Dua Miami, Autograph Collection

Dua Miami, Autograph Collection: A Vibrant Escape in Brickell

Dua Miami, Autograph Collection, a Michelin Key Selected property, offers guests a dynamic, evocative, and indulgent experience in the heart of Miami's Brickell neighborhood. Formerly the SLS Brickell and purchased by Kastrati Group in October 2023, the hotel, whose name means "to want" or "to love" in Albanian, blends boutique hotel charm with expansive amenities. While some aspects reflect its previous incarnation, upcoming upgrades are planned to enhance the guest experience.

1. Overall Rating & Sentiment

The general consensus for Dua Miami is largely positive, with guests frequently praising its aesthetics, location, and comfortable atmosphere. Many describe their stays as wonderful, incredible, and exceptional, often expressing a desire to return. The hotel is considered a "Quality and quirky" option in the Brickell district.

2. Key Highlights

Guests consistently laud several aspects of Dua Miami:

• Design & Vibe: The interior design, by Philippe Starck, is described as having a "fun, artsy flair" and a "minimalist, yet playful style." The hotel creates a distinct "Alice in Wonderland" ambiance with large mirrors, black-and-red carpets, and striped hallways. The overall aesthetic is often highlighted as a "great vibe" and "stunning."
• Location: The prime Brickell location is a significant draw, offering walkability to attractions like Brickell City Centre for shopping and dining, and easy access to public transport.
• Amenities: The Altitude Pool Deck, featuring two infinity pools, a cold plunge, and a jacuzzi, is a major entertainment draw, offering stunning city skyline views. The hotel also offers nightly DJ sets and weekend pool parties. A full-service spa and fitness center are also available.
• Service: Friendly, helpful, and welcoming staff are frequently mentioned as a highlight, from front desk to valet and restaurant teams.

3. Room Quality

Dua Miami offers 124 guest rooms across eight floors, with nine categories ranging from 300-square-foot superior double rooms to an 1,800-square-foot presidential suite. Many rooms, including seven of the nine types, feature private balconies with city views.

Rooms are described as having "artsy, pastel pink walls embellished with (intentionally) uneven black paint strokes" and black carpets embroidered with white wings, eyes, keys, and bones. Philippe Starck's influence is evident in the "minimalist, yet playful style." Elegant rooms boast Egyptian cotton sheets and premium bedding, along with rainfall showers. While some find the rooms stunning and comfortable with high standards, others have noted them as feeling compact, with a work desk sometimes appearing "shoved in." Beds are generally reported as very comfortable. Some guests have noted unusual bathroom configurations, such as sliding doors that reveal either the shower or the toilet, and an absence of typical amenities like toothbrushes or razors.

4. Dining Experience

The hotel's main restaurant, Ahu | Mar, offers an all-day Italian menu with fresh ingredients, handmade artisanal breads and pasta, and wood-fired flavors. Popular dishes include grilled octopus and lemon pepper calamari, both of which have received high praise. Breakfast is also served here, with buttermilk pancakes being a standout item. Dining can be enjoyed in the contemporary dining room or on the outdoor patio. A vibrant lounge on the second floor caters to night owls. Guests have generally found the in-house dining enjoyable and inviting. There is also a pool bar for poolside lunches and cocktails.

5. Service & Staff

Exceptional service is a recurring theme in guest feedback. Staff members are consistently described as friendly, helpful, polite, patient, attentive, and welcoming. Specific mentions include accommodating early check-ins and remembering requests for high-floor rooms. Valet staff are also noted for being kind and welcoming.

6. Location & Accessibility

Dua Miami is situated in the dynamic Brickell neighborhood, just minutes from downtown Miami. It offers a perfect location, right in the heart of Brickell but away from the noisier parts. Key attractions within walking distance include Brickell City Centre (5-9 minutes), Mary Brickell Village (5-6 minutes), Brickell Key (12 minutes), and Bayfront Park (17 minutes). The Financial District Metromover Station is a 2-minute walk away, providing excellent public transport access. The hotel is also noted for its accessibility features, including roll-in showers, visual alarms, and wheelchair-accessible public spaces, including the lobby, ground-level restaurants, pool, spa, and fitness center.

7. Value & Pricing

Pricing for Dua Miami can vary, with deluxe rooms potentially ranging from approximately $307 to over $800 depending on the date. While some guests find the hotel offers good value for money, others have described it as "overpriced" for the experience, particularly those expecting more for their investment, especially with higher Marriott Bonvoy statuses. September is generally the cheapest month to stay, with December being the most expensive.

8. Common Complaints

While overall sentiment is positive, a few recurring issues have been noted:

• Noise: A significant complaint, particularly for rooms on lower floors, is noise from a restaurant that transforms into a club, playing loud music until midnight on weekdays and 2 AM on weekends. This has led to disrupted sleep for some guests, even on the fourth floor.
• Room Design & Functionality: Some guests find the rooms compact, and the placement of the work desk inconvenient. Issues with bathroom design, such as water from the shower spilling onto the toilet floor and faucets not draining properly, have been mentioned. The lack of standard bathroom amenities like toothbrushes and razors has also been noted as a potential cost-cutting measure.
• Lighting: Poor lighting in rooms and hallways has been a criticism.
• Breakfast Inclusion Confusion: Some guests have experienced difficulties and "pushback" when inquiring about included breakfast, suggesting a potential communication issue with staff regarding booking details.

Sources

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