The Vanderbilt at South Beach — Attraction in New York

NYEve 2024/2025 was hugely disappointing. The food was sub-par starting with the cocktail hour - - it was a lot of cheap food like pasta, chinese noodles, etc.... Dinner was served HOURS too late - - we weren't served dinner until something like 11 pm. Completely unacceptable, and the food just was not quality. Dessert was served of course also too late, there was only one dessert station per type; ie: one ice cream station and the line for that was easily a 20 minute wait. The desserts in general were very sub-par. The "champagne" was, well, ....just poor quality. For $215 per person, not money well spent.

The music was really not good either. First, it was DEAFENINGLY loud - - DEAFENING - - I don't ever need it to be that loud to enjoy it and dance. It was so bad that I had to use ear plugs and I still had a headache after I left. The band played for the majority of the night which really sucked. Also, they were DEAFENINGLY LOUD. DEAFENING. I'd like my hearing for my lifetime. The DJ played for brief time frames.

The bartenders don't know how to make good cocktails. BLEH.

I won't go back.

I have gone to past NYEve's at the Vanderbilt - they were ok in the past, not earthshaking - - but also not $215 per person. I thought perhaps with the higher price, they would have improved. not fallen, in quality.

I don't recommend this venue for NYEve.

• Update 10 Jan 2025 - 5 days after I wrote this review * The business responded, inviting me to write an email, stating that one of their staff would communicate with me. I wrote an email, but never received a reply. I guess that was just bogus.

• Update 14 Jan 2025 - 4 days after the above update * The business' AI - clearly no human wrote it - the business' AI - sent another auto response - clearly bull#(%& - claiming that one of their executives would respond to my email. I wrote an email after seeing the FIRST auto-bull$()-message to which I received no response. So, having seen this cycle repeat, I now have confirmation that the business does not give a #)(^)# - is NOT invested in the satisfaction of clients as the bull)#$(^ message claims. I guess another aut-bull$()U^$-message will appear after this update. SAD. Don't patronize this venue. They don't give a s)*$&^$.

• Update 26 January 2025 The venue wrote and made noises of intention to make this right. Their quote. "...see what we can do..." (Ummm, DUH, this is an easy fix!!!), to which I replied (since they couldn't manage to figure this no-brainer out); "You can refund me!".

Guess WHAT??? CRICKETS!!!!! Crickets, Crickets, Crickets, Crickets, and mooooooorrrrreee Crickets. I have heard NOTHING from the venue since that last exchange.

So, my conclusion about this is that the Vanderbilt is entirely full of it regarding making things right with customers when things go poorly. So, I will re-iterate, do not patronize this place, as their quality is just sub-par. Waste of your money.

• Update 10 February 2025 This business persistently claims that they received no emails from me when I have sent many, many times over, incuuding forwarding multiple times. I re-forwarded messages again today. Wish me luck. I'm sure I will have none with these people.

• Update 11 February 2025 I re-sent / forwarded at least 5 emails to the venue management yesterday - - AGAIN. I have forwarded messages to them over 6 weeks now, and they have persistenly cried 'can't find' and 'didn't receive'. It is nauseating and damned insulting to my intelligence. The horse manure is deep.

• Update 03 March 2025 I re-sent emails to both addresses shared here by the venue. The venue has repeatedly claimed (here) that they received no messages from me, when I have written to them multiple times since January. They made a pretense at intention to make this right with me, but have done nothing. I made the OBVIOUS suggestion that best way to make the situation right would be to refund me. I got CRICKETS after I wrote...

Our wedding at The Vanderbilt at South Beach was nothing short of perfection! From the moment we reached out to Brittany Felice, our incredible event planner, we knew we were in great hands. Brittany and her team went above and beyond to make our big day truly special.

From the start, Brittany was upfront, helpful, and made us feel like old friends. She guided us through every step of the process, answering all our questions and ensuring that our wedding reflected exactly what we envisioned. We chose to go non-traditional with certain elements, and Brittany was understanding and accommodating, making sure everything was tailored to our preferences—even on a tight timeline.

The venue itself is stunning, but it’s the team and the experience they create that makes it extraordinary. The food was absolutely AMAZING—a huge hit with our guests, especially with my Italian family, who have high standards for cuisine. Cocktail hour was a showstopper with a variety of delicious options that had everyone raving. Our Maitre d’, John, ensured we were well taken care of throughout the night. He respected our wish to attend the cocktail hour and even made sure we had our own table and tried all the entrees. He kept the night running smoothly and stress-free.

The waitstaff was attentive and wonderful, and my bridal attendant, Angel, was a true gem. She was always by my side, making sure my dress was picture-perfect, helping bustle it, and ensuring I had everything I needed.

Every detail was handled with care and professionalism. We brought our own centerpieces and favors a week before, and the team did a fantastic job setting everything up beautifully. They honored all our custom touches, making the space uniquely ours. Our guests couldn’t stop complimenting the food, the service, and the overall atmosphere—it was warm, friendly, and inviting.

Thank you to Brittany, John, Angel, and the entire team at The Vanderbilt. You exceeded all our expectations and gave us a wedding we will cherish forever. If you’re looking for a venue with stunning views, outstanding food, and a team that truly cares about making your day special, The Vanderbilt is the place to be!

Thank you for everything! Melanie and...

We were married in September 2023 at the Vanderbilt and had an amazing experience! We're incredibly grateful for their ability to make our NYC beach wedding dream a beautiful reality. Guests complimented the unique location, elegant space, considerate service, and delicious, abundant food.

Brittany was incredibly helpful and kind throughout the planning process. She made everything easy, and for every idea or suggestion we had, went above expectations in fulfilling it. This included coming earlier than originally planned for getting ready, executing both of our ideas for signature cocktails, ensuring all dietary needs were met, handling last-minute guest list changes with aplomb, and much more. Communication was great from the beginning all the way through to making sure we received all our items back post-event.

John, as maitre-d, did a great job communicating and coordinating on the day. He was especially helpful in clarifying our plans for the entrance after happy hour (we didn't do a great job figuring this out in advance) and handled everything with kindness and flexibility.

Gianna was also an amazing day-of attendant! She made sure we had everything we could possibly need or want while preparing and throughout the evening. She also put together an absolutely gorgeous "book bar" for guests to select a book and bookmark as a favor. I had a basic vision, but she transformed the area with decorative branches, crystals, and beautiful book arrangements. This was an element of the wedding that I felt especially excited about, so it was awesome to have it so beautifully executed. She was also instrumental in shooing away those pesky lanternflies, helping bustle my gown, and ensuring my husband and I actually got something to drink. She was a delightful presence all throughout the day.

Every staff member at the Vanderbilt was helpful, thoughtful, and dedicated to making every detail of our day as perfect as possible. Our guests had a great time, and so did we. I will not hesitate to come back for any future events I plan, and wholeheartedly recommend the...