ACQUALINA RESORT & RESIDENCES DELIVERS THE ULTIMATE MIAMI STAYCATION, WHERE SEA, STYLE, AND SERENITY ALIGN UNDER ITS SIGNATURE CRIMSON UMBRELLAS.
It’s easy to forget you’re in Miami when you’re at Acqualina Resort & Residences in Sunny Isles Beach. On a recent afternoon, I found myself at Costa Grill, sipping from a chilled coconut brimming with sweet coconut water, a plate of just-caught seafood before me, the Atlantic stretching endlessly beyond a line of the resort’s red umbrellas. The horizon shimmered in that particular Miami way — turquoise, infinite, and yet somehow intimate. It felt like a private piece of heaven, though just a short drive from home. That’s the beauty of Acqualina: it exists within Miami, yet feels worlds away.
From the moment you arrive, the resort’s Mediterranean-inspired architecture, crisp ocean air, and gracious staff create a rhythm that invites exhale. The marble floors of the lobby echo softly underfoot as you’re led toward the panoramic ocean view that defines the experience. Acqualina’s luxury isn’t loud — it’s built into the atmosphere. There’s an ease in the details, a quiet confidence that comes from knowing everything has been considered.
The new One-Bedroom Oceanfront Villa Suite epitomizes that balance. Designed by Isabel Tragash of STA Architectural Group, the villa offers a spacious 2,767 square feet of living space, complete with a private elevator, Italian furniture, marble accents, and expansive terraces that open to the sea. Every texture feels intentional — from the alabaster boucle sofa to the soft ripple of linen curtains that dance in the ocean breeze. The suite’s scale and serenity give the impression of a private residence, ideal for a long weekend escape or a winter retreat.
Wellness, too, is woven into the resort’s fabric. The Acqualina Spa spans 20,000 square feet across two levels, offering a crystal steam room, Himalayan salt wall, and a new Reviving Massage that blends aromatherapy and rhythmic flow. The resort’s partnership with Seed to Skin Tuscany introduces handcrafted Italian skincare to every suite and treatment, transforming even the simplest rituals — washing your hands, drawing a bath — into moments of quiet indulgence.
If the spa is the heart of restoration, then the AcquaFit Fitness Center is its pulse. Overlooking the Atlantic, the ocean-view gym features state-of-the-art Technogym equipment, recovery tools, and personalized training. It’s a space that feels less like a hotel fitness room and more like a private wellness studio, infused with light and the faint sound of the sea.
Beyond wellness, Acqualina’s culinary program offers a tour through refinement and comfort. At Ke-uH, Japanese-inspired dishes unfold in a serene setting refreshed by Cristiano Gatto Design, while Il Mulino New York remains a mainstay for Italian classics and expertly mixed Negronis. Avra Miami, the resort’s Mediterranean seafood restaurant, captures that effortless glamour the brand is known for — fresh branzino, candlelight, and ocean air. Still, it’s Costa Grill that captures the essence of a Miami staycation: toes in the sand, sea breeze in your hair, a coconut in hand, and the taste of the tropics on your plate.
Art has long been a subtle undercurrent at Acqualina, with curated pieces throughout the property that reflect both coastal beauty and global sophistication. The resort’s commitment to art and design echoes its philosophy — that beauty and balance are essential forms of nourishment.
During the holiday season, Acqualina takes on a new kind of magic. Palm trees twinkle with lights, the scent of balsam and sea salt fills the air, and families gather for oceanfront brunches and Champagne toasts under the stars. The resort’s festive calendar includes holiday dinners, spa packages, and kid-friendly programming that transforms December into something cinematic — winter reimagined in the tropics. For locals, celebrating here feels at once glamorous and grounding, a reminder that joy often lives close to home.
Even the smallest gestures reinforce that feeling of care: chilled towels poolside, beach attendants who remember your name, and that quiet sense of privacy usually reserved for faraway destinations. There’s soul behind the polish, hospitality rooted in genuine warmth.
A staycation here is an arrival to stillness, to beauty, to a version of Miami that feels slower, softer, more intentional. And as the sun sets over Sunny Isles, washing the ocean in coral light, you realize you haven’t just found luxury. You’ve found presence and the best gift to give yourself to end the year in luxury.
During the holiday season, Acqualina takes on a new kind of magic. Palm trees twinkle with lights, the scent of balsam and sea salt fills the air, and families gather for oceanfront brunches and Champagne toasts under the stars. The resort’s festive calendar includes holiday dinners, spa packages, and kid-friendly programming that transforms December into something cinematic — winter reimagined in the tropics. For locals, celebrating here feels at once glamorous and grounding, a reminder that joy often lives close to home.
Even the smallest gestures reinforce that feeling of care: chilled towels poolside, beach attendants who remember your name, and that quiet sense of privacy usually reserved for faraway destinations. There’s soul behind the polish, hospitality rooted in genuine warmth.
A staycation here is an arrival to stillness, to beauty, to a version of Miami that feels slower, softer, more intentional. And as the sun sets over Sunny Isles, washing the ocean in coral light, you realize you haven’t just found luxury. You’ve found presence and the best gift to give yourself to end the year in luxury.
