My husband and I stayed at Faena for 3 nights to celebrate our anniversary and my birthday. Upon arrival, we were stunned by the property’s beauty. However, we quickly began to see the hotel’s flaws. It took 25 minutes to check in. We had to call our bank since the front desk agent claimed our card was declining only to be told that it was a hotel error. We decided to go to Los Fuegos for dinner and our waiter Ronald was kind and extremely helpful when it came to the menu. The food was good, but its presentation was lacking. The room itself was great and the view was spectacular. We were greeted with a small birthday cake which was thoughtful and delicious. Unfortunately our stay became progressively worse as the weekend went by. Our text messages to the valet did not work so in turn caused long wait times for our car. We were given a weak apology and no solution to the issue. It became increasingly frustrating by Saturday night since we were late to our anniversary dinner due to having to wait 20 minutes for our car. The next day we decided to have lunch at the Sunbar. We became very uncomfortable by the waitresses. We were being watched heavily by them and were constantly asked our room number by each waitress that walked by. Quickly noticing we were the only BIPOC guests out there, we decided to have our food sent to our room. Being racially profiled has still left a bitter taste in my mouth about this hotel. We shouldn’t have to retreat to our room to eat because of the staff and our skin color. Each day as we arrived back to the room, we noticed housekeeping taking towels, but not replenishing them. In a 5 star hotel, I did not expect to have to bother myself with calls to the front desk for hand towels. By Monday morning, we were eagerly ready to check out. We called down to front desk for a luggage cart and was asked if we needed assistance. After the type of service we were receiving, we declined. However when the employee arrived, he explained he could not leave the luggage cart with us due to liability procedures. We understood, but couldn’t understand why the front desk agent was not aware of this policy. The issues with cross training seemed common within the hotel. A simple restaurant recommendation was bounced from one of the front desk agent who said and I quote, “I do not know anywhere to eat around here” to the concierge who only could recommend the hotel’s restaurant. How the front line of a hotel isn’t aware of local restaurants or hotel policies seemed more like motel service to us. Two mornings we called down for room service we had to wait 30 minutes. We would then have to call the front desk to patch us through to in room dining. The entire process would take over an hour for our food to arrive. The in room dining staff were always unable to answer questions about the menu. We didn’t realize asking how many eggs come within a meal was a question that couldn’t be answered by the same people working in the department that were making and delivering our food. One afternoon that we did in room dining, our plates stayed in our room overnight even thought we advised that we would be leaving for a few hours so the plates could be picked up. Upon checking out, we explained issues to the front desk agent who comped our uncomfortable lunch at the Sunbar and patiently listened to my husband speak. As we voiced our issues, the guests checking in were joking about getting happy endings from a masseuse which was the cherry on top of an unpleasant stay. The only positives were the handful of gems in the employee staff in the spa and doormen. Considering this was a 5 star hotel and we paid $4,600 for the stay, I would expected a call from the manager. Needless to say I am not surprised by the no call. The hotel may have 5 star beauty, but it comes with 2...
Read moreA Once-in-a-Lifetime Experience at the Faena Hotel Miami Beach
I had the privilege of staying at the Faena Hotel Miami Beach with one goal in mind: to propose to my girlfriend. What unfolded over the course of our three-day stay was nothing short of extraordinary, and it's all thanks to the world-class team at the Faena.
For over a month leading up to our stay, I worked closely with Victoria and the concierge team, theater management, creative directors, and a professional photographer to plan a proposal that would be unforgettable. They helped me orchestrate everything down to the last detail, from the photographer, to dinner reservations at their stunning Argentinian restaurant "Los Fuegos by Francis Mallmann", to a romantic evening at the "Living Room" Lounge, to the surprise delivery of a beautiful bouquet of flowers at our dinner table.
And then, as life would have it, a series of unexpected "acts of God" threatened to derail the entire plan.
But this is where the Faena difference truly shines.
When the original plan unraveled, the Faena team stepped in like true owners, thinking outside the box and working with remarkable agility to reimagine the experience. The concierge, hotel management, theater staff, and even our room butler collaborated with the kind of synergy and passion I’ve never seen in a hotel before. They didn’t just salvage the experience, they elevated it beyond what I had even dreamed.
Their commitment, creativity, and personal care turned what could have been one of the most stressful days of my life into a seamless, joyful, unforgettable moment that my fiancée and I will cherish forever. We were able to be fully present, soaking in every magical second, without having to worry about a single thing. Somehow, they took what went wrong and turned it into something even better.
Now, let’s talk about the hotel itself. Yes, the Faena is visually stunning, from its iconic design to the luxurious amenities. But what truly sets it apart is that it’s an experience unto itself.
During our three-day stay, we never stepped foot outside the hotel, and we didn’t need to. We enjoyed world-class shows at the Faena Theater (an absolute must), dined at their sensational restaurants, and spent our evenings at the Living Room Lounge, a spectacular space filled with incredible music and an ambiance that defies description.
And I can’t forget to call out the theater’s management team and staff. They orchestrated a moment for us that went so far above and beyond what anyone would expect, something that my future wife and I will carry in our hearts for the rest of our lives. Out of respect, I won’t reveal their magic tricks, but they deserve every bit of credit for a memory that will be passed down in our family stories for generations.
To the entire Faena team: thank you. From the bottom of our hearts, my fiancée and I are eternally grateful. As a Miami native and local, I’ve experienced a lot, but nothing like this. You’ve earned a lifelong customer. Expect to see us again for future anniversaries, staycations, and...
Read moreOne of the worst experiences I have ever had at a luxury hotel. Even after reporting the problems, no one including management seemed to care. At check in we sat and waited while only one person serviced incoming guests. The line was backing up. Ridiculous. I reserved and paid for an oceanfront room and was given an ocean view room (same class but not oceanfront). I requested they honor my original reservation. They moved me to the "last" ocean front room they said they had open. The air conditioning did not work in the "last" ocean front room they moved me to. So despite the fact I spent extra money for an ocean front room they only had one left and one that did not have good air conditioning. They sent engineering and engineering could not fix it. The engineer said he would tell the hotel manager to call me. He did not. So I had to call him. Room service was very expensive for what they delivered versus other similar class hotels and frankly it was not that good. Certainly not worth the cost of what was delivered. The person who delivered had an attitude because I would not add an additional tip on top of the 18% delivery/tip charge that they did charge on top of another $5 for service charge. Room cleaning service was horrific. They did not clean my room until after 4 p.m. Because they were so late one night (about 4:40 p.m.) I told them to come back in at 7 pm because I needed to rest. They came back at 6 p.m. and woke me up. They disregarded my instructions. I did not get a full compliment of clean towels on any night. They left open glasses of water on the night stand and failed to remove them. We had a morning breakfast and we were one of the first guests downstairs. It took them so long to serve the food you would think the whole restaurant was full. Finally, there was a cutaway in the toilet room that had a small light. It looked like a peephole or camera hole. I told management and they said take a picture. I took the picture. They never asked to see it. I could go on but what is the point. Despite telling me at checkout the general manager would call me to address the issues within 24 hours they have not called me. It is now over one and a half weeks later and nothing so today I called them and told them I was going to make this post if a manager did not get on the phone with me at that time. Guess what...no manager got on the phone. They were all too busy! They can say what they will but all of this amounts to a NO EXCUSE and a We Don't Care. I will never go back there again. To the General Manager, I gave you every chance to address the situation. You did not. Having some front desk manager tell me you would call and not do so was just flat wrong. Removing a few dollars of incidentals from my bill was not the proper way to address this terrible stay. I paid for a good night sleep and did not get one because the room was too hot. Thanks. I hope the Hotel owners see this post. They could reverse all charges and that would not stop me from...
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