The story of a hotel is one and the same as the story of its surrounding city — intertwined and evolving together.
Hotels not only provide a haven for visitors but also shape a city's cultural and social fabric by offering vibrant spaces for dining and gathering. This column demonstrates this principle by focusing on the city of Miami with some important notes on design features and on-site amenities that appeal to flourishing customer segments that all hotels should be cognizant of.
Specifically, EAST Miami, a flagship hotel owned by Swire Properties that opened in 2016, exemplifies this symbiosis. Situated in Miami’s rapidly developing Brickell neighborhood, EAST Miami is a beacon of modern lifestyle hospitality, showcasing emerging trends in guest expectations and urban development. But to set the scene for today’s hospitality boomtown, let’s start at the beginning.
For over a century, Miami has been a gateway to Latin America and the Caribbean. Its appeal as a vacation destination and business hub has been underpinned by favorable weather, alluring beaches and a strategic location within a three-hour flight of much of the United States. Over the decades, Miami’s growth was largely concentrated in beach communities such as South Beach and Bal Harbour. In the 2000s, a new wave of development began to reshape the city. As the American housing boom expanded, Miami became a hotspot for condominium and office tower construction. Though the 2008 financial crisis briefly slowed progress, the city rebounded, and Brickell emerged as a focal point for Miami's urban renaissance.
Recognizing this potential, Swire Properties envisioned Brickell as more than just a business district. They sought to transform it into a dynamic neighborhood with integrated living, working, and leisure spaces. At the heart of this transformation is Brickell City Centre, a 2.5-million-square-foot development that blends retail, office, and residential spaces with award-winning sustainable design.
EAST Miami, embedded in this complex, rises 40 stories with 352 hotel rooms including 89 residences. As skyscrapers and new developments continue to spring up in the area, EAST Miami has become a magnet for both long-term residents and transient visitors, including business executives drawn by the area’s burgeoning reputation as ‘Wall Street South’.
A community defined by exceptional amenities
While Miami Beach remains a tourist hotspot, Brickell has evolved into a self-sustaining urban enclave where locals and entrepreneurs live, work, and socialize. EAST Miami caters to this community with a suite of thoughtfully designed amenities.
The hotel’s fifth floor is a hub of activity, featuring Quinto, a 10,000-square-foot restaurant with both indoor and outdoor seating. Adjacent to Quinto is the North Deck, a tranquil space with jungle-inspired décor, rustic alcove seating, and an expansive 8,600-square-foot pool area framed by lush greenery. Further elevating the guest experience is Body by EAST, a state-of-the-art, 24/7 fitness center on the seventh floor. Unlike the stereotypical dimly lit hotel gyms, this space offers modern equipment, natural lighting and a separate studio for fitness classes. In an era where wellness and fitness are integral to travel, EAST Miami's gym sets a new standard for urban hotels.
Atop the hotel, the 38th and 39th floors feature 14,000 square feet of flexible meeting and event spaces, offering panoramic views of downtown Miami, Biscayne Bay and beyond. The 40th floor is home to Sugar, a Balinese-inspired rooftop bar, and Tea Room, a Hong Kong-themed speakeasy. These venues attract a vibrant mix of locals and visitors, cementing EAST Miami’s role as a cultural cornerstone in Brickell.
Sustainability and craftsmanship
Hotels are increasingly aligning their operations with sustainability, but many efforts remain behind the scenes. At EAST Miami, sustainability is woven into the guest experience. Richard Fernandez, the hotel manager, emphasized the importance of storytelling through tangible initiatives.
One standout example is the hotel’s commitment to refurbishing its wooden furniture. Instead of discarding older pieces, the hotel's engineering team repurposes wood to create refreshed designs. These restored items are rotated throughout public spaces, allowing guests to see sustainability in action.
Similarly, the hotel’s food program prioritizes local sourcing. Quinto features dishes crafted from regional ingredients, such as mushrooms from Gratitude Garden Farm in Palm Beach County. Partnerships with local artisans, such as Miami-based Aubi & Ramsa for boozy ice cream, further highlight the hotel’s locavore philosophy. Even staples such as bread and pastries are baked fresh daily, reinforcing a commitment to quality and regional support.
Hospitality is ultimately about people, and EAST Miami’s service culture reflects an acute understanding of guest psychology. Fernandez explained that travel inherently creates a sense of vulnerability as guests relinquish control over their environment. Recognizing this, his team prioritizes empathetic, solution-focused interactions to restore guests' sense of comfort and ease.
This philosophy extends to the staff themselves. By empowering team members to explore their passions — such as woodworking or culinary innovation — the hotel fosters a culture of creativity and retention.
Catering to the modern guest
EAST Hotels describe their target audience as ‘alternative thinkers’ — individuals seeking work-life balance, meaningful connections and memorable experiences. This psychographic transcends age and profession, encompassing everyone from remote-working millennials to tech-savvy Gen Z travelers. These guests value sustainability, wellness and community but prefer experiences that align with their fast-paced lifestyles. EAST Miami caters to these needs with short, engaging activities such as fitness classes and curated events, as well as flexible spaces that accommodate both work and play.
As cities evolve, the hotels that anchor them play a pivotal role in shaping their character. EAST Miami is more than just a place to stay; it’s a community hub that bridges the gap between locals and visitors. By integrating sustainable practices, exceptional amenities and a forward-thinking service culture, EAST Miami sets a benchmark for urban hospitality. Brickell’s ongoing transformation illustrates how a well-conceived hotel can influence the development of a neighborhood. As new projects rise alongside EAST Miami, the property’s ability to adapt and innovate ensures it will remain a key player in the city’s story for years to come.
Adam and Larry Mogelonsky are partners of Hotel Mogel Consulting Ltd., a Toronto-based consulting practice. Larry focuses on asset management, sales and operations while Adam specializes in hotel technology and marketing.
The opinions expressed in this column do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Hotel News Now or CoStar Group and its affiliated companies. Bloggers published on this site are given the freedom to express views that may be controversial, but our goal is to provoke thought and constructive discussion within our reader community. Please feel free to contact an editor with any questions or concern.