Conrad Miami Hotel coming to Espirito Santo Plaza

Latin Trade, Sept, 2003

Conrad Hotels, Hilton's global luxury brand, will bring a new dimension in hospitality to Espirito Santo Plaza, the dynamic 36-story mixed-use project now nearing completion on Miami's fabled Brickell Avenue.

The new 203-room Conrad Miami will be the first newly built Conrad hotel in the United States. "Our vision for Espirito Santo Plaza always was to secure a hospitality operator with a worldwide reputation for excellence," says William Ross, president of Estoril, the developer. "Our other goal was to introduce a new luxury hotel option to South Florida. Conrad Miami fulfills both objectives."

When it opens in January 2004, the Conrad Miami will join the roster of other luxury Conrad properties in London, Hong Kong, Bangkok and Brussels. It will also provide convenient hospitality services to Espirito Santo Plaza's office tenants and condominium owners. The building will be completed in October.

Conrad Hotels, which operates the legendary Waldorf Towers in New York City, will manage the hotel and provide premium suite management services for residents. For the fully furnished residences, Espirito Santo Plaza commissioned original works from students at Miami's New World School of the Arts. "Our inviting residences will provide a home away from home for people coming to Miami for business or pleasure," Ross says.

"In a changing marketplace, Espirito Santo Plaza has achieved an unusual degree of success," says Ross. "At this point, 40 percent of our office space has been leased, and more than 40 of our 116 apartments have been sold in just a few months. Now we have the hotel component in place, adding to Espirito Santo Plaza's multi-faceted appeal."

Located on a full city block at 1395 Brickell Avenue, the building's Class A office space will house the headquarters for Espirito Santo Bank of Florida. Other tenants include Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP, the French Consulate, Holly Real Estate, Stewart Legal, P.A., and Subway.

One factor in the building's success is its innovative architectural design by Kohn Pederson Fox. "After seeing their initial design plans, we knew we had a building that contributes to the Miami skyline," Ross says. "We offer an intriguing aesthetic factor that our tenants and buyers are including in their business decisions."

Unlike other properties on Brickell, Espirito Santo Plaza is built at ground level, providing an inviting, pedestrian-oriented sense of scale. Visitors will arrive at the main entrance after crossing a bridge over a dazzling pool and taking a garden walk alongside upscale retail outlets. Even the entrance from the parking garage passes a reflecting pool and skylight.

At the Conrad Miami, guests will be welcomed by a magnificent sky atrium on the 25th floor, which hosts the hotel lobby, restaurant, lounge and bar. A health and fitness center complements the two outdoor tennis courts and swimming pool. Conrad guests also benefit from Hilton's worldwide reservation system and its acclaimed guest loyalty program, Hilton HHonors.

For more information, please contact Euroatlantic Realty at 305-371-3500. E-mail: info@espiritosantoplaza.com.