14 December, 2018
If you're checking in to EAST on a Friday night you can expect a snaking line of 20-somethings queueing to get inside. They're waiting to ride up to the top floor to Sugar, a rooftop bar with an (urban) jungle's worth of hanging baskets and moss walls, not to mention epic views of the city below and a 45k-strong social-media following.
Back down at lobby level you'll be struck by clean lines, taupe hues and high-gloss wood furnishings. EAST offers slick and sophisticated where most Miami hotels promo sand and sex. An ideal hub for those city slickers making a quick pit stop in the burg, a 20-minute car ride to the airport is sure to sweeten the deal.
Floor-to-ceiling windows open up to a sea of skyscrapers above and waterways below. If you can it's worth splurging on a suite for added space and (more than likely) better views. Regardless of room spec, beds are bouncy, balconies are expansive and bathrooms are larger than average. Wooden shelves disguise a coffee machine and bar, high-tech lighting panels dictate the room's general mood and the electronic blinds (which can be remote controlled from the comfort of your squishy bed) are a pretty epic in-room feature that could give Alexa a run for her money.
In-room dining is available until 11am but the morning buffet surpasses the breakfast-in-bed offering. Gorge on the cloud-like pastries and hunks of fresh fruit that teeter above the breakfast station. Follow with eggs benedict and chase with tart grapefruit juice.
On level five you'll find Quinto la Huella where the menu is dominated by dishes with an Uruguayan flavour. Graze from the sushi counter or nibble kale and quinoa salads while your carnivorous companions feast on chef Nano Crespo's steaks, lambs and flatbreads seared a la parrilla. If you fancy something a tad more relaxed, tantalising snacks are also served on the pool and deck for both lunch and dinner.
The aforementioned Sugar is a fun urban space to grab a drink in the heart of Brickell. Designed by LA-based Studio Collective, the vibe is Club Tropicana meets alfresco bamboo and teak alfresco. Book ahead or arrive early to snag a daybed in the lush Balinese-style garden and snack on Asian-style tapas (the bang-bang shrimp and braised-beef bun are sublime) to a backdrop of twinkling downtown views. We sipped on Nashi cocktails all night long.
There's a pool on level five, a gym known as Beast (body by EAST) on level three and a mecca of clothing stores accessible from level two.
Brickell is the centre of commerce and city slickers are the main foot passengers in the area. You'll like it here if you: a) own a briefcase or b) self-identify as a little chichi.
SLS Lux is right across the street and their in-house Japanese restaurant, Katsuya, makes a great case for renewing your love of sushi and sake. With your evening plans sorted, spend your afternoon at the mall - there's not much else to do in Downtown Miami.