1300
Ocean Drive (at 13th St.), Miami Beach
(800)782-6500 or (305) 535-6500
Rates
range from $150 to $620.
Checkout
time is 11 noon
Located
on world-famous Ocean Drive in the heart of the Art
Deco District of
Miami Beach, this upscale hotel is owned by Gloria
and Emilio Estefan. They
live nearby and own a couple of restaurants in the
vicinity.
Built
in 1939, the 42-room Cardozo recently underwent a
complete renovation. The
stylish, modern rooms feature hardwood floors and
hand-crafted furniture.
Fresh flowers add sparkle to every room. Guest rooms
in the beautifully
restored landmark have VCRs, CD players, mini bars,
and in-room safes.
The staff is warm and attentive in this intimate
setting. The
yacht-like look of the hotel is very typical of
Miami Beach Art Deco. It
combines the horizontals of the Streamline Modern
classic style with the
verticals of Art Deco. In the early years of Art
Deco revival, Cardozo was
one of the first buildings to be repainted in a riot
of parrot colors.
Now
toned back to the sand colors of the original Art
Deco structures, it is
one of the most photographed hotels in Miami Beach.
Cardozo’s
address is the hippest street in the hottest part of
Miami. It buzzes
with activity. The hotel is across the street from
the beach (oceanfront
rooms are available) and steps away from trendy
restaurants, nightlife,
and shopping. Also, the Bass Museum, with its green park,
is nearby.
Just
a couple of blocks away is revitalized Lincoln
Road,
which rivals Ocean Drive as a major people-watching
street. Closed to vehicular traffic,
the pedestrian parkway is blooming into a creative
enclave. Lining
Lincoln Avenue are MTV Latino, the New World
Symphony, and the sprawling
Art Center, along with assorted sidewalk cafes and
intriguing individually-owned shops. If you’re in
the mood for music, you don’t have to venture
further than the hotel.
Lively, loud music plays in the lobby. On Friday and
Saturday nights
the hotel’s restaurant turns into a raucous disco.
The hotel features a 24-hour desk, multilingual staff, room service, and valet parking.
