StRegisBalHarbourResort

The St. Regis Introduces Itself to Bal Harbour

Filed under: Luxury Travel & Hotels, Spas, Real Estate Developments

The third tower of The St. Regis Bal Harbour Resort is expected to be finished next February, and the resort will open its heavy glass doors to early adopters in 2011. Sitting on 1,000 square feet of sable blanc at the north end of Miami Beach, the three 27-story towers will house 511 rooms in various sizes and flavors of sumptuousness. The move south, like a snowbird from that biggest of apples, is intended to be a relocation of the New England grandeur that Colonel John Jacob Astor IV inaugurated when he opened the first St. Regis in NYC in 1904.

Think: mirrors. Lots of them. The Yabu Pushelberg interior scheme (from the firm that has lent a helping hand to Prada, Tiffany, the Mandarin Oriental, and so on) will naturally focus on textures and materials: Movingui hardwood walls, marble and travertine flooring, and etched plaster walls will abound upon entry. Guests and residents are no less looked after, with spa-like bathrooms, enclosed walk-in showers, and overflow soaking tubs. Granite makes its necessary appearance for the kitchen countertops, and the cutlery drawers will even be pre-slotted, so you'll never mistake your butcher for your cleaver.

Residences come in one-, two-, three-, and four-bedroom sizes, range from 1,777 to 6,868 square feet, and start at $1.9 million. If you need more convincing -- and proof that that this St. Regis has left behind most of its New York City roots -- the balconies alone start at 455 square feet, larger than a fair number of Manhattan apartments. Amenities will include white-glove butlers, 24-hour room service, a 12,000 square foot spa, and someone to do your grocery shopping for you. Because, you know, you'll be hungry when you finally roll in from Nikki Beach...

Gallery: St. Regis Bal Harbour Resort