After almost 4 years of no travel, my boyfriend and I were ready for a trip. We decided on Florida and I booked the St. Regis Bal Harbour resort.
Bal Harbour is in northern Miami and has a calmer atmosphere than South Beach. It is a great location for a tranquil beach vacation while also having quick access to all of the activities in both Ft Lauderdale and Miami.
Keep reading to learn all about this resort!
THE ROOM:
I booked the standard room award of a Deluxe Guest Room with one king bed and an ocean view.
The room was very large! Although it wasn’t a suite it felt more like a suite than a normal guest room.
You walk into an entryway that leads to your hallway.
On one side of the hallway, there is a water closet with a toilet and sink. Directly across the hall from the water closet, there is a bathroom with a nice-sized shower with a glass door instead of a shower curtain, a large soaking tub, and double sinks. There is also a walk-in closet area.
When you walk into the actual room space you have a desk, a sofa, a bed, and a large flat-screen television across from the bed.
Even though the inside was awesome, my favorite spot was the large balcony!
The balcony had two cushioned lounge chairs and a small table that was convenient for placing drinks, a book, or a laptop. Overall, the balcony was a great spot to sit outside listen to the ocean waves and relax.
THE SERVICE:
We traveled over Memorial Day weekend, so the hotel was full. However, we never felt that the service suffered because of it.
We arrived at the hotel about three hours before check-in and our room wasn’t ready. However, they prioritized us and got us in a room before we could decide where we were going to go for lunch.
It was also my boyfriend’s birthday, and they brought up complementary cupcakes with a lovely note.
We were helped with our luggage, asked if we needed anything often, and had great beachside and poolside service as well. The service truly shines at this property.
THE FOOD:
What is a vacation without ordering room service at least once or twice?
The menu had options for a variety of dietary preferences and the staff was very willing to customize dishes as well. I had asked to leave off some of the standard items that came with the dish, as well as add other items. The staff got the customizations 100% correct!
The food was very good. There were some dishes that I enjoyed more than others, but we never had a meal that we just hated.
Of course, the prices are high, which is to be expected at a luxury property, but since we saved money by paying with points, we splurged a little when we didn’t want to leave the room and just ordered in.
THE SPA:
I NEVER go to the spa, but I have always wanted to try a facial. Again, since we had saved so much on our hotel stay, I decided why not!
I booked an hour-long facial and loved it. The spa was very peaceful and well laid out and you were greeted with your options for a welcome beverage. I had champagne.
There was a changing area with lockers, a whirlpool, a sauna, and a super nice waiting room.
Once you leave the waiting room, you are led via an intimately lit hallway to the room where your chosen service will be performed.
The room for the facial was super comfortable and the woman who did my facial was very nice and gave me great tips for the care of my skin. I also enjoyed the sauna after my facial. I will definitely go back for another service when I stay at this hotel again.
THE BEACH AND POOL:
There are two pools one is for families and one is for adults only. Both pools were a nice size with the family pool being a little larger than the adult pool.
The family pool area was more crowded some of the days so we spent our time at the adult-only pool and it was wonderful. The pool is less than five feet deep, but it is a great area to hang out and cool off.
The beach is probably the highlight of most people’s visit to the Miami area and the private beach at the St. Regis Bal Harbour does not disappoint!
Not only is the water clear (you could see fish swimming), the area of beachfront was quiet, and although there were other guests it never felt crowded and we never had trouble getting a seat. The St. Regis Bal Harbour also offered a beachside food and beverage menu in addition to several options for shaded seating.
OVERALL:
Overall, we absolutely fell in love with this hotel and are already planning to visit again. It is certainly an expensive hotel with cash, but using points makes a luxury stay like this possible for more people.
If you are interested in doing the same you can read the article on how I transferred Chase points to Marriott for this stay.
Until next time, travel safely!