Nobu Hotel Miami Beach Review

When my collaboration with Nobu Miami Beach was finalised, memories of my year in Miami rushed back at me. Two years ago you would have witnessed 20-year-old Henna packing 4 overweight suitcases for Sunny Miami. I had no idea what to expect, didn’t know a single person on the journey with me, and had never stepped foot in the states, yet I was sprinting into the unknown with excitement.

I embarked on the journey for two reasons – to immerse into the Politics of the US since this was my degree and the second to follow my dreams of blogging and feeding my love of travelling. On the former, I walked away with a 4.0 GPA, in other words a first class honours (despite feeling like I was under the guise of a year long holiday). On the latter, being able to travel all over the states and beyond was THE initiator for blogging. Blogging was non-existent when I stepped on that plane – It was merely a dream. I knew I was half way to being labelled a nomad, loved inspiring and wrmiting, but opening my life to the public via Instagram was uncharted territory. Since then, I have travelled the world, collaborated with the most luxurious hotels and made life-long friends. For this very reason, I could not wait to step back on the sands where it all started.

Having already collaborated with the London Nobu restaurant, I’m very much aware of it’s unparalleled reputation. I found it delivers upscale sushi and Japanese Peruvian delicacies amid a luxurious, elegant decor. Confidently, I knew that the Nobu hotel would offer the same excellence. What I actually got was a lot more. It delivered a unique chemistry, coupled with a balance of luxury and fun. I’ve stayed at hotels with non-existent personality and it’s a real bore – no matter how many stars they have attached to their name. Nobu as a brand has a voice, a story, a personality and a design so beautifully executed by Celebrity architect David Rockwell – its something that I really connected with. Nothing in the whole premises was put there by accident. The Japanese architecture filled every corner with culture, yet tones of modernity really unveiled. Amid the basics, ya’ll know my attention to detail is A1. A luxury hotel experience is much more than a long celebrity guest list, fancy decor, and Michelin restaurants, I rate a hotel on a holistic experience and this is something that I put Nobu at test with time and time again.

Having arrived a day earlier due to flight mishaps, the Nobu accommodated me perfectly. I was offered two rooms by Ramone – the first was the Zen Suite and the second Junior Suite Bay View. While the former had 1 King Bed and was 595 SQ FT, the latter had two King Beds and was 539 SQ FT. With my PA staying with me for the first night of my stay, I opted for the Junior Suite and later changed over to the Zen Suite. I saw another guest do the same, and commended the flexibility and hospitality of the hotel. Later I was welcomed by Krissy – VIP guest manager at Nobu who personally gave me a hotel tour. We paraded around the hotel grounds, gawping at the Penthouse villa, restaurants, Esencia Wellness Spa, the fitness rooms, and rounded off our girlie chat with a in-house Starbucks. As one of the many VIP guests staying at the hotel, Krissy was our first point of contact during our stay and trust me, having this connection was so helpful. From sorting out the minor details such as breakfast to ‘OMG, please get me an adaptor plug because I need to straighten my hair’ at 11pm, she most definitely down for us. Once settled, I spent the first day lounging poolside as per usual and worked on getting what was my patchy white skin golden glowin’. I switched it up every now and then by taking a 30 second walk to the beach…

I explained to Krissy that I was exhausted and I had to be put in contact with Esencia Wellness Spa @ Nobu ASAP. Following a short work out, I explored the spa. What bewildered me was the recognition of individual rejuvenation – a wise man told me that what may relax one man may be of disturbance to another. This premise echoed throughout the versatile facilities that suited a variety of needs. I leaped from the hydrotherapy circuits, plunge pools and saunas before my treatment following being welcomed by Susannah. Eliana explained that the ‘Miami Livin’ Massage is a 50 minutes body massage priced at ($350) that offers a selection of four oils depending on the unique needs of each guest. The first is the ‘fitness oil’ that warms the muscles, aimed at aches and pains. The second is the ‘energise oil’ with strands of citrus in it, the third the ‘detox oil’, and finally the most popular – the ‘destress’ lavender oil. The massage began and finished the same way Chef Nobu begins his day with stretches to awaken the mind, body and soul. Simultaneously, Eliana used this crucial time before I fell into the best sleep of my life to better understand my needs and pressure points. She remixed the massage with hot stones that I found to be super therapeutic. I found my whole experience to be extremely professional and rejuvenating. By the time I sat in the relaxation room, I was a different gal ready to conquer the world. The fire-lit room made me feel like I leaped into a real life tumblr scene, accompanied by the most perfect white yogurt pretzels. It seemed like mouth-watering food was a common theme at Nobu.

From experiencing Malibu Farm for the first time, no matter how late I got home or how tired I was, I would wake up at 10am sharp to eat the same mouth-watering breakfast. Always opting for a table that gives me a direct view of the Atlantic Ocean, I’d use breakfast as a time to extend gratitude. Having visited California and hearing much about Helene Henderson’s super chill yet luxury restaurant, I knew breakfast would be a treat everyday. The day I arrived, I had the omelette. Everyday after that, I had the Pinna Patta. It is made up of smoked salmon, butternut squash, zucchini, beets, potatoes, and onions over medium eggs, horseradish, a double amount of crème fraiche and baby potatoes. I was pleasantly surprised by in room dining too! For me, room service can be super hit and miss. I am probably the pickiest person out there when it comes to the heat of food – call me a diva but it is a huge pet-peeve. If I am eating out, a prerequisite of enjoying that meal is top temp food. I ordered room service a number of times at Nobu and it was just how I wanted it everyday.

From the moment that I stepped off what felt like a really shitty flight with British Airways, I was rearing that I was in Miami. I couldn’t wait to see old friends from Miami and reminisce about a year long holiday in Miami that was guised as my second year of university. I wanted to dig my feet into the sands of my new back yard, go for a swim in the pool and come out to a four cheese pizza. I wanted to rejuvenate, to party, and to explore simultaneously. I wanted to fall asleep on my balcony after watching celebs living on Millionaire Row. I wanted to dance around the artsy streets of Wynwood and eat tacos on South Beach. I wanted to go practice my broken Spanish and play dominoes in little Havana and talk about Trump with Lyft drivers. I wanted to do it all and that’s exactly what I did, and Nobu was the perfect sanctuary between all the madness.