Miami

Latin Trade, Feb, 2004

BEST HOTEL

The Biltmore Hotel. Built in the 1920s, thanks to the vision of George Merrick, founder of Coral Gables, Florida, this elegant, Mediterranean-style hotel with its Giralda Tower didn't take long to attract a following that included movie stars, presidents--even mobster Al Capone. Even today, this is the spot you'll mostly likely find visiting diplomats and heads of state. Not only is the hotel's service discreet and efficient, the infrastructure leaves little to desire. Its fitness center is well-known in Miami, its gorgeous outdoor pool--famous for hosting Miss Florida beauty contests--is gargantuan, a golf course sits right next door and there are several tennis courts. The Biltmore's Sunday brunch is a local tradition, although its restaurant and outdoor card win high marks any day of the week. Business and trade conferences are frequently held at the hotel's adjoining meetings complex. Bates for the 280 rooms begin at US$199; if your budget is unlimited, you might reserve the posh Merrick Suite. 1200 Anastasia Avenue, Coral Gables. Phone: [1] (305) 445-1926. www.biltmorehotel.com

BEST DRAMATIC EVENT LOCATION

Vizcaya Musuem and Garden. Having a huge party for all your great clients? Want to reward your top salespeople? Brokering an international trade deal? No event is so weighty that it won't shrink before the opulence of the Vizcaya Museum and Garden, once the winter home of James Deering, vice president of grain combine manufacturer International Harvester. Built in 1916, the 50-acre estate is home to Deering's Italian-style villa (now a museum), formal gardens and a stone barge in Biscayne Bay. The recent Chile-U.S. free trade deal was signed here, and royalty and presidents have often visited the U.S. National Historic Landmark. Weekend rentals for up to 125 guests runs US$7,500. Tents, catering and security extra. Phone: [1] (305) 250-9133, ext. 2248. www.vizcayamuseum.com

BEST DRINKS BY THE WATER

Mandarin-Oriental's M-Bar. The bar in the spare-but-luxurious lobby of the Mandarin is not big, nor particularly intimate, but the real deal is staking out a terrace table overlooking Biscayne Bay to the east. Watch pleasure boats drift by and the ever-changing colors of the bay as the attentive-to-a-fault bartenders mix up one (or several) of 250 martinis on the menu. Sushi and seafood, too. Open Monday through Thursday and Sunday 5 p.m. to midnight, Friday and Saturday until 1 a.m. Near everything in the Brickell financial district. 500 Brickell Key Drive. Phone: [1] (305) 913-8288.

BEST BUSINESS RESTAURANT

Joe's Stone Crab. Joe Weiss opened this Miami Beach establishment in 1913 as a fast-food spot serving sandwiches and French fries. But the Joe's tradition did not take long to establish itself and now this is the spot to savor the Florida specialty. The restaurant used to only operate daring crab season, but in 2003 it began a year-round operation. Off season is when it's easiest to get a table. During stone crab months, the wait for a table can take hours unless you get there early or have connections. If you're not a shellfish lover, there are plenty of other options on the menu. Find it down on the far southern end of glittery, nightclub-laden South Beach. 11 Washington Avenue, Miami Beach. Phone: [1] (305) 673-0365. www.joesstonecrab.com

BEST SHOPPING COMPLEX

Sawgrass Mills. If you need to do major shopping before you head home after a business trip, this is the place for bargains. The statistics are all you need to know: It sits an hour north of Miami by car, contains more than 400 stores (including discount outlets with well-known designer labels), houses more than 30 restaurants and bars, boasts a 23-screen movie theater and has four kilometers of corridors. The biggest challenge will be not to get lost within this retail labyrinth, one of the most-visited shopping centers in the world and the No. 2 tourist destination in Florida after Walt Disney World in Orlando. 12801 West Sunrise Boulevard, Sunrise. Phone: [1] (954) 846-2300. www.sawgrassmillsmall.com

BEST DAY OUT

Fairchild Tropical Garden. The largest tropical garden in the United States and one of the biggest in the world. Open since 1938, it is named for the late David Fairchild, one of the best-known botany researchers in the United States, and has been accredited by the American Association of Museums since 1981. The garden is an oasis of palm trees and tropical plants, some of them rare and endangered. The US$10 entrance ticket also buys you a seat on the motorized tram that runs through the park while guides explain the fauna and foliage en route. If you're going to be a while in the city and want some weekend activities, look into the classes, lectures and concerts offered at the botanical gardens. 10901 Old Curler Road, Coral Gables. Phone: [1] (305) 667-1651. www.fairchildgarden.org

BEST QUICK PRINTERS

Kinko's. Getting last-minute presentations in order can be done in most hotel business centers, but when the job is big--hundreds of brochures for a trade show, right now--getting access to fast machines and the right people gets you back on schedule. Global quick-print chain Kinko's does it as well as anyone and the Coral Gables branch is open 24 hours. 2417 Ponce De Leon Blvd., Coral Gables, phone: [1] (305) 445-2208. The Brickell Kinko's, at 600 Brickell Ave., Suite 101, Miami, is open 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. weekdays and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekends. Phone [1] (305) 373-4910. www.kinkos.com