Kimpton EPIC Hotel

There might be a touch of youthful Miami bravado in the name, but even in a town whose hotels are fond of extravagance, Epic does make an impression. Set at the confluence of the Miami River and Biscayne Bay, it’s a fifty-two story high-rise designed to look like a boat’s prow cutting through the water. No surprise, the waterside setting is central to the hotel’s identity. Views of the bay and the Atlantic beyond pop up everywhere — not least through floor-to-ceiling windows in many of the guest rooms — and it’s the only Miami hotel with direct dockside access. Epic accommodates vessels up to 900 feet, with 24-hour staff and security, overnight mooring and onboard catering among the dockside services.

Land-loving guests are granted no less an entrance, arriving via the hotel’s palm-lined front drive before entering a lobby whose vaulted ceilings, glass walls and multiple pools make a dramatic first impression. Less than a mile from the Port of Miami and across the river from Brickell Avenue and the financial district, Epic is about ten minutes from South Beach, a distance that makes it a bit less scene-y and perhaps ever so slightly more oriented toward business than pleasure. Not that leisure opportunities are in any way lacking; that much is clear with a glance at the pair of pools. They’re located on an enormous sixteenth-floor deck, with all the lounges and day beds and sofas and cabanas, plus poolside food and beverage service from the adjacent lounge and restaurants, that’s expected of a modern Miami hotel.

Guest rooms are similarly expansive, starting at 475 square feet and made to feel even larger by a wash of tropical sunlight through oversized windows. Beds triple-sheeted in Frette linens, bathrooms that are airy and fully tricked out (double basin Villeroy and Boch sinks, separate rain showers and soaking tubs), personal computers on desks large enough for getting some work done: it’s all standard, and even the rooms without water views overlook the Miami skyline, twinkling with city lights in the evening.

For all the grand gestures, Kimpton’s typically thoughtful details round out the experience. Pets are given a warm welcome (and a bed and a bowl and a treat, too), pours are free during the evening wine hour, and loaner bikes are on hand for guests who wish to ride. There’s even a set of rooms designed specifically for taller guests, with extra-long beds and raised shower heads — in this basketball-crazy town, this is a savvy move indeed.