The St. Regis Bal Harbour Resort

The St. Regis Bal Harbour Resort was built in 2011, and in 2017 the resort replaced room furniture and expanded its lobby to install a casual (though still upscale) French eatery. Right from the get-go, this property oozes Old World luxury dressed in contemporary style. Entrance floors are tiled with black marble, mirrors cut into Art Deco designs reflect from the walls, and cloudy crystal chandelier light fixtures hang from the ceiling. The St. Regis Bal Harbour is the type of place you come to be waited on, to have privacy, and to nestle in exclusivity. Still, the hotel attracts lots of families with young, well-behaved children, though it's mostly couples. Guest rooms and suites are spaced out with a maximum of 14 rooms on one floor to help control sound levels and privacy, and button-less, electronic elevators mean guests can only access floors relevant to their stay.

The St. Regis Bal Harbour Resort is conveniently located directly on the beach and across the street from the glamorous Bal Harbour Shops. This small stretch of a peninsula is quiet, well-heeled, and known for its luxury shopping mall and semi-private beach. There is no public parking available, giving the Bal Harbour an exclusive vibe that's only accessible to guests of the village's hotel row and visitors willing to pay high valet rates.

• Two-minute walk from Bal Harbour Shops
• 20-minute drive from South Beach
• 25-minute drive to Downtown Miami
• 25-minute drive from Miami International Airport
• 25-minute drive from Fort Lauderdale International Airport

The 216 rooms and suites have a light and luxurious look with a sophisticated neutral color palette, stylish furniture, and good natural light. Guests can also expect contemporary marble floors, artful headboards made of aged glass, and ocean-themed artwork. Large balconies, in-room plants, and high-tech features like electronic room controls and wireless device syncing are big pluses, as are iPod docks and bedside iPads. The five-fixture bathrooms have luxe soaking tubs and bath products, mirrored dressing areas, and big walk-in showers. All rooms and suites have ocean views thanks to an angled design, and all balconies are furnished with comfy lounge chairs and a small table and chairs set.
The main difference between the two entry-level rooms categories is floor location. The Deluxe Ocean View Rooms are on floors four through seven, while the Grand Luxe Oceanfront Rooms are on floors eight through 20. These rooms have carpeted floors, 210-square-foot balconies, and dry bars and minibars stocked with snacks, booze, and water. Upgrades to Oceanfront Junior Suites add wet bar kitchenettes with Nespresso machines and microwaves, and include the St. Regis' signature butler service with drink service, help with baggage packing/unpacking, and garment pressing.
Imperial Oceanfront Suites and up come with full-sized kitchens (electric stoves, freezes, wine fridges, and pots and pans on request), dining room tables, washer/dryers, and double balconies. Atlantic Oceanfront Suites are on lower floors but have free access to the kids' club, while bumps up to the Presidential Suites add panoramic views from the balconies, free day villa rentals, and upgraded bath products. Those traveling with an entourage may find the eight-bedroom, six-bathroom Grand Palace Suite a good fit. This top-level suite also has eight furnished balconies, two living rooms, four dining areas, and a small annexed single-bed room for bodyguards and nannies.

The Bal Harbour area is home to the only semi-private beach area in Miami, mostly due to the lack of public parking. St. Regis guests have easy walkout access to a section of soft white-sand beach just behind the hotel. However, the neighboring tower buildings often cast shadows over the sand. Beach attendants ready padded loungers and umbrellas, hand out towels, and service the beach from the Fresco Beach Bar and Grill, though service can be slow. Free refreshments and other amenities are brought around every 90 minutes. Two cushioned chaise lounge beach chairs and an umbrella are included per room, and daybeds and private cabanas are available for rent.

St. Regis Bal Harbour has two sparkling pools and over 10,000 square feet of deck space where guests can soak up sun and ocean views. Families are welcome at the Resort Pool, while the Tranquility Pool and whirlpool are for guests 16 years and older. Both pools have padded lounge chairs and umbrellas, or guests can treat themselves by renting an oceanfront villa. These splurge-worthy spaces are over 600 square feet, have luxe features like marble floors and butler service, and conveniences like bathrooms with showers, AC, flat-screen TVs, Wi-Fi, and iPod docks. Pool areas and villas are all full-service.

The 14,000-square-foot St. Regis Bal Harbour Spa offers high-end ways to relax with 11 spacious treatment rooms offering indulgent treatments like facials that use gold oil. Locker rooms are also to the nines with Finnish saunas, aromatherapy steam rooms, and whirlpools. A full-service hair and nail salon, relaxation room with dried fruit and hot tea, and full spa menu complete the facilities. For a workout, The St. Regis Athletic Club may seem small, but it packs a punch with mirrored walls, Technogym machines, a kinesis machine, and free weights. Guests can also grab chilled towels, fresh fruit, and water as needed, plus the resort has a small schedule of fitness classes available every day.
Some of the more unique features at this property include a satellite Rosenbaum Art Gallery full of contemporary works, and a Bentley house car that does free drop-offs within a six-mile radius (a longer range than most hotels in Miami Beach). The St. Regis Bar & Sushi Lounge not only boasts a collection of rare wines and champagne, but it's also the only live music venue in Bal Harbour (though the musicians have to compete with the nightly ritual show of sabering open a bottle of champagne). Guests can also book private chef's table dinners inside the The Wine Vault.
The sushi lounge serves up raw fish and other asian-inspired dishes, while guests can go Greek and Mediterranean at the poolside Atlantikos restaurant. Other options include room service, an upscale and chic burger bar, and the light and bright lobby dining, French pastries, and formal tea service (served in vintage birdcages) of La Gourmandise. Overall, the food gets good reviews, although prices are high, particularly for the breakfast buffet. Guests can also go one step further by booking one of the resort's cooking or macaron-making classes or signing up for an educational wine tasting.
The Sea Turtle Club bills on a half-day, full-day, and hourly basis, and has a host of indoor and outdoor activities just for kids. Restaurants (except the sushi lounge) have kid-friendly menus available on request. Event and meeting space include boardrooms, breakouts, and two ballrooms, plus some outdoor venues. This resort charges a resort fee which includes Wi-Fi, access to the gym and spa locker rooms, a daily fitness class, two beach chairs and an umbrella per room, and a daily cocktail at the bar.