My fictional travel blog about Miami: Biltmore Hotel, Coral Gables

The Biltmore Hotel, Coral Gables

The Biltmore Hotel is a luxury hotel located in Coral Gables, Florida. Its stunning location is minutes away from South Beach, downtown Miami, Coconut Grove and the Coral Gables business district. It is Miami’s only four-star, four-diamond hotel for six consecutive years. Its exclusive Spa is spectacular, the relaxing view to the Golf Course is amazing, and the Palme d'Or is an award winning Restaurant. The world-famous pool with private caban suites was at one time, the largest pool in the world.

The world-famous pool

The Miami-Biltmore Hotel & Country Club was built in 1926, and designated a National Historic Landmark in 1996. It served as a hospital during World War II and as a VA Hospital and campus of the University of Miami medical school until 1968. It became a hotel again in 1987. There are some reports that claim this hotel to be "haunted". This legendary hotel has been a favorite of world leaders, celebrities, and sports stars since its opening. It has been used as a setting for movies and television programs.

The interior of the Biltmore Hotel is exceptionally luxurious with colorful decorative ceilings, marble columns and the huge bird cages in the lobby. Architect Barry Berg fashioned two nine-foot tall mahogany birdcages with porthole windows to house finches and nightingales. The cages' design is actually an inverted version of the chandeliers that hang in the lobby.

Biltmore decorative ceilings

Birdcage at the lobby

The Hotel features:

• 150 acres of lush and tropical landscapes, which include the Biltmore Golf Course, 18 holes designed by Donald Ross, 10 tennis courts, and the world-famous Biltmore pool with private cabana suites

• Acclaimed restaurants, such as Palme d'Or, ranked by Zagat as the best in overall excellence; Fontana; Cascade Poolside Bar & Grill; and the 19th Hole

• Biltmore Spa, a world-class spa and fitness center

• Miami culinary classes at Bilmore Culinary Academy

• The finest accommodations in Miami, comprising 273 guest rooms, 130 of which are suites

76,000 square feet of spacious state-of-art conference and meeting spaces

• Full-service catering for meetings, events and weddings