Most people associate a beachfront resort in Miami with the hustle and crowds of South Miami Beach, or the monolithic structures a bit north on Collins Avenue, those great, huge hotels - The Eden Roc, The Fontainbleu - which enjoyed their heyday in the 1950s.
Ocean Point Resort and Club, in Sunny Isles, is unique in location, ambiance, and concept. It's a beachfront highrise boutique resort and spa, a romantic hideaway, a family gathering place, a weekend retreat, a summer-long vacation spot. The contradictions are nearly as endless as the Atlantic Ocean appears when viewed from the 166 suites in the resort.
Feng Shui and Elegance
The most difficult part of checking in is having to turn away from the glass wall of the lobby lounge, the one that looks out onto the pool, the beach, and the aforementioned endless ocean.
Scattered around the lobby and lounge area are tables with candles, intimate gathering places, alcoves with deeply cushioned furniture. Places you wouldn't want to leave if it weren't for your suite. Once you get upstairs, you don't want to come down again.
In-Suite Everything
The fact is, you don't have to. The elegant suites at OceanPoint provide for every comfort. EVERY comfort.
The resort's elegant restaurant, View, will enhance your stay with in-suite dining. The spa will be happy to provide in-suite massages à deux. There is a full kitchen with stove, microwave, ice-making fridge, toaster, pots, pans, utensils, and dishes, plus a coffee-maker with complimentary coffee. The marble bathroom has a Jacuzzi® tub and a rain-head two-person shower, all enhanced with exclusive Aveda® amenities. A remote-control TV in each bedroom and in the livingroom, plus a VCR and stereo, can help the ambiance with the right entertainment selection, but it's the view that's a winner.
Every suite has one, a sweeping ocean view; the one-bedroom suites face either north or south with the ocean to the east; two-bedroom suites are available oceanfront.
Indulge Yourself
Although it's tempting, staying cocooned in your suite would be a mistake. The resort's spa, pool, outdoor hot tubs and beach amenities make this a truly full-service destination.
The $6 per person "resort fee" includes the use of the fitness center and non-motorized watersports; the fitness center's treadmills all look out at the ocean. Sunfish sailboats, sea kayaks, two-person chaises, umbrellas and towels are available for use. A gourmet grocery store in the resort provides everything from wine to munchies. The resort's spa is an oasis of soothing, calm, hedonistic pleasure. Indulging oneself can be easily written off as a physical necessity, a paliative for the soul.
One indulgence that ABSOLUTELY should not be missed is the extraordinary Sunday Champagne Brunch. An array of the usual (eggs, bacon, potatoes) is accompanied by the unusual - sushi, a raw bar, a risotto station. Of course there is the requisite saddle of beef, but eggs benedict, smoked fish, crab legs and nori maki also make an appearance here, followed by scrumptuous desserts. All is served on the outdoor terrace of View.
Getting There
Even though the address is Miami, the Fort Lauderdale airport is closer. Renting a car is recommended, although the resort does provide shuttle service to South Beach at night and to both the Aventura Mall and the ultra chi-chi Bal Harbour Shops. One caveat: Parking at the resort is valet only, and costs a whopping $16 per day.
Several specials and packages are offered throughout the year; call the resort to find out which one is best for you.
1-305-940-5422
All content and photos unless otherwise noted copyright Jana M. Jones, on contract to NBC 17. All rights reserved.
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