Ivory On The Bay

I liked how spacious and clean the 9th floor condo was. It had three balconies, two off the living room and one off the bedroom, plus two bathrooms. The main bathroom had two sinks, and the fridge had an ice maker. The decor was simple and nice, and the long mirrors were great for photos. The water and city views were lovely, and the rooftop pool had a great outlook too. The area was quiet and close to plenty of things. Parking in the garage was $20 a day. Street parking was free, but there were no spaces when we came back late, so the garage fee was worth it. I didn’t use the tub because its interior looked badly peeled. The late checkout mix-up was frustrating and a little scary: I had paid for it, but someone walked in while I was getting dressed, and management initially said they had no record of my payment. Luckily, I still had the receipt, and they apologized after I showed it.

The bayfront view was immaculate, with millionaires’ homes across from us, and the floor-to-ceiling windows along two walls of the master bedroom looked straight toward South Beach. The rooftop pool and jacuzzi were usually empty, so they felt almost like a private facility. The beach is about a 19-minute walk or a 5-minute drive away, which was fine for us since we were willing to give up a beachfront view. I booked through Hotels.com; it was pricey, though that’s true of places along Miami Beach. The apartment dryer wouldn’t finish its cycle and kept beeping, so our clothes stayed wet. I suspect the vent was blocked and airflow was poor. We laid everything out on the patio furniture instead. Even with that issue, I’d suggest staying here for a Miami trip.

The bay views are stunning, and the rooftop pool was spectacular and clean, with views of the Atlantic Ocean. The room was gorgeous and had loads of space. It’s right by the beach, great restaurants, and shops. I’d recommend choosing a place overlooking the water and the millionaire Row houses.

The girl at the front desk really made our vacation. She was friendly, pleasant, helpful, and gave us lots of useful information. The Acqua Bay apartments exceeded what we expected: the apartment was clean, the furniture looked new, it was quiet, and we had a good view of the waterways.