and towels changed daily
No Corporate Personalities Here
There's a fine line between too-corporate and too individualistic. Personnel at this resort walked the tightrope beautifully.
• They showed their own personalities and opinions, but did not overshare or editorialize
• They made me feel that I was getting to know interesting young people, not merely being served by rank-and-file. It was a nice feeling
ESPA at Acqualina
The Acqualina is not lacking in luxury, with an outpost of the British-based spa company, ESPA. The 20,000-square-foot pampering haven features a crystal steam room, Finnish sauna, spa pool, Roman waterfall, and sun deck.
The two-story tranquil sanctuary of relaxation features 11 multi-functional treatment rooms and an extravagant private spa suite for two, along with the opportunity to enjoy the beautiful outdoor terrace complete with a spa pool, heated jet pool, and Roman waterfall – all set against the alluring backdrop of the Atlantic Ocean.
My favorite part of the lavish water features was the experience shower that featured cool artic or warm Caribbean mists. The spa’s his-and-hers relaxation lounges are stocked with teas, cookies and fruit which made for a comfortable spot to transition between treatments.
I also love the crystalized steam room with its mood-enhancing colored lighting. This is an eastern alternative method known as Chromotherapy. Chromotherapists believe light in the form of color can be used to balance energy lacking from a person's body, whether it be on physical, emotional, spiritual, or mental levels.
One could easily spend their entire stay taking in the waters at this impressive 20,000 square-foot cathedral of relaxation. The pampering campus includes:
- Sauna
- steam baths,
- walk-in "snail" shaped shower
- relaxation areas with ocean views
- a private outdoor pool and courtyard
- a fitness center
There are two main restaurants at Acqualina - AQ and Il Mulino New York. A small sushi bar in the lobby also provides an additional option.
Breakfasts at Aqualina are a healthy and well-stocked buffet of fruit, pastries, smoked fish and hot entrees. We appreciated the fresh smoothies and granola bar as well.
Chef Dewey LoSasso (formerly of The Forge) reinvented the in-house restaurant AQ earlier this year.
The chef has since left, but his creative-yet-comfortable menu remains.
The restaurant occupies the opulent salon flanking the hotel’s lobby bar. Ample outdoor seating is available on a Romanesque patio with arched walkways and a gurgling infinity pool. There’s a small indoor market with wine and gourmet items for sale.
The menu comprises Mediterranean-inspired eats…and a short sushi menu (courtesy of North Miami Beach’s Hiro’s Yakko-San). Chef LoSasso adhered to a Florida-centric ethos with items like local heirloom tomatoes, grouper cheeks and cured snapper.
Eclectic starters included cured snapper croquetas (really more like beignets), spaghetti squash crostini and lobster paninis. Salads include a hearty fried grouper cheek with chopped escarole, pistachio dust and avocado oil powder.
Vegetarians will be pleased: almost half of the dozen entrée selections are veggie-friendly including dishes like Indonesian chili, faro risotto, trofie pasta and a pea risotto with pan-seared baby beets.
The list of mains is rounded out by pan-seared black grouper in a carrot-pomegranate reduction, roasted Bell and Evans chicken and a ten-ounce Creekstone Farms burger.
For dessert, diners can choose from the offerings of the small adjacent market that stocks homemade gelatos and a dessert case containing confections like French macarons, dessert tarts and cakes.
Will You and Your Family Like The Acqualina?
The Acqualina may be the right hotel for you if:
- You want to enjoy Florida’s beaches in a quiet and serene locale
- Your hotel room must be big, with an ocean view
- Your vacation always includes a trip to the on-premises spa
- You’re bringing kids and need a pool and outdoor activities that can occupy hours
The Acqualina may not be the right hotel for you if:
- You prefer hip, contemporary design over opulent interiors
- You want to stay within walking distance to South Beach
- You like to be near arts or cultural organizations that are within walking distance
