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My husband and I recently decided to thaw out from the NYC winter and travel down to Miami for some sunshine. The combined Art Deco + island paradise vibe is one of our favorite things about Miami. The newly opened (2021) Goodtime Hotel captures this Art Deco + South Beach atmosphere beautifully. We enjoyed ourselves so much that I just had to share in a travel blog, so here we go...
Quick Recap:
The Goodtime Hotel is one of the most instagrammable places in all of Miami
Favorite happy hour: Strawberry Moon (at the hotel). The food and drinks were spectacular.
Awesome pool area, but get to the pool early (9 AM) if you want a free spot. The loungers are taken quickly and you'll be stuck paying $250 for a bed.
No DSLR cameras are allowed at the pool area unless approved by the social team. You need to ask in advance and you may be charged a fee.
Free 2-hour bike rentals for hotel guests
Walking distance from the beach
Fun fact: Pharrell Williams is a co-owner of the hotel with hospitality icon David Grutman
Since Ben and I live in NYC, we are always on a hunt for a good happy hour because our city is #expensive. We did not have to leave the hotel to find our favorite happy hour of the trip at the Mediterranean Restaurant/Bar, Strawberry Moon (level 3 of the hotel). Tip: Bear in mind that the happy hour only applies to the bar area (which is inside the restaurant). During our stay, happy hour was Tuesday-Thursday from 6 PM-9 PM and included $8 cocktails, small plates, and wine by the glass. I have to give a huge shoutout to our bartender, Jimmy Amador, because he made our time so enjoyable. He also made us the BEST drink I've ever had...and I'm not exaggerating. It's called either the Blackberry Rambler or Rasberry Rambler (very similar drinks). Jimmy made it with my favorite gin, Monkey 47. This is the most important ingredient, not because it's liquor (lol) but because of the 47 botanicals that give the drink a magical taste. Lest you think I'm overselling...I'm not! We highly recommend everything we ordered:
Rasberry Rambler (Monkey 47 + not on the happy hour menu)
Spicy Jaja Margarita (cocktail)
Purple Reign (lavender cocktail)
Sumac Daddy (cocktail)
Sheftalia - Lamb and pork sausage (I ended up ordering two of these because I was so obsessed)
Pepperoni Pide, which is like a delicious pizza flatbread.
Now let's go tan... We started our stay on a Wednesday and it was surprisingly more chill than I expected for a South Beach hotel. I even overheard a couple of girls at the pool say the same thing. While we didn't personally experience rowdy or unruly parties, I've heard that occasionally happens (which is somewhat expected, given the hotel's ties to celebrities). Speaking of celebrities, you might rub elbows with the rich & famous at The Goodtime Hotel. Kendall Jenner and CardiB recently visited to mix up drinks for their brand launches (Tequila 818 and Whipped). If you follow the hotel on Instagram, you can see similar upcoming events. Due to the pool's popularity, I recommend arriving very early in the day (~9AM). I did not want to pay for a pool bed, which started at a whopping $250 for weekdays and $400+ for weekends. Beds directly by the pool are even more ($600+)! If you are there with a group such as a bachelorette party, you may be interested in a cabana and those prices start at $1,000. I enjoyed my free pool chair just fine! If you aren't staying at the hotel, you can purchase a day pass for the pool area but that also comes with a minimum spend of food/drink.
Awesome music and just an overall beautiful (and instagrammable) pool area. With that being said, keep in mind there will be lots of "influencers in the wild" moments. Honestly, everyone is taking photos, so I feel like it's a place with less judgment lol. These photos will likely be taken with your iPhone. They have a no DSLR camera policy unless approved by management. I know this because I got called out when Ben and I were the only ones at the pool area.
I mentioned this a couple of times but this is one instagrammable hotel. One it's like a pink explosion (which I'm here for). The library or what they call The Book Club is probably my favorite spot of the hotel #librarygoals. I was in love with every corner and shelf! Our room was also quite adorable. They offer a really cute green and pink leopard robe for purchase in each room. Not only is it a beautiful place to stay but the staff was incredible. We are looking forward to returning this year! I initially had to convince Ben to stay at The Goodtime Hotel. By the end of our time, he was asking me when we can come back! So ladies, you can assure your men just because it's pink and instagrammable doesn't mean they won't have a good time; a good time is guaranteed.
And finally...take the hotel bikes out for a spin! If you have been following us for a while, you know that bike riding is always a vacation highlight (we are currently training for the 40 mile NYC 5 Boro event)! The main South Beach strip is only a block away. We enjoyed waking up for sunrise and strolling down the streets with light traffic. However, people in Miami are pretty active so you won't be the only ones! The bikes are only free for 2 hours but 2 hours is better than 0 hours. You can rent the bikes for a fee after your 2 hours. There are also tons of CitiBikes around the city.
