Review: Z Ocean Hotel, South Beach

Last week, I enjoyed a young professional version of spring break on South Beach in Miami, Florida. My travel companion and I stayed at the Z Ocean Hotel (Crowne Plaza South Beach), located on the main strip of Ocean Drive and Collins Avenue. After extensive travel site reviews, comparisons, and map plotting of South Beach’s various top hotels, we selected Z Ocean Hotel as it offered the best amenities and characteristics for all of our points of interest: location, room design, location, pool, price (including evaluation of additional fees such as valet parking and resort fees), beachside services, luxurious feel, and overall ratings.

Our stay met all of our expectations and was very enjoyable. Here are some noteworthy aspects, written and photographed, about the Z Ocean experience:

Room

Z Ocean offers four types of hotel rooms: King Suite, Pool Lanai Suite, Spa Suite, Rooftop Terrace Suite. I booked a King Suite as I wanted us to be able to have a private balcony for a sunset glass of wine after being in the sun during the day. The only issue I had with booking our room was that on the Z Ocean website, I could pick from various packages (value package, spa package, etc.) that had various combinations of reducing price for paying one night upon booking, including

breakfast and the amenities fee, included valet, or a Florida resident discount, and so on. Alternatively, on certain travel sites, I could pick street view or pool view, but no packages. I assume Z Ocean does not offer that type of specificity so that the Front Desk has flexibility with room placement. So with a slight leap of faith and dependence on looking attractive, being charming, and expressing excitement about our stay upon check-in, I booked a King Suite with the reduced early payment price via the Z Ocean site.

Upon our arrival, the front desk attendant informed us that we had been upgraded to a Pool Lanai Suite. At first, I was a bit unhappy. A Pool Lanai Suite means that our sliding glass doors open directly to the pool, and anyone that might be around the pool, and I wanted both sunshine and privacy. The attendant also insisted that no King Suites were available, so we went with the Pool Lanai Suite. Though we didn’t have a private balcony, the sheer curtains and soundproofed windows provided privacy during the day and the pool was not very busy. If we did not have a Pool Lanai Suite and such easy access to the pool, we probably wouldn’t have taken advantage of the empty pool area in the evenings either. So, the Pool Lanai Suite and I became friends. Here are some more notes on the room:

• The Pool Lanai Suite comes with a table, four accompanying chairs, and two loungers reserved for the suite outside your sliding glass door.
• The in-suite bar included a far broader selection of minibar drinks than your average fridge, an espresso machine, and they also provide a full second fridge that is completely empty for your own stash of drinks and food. There is also a microwave and a full set of martini, champagne, wine, and water glasses plus plates and silverware.
• Beware of the bar stools! This is just a design flaw with the chairs, but the edges can be quite sharp. Get on and off carefully to avoid scratching your legs.
• The bed is extremely comfortable, and the headboard has soft backlighting that provides a cozy ambiance in the evening.
• The bath is spacious and includes a sink area, a second sink and vanity area, toilet, and walk-in shower. The shower is as awesome as the website describes, with three different types of shower heads. Bathrobes are included.
• Included services that are not mentioned on the website include welcome drinks, turn down service, and daily USA Today delivery.

General Guest Areas

The blue, urban, understated luxury feel of the hotel continued in its common areas. The easy flow of the hotel between indoor and outdoor spaces felt beachy in a swanky way, which was exactly what a snow-delayed Washingtonian and New Yorker hoped to find. Here are some specifics on their amenities:

• An open-air fitness center is a discreet part of the outdoor lobby/bar area.
• Jumbo chess, tic tac toe, and dominoes plus three windows to the pool above are unique features in the outdoor bar area.
• I’ve never seen ice machines that are incorporated into the hotel floors in the aesthetically pleasing way that Z Ocean’s are. It’s South Beach, people are going to need ice and need it ASAP, so ice dispensers built into the walls make quite a bit of sense.
• Refreshing lemon water is set up in the lobby.
• The resort fee includes two sun loungers, which the beach attendants set up with hygienic lounger covers, and an umbrella.
• The hotel spans the block between Collins Avenue and Ocean Drive, with direct access to both.
• The beach just a stroll over Ocean Drive and the boardwalk away. To be precise, the Z Ocean Hotel is separated from the beach by the Il Villaggio Condominiums (which look amazing, as a side note} and Ocean Drive.

The hotel, bar, and beach staff were all very friendly, and the hotel delivered exactly what me and my hours of researching hotel reviews, map, and photo research hoped it would. The hotel was calm but still had a South Beach atmosphere (if we wanted a party pool we could head up Collins), great for couples, and a perfect respite from the beach and South Beach nightlife.

Review Score: Five stars

Learn more about my dining and destination recommendations for a visit to South Beach in my next post.

Photos: Emmie Derback, Nikon 3200, 135mm lens and iPhone 5, Camera and 6×6 apps

The various showerheads featured in the suite bathrooms were everything the description promised and more.

A view of the Z Ocean Hotel pool from a Pool Lanai Suite dining area.

The Z Ocean Hotel’s beach amenities are serviced by the Boucher Brothers company.

A look into the closet in a Z Ocean Hotel suite.

The glass bottom pool above the outdoor bar area at the Z Ocean Hotel.

The bar area is well-stocked with glasses, plates, an espresso machine, microwave, and extra fridge.

The view of the pool from a Pool Lanai Suite.

The cozy king size beds include backlit headboards.

One of the two sinks included in the suite bathroom.