Want to stay in a hotel at the Miami airport? 360-degree views and hot tubs are coming
Your flight is delayed. You need a place to stay. Where are you going to go?
Sure, there’s a bunch of hotels that ring the Miami airport. But what about at the airport?
For decades, there’s been only one hotel at Miami International. That will change in the next few years.
Plans are in the works for a new luxury Westin hotel to open at MIA in 2027.
Here’s what we know so far about the new hotel at the airport:
When will the new MIA hotel open? Where will it be located?
Location: The hotel is expected to welcome guests in 2027 and will be connected through a pedestrian bridge to MIA’s North Terminal, Concourse D, the hub for American Airlines.
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What amenities will MIA’s Westin hotel have?
Well-being for travelers: “Wellness will be the foundation” of the new MIA Westin hotel, developers told the Miami Herald in an email this week. Developers say the hotel is “drawing inspiration” from Marriott International’s wellness-focused Westin brand and “the nature of healthy living in Miami.”
And just like other Westin hotels, the new MIA hotel will focus on Westin’s six pillars of well-being:
Eat Well, Sleep Well, Move Well, Feel Well, Work Well, Play Well
The hotel will have 450 rooms and is expected to offer a variety of amenities, according to county documents and developers. Room rates are to be determined. But guests can expect:
▪ A rooftop restaurant, lounge and bar with an outdoor terrace offering a 360-degree bird’s-eye view of downtown Miami, the coastline and the airport runways. Aviation aficionados can watch planes land and take off at MIA while eating and drinking. The hotel says it will offer a “curated dining” experience to promote healthy living and wellness, and will also have a lobby bar, lounge and terrace.
▪ An expansive outdoor “oasis lawn” pool deck with swimming pools, hot tubs, event spaces, and sun-lounging chairs nestled in “grassy planted nooks” meant to give travelers a “jungle-like reprieve from stressful travel.”
▪ Over 30,000 square feet of banquet and meeting space for business meetings, retreats and events.
▪ “Day suites” with lounging space, room service and access to the lawn forr people who want to stay in the hotel for a few hours.
▪ Guestrooms that “emphasize mindfulness.”
▪ Fitness studios that incorporate natural daylight into the design. The hotel will also have a spa offering an “expansive” set of services.
▪ Valet parking. Up to 200 parking spaces could be made exclusively available for the hotel, including for valet, according to the lease agreement, which the Miami Herald obtained through a public record request. Parking spaces could be in the Dolphin and Flamingo Garage, as well as at other nearby parking options.
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How much will the county get from the hotel?
Revenue: Miami-Dade County is expecting to get $240 million in revenue under the 50-year lease with FDR Miami Hotel, LLC, for the new airport hotel. The projected revenue is based on rent payments to the county by FDR. However, the county says its revenue “may be substantially higher” after the hotel opens.
In 2023, the Miami-Dade County Commission, which oversees the airport, unanimously awarded FDR the contract to build and operate the hotel. FDR is formed by joint venture of Miami-based Fontainebleau Development LLC led by Jeffrey Soffer and The Related Companies, which is chaired by Miami Dolphins owner Stephen Ross and headquartered in New York.
What are other MIA hotel options?
Airport accommodations: For travelers who want to stay near MIA, other hotel options include popular hotel chains Hilton, Marriott and Hyatt. But until the Westin opens, the only hotel that connects directly to the airport is the Miami International Airport Hotel, which was built more than 60 years ago.
The MIA hotel is on the second floor of Concourse E by Door 11, accepts pets, has parking and offers day-use rooms.
This story was originally published February 15, 2024 at 7:47 AM.
