The Soho House chain
The Soho House is a chain of hotels, with a private club. The chain was founded in London by Nick Jonas, in an apartment above his French cafe. However, he currently retains only a 10% stake in the group as he sold the rest to tycoon Richard Caring and Ron Burkle.
Being a private club, its membership is notoriously selective. It was targeted at those in the arts, media and entertainment industry. However, the chain says that it is for anyone with a ‘creative soul’. IT currently has around 50,000 members with a long waiting list. The chain depends on this exclusivity for its reputation. It established itself in North America in 2003 in the Meatpacking District. The chain itself has expanded to more than 20 clubs all around the world.
Soho houses have some rules that are out of place in the luxury hotel industry. Photography is strictly prohibited in the public areas and cell phones are unwelcome as well. Soho houses stick to their motive of making room for creative souls, which means no suits are allowed. These may seem weird but are necessary for preserving the spirit of the Soho house.
The Soho House Miami Hotel
The Miami Soho beach house is a 4.5-star establishment in South Beach, Miami. It has a =n oceanfront side, which gives you spectacular views of the water body. It can be categorized as a boutique hotel, with only 50 rooms. It is ideally suited for couples looking for a luxurious yet rather out of the box hospitality experience. The Soho Beach House, Miami ranks 17th in Miami, 67th in Florida and 533rd in the United States.
The Miami Soho Beach house is where the Sovereign hotel once stood. The art deco building of the Sovereign hotel has been renovated and rebuilt for the House yet the façade and lobby of the hotel have been preserved. It began construction in 2008 after some major remodeling. The project initially was supposed to be controlled by Ryder properties. Ryder properties had planned 60 condominiums in addition to the club and hotel in the same space. Nick Jonas felt that this might not allow the Soho beach house to have all that its members look for in a Soho house. Therefore, he sold 80% of his stake in the company to Richard Caring and bought out Ryder properties. He canceled all the condos and remodeled the entire space, to include a lot more of the trademark Soho house facilities. The Miami Soho beach house consists of 50 rooms, which makes it tiny compared to the other luxury hospitality options in Miami. Initially, the list of members was kept to merely 750. A unique feature of the Miami house is hat it is completely open for members and non-members alike.
Ambiance
The ambiance can be described best as “ club meets hotel and modern meets rustic.” The interiors are chic yet, have a shabby old town feel. The lobby of the Sovereign hotel has been retained. Nick Jones has added to the traditional feel by using reclaimed wood from Wyoming, Spanish church tiles, and reclaimed barbershop chairs from New York to decorate the place. There are plenty of leather and plush sofas around, and thus ensure the utmost comfort of the guests. The arrangement of the furniture gives off a charmingly haphazard vibe. The general aesthetic resembles British lounges combined with Cuban designs before the revolutions. Both these styles have been so finely blended that the property resembles the retro styles of the 1950s. The aged wooden furniture, worn leather chairs, tasteful chandeliers, and geometric tiles give a distinct feeling of having traveled to another era. Yet it is not to be mistaken for an entirely old fashioned experience. Macs, TV screens, Wifis, and monitors have been effortlessly incorporated in the lounges to make sure that the guests are not cut off from the world and can enjoy their regular entertainment along with the taste of an old fashioned residence.
Rooms
The Soho Beach House offers three kinds of rooms. You get to choose from the Side, Beachside, Bayside rooms. The beach-side rooms are the best and the costliest. They offer a magnificent view of the beach. They also have stand-alone bathtubs in the bathrooms and all that comes with the grandest rooms in any hotel. The Bayside rooms too have a lot to offer. They are quite spacious and have great views as well. They too have stand-alone tubs and are just as aesthetically pleasing. The beds are huge and can comfortably be used by three people. The Side rooms are perhaps the smallest and offer a view of the intercoastal waterway. There are no bathtubs here, only rainfall shower stalls.
Each of the rooms has its individuality in design and organization. Some rooms have huge balconies. Some have expansive views of the skyline. All rooms have a minibar, which is a lot bigger than what you would expect of a traditional minibar. It is stocked with lemons, lime crystal ware. You can also request the bartender service for your minibar. The rooms feature huge beds, wooden paneling and worn leather chairs strewn around. The flooring is Spanish and is chiefly done in green and white. The aesthetic will remind you of the old Cuban style. The bathrooms are remarkably spacious and are stocked with Cowshed products.
Food and Dining
Nick Jonas began his career as a restauranteur. He describes food services as his first love. Most of the revenue earned by the Soho House chain comes not from its memberships, but from its chain of Soho branded restaurants.
The pride of the Soho Beach house is Cecconi’s, an authentic Italian restaurant on the beach-front. It is a complete restaurant and offers the famous brunch buffets on weekends. In addition to that, there is a Mexican restaurant and bar at the rooftop pool and is fully watered. This spot is particularly popular among the members as it is exclusive and an excellent place to socialize. It features exotic local foods such as red snapper with rice and a host of other such entrees. There is the Ocho Tequila bar for pre-dinner cocktails and other drinks. The beach garden of the House features a tiki bar in the Cuban style. It is watered and provides an excellent service when you want to relax at the beach. Breakfast is served at the club level and has truly a wide selection to tickle your palate.
The room service is also quite prompt. There is also an option of having a bartender to mix your drinks in your room itself. However, both these services are offered only up to 03.00 am.
Soho House Pool
The main pool at the Soho Beach House Miami is a 100ft long, thin strip of water located on the rooftop of the Soho house building. Due to its size, it is not used by members for serious swimming. It is used mainly to cool off on a hot day. It is surrounded by beach chairs and lounge chairs. The area has full waiter service. This ensures a comprehensively relaxing experience.
The rooftop of the Soho house also has a small plunge pool, with grand views of the city. The rooftop also has full waiter service and is generally used by the residents as a place to socialize.
Cow-shed Spa
Nick Jonas had to buy out Ryder properties just because there was not enough space for the characteristic Soho House amenities. The cow-shed brand Soho House Spa was one of them. The Miami beach house currently features a huge Cowshed spa.
The Cowshed at Miami Soho house is divided into two sections: Cowshed Active and Cowshed Relax. Cow-shed Active is a fully equipped gym. It is replete with all the equipment you could need. It also offers services such as personal trainers and others. The gym has a beautiful ocean-side view. The gym aesthetic is quite old fashioned. Things like boxing gloves on the wall and wood paneling make you feel as if you are in a retro yet cool place.
The Cowshed relax is a fully serviced spa. You will find everything you need in order to relax at the Cowshed spa. It has been decorated with reclaimed wood paneling and accented with bull horns. The spa itself is a maze of rooms with all the services you could possibly want. It offers everything right from speedy pedicures to bespoken full-body therapies and maternity services.
The Cowshed spa also offers its custom made products for sale. These products cover a very wide range. You can order these online as well. It is important to note that the Cowshed spa and gym are open only to members. Members are expected to pay in advance and reach the spa fifteen minutes before the appointment for the best experience. There are also some policies for cancellation that members should look up before booking an appointment.
Other facilities
-
Weddings and Business
The Soho house welcomes members who wish to have their weddings on the premises. There are not many options to choose for a venue inside the House, but the ones available are scenic and beautiful. The main pool area, the Ocho, the rooftop and the library can be turned into venues for a wedding. The House doesn’t have a dedicated wedding planner, but they can be arranged with advanced notice.
The Soho house doesn’t have a traditional business meeting rooms, but you can discuss business in the pool area, the rooftop or any of the socializing spots in the house. However, corporate culture goes against the spirit of the Soho House and it is not recommended for you to have corporate suits in the House.
-
Screenings
Movie screenings are another notable feature of any Soho house. The screening room at the Miami Soho house can seat 35 people. It has 3D capabilities. It is particularly popular among artists ad actors as they can host movie screenings here. Movies and other shows are screened regularly here by the administration.
Prices
The prices of the Soho Miami beach house are quite steep. However, given its exclusivity and luxury ratings, this is no surprise. The membership costs vary from 900 USD to 2400 USD. For 900 USD you get the membership of the Miami Beach house, and for 2400 USD you can get the membership of Soho houses all over the world.
Rooms start from around 240 USD. These are only the starting prices and these numbers go north as you opt for a better room. Double rooms start at 450 USD in low seasons and at 690 USD in the peak season. The food and drinks can be pricey as well. The Soho house earns more from its food and drinks than from its memberships. The costs of services in the Spa range from 50 USD to more than 500 USD.
However, when compared to other 4.5 star hotels of its size, the prices of the Soho house are pretty reasonable. The services provided are excellent and deserve the price tags.
Reviews
The Soho Beach House, Miami has received all favorable reviews over time. Most of the guests are satisfied with the experience and believe that the Soho house provides value for money. Travel agent and hospitality firm Tripadvisor has rated the Soho Beach house, Miami at 4.5/5, a really respectable rating. The Telegraph rates it an 8/10.