Hotel Greystone: A Boutique Vibe in the Heart of South Beach

Situated in the heart of South Beach, across Collins Avenue from the Atlantic Ocean, the Hotel Greystone offers a stylish and unique boutique vibe. Occupying a 1939 art deco structure, the property features a tropical design, personable staff and lovely attention to detail.

Lobby / Photo: Courtesy of Hotel Greystone

After a quick registration in the intimate lobby—accented with palms and a terrazzo checkerboard floor—I was escorted to an adjacent building housing the Roof Suite Terrace. Minimalist furnishings and a soothing tan-and-white palette, echoing the sandy shore opposite, make this an ideal escape from the bustling street scene below, while the brilliant light pouring in from the windows reminds guests that they are nowhere else but South Florida. Luxurious touches such as high-thread-count linens, a rainfall shower, cozy reading nook and toiletries from Malin + Goetz Botanicals add to the room’s comfort. Outside, though, is where the real delight lies. Through a door and up a spiral staircase is a private terrace on the fifth floor, complete with alfresco seating and a Jacuzzi that accommodates four people.

Guest suite / Photo: Courtesy of Hotel Greystone

On the roof of the main building is the pool deck, with comfortable lounges, monogrammed towels and servers offering craft cocktails, small bites, ice water and other refreshments—blissful for a day in the sun surrounded by the historic skyline. I also enjoyed a light lunch at the courtyard café Kobo, a leafy oasis serving coffee, juices, sandwiches and pastries. Downstairs is the atmospheric restaurant Sérêvène, whose French-Japanese fusion menu spans everything from avocado rolls and New Zealand salmon sashimi to duck à l’orange, a foie-gras “hot pocket” and a curious creation dubbed Pork Is My Favorite Vegetable, replete with half a suckling pig and Hawaiian soft rolls. For a moody nightcap, climb the few stairs up from the lobby to the candlelit Greystone Jazz Bar, a sophisticated boîte that offers an alternative to South Beach’s famously raucous nightscape. Here, expert mixologists prepare classic and specialty cocktails that patrons sip to the strains of elegant standards performed on a grand piano. (The spot also features a lineup of rotating performers such as Pam Ann, an outrageous international comedienne who specializes in hysterically bawdy airline humor.) Despite the heat, August is an ideal time to visit, as the Greystone is offering a Savor the Summer package, which includes a discount of up to 20 percent on rooms as well as a $50 credit at Sérêvène when booking a suite.

1,000 Blossoms cocktail at The Greystone Jazz Bar / Photo: Courtesy of Hotel Greystone

The property doesn’t have much business space, so if you need all the corporate rewards and services this is probably not for you—although it is within walking distance of the convention center. However, for a homey and welcoming experience that is the antithesis of all the big chains, this professionally run boutique hotel might be just the place.