W Miami

Feb, 2026.... I rarely write reviews, but this stay was so bad I felt I had to say something. We booked two nights at the W hotel Miami (Bickell), trusting the brand. That was a mistake. If this counts as a five-star hotel, it's a five-star dump. My experience lines up with many other reviews of this property from the past six months. Anthony at the front desk was astounding and clearly knows customer service. Nick, the new manager of just two weeks, was another bright spot, though he seemed to have no control over the property, so that's not really his fault. The good ended there. The room itself was in rough shape: bathroom floor tiles had paint on them, the sink drain was broken so we pulled it out to use that sink, and the other sink had almost no water pressure, just a dribble. The carpet was filthy, and wallpaper was peeling at the seams. We asked for maid service by phone and put out the door hanger, but nobody ever came. Room service was another mess. It wasn't offered after 4pm daily, and on weekends it was limited. We left two voicemails and got no call back after 30 minutes, so the front desk gave us the lame excuse that they were busy. Too busy to return a call for an order? Even three-star hotels offer room service while the restaurant is open. THIS PLACE IS A DUMP.

For a hotel charging over $500 a night, this was nowhere near five-star quality. The condition of the room and the service didn't match the branding or price, and I found the stay disappointing, outdated, very loud, and misleading. At best, I think it might be worth $140 a night. I strongly recommend staying elsewhere. It felt like a complete waste of money, and I won't return. The room looked dirty and poorly maintained, with visible stains and wear on surfaces, lampshades, and fixtures. The interior felt extremely dated, with decor that reminded me of an old Chinese-style look from decades ago. Some of the old-fashioned lamps didn't work properly and were never replaced. There were mirrors all over, which added to the unsettling, dated feel, more like the 1960s than a modern luxury hotel. The windows weren't soundproof, so it was very noisy. The floors were cold tile throughout, and with the air conditioning on, walking barefoot was extremely uncomfortable. Several basic functions also failed. The key cards often stopped working, so I had to make repeated trips to the front desk to reset them. The bathroom flush often didn't work properly. The safety deposit box didn't work at all. I reported it on the first day of my seven-night stay. A security staff member came the next day, couldn't fix it, and said they'd return, but nobody did. It was still broken at checkout, with no follow-up or accountability. Housekeeping seemed understaffed and didn't come daily unless I specifically requested it through the front desk. Requests across departments were often delayed, ignored, or left unfinished, and the staff generally lacked professionalism and urgency. Doors slammed loudly day and night because there was no soft-close system, making it hard to rest. The lobby was very small and unwelcoming. There was no properly functioning cafe or coffee shop, despite it being advertised. It never opened during my entire seven-day stay.

SPOILER ALERT, THIS IS NOT A 5 STAR LUXURY HOTEL. It's a run-down, poorly managed place, more like a Motel 6. On arrival after a long day of travel, there was no bar and no restaurant open. That was all within the first hour, and several calls to the desk brought nothing but excuses. The only bar is in the restaurant, which closes around 8pm. We were told we could try the bar in the next tower and ask them to make a drink "to go." The pool was only open on weekends. The room had frayed, scratchy towels, Kmart-quality bedding, a broken makeup mirror, and one of the two sinks wouldn't drain. Room service stopped at 4pm every day. The next afternoon I called for room service at 1pm and got a recording asking me to leave a message for a callback. After 50 minutes I called the front desk, then waited another 45 minutes for chips and salsa. Housekeeping never came to clean the room. Five-star luxury brand? Several calls and nothing but excuses.

We loved how calm the whole property felt, including the outdoor pool area, which had a few families around and seemed kid-friendly. The bar crowd was a mix of ages, with plenty of people in their early 30s, and I had an awesome time at the outdoor bar. The bartender was friendly, attentive, and professional, and went out of his way to find the liquor bottle we'd asked for. The DJ played cal house. We stayed in the WOW suite, which had a plunge pool on the roof and a private lap pool in the backyard. The rooms were clean and modern. The elevator was slow, but we only needed it for the luggage. I believe there are only 2 suites like this at the Miami property. Staff were attentive and always had our car or a town car ready. I highly recommend staying here.