Breathtaking views, great access to all of Miami’s top sites, a distinctive Asian style and a stellar Peruvian restaurant make the Mandarin Oriental Miami a hotel with a difference on Brickell Key.
The curvilinear Mandarin Oriental Miami is like the white sail of a windswept ship forever facing toward spectacular views of natural and human creation. Located on the tip of Brickell Key, close to Coconut Grove, downtown, and the Wynward district, bellmen in red uniforms greet us at the door while inside, a distinctive Asian style pervades, including hundreds of orange-red orchids that are lined up in glass vases in the lobby.
Our bay view room with a small balcony offers a great start to the early morning when the rising sun makes neighbouring high-rises glisten and, in the evening, their lights sparkle over Biscayne Bay.
One day, we drop by the 15,000 square foot spa, featuring treatments derived from Chinese, Ayurvedic, European, Balinese and Thai cultures – we opt for the aromatherapy massage a nice relaxing way to spend the afternoon.
Another day, we visit La Mar, the hotspot Peruvian restaurant led by renowned chef Gastón Acurio. Pisco sour cocktails are the precursor to the meal which includes Causa Cangrejo (whipped peruvian potatoes and ají), scallops, Paiche chorillana (an Amazonian fish) and chaufa (Peruvian fried rice). Peruvian food blends Asian, African, European and Indigenous Quecha influences and throughout our meal, we discover new ingredients (lucuma), or familiar ones with a local inflection (Peruvian wine, who knew?).
As it is my girlfriend’s birthday, we can’t skip dessert, and we indulge in a sumptuous fortunato chocolate mousse with caramelized Andean grains, stunningly crisp sweet potato and pumpkin fritters drizzled with spiced honey, and deconstructed pie de limon. Sail away!
This article is based on an original story that appeared in the Winter 2014/15 issue of City Style and Living Magazine. Want more Miami?