You know that painting, Blue Monday by Annie Lee? That’s been the general vibe for me this past summer.
Don’t get me wrong: being busy is a blessing. But so is having time to just do nothing and rest—yet I was neglecting the latter to the point where I was burnt out.
I knew I desperately needed a break from the chaos of New York City, but the thought of having to plan a getaway felt like yet another thing to do. So, instead, I opted to just rot on my couch until further notice.
But then I got an email from W South Beach asking if I wanted to join them in Miami for a wellness weekend. My initial thought was “hell no!”
In all the times I had been, I never associated the city with being peaceful—especially not South Beach! But the more I sat on it, the more I figured, if all else failed, at least I could enjoy some time in the sea with a few editor friends.
So I boarded my flight on a Thursday morning with zero expectations. I just knew for the first time in a long time, I could turn my brain off and let someone else do the planning. That alone felt amazing.
Once I landed, I hopped in a car and made my way to the hotel. I have stayed at plenty of W Hotels across the country in the past, but I was quite literally blown away by W South Beach once I got into my room.
The two-bedroom suite came with a stunning view of the ocean, two patios, a spacious bathroom that was freshly stocked with skincare products from Comfort Zone, a gorgeous kitchen with full-sized appliances, and even a washer and dryer in-unit—something I had never seen before in a hotel room.
After picking my jaw up off of the floor, I got settled, showered, and ordered a little room service before heading to the hotel’s Away Spa. I indulged in a gorgeous spread of fresh sandwiches and salads (I like to eat) before my aesthetician, Tatiana, took me to the room for the 60-minute Collagen Boosting and Lifting Facial.
Now, I’m not sure if it was because of my flight, the intense humidity, Tatiana’s otherworldly aesthetician skills, or a combination of all three, but I felt like I was taken to another dimension. I was falling in and out of sleep while enjoying not only a facial, but something similar to a full-body massage. I left my appointment glowing and totally refreshed.
The next day started off with restorative yoga with Ahana Yoga. I was expecting it to be a chill, stretchy type of class. It was anything but. I was running late that morning, so I got in as they were doing some breathwork, then our instructor Dawn got straight down to business, guiding a pretty intense workout.
I went back up to my room to shower then enjoyed some R&R by the pool in our private cabana. The team at W South Beach had lunch prepared for us, but since I was in Miami, I decided to make the trip to the suburbs for Juici Patties so I could take some back to New York. I made it back just in time for my 60 minute deep tissue massage, which once again left me drifting in and out of sleep, and melted away all the tension in my shoulders and back.
We ended our second night with another family-style dinner at Mr. Chow on the property. We opted for the chef’s selection and had a taste of the best of the best on the menu. I left with a serious case of the itis and slept really good that night.
On our final day, I slept in then met the group at our private cabana by the pool for lunch. After we ate, three of us headed to the beach and indulged in a-whole-lot of vitamin sea. Despite South Beach itself having the reputation of being loud and wild, it was actually everything but.
The clear waters were warm and soothing, no one was blasting loud music, and I felt a real sense of calm—something I haven’t felt in a very long time. If it wasn’t for my early flight the next morning (and the fact that I wanted to take advantage of the in-unit washer/dryer) then I would have stayed long enough to enjoy the sunset.
Instead, I spent my night doing laundry, ordering room service, and watching back-to-back episodes of Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives on Food Network. I still caught a glimpse of the sunset from my balcony—it was just what I needed.
I left Miami with a new appreciation for the city. Sure, it can be a place where you go to turn up, stay out late, and have nights you’d rather forget. But it can also be a quick, and domestic, trip to paradise—and peace.
