Biltmore Hotel

Miami

Considered to be one of the largest beach resorts in the world, Miami is the realm of film stars, fashion models, constant sunshine, luxury yachts, glamour, money, luxury and extravagance.

Inhabited solely by planters until the end of the 19^th century, it began to develop thanks to William Brickell and Julia Tuttle who initiated the construction of a railroad line and a hotel. In 1913, John Collins, a New Jersey Quaker, created Miami Beach by having a bridge built connecting the bay to the land. In the 1920s, Miami decided not to apply the prohibition laws, and the population quadrupled. In 1959, after the Cuban revolution, 500,000 Cubans took refuge in Miami. Other waves of immigration followed, making Miami one of America’s most multicultural cities. Today in fact, Spanish is spoken as much as English. In spite of the city’s glitzy image of elegant buildings, celebrity villas and gleaming limousines, the Art Deco District, the largest of its kind in the world, neighborhoods like Little Havana and Little Haiti, the Broadway quality Lyric Theatre and the Italian, South African, French and Chinese styles of Coral Gables, demonstrate the city’s rich historic heritage.

A legendary hotel

The Biltmore Hotel in extravagant Coral Gables is very representative of the quarter. Its Italian-Andalusian aspect is a stunning combination of Italian Renaissance and Spanish Baroque styles. Visible from a distance thanks to its bell tower inspired by the Giralda in Seville, it was built in 1926 by the real estate promoter, George Merrick, who was the creator of Coral Gables. The monumental entrance hall with its marble columns, its coral swimming pool and its 60 hectares of tropical gardens immediately made it a favorite with Hollywood stars and celebrities from all walks of life. Judy Garland, and Ginger Rogers were regular visitors. Later on, Marlon Brando stayed here, and even later on, Cameron Diaz and Bill Clinton were guests at this mythical hotel. Tiger Woods and Sergio Garcia played an exhibition here and Johnny Weissmuller, a swimming champion who later played Tarzan in a host of films, broke the 50-meter freestyle record in the hotel’s immense swimming pool.

The rooms are in a classical style with neutral tones running from white to cream color with touches of beige. The Al Capone Suite nicknamed after one of the Biltmore’s most famous and most notorious guests, is a favorite of George Bush, Placido Domingo and Robert Redford. It’s on the 13^th floor and has a private elevator in which Capone would have liquor and women brought up to him during Prohibition.

It served as a hospital during World War II and a reception center for veterans. It was also used as the décor for the film Bad Boy and the television series, CSI-Miami and Miami Vice. The Biltmore is therefore a veritable legend, and the Napoleon lobster with a touch of caviar, the filet mignon and the roast bass in leek sauce served at the Palme d’Or, one of the hotel’s four restaurants are equally legendary, thanks to French Chef, Philippe Ruiz.

There’s a popular legend that tells of the existence of bullet holes on the walls of the Al Capone suite as well as a secret passage through one of the libraries. It’s up to visitors to play detective…