There’s been a lot of buzz about the 1 Hotel in South Beach, an eco friendly beachfront hotel occupying an entire block on Collins Avenue. This is the debut property from the new 1 Hotel branch, followed by the 1 Hotel Central Park last summer in NYC. (A third 1 Hotel is opening soon under the Brooklyn Bridge.) Desperate for some warm weather and sunshine, and eager to get the scoop for Daytripper365, my husband and I booked a last minute weekend trip to Miami. He wanted to fish each morning, while my only plan was to hang around the pool and beach. The 1 Hotel was just what we were looking for. That and the sunshine!

The Hotel: We loved the concept and execution at the 1 Hotel of “socially responsible hospitality." And we loved our room even more. All of the rooms are spacious, starting at 700 sq. with white, beachy sectionals built on natural wood platforms. Sheets and pillows are organic, the mattress is made from hemp and best of all there’s a filtered water tap in the room so no plastic bottles. The hotel’s signature restaurant, Beachcraft, from celebrity chef Tom Colicchio serves seasonal farm to table fare at breakfast, brunch and dinner. Just opened, Spartan gym and Bamford Haybarn Spa, are great perks for guests of the hotel.

Note: This is a big hotel with over 400 rooms plus permanent residences. If you prefer a quieter hotel we love the Miami Beach Edition, just a few blocks north. For more details click here for a full write up on the Edition and more Miami information. 

Get Moving: Spin devotees will be happy that Soul Cycle has a branch at the 1 Hotel, but if it’s a nice day why not go for a run or walk on the boardwalk promenade that runs parallel to the ocean.  The boardwalk is impressive, you can cover basically a 40-block radius if you’re so inclined. The walk is scenic, and well maintained with great people watching—everyone young and old is out on a nice day.  Go early before it gets too hot!

Yoga: The 1 offers complimentary yoga each day with some classes held outside on the rooftop. For a private session contact either Sara Quiriconi or Kimberly Skrobol - offering vinyasa style flow classes suitable for all levels. For those who practice Ashtanga, there is no better place than Kino Macgregor’s Ashtanga Life Center.

Sun: The 1 Hotel is big, but with four pools there’s plenty of space for everyone to spread out. The rooftop pool is 21 and over, and yes, the music plays all day, so if you’re looking for quiet head to the lower pool or the beach. Come late afternoon the rooftop is an ideal spot for a cocktail and to watch the sun set.

Lunch:  At the hotel, eat poolside at Sandbox offering a Mexican influenced menu of salads, sandwiches, tacos, plus grilled meat and fish. Up on the roof there is good sushi and other light Asian bites. Take a short walk down the beach to Matador Room at the Edition Hotel.

Shop: If you’ve had enough sun, Kith and Curves are 2 blocks away on Collins for a quick dose of high-end retail therapy.

Drinks: Head to the Broken Shaker, a 5-minute walk from the hotel for pre-dinner cocktails. Located at the Freehand Hostel it’s a great outdoor space incorporating a tropical garden around a small pool. The specialty-handcrafted cocktails are delicious, the music is great, and the crowd is lively--fun all around. (You can choose to have dinner at the eclectic Table 27, adjacent to the Shaker and also part of the Freehand. It gets loud, so request a table outside.)

Dinner:  The Continental, features an eclectic, global menu in a casual retro space with a large outdoor patio. The food was fun, rum punch even better and it’s right across from the 1 so super convenient. An Uber drive away, try and snag a reservation at MC Kitchen in the design district, for inventive Italian food from chef Dena Marino.  For more South Beach restaurants click on our lastest itinerary here.

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