Relax on fabulous South Beach, Miami
Celebrating Miami's 100th
As the city celebrates a milestone, Hannah Summers joins the party
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his is meant to be a plank – legs extended, triceps quivering, the prelude to total
collapse. Directly in front of me in the gym are the toned thighs and bottom of classmate Tiffany. I heave myself up, strap on boxing gloves and start jabbing a punch bag. Behind me, my friend Tom whimpers while doing frenzied star jumps. We're working out at South Beach Boxing, the cutting edge of fitness, where Miami's most divine torsos come to glow and grunt.
Once the preserve of blue-rinse retirees escaping the harsh American winters, Miami is now awash with stylish hotels, fabulous restaurants and bars, and celebrity locals including Jennifer Lopez. What's more, it's celebrating its centenary.
collapse. Directly in front of me in the gym are the toned thighs and bottom of classmate Tiffany. I heave myself up, strap on boxing gloves and start jabbing a punch bag. Behind me, my friend Tom whimpers while doing frenzied star jumps. We're working out at South Beach Boxing, the cutting edge of fitness, where Miami's most divine torsos come to glow and grunt.
Once the preserve of blue-rinse retirees escaping the harsh American winters, Miami is now awash with stylish hotels, fabulous restaurants and bars, and celebrity locals including Jennifer Lopez. What's more, it's celebrating its centenary.
T
Admire the art deco on Ocean Drive
The pool area at night at The W Hotel
waves and flirt. It's exhausting just to watch.We retreat to a more chilled scene up the coast, reclining on loungers with sea vistas to rival the Caribbean. We swig pineapple cocktails and receive expert advice from Josh, the young beach host of the glitzy, but cool W Hotel: 'Head to Ocean Drive for pregaming.' 'Pre-gaming?' 'Yeah, having a few drinks before your night out.' Oh Lord, cool new lingo to go with the cool vibe.
I want a holiday, not language lessons. But it's game on. It starts at the W's Living Room Bar. A suave man in his 30s glides past, his suit flawless, his hair slick. 'You look as if you work in fashion,' he purrs. We amble along the beachfront to Ocean Drive, where art-deco hotels line the street and bars serve margaritas in goblets the size of your head.
Several drinks later, we move on to Collins Avenue, where we saunter into Baoli, one of the many swanky bars lining the strip. Sports cars cruise the street — roof down, music up, it's gold Lamborghini after gold Lamborghini. Will Smith may have sung about 'partying on the beach till the break of dawn', but we lack his stamina. We collapse into bed at the W as relentless sunshine blasts through the window. Miami is shimmering and begging us to do it all again.
Original article published in May 2015. All info and prices correct at time of publication.
I want a holiday, not language lessons. But it's game on. It starts at the W's Living Room Bar. A suave man in his 30s glides past, his suit flawless, his hair slick. 'You look as if you work in fashion,' he purrs. We amble along the beachfront to Ocean Drive, where art-deco hotels line the street and bars serve margaritas in goblets the size of your head.
Several drinks later, we move on to Collins Avenue, where we saunter into Baoli, one of the many swanky bars lining the strip. Sports cars cruise the street — roof down, music up, it's gold Lamborghini after gold Lamborghini. Will Smith may have sung about 'partying on the beach till the break of dawn', but we lack his stamina. We collapse into bed at the W as relentless sunshine blasts through the window. Miami is shimmering and begging us to do it all again.
Original article published in May 2015. All info and prices correct at time of publication.
It's all about work hard, play hard. Wandering down to the sea in SoBe (that's South Beach, keep up), we pass rows of volleyball courts, where energetic ladies burn off last night's tequila. On the beach, the city's liveliest residents blast music, dive into the
"Miami is now awash with stylish hotels, fabulous restaurants and bars."
