South Beach Wine & Food Festival Announces All-Star Talent Line-Up

13th Street & Ocean Drive
Miami Beach FL, 33139
View Website Here

Widely recognized as one of America’s favorite epicurean celebrations, the Food Network & Cooking Channel South Beach Wine & Food Festival (SOBEWFF) returns to EAT. DRINK. EDUCATE. February 22nd – 26th, 2017. 

Benefiting the Chaplin School of Hospitality & Tourism Management at Florida International University, tickets are on sale now for more than 90 events. The line up for the 16th annual Festival includes an array of unique dinner experiences, signature tastings, late night parties, seminars, the return of the Taste Fort Lauderdale Series, and more taking place at locations throughout Miami-Dade and Broward counties.

Continuing the long standing tradition of bringing the most revered names in culinary to South Beach, the Festival is honored to feature an intimate dinner hosted by Massimo Bottura at the Faena Hotel Miami Beach on Friday, February 24th. Bottura’s Osteria Francescana, located in Modena, Italy was named the No. 1 restaurant in the world on the prestigious list of The World's 50 Best Restaurants presented by Acqua Panna and S. Pellegrino earlier this year.

For the first time, the Festival has partnered with hospitality and nightlife impresario David Grutman to present The David Grutman Experience at its signature Goya Foods’ Grand Tasting Village featuring Mastercard Grand Tasting Tents & KitchenAid Culinary Demonstrations on Sunday, February 26th. Recognized worldwide for his hotspots LIV, Story and Komodo, Grutman is bringing his signature over-the-top curated experiences straight to the sands of Miami Beach for the first time.

Offering one of a kind culinary experiences featuring the world’s best chefs, the Festival has once again carefully curated an array of more than 20 dinners. Highlights for 2017 include:

-An all-truffle experience

-Vegan dinner

-Kosher BBQ

-Celebration of Spain

-Journey through North Carolina cuisine

-Taste of South America

-Mediterranean mezze

-Caribbean classics and much more...

Some of the new events and returning favorites continue to add to the excitement of the Festival weekend, including the following options under $100:

-Craft-y Happy Hour

-Brickell City Centre After Dark hosted by Michael & Liz Symon 

-Salty, Sweet & Savory Treats: A Late-Night Party featuring Bar Lab

-The Salty Donut & Sarsaparilla Club

-DRINK Fort Lauderdale: Cocktail Time Machine Experience

-The Art of Tiki: A Cocktail Showdown hosted by Robert Irvin 

-Buddhas and Bellinis

-Nutrish’s Yappie Hour hosted by Rachael Ray

-Food Fight hosted by Guy Fieri 

-Badia Spices’ Fun and Fit as a Family featuring Goya Foods Kidz Kitchen.

The Festival’s signature Miami Beach events anchoring the weekend also get fresh twists this year, starting with a live musical performance by Little River Band, who hold 10 top 20 songs on U.S. Billboard charts, at Barilla’s Italian Bites on the Beach sponsored by HCP Media and the Miami Herald Media Company and hosted by Valerie Bertinelli & Alex Guarnaschelli on Thursday, February 23rd. 

The decade long, fan favorite event Heineken Light Burger Bash presented by Schweid & Sons hosted by Rachael Ray also returns on Friday, February 24th, where more than 30 chefs will compete for top burger-maestro honors. 

SOBEWFF channels the late night vibes that South Beach is known for on Saturday, February 25th at the brand new BACARDÍ Beach Party, featuring an array of cocktails, beats and beach bites to keep fans dancing long into the night. 

After its successful launch at last year’s Festival, the weekend will again close out with Lucky Chopsticks: An Asian Night Market hosted by Andrew Zimmern.

Additionally, the Festival’s beloved white tents nestled in the sand between 10th and 13th Streets and Ocean Drive will continue to host the Goya Foods Grand Tasting Village featuring Grand Tasting Tents & KitchenAid Culinary Demonstrations during the weekend.

A variety of dinners, brunches, lunches, and parties will take place throughout the weekend, featuring renowned chefs, culinary personalities, winemakers, and spirits producers. Events like Buddhas and Bellinis, Decadent Dessert Party hosted by Duff Goldman, Croquetas & Champagne hosted by Jean-Georges Vongerichten, Goya Foods Swine & Wine hosted by Cindy Hutson, and for all ages, Fun and Fit as a Family featuring Goya Kidz Kitchen.

Grab a sweet and savory deal this Valentine’s Day with the Fifty Shades of Food promotion for the 16th annual Food Network & Cooking Channel South Beach Wine & Food Festival. This special, limited time promotion allows you and yours access to set your taste buds aflame compliments of more than 50 chefs.

Starting at 9:00 A.M. Monday, February 6th, Festival fans who use code VDAY17 when purchasing two (2) or more tickets to Barilla’s Italian Bites on the Beach sponsored by HCP Media and the Miami Herald Media Company hosted by Valerie Bertinelli & Alex Guarnaschelli will also receive two (2) tickets to BACARDÍ On The Beach with Beats by Rev Run & DJ Ruckus.  

The deal doesn’t end there, as  each couple will also receive a complimentary copy of Fifty Shades of Chicken: A Parody in a Cookbook (Clarkson Potter, November 2012).  The Fifty Shades of Food promotion runs through midnight on February 14th.  

Tickets for the 2017 Festival are available now online at sobewff.org or by calling (877)-762-3933 (Phone sales are open Monday – Friday, 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM EST). 

To date, SOBEWFF has raised more than $24 million for the Chaplin School of Hospitality & Tourism Management at FIU.

Between SOBEWFF and its sister NYCWFF, which takes place each October in New York City, more than $32 million has been raised to benefit the respective charities for each Festival. Beyond the funds raised, both Festivals draw attention to the vibrant dining culture in their respective cities, provide economic stimulus in their communities, and serve as an invaluable platform to drive awareness, engaging and inspiring people to get involved in philanthropic activities.

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New Year's Eve in Oceanfront Style at McCoy's

1200 N Ocean Blvd.
Pompano Beach, FL 33062
(954) 782-0100

View Website Here

Local Florida residents and out of town guests alike are invited to ring in 2017 in oceanfront style at Fort Lauderdale Marriott Pompano Beach Resort & Spa.

McCoy’s Oceanfront, the resort’s beachfront restaurant whose namesake pays homage to the Prohibition era William “Bill” McCoy, will host a New Year’s Eve Celebration complete with delectable dining, live entertainment, party favors and more.

Kicking off at 9 p.m., McCoy’s will be serving up a five course prix-fixe menu prepared by Executive Chef Eric Kaszubinski. Priced at $135 per person, reservations also include a split of Champagne per couple, chocolate truffles, party favors, live entertainment and a Champagne toast at midnight.

The meal will begin with an amuse of Citrus Whipped Goat Cheese, Marcona Almond and Grilled Bread. Appetizer choices will include Charred Octopus with Fingerling Potato, Fennel and Smoked Paprika Lemon Oil; Fried Green Tomatoes and Sautéed Oysters with Bourbon Bacon Jam; or Charcuterie and Farm House Cheeses. 

A salad course will include a choice of Roasted Beets, Butternut Squash, Arugula, Feta, Pepitas and Maple Dijon Vinaigrette; Grilled Gem Lettuce with Fried Artichokes, Sweet Tomatoes, Poached Farm Egg and Caper Vinaigrette; or Baby Iceberg with Crisp Pork Belly, Pickled Shallots, Chipotle Green Goddess and Cornbread Crisps.

For the main course, diners will have a choice of:

-Grilled Veal Chop with Wild Mushroom and Crab Ragout, Candied Corn Risotto and Braised Winter Greens.

-Florida Black Grouper with Saffron Rice Cakes, Snap Peas, Rock Shrimp and Sofrito.

-Grilled Quail and Pan Roasted Duck Sausage with Braised Savoy, Grain Mustard Spätzle and an Apple Fig Compote.

-10 Ounce Grilled Bone-In Filet with Pickled Cipollini, Duck Fat Fingerling Fries, Bone Marrow Butter and a Red Wine Reduction.

-Farro Mushroom Risotto with Tuscan Kale, English Peas and a Butternut Squash Puree.

Dessert selections will include McCoy’s Rum Cake with Pickled Mango, Chantilly Cream and Salted Caramel; Chocolate Trio of Warm Chocolate Cake, Coffee Pot De Crème and Coco Nibs; or Key Lim Cheese Cake with Pineapple Compote, Strawberry Gastrique and Toasted Coconut.

Reservations can be made by calling 954-782-0100.

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3800 Ocean

3800 N Ocean Dr.
Singer Island, FL 33404
(561) 340-1795
View Website Here

The folks at 3800 Ocean like to think of themselves as a “collective kitchen” with food concepts and ideas that incorporate regional flavors and cultural tastes into everything they create.

The menus here are inspired by the local abundance of South Florida’s renowned crops that thrive under a hospitable climate and the regional flavors that stir the souls of the collaborative team of chefs. Each chef brings a new insight to the dining experience with the comfort food favorites of New England, the fire and spice of Mexico, the Caribbean traditions of Jamaica, and the ageless classics of Long Island.

Heading that kitchen is Executive Chef Gustavo Calderon. If you remember back in August, I told you about the announcement from 3800 Ocean, that they have named Gustavo Calderon as executive chef. In case you missed that, you can get the full release Here.

Returning to Florida after two years of culinary work abroad, Chef Calderon will direct the execution of the resort’s culinary needs under the expertise of assistant general manager and former executive chef Larry LaValley. Calderon and LaValley previously worked together at the acclaimed Mark’s South Beach and The Regent Bal Harbor, where Chef Calderon honed his skills in South Florida cuisine under James Beard award winning Chef Mark Militello and other well respected area chefs.

The local abundance of fresh produce and seafood allows 3800 Ocean to take the collective kitchen dining concept quite literally. Everything is made from scratch. Every taste evokes an emotional connection to a past culinary memory or perhaps a future craving.

Here diners can find a variety of seafood dishes like a Yellowfin Tuna Crudo for starters to a Pan Roasted Black Grouper for dinner. For meat lovers they offer an elegant take on Korean BBQ with the Korean BBQ Short Rib and a fancy and savory pork roast with the Pork Tenderloin Porchetta. For pasta lovers the Maine Lobster and Truffle Risotto or the Jumbo Shrimp Garganelli are not to be missed.

Everything at 3800 is made from scratch in an open kitchen where you can see your food being made. All pasta is hand rolled and cut, all the meats are seasoned and marinated for varying times in house and the seafood selection is as fresh as it can be. To get an even better view of that food being made, you can reserve a spot at the Kitchen Table.

The Kitchen Table offers guests a unique dining experience that is designed for an adventurous palate. Each menu is created personally by a team of chefs and features the freshest seasonal daily ingredients. The five seat experience takes place from 5 to 7 p.m. every Thursday through Saturday. A seat at the table is $69 per person with cocktail and wine pairings available upon request.

Whether you choose to dine indoors in a space of contemporary elegance or outdoors on an expansive covered patio with calming breezes, 3800 Ocean has some impressive views. This was the view from our table inside the restaurant.

3800 Lounge is very classy and stylish, and it’s the the perfect place to enjoy a pre or post dinner cocktail. Guests can choose from such cocktails like the Singer Island Martini, Coconut Mojito, Honey Bourbon Manhattan or a Cucumber Smash all made with fresh ingredients and house blended spirits.

From the musings menu, we were treated to the “Oysters and Caviar” for an amuse bouche. This was a very savory bite of food with a little kick from the horseradish, but the creme fraiche and chervil helped to even it out.

The Short Rib Egg Rolls with mango sweet and sour sauce and slices of pickled Asian pear were nothing short of fabulous. The meat was tender and juicy and the flaky egg roll casing was great for absorbing the sweet and sour sauce.

We had to try the “Chef’s Special Octopus” with chorizo, fingerling potatoes, guajillo chile, cherry tomatoes, fresh garlic, kalamata olives, and a tomatillo salsa verde. This is not on the regular menu and is only available for a limited time. I could tell you a million things about how awesome this dish was, but to simplify it, I will say this… This is the best octopus dish I have ever had, and if it’s available on your visit, do not hesitate to order it. Superb in every way.

The Korean BBQ Boneless Short Rib was another dish that was pretty amazing as well. The meat just falls to pieces and does not require a knife and the flavors are extraordinary. The short rib is served atop a vegetable stir fry with sides of a cucumber kimchee salad and a crispy rice cake.

Although the menu describes this simply as a Carrot Cake Cheesecake, the flavors are complex and delightful in every bite. It really is the perfect marriage of Cheesecake and Carrot cake and is a perfect way to end your evening at 3800 Ocean.

Being that 3800 Ocean is part of the resort, they are open for breakfast and lunch as well. For breakfast they have traditional offerings like eggs, potatoes and bacon. If you require something a little more fancy they have Belgian Waffles, Nutella and Banana Stuffed French Toast and a Spanish Fritatta.

For lunch 3800 Ocean offers a variety of flatbreads, sandwiches, burgers, pastas and salads. Of note would be the Short Rib and Gruyere Grilled Cheese with bacon onion jam or the The amazing sounding Double Burger Stan‐Lee Stack with two 1/4Lb Angus beef patties, crispy pork belly, roasted garlic mayo, tomato jam, fried pickles, blue cheese and Gruyere cheese.

If you just stop by for dinner or drinks, or choose to book a romantic getaway, the Palm Beach Marriott Singer Island Beach Resort & Spa is sure to impress. The food at 3800 Ocean is world class and is served with pride. Having the only all suite beachfront property in Palm Beach County with a beautiful stretch of palm fringed sand, the surroundings and the views are hard to beat. The decor is sleek and contemporary, and so is the food.

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Hyde Beach Kitchen + Cocktails

111 S Surf Rd
Hallandale Beach, FL.
(954) 699-0901  
View Website Here

Hyde Beach Kitchen + Cocktails is one of the latest openings of the renowned SBE group. SBE, for those not in the know, is a global hospitality and entertainment company helmed by Chairman and CEO Sam Nazarian which comprises a thriving collection of award winning hotels, residences, restaurants and nightlife destinations. 

When it comes to the business of mixing food and fashion, you'd be hard pressed to find a company that does it better then SBE. Some of their partners include designer Philippe Starck and photographer Matthew Rolston. The Chef’s SBE works with are some heavy hitters too,  like José Andrés, Katsuya Uechi, Danny Elmaleh and Michael Schwartz, (who has won the prestigious James Beard award) to name a few. Of course they have locations all over, but most of the company's ventures are in South Florida, Southern California and Vegas.

As I’ve said before, the areas around Hallandale and Hollywood beach have always been great beach destination towns, but have lacked anything that could really be called fine dining. Of course it goes without saying that the area has always paled in comparison to the beach and dining scene in South Beach as well.

Hyde Beach Kitchen + Cocktails is really a big step in the effort of bringing to Hallandale Beach, the same elite style of service and signature brand of "cool" that has become synonymous with the Hyde brand, as seen in South Beach, Las Vegas and on Hollywood's Sunset Strip. The building itself is an evolution in Oceanside entertainment, and is certainly in line with the SBE brand and what they convey. The space is three stories tall with three distinct floors of indoor, outdoor and beachfront event space.
 
The approachable beachside first floor offers quick bites, fresh pressed juices, and a rejuvenating spa. The second floor is home to Hyde Beach Kitchen + Cocktails where diners can enjoy the fresh seasonal and contemporary American cuisine by award winning Chef Danny Elmaleh. The third floor features a secluded poolside lounge offering distinct dishes and craft cocktails. Hyde Beach is somewhat of a tapas restaurant, in the idea of ordering single plates of food to sample, but the plates here are large and are meant for sharing. A couple dining could easily order three or four separate items and more than likely end up with leftovers.

Chef Danny Elmaleh takes you on a contemporary culinary journey mixed with local fresh flavors and hand-squeezed cocktails at three full service bars. The menu features New American cuisine with signature dishes like Wasabi Tuna Tartar, Rock Shrimp Tacos, Pumpkin Butter Rolls, Oxtail Bucatini, Branzino with cannellini beans as well as decadent Raw Bar for starters. 

Pumpkin Butter Rolls are a must have item at Hyde. These are perfect to share with maple butter and rosemary and salt, but after one bite...you may not want to share.

Ceviche is made with yuzu (a type of Japanese citrus), lime, serrano chili, tomato, red onion, cilantro and fresh seafood. For another unique touch, for dipping you are offered, tortilla chips, plantain chips and cassava chips.

The Smoked Mushrooms we tasted were extraordinary and delicious. They were so good in fact, I could give up eating meat and just have these as a replacement.

Pulpo Gallego or Galician Style Octopus is a tapa that is served all over Spain today. Although Hyde Beach did a wonderful job in presentation, It is a very simple dish with cooked octopus served with boiled potatoes, olive oil and sweet Spanish paprika. I'm not the biggest fan of octopus, but this one at Hyde Beach is certainly worth eating again. 

In addition to being loaded with very fresh and delicious crab meat, the Crab Cake at Hyde Beach is served atop a house made tartar sauce with dill pickles.

We sampled quite a few cocktails during our visit, as one would be required to do at an establishment with cocktails in its name. Everything we tasted was fresh uniquely flavored, but our favorites were the Hibiscus Punch on the left and the After Sunset Margarita on the right. Every cocktail on the list here features freshly muddled ingredients, house made syrups, freshly extracted juices and of course premium alcohol. 

Green Kale is a salad made with kale, tofu, kimchi vinaigrette, pumpkin seeds, golden raisins, and sesame seeds. This was probably one of the best salads I have had. The kimchi vinaigrette gave it a distinct Asian flavoring and the pumpkin and sesame seeds gave it a nice crunch.

The Oxtail Bucatini was fabulous. The ox tail is red wine braised and served atop house made noodles with garlic bread crumbs and marjoram.

Branzino is the name of a European sea bass that is very popular in Northern Italy. This fish was cooked perfectly with a nice sear and a crispy outside and a flaky and moist inside. The Branzino sat atop cannellini beans, cherry tomato, nicoise olives, and artichoke.

Hyde Beach calls this a Classic Banana Split with a few hidden touches. One of the hidden touches is an awesome Belgian waffle that just set this dessert over the top. I will never look at banana splits the same now, and will be unimpressed if it does not compare the one at Hyde Beach. Yes...it was that good.

Hyde Beach Kitchen + Cocktails accommodates up to 650 guests with a private dining room, outdoor patio, poolside lounge, and beachfront property for private events.
 
Just as the new hotels and condos are giving way to a new and improved Hollywood beach and a new Hallandale beach, the restaurants are coming around too. Hyde Beach Kitchen + Cocktails is sure to be a favorite among beachgoers, foodies and nightlife connoisseurs alike, as this hybrid destination looks to charm guests with enticing energy and innovative cuisine.
 
Dinner starts at 6:00 pm daily, and they close when the party dies. If you get a chance and are staying in the area, I highly recommend a visit to Hyde Beach Kitchen + Cocktails. Chef Danny Elmaleh and the staff here have done an excellent job of bringing flavor, flare, style and great dining to Hallandale Beach. 

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Beachwalk Resort

2602 E. Hallandale Beach Blvd.
Hallandale Beach, FL 33009
(954) 266-0147
View Website Here 

In the past couple of years, and especially in 2015, the strip of road that runs up and down Hollywood beach and Hallandale beach has been undergoing major renovations.

Hollywood beach has always been a great beach town with an awesome boardwalk that stretches 2.5 miles, but the area has always needed some upgrades in regards to lodging and dining to truly make it a relevant and exciting beach town that could compete with the likes of Miami’s infamous South Beach.

There have been a few new resorts that have opened in the area this past year, like Jimmy Buffet’s Margaritaville resort and a few others, but none of them are bringing the style and class that the all new Beachwalk Resort is offering.

After opening its doors on May 1, 2015, Beachwalk Resort is offering guests an unparalleled experience that is on par with what you might find in South Beach. The resort has breathtaking beach and city views, with access to a private beach club at the new Hyde Beach Kitchen + Cocktails, and they even offer complimentary shuttle service to major hotspots in the area.

Rising 33 stories above the water, just one short block from the beach, the Beachwalk Resort lies at the very center of the most iconic recreational, residential, shopping, dining, and entertainment paradise on earth. One part land, one part sea, the Beachwalk Resort offers leisure travelers the Best of Both Worlds.
 

Located on the Intracoastal Waterway between Miami Beach to the south and Ft. Lauderdale to the north on Hallandale Beach Boulevard, the resort is one easy block away from the beach. This was one of the views from our balcony. Our one bedroom /one bath suite was 738 square feet and had access to the oversized balcony that features stunning views of the Intracoastal Waterway and the downtown skyline. The balcony adjoins both the master bedroom and living room in every suite. The master bedroom features a king bed and additional sleeping is available in the sectional sofa.   This is truly a state of the art fully equipped kitchen. You will not find micro refrigerators and useless kitchen equipment at Beachwalk Resort. All appliances are stainless steel, and the cabinets are fully stocked with cooking utensils and dishes. All suites feature contemporary Italian furnishings, floor to ceiling windows and a spacious living room with access to the over sized balcony. Yes, even the bathrooms here have a designer element. Our bathroom was very spacious and offered room for everyone to get ready with no crowding. Upon arrival, you're greeted with a sleek and sophisticated lobby, reminiscent of world traveling. The interior is by Italian design Pininfarina, and it's complemented by curated works of art from the personal art collection of the developer, Jorge M. Perez, the CEO and founder of The Related Group. If you are an automotive enthusiast such as myself, then you are familiar with the name Pininfarina. They are an independent Italian car design firm and coachbuilder in Cambiano, Italy founded in 1930. Pininfarina was employed by a wide variety of automobile manufactures such as Ferrari, Alfa Romeo, Peugeot, FIAT, GM, Lancia, and Maserati, to name a few to design vehicles. Beachwalk Resort has a fitness center with a view so you can maintain your workout routine while on vacation. This is a fully equipped fitness center with over 1,000 square feet of space that offers machines, free weights, and gorgeous views of the infinity pool. Speaking of that infinity pool, Beachwalk Resort has an infinity edge pool that overlooks the beautiful Intracoastal Waterway and Hallandale Beach. The pool area is conducive to spending an hour or an afternoon lounging poolside on a chaise lounge, or in a cabana for a more intimate experience. Whether the mood calls for dining in, at the resort's Beachwalk Bistro & Market, on the beach or elsewhere, guests are given a variety of culinary options. Chef Jaime Magana, who cross trained in Amsterdam at La Rive, a two Michelin star-rated restaurant, offers over 15 years of experience at Beachwalk Resort as the executive chef. He's in charge of all F&B on property offering a fresh, seasonal menu, including breakfast, lunch and dinner. For those wanting a quick to-go item, the bistro offers a variety of freshly made sandwiches, salads and refreshments. A simple but elegant breakfast offering at Beachwalk Bistro. English muffin and toast served with real butter and gourmet jams at Beachwalk Bistro. Families and couples alike will discover that the Beachwalk Resort offers a vacation experience wholly distinct from the other resort choices in the area. As the newest resort in the Hallandale-Hollywood Beach area, the Beachwalk Resort offers sophisticated European inspired design, spacious, home-like suites complete with fully equipped kitchens and in-unit washers and dryers, amenities, complimentary access to Hyde Beach Kitchen + Cocktails, plus easy air and driving access for all domestic and international travelers. Guests will also enjoy the proximity to South Florida’s world renowned shopping, dining, entertainment, casino and racing attractions. The location, midway along South Florida’s Broward-Miami Dade oceanfront corridor and just a block from the beach, means every guest can enjoy more vacation for the money. But what really sets Beachwalk Resort apart is how they cater to each individual with a uniquely proactive brand of service designed to anticipate and fulfill the needs of every guest. Beachwalk Resort is not only a perfect location to enjoy all that South Florida has to offer but also provides the perfect venue to get closer to the people that matter most to you. Whether you are staying with your entire family, a group of dear friends, or your significant other, Beachwalk Resort allows you to spend quality time. Relax on the beach with your friends, enjoy an intimate dinner, or take a shopping trip... the choice is yours. By the end of your stay, you’ll leave feeling closer than ever. The 33 story resort offers 216 divisible suites with wrap around balconies that have inspiring views of the Intracoastal Waterway. The resort is professionally managed by Gemstone Hotels & Resorts, known for their upscale independent hotels and resorts. Right now, the resort is offering a Suite Winter Escape package that starts as low as $199.00. For a limited time, luxury suites at Beachwalk Resort are being offered at a great discount that Includes complimentary "American Breakfast for Two" for Each Day of Your Stay. For more info call: (954) 266-0147 or email: reservations@beachwalkresortfl.com

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Fort Lauderdale Marriott Pompano Beach Resort & Spa

1200 North Ocean Boulevard
Pompano Beach FL 33062
954-782-0100
View Website Here

When deciding where to stay for a fun getaway, there are certainly lots of good hotels and condos available along the shores of South Florida, which I personally believe have some of the best beaches in the world. But, why settle for good when you can have great?

The Fort Lauderdale Marriott Pompano Beach Resort & Spa is really a bit of a hidden gem, and is actually more of a boutique style resort that caters to leisure and business travelers alike. While no two Marriott properties are the same, this location really delivers the best of the resort lifestyle with the simple pleasures of Florida beach living.

During my stay here, I really kept asking myself if I was at a hotel in Florida, or had I been mysteriously transported to a resort in the Caribbean? The resort is set on the oceanfront in Pompano Beach, a city that is ripe for discovery and one that has recently been named one of the top 10 “up-and-coming” U.S. destinations by TripAdvisor. So if you want to venture outside of your little slice of paradise, there is more than enough to keep you occupied. If you need something for your business, you can utilize a grand total of nearly 4,000 square feet of meeting space for a customized event that will have guests talking for years.

Guests of Fort Lauderdale Marriott Pompano Beach can enjoy fresh local fare and speakeasy style drinks at McCoy’s Oceanfront where you can enjoy a classic cocktail menu that features fresh pressed juices and dark spirits paired with seasonal seafood in a casual setting. If you want to be pampered, you can treat yourself to a well deserved massage, facial, manicure/pedicure, body scrub or waxing as you hear the therapeutic waves crash outside of SiSpa. Of course there is the poolside relaxation with two pools and a hot tub and beach access with water sports.

What's really impressive is the fact that private balconies with views of the Atlantic Ocean are afforded to all of its generously appointed 194 guest rooms and 25 suites. This was my view.

Speaking of those guest rooms and suites, after you're done indulging in stunning ocean views from your private balcony, you can get a peaceful night's sleep on pillow top mattresses, in a very spacious room. After your beauty rest you can wake up to a Florida sunrise and start the day with a newspaper delivered to your room upon request.

If you want to keep in shape and keep up that beach body, Marriott Pompano Beach has you covered there as well. Not only do they have the latest in top of the line cardiovascular equipment, with free weights, treadmills, elliptical machines and bikes, but the fitness center also includes a stunning view of the ocean skyline.

All work and no play makes for a dull day, so you must go outside and play. There are two very nice swimming pools and a fantastic hot tub on the property with plenty of lounge chairs and towels for all. If the beach is calling your name, you can enjoy private access to a gorgeous beach with Jet skis’ available, Surfing and Volleyball, or you can just relax and chill in a private cabana.

Night time is the perfect time to hang out with family and friends, and Marriott Pompano Beach has plenty of things to keep the conversation going all night long. The fire pit was a hot spot, literally and figuratively during my stay and many people seemed to enjoy drinks from McCoy’s and conversation by the fire with a cool ocean breeze at night. The pools and hot tub are also open at night.

If you are planning on making a charming holiday escape with the comforts of home, look no further than Fort Lauderdale Marriott Pompano Beach Resort as they have a special “Home Away From Home for the Holidays” package available now.

Available for stays from November 1, 2015 through January 2, 2016, the Home Away From Home for the Holidays package includes overnight accommodations (based on a two-night minimum stay), daily buffet breakfast at McCoy’s Oceanfront, a special delivery of a gingerbread house kit for in-room family fun, Kids Club access for one-half day for up to two children, a 15 percent discount on all treatments at SiSpa, and a Shopper’s Savings Book courtesy of The Galleria Mall in Fort Lauderdale. Rates start at just $199 per night. For reservations call 954-782-0100 or visit www.pompanomarriott.com.

I was really impressed with this Marriott property and was sad to leave. Everything here from the moment you walk in to the moment you leave is first rate, and they have done a wonderful job of transporting guests to a unique slice of paradise. In case you don't take my word for it, the resort just received the 2015 Orbitz Worldwide “Best in Stay Elite Award” fronting the area’s finest beach and providing its guests with the simple pleasures of Florida beach living.

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