In the Palm of Luxury The James Royal Palm is Miami’s newest hotel hotspot. WRITTEN BY
A
BRANDON GOLDSTEIN
s soon as the leaves begin to change their color, sometime in September, I begin planning my escape from the Northeast. I suddenly long for ever-green palm trees and sunlight that had only been absent for, well, not even a month. I do love the fall, but it’s never too early to plan my quick, yet brief exit to somewhere warm. I think back to my stay last February in Miami. Layin’ on the beach, my toes in the sand, sippin’ a cocktail with one of those tiny umbrellas in it, while bikini-clad women strolled past me. Not a worry on my mind, I had found my happy place. It’s your turn to find yours. With early planning in mind, you may be able to time your trip perfectly so that the minute the first snow of the season touches the chilled Jersey ground, you’re
sippin’ on a mai tai in warm, bright South Beach. The envy of all your friends, and frankly, me. Miami, much like New York City, is a place unlike any other in this country. Its uniqueness stems not only from its cultural and ethnic blend, but also the influence of its near perfect year-round weather and coastal geography. When it comes to deciding where to stay in Miami, there are many choices. Some are old classics, relics of the glorious Miami of the 1950s that have survived the city’s tumultuous ups and downs. For instance, The Delano and Fontainebleau, lining famed Collins Avenue, are constant reminders of Miami’s unmistakable modernist Art Deco style and the city’s impact on architecture in general. Yet, one hotel stood out to me: The James Royal Palm. Not only was its location central to Miami’s Continued on pg. 58
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FALL 2013