Miami: Isn't it Romantic?

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. October 14, 2008

MIAMI, FL, June 23, 2008. A tropical paradise with sun-kissed days, white sand beaches and world-class hotels, restaurants and nightlife befitting a cosmopolitan city, Greater Miami is an ideal destination for a romantic getaway. The options are as limitless as the imagination, but here are 10 sure-fire ways to rekindle or ignite a romance in Miami:

1. Settle into a suite - From grand historic resorts to chic boutique hotels, Greater Miami offers every style of lodging for lovers. Particularly notable is the large number of hotels with sumptuous suites where couples can indulge in sweet captivity. In Coconut Grove, the Mayfair Hotel & Spa offers 170 intimate suites with every amenity imaginable. Likewise, the new all-suite hotel tower at Fontainebleau Resort combines spacious sitting areas and kitchenettes with sweeping vistas overlooking Biscayne Bay.

The Setai, a tranquil Asian-inspired resort in the heart of Miami Beach, has 50 spacious suites with in-room tubs for personal spa treatments, "rainfall" showers and baths clad in granite, teak and silk.

South Beach also offers a bevy of beautiful suites. The new all-suite Hotel DeSoleil South Beach offers a "SoBe Seduction Special" where couples are greeted with their own lavish hot tub filled with rose petals on their own private terrace. Chocolatecovered strawberries and a bottle of fine champagne enhance the mood. Also earning accolades in South Beach, Sagamore Hotel offers an upscale collection of exquisitely decorated suites, bungalows and penthouses, all with original artwork. The Angler's Boutique Resort offers both duplex and studio suites. The two-story suites have a living room on the main floor and bedroom on the second floor, joined by a spiral staircase. The suite has a private spa and patio and oodles of luxury amenities. If you really want to splurge, book the "Grande Dame" suite at the new Gansevoort South Hotel. The 3,400-square-foot, two-bedroom suite features a pair of balconies with ocean views; a gourmet kitchen and dining room; an entertainment room equipped with Sony's finest electronics, Italian pool and foosball tables; oversized Jacuzzi baths and custom-designed furnishings. No wonder the hotel offers a "Mile High Kit" for $20 that includes a feather tickler, a personal massager and three condoms.

The 60 executive suites at The Regent Bal Harbour - including seven spa suites - also invite romance. Each guest room opens onto a large terrace with panoramic views and has a luxurious interior with precious mahogany wood, granite stone and leather accents that convey a serene and warm atmosphere. The bathrooms have 10-foot, floor-to-ceiling windows, a free-standing tub overlooking the ocean and inlet and an oversized shower with a rain shower head.

1. Sip a sunset drink - At the DiLido Beach Club at the Ritz Carlton in South Beach, couples can sit right on the beach with their feet in the sand as they sip cocktails in a Moroccan-inspired setting. Hanging lanterns, swinging hammocks and white draping curtains create the mystique of Arabian nights. Nikki Beach Club, which has been called the "sexiest place on earth" for its alcove of white teepees and exotic bamboo beds under swaying palm trees, is another great place for sunset drinks. At Smith & Wollensky in Miami Beach, couples can watch an endless parade of cruise ships passing through the Government Cut against the magnificent backdrop of the downtown Miami skyline.

2. Take a table for two - A full-fledged culinary hot spot, Miami offers a breathtaking array of romantic restaurants. Perhaps the ultimate for lovers is Tantra. Based on ancient Indian spiritual philosophy, the Miami Beach restaurant and lounge serves international "aphrodisiac" cuisine and beguiles its patrons with an entranceway paved with fresh grass, a softly lit marble waterwall, sleek ultrasuede banquettes and walls lined with sunset-hued silk. The Redfish Grill in Matheson Hammock also oozes romance. Its beachfront patio has tables decked out in crisp white linens and crystal beneath towering palm trees encircled by twinkling white lights. Beyond the lagoonshaped beach, the Miami skyline glistens like a diamond necklace. Baleen, at the Grove Isle Hotel & Spa in Coconut Grove, is equally enchanting. The romantic, openair tables at this private island sanctuary offer candlelit elegance, sweeping views and gourmet fare.

3. Party the night away - With some of the hippest nightclubs on the planet, Miami offers something for everyone. Opium, Mokai, SET, The Fifth and Mansion are five of the hottest dance clubs, while South Beach's sexy Touch epitomizes the way many Miami restaurants morph into lounges where beautiful people party into the late night hours. Nightlife in the downtown Brickell area has also heated up considerably in recent years. Novecento, the Miami sibling of the decade-old restaurant in SoHo, has a great ambiance and intriguing food with live DJs Wednesday through Saturday in a hot-hot bar scene. Segafredo Brickell exudes the warmth and charm of an Italian caf'e with posh indoor and outdoor seating areas and a boutique nightclub known as Spazio Nero. The Blue Martini is equally chic, with an outdoor patio bar serving 25 different martinis, wine and spirits, "stage room" with live entertainment and VIP room.

4. Take a midnight dip in a cool pool - Nearly every Miami hotel has a swimming pool that is every bit as enticing during clear "Moon over Miami" evenings as during sultry days. The luxuriously long and slender infinity pool at The National Hotel in South Beach, for example, heats up when the sun goes down thanks to the ultra-chic Zee Pool Lounge. The Gansevoort South is home to the "plunge" rooftop bar and lounge which features a 110-foot long swimming pool, poolside lounges and cabanas as well as an awe inspiring city and ocean view. The curvaceous beauty at The Raleigh is enveloped by a sweet-scented hedge of tropical foliage and has a cascading waterfall and poolside bar. Befitting a National Historic Landmark, The Biltmore Hotel in Coral Gables boasts the largest hotel pool in the continental United States. A frequent backdrop for movies and fashion spreads, the colossal pool is as romantic today as it was during its heyday of hosting grand aquatic shows. Take a sexy dip in the Clinton Hotel's Jacuzzi pool and follow up with Kama Sutra products in your room.

5. Pack a picnic for a day a Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden - This 83-acre expanse of exotic plants and flowers is the perfect place to spend the day eating chocolatedipped strawberries and other treats from a well-stocked picnic basket. Couples can sit under the shade of ylang-ylang trees and inhale the sweet scent of their blossoms, the primary ingredient in Chanel No. 5 perfume.

6. Get decked out for the Art Deco District - Dress up in style and step into the grandeur of a bygone era in Miami's famed Art Deco District. Have drinks at The Hotel's Spire Bar & Lounge and then take a leisurely stroll along Lincoln Road or Ocean Drive, deciding whether Mango's Tropical Caf'e or some other eatery is right for dinner and dancing.

7. Indulge yourself at a spa - There's no better way to relax with your partner than to pamper yourselves at one of Miami's first-class spas. Recognized as one of the best spas in America, The Ritz-Carlton Spa in Key Biscayne is an oasis of tropical splendor, offering more than 60 natural therapies based on luscious botanicals. How about hisand- her treatments of a Papaya Mango Body Smoothie and Key Lime Coconut Body Scrub and Soak? The Willow Stream Spa at the Fairmont Turnberry Isle Resort & Club is also haven for letting go of life's daily stress. The spa even offers a Duet Massage where couples nestle side-by-side in a luxurious Mediterranean-style treatment suite. Another award-winning sanctuary, the Spa at Mandarin Oriental, Miami, offers several split-level treatment suites with floor-to-ceiling windows with stunning views of the bay.

The spa uses bamboo, rice paper, glass and natural linens to achieve an ambiance of total harmony. Miami is also home to the first Guerlain Spa in the United States, the 10,000-square-foot spa features 14 treatment suites each with a private bathroom to provide the utmost seclusion and privacy. The spa also includes a state-of-the-art foot therapy lounge, hydrotherapy facilities, an exclusive beachfront treatment cabana, steam rooms, relaxation lounges, and following treatments guest will enjoy the reflecting room. When you've finished your treatments at the beautiful new Elemis Spa at Loews Miami Beach Hotel, pamper your palate with the new spa menu devised by world-renowned chef Emeril Lagasse to showcase the freshest local catch and complement the cuisine at the hotel's Emeril's Miami Beach.

1. Stroll under the stars - Walk hand-in-hand along the Miami Beach boardwalk or take a guided evening tour of the breathtaking gardens of Vizcaya, a National Historic Landmark estate on Biscayne Bay, under the light of the full moon.

2. Take a moonlight cruise - Take a moonlight canoe trip or kayak tour along the Coral Gables Waterway, the historic Oleta River or through the hidden waterways of Key Biscayne.