Bal Harbour Fact Sheet

OVERVIEW

Bal Harbour, “Miami’s most fashion-able address,” bridges the best of both worlds. Located on the northern tip of Miami Beach halfway between Miami and Fort Lauderdale, the secluded, oceanside village is a 30-minute drive from each city’s attractions and international airport.

Home to the internationally renowned Bal Harbour Shops, the enclave also claims luxury hotels and residences, a beautiful beach that’s virtually private, and endless ocean and bay views. Hip restaurants and the village’s cultural and fitness initiatives add to a welcoming neighborhood vibe that forever offers something new to see and do. It’s pretty amazing how much can happen along such a tiny strip of sand.

SIZE / POPULATION

Bal Harbour is one square mile (2.5 km2). The U.S. Census Bureau estimates a population of just under 3,500 permanent residents in 2022.

ACCOMMODATIONS

St. Regis Bal Harbour

When St. Regis expanded its five-diamond, five-star service to South Florida in 2012, it chose Bal Harbour over other affluent destinations for residences and a 216-room resort throughout three glass towers. Toronto and New York-based firm Yabu Pushelberg contributed to the resort’s lavish interiors. The locale proved such a success that the hotel reinvested $35 million for upgrades in 2016. A new room category, four-bedroom/four-bath Signature Suites, provides a penthouse experience; a pair on the 23^rd floor is able to be connected for a total of 7,500 square—the largest hotel suite on the East Coast.

Dining outlets are on trend, too. St. Regis Bar & Wine Vault and BH Burger Bar can be casual or fancy depending on one’s mood. The former specializes in extraordinary, bespoke cocktails and light bites, while the latter attracts foodies for its signature namesake, a 7-oz. beef patty with grilled foie gras, black truffles and tomato jam. Atlantikós, with its beautiful pool view, transports diners to the Greek Isles.

Without leaving the property, guests can peruse interesting art work by notable artists and sculptors in the Opera Gallery off the lobby, exercise in the fully equipped St. Regis Athletic Club, and receive a decadent treatment in the 14,000-square-foot Spa at St. Regis.

Ritz-Carlton, Bal Harbour

The Ritz-Carlton, Bal Harbour, the hospitality brand’s fourth property in Miami-Dade County, occupies an 18-story, glass and steel tower on the northern end of the island with breathtaking views of the Jetty and Atlantic Ocean. All 124 rooms are accessed by semi-private elevators for VIP service. Reserve the 2,800-square-foot presidential suite for extra perks like a screening room and spa shower with floor-to-ceiling windows.

The hotel features an Executive Chef creating delectable dishes in the intimate Artisan Beach House Restaurant. Exhale, a wellness game changer with locations through the U.S., manages the 10,000-square-foot spa and fitness center. Treatment rooms, including a couple’s suite, overlook the tranquil inlet. Guests and locals alike flock to signature, results-driven classes from Core Fusion Barre to exhale Flow Yoga, a form of vinyasa. They stay to enjoy the steam room and sauna, free weights and cardio equipment, and receive spa services from an extensive menu of facials, body scrubs and massages. The hotel boasts the most romantic and brilliant setting of all Miami wedding venues.

In line with art-obsessed Miami, the hotel invested $3.5 million for a collection curated by Joan Warren-Grady. Richard Deutsch’s black basalt sculpture and Ed Moses’ oil painting greet guests who are invited to take self-guided tours. Couture concierge Elysze Held, a personal shopper who dresses many of the city’s socialites, is on call for consultations and wardrobing services for any occasion.

Beach Haus Bal Harbour

Nestled along the bay in a quiet residential area, Beach Haus Bal Harbour boutique hotel is one of the enclave’s best-kept secrets. Its 96 spacious rooms and suites with contemporary décor and kitchens and kitchenettes feel like a home away from home. The concept is especially useful for longer stays. Accommodations range from a 350-square-foot studio to an 1,800-square-foot 2-bedroom suite whose two baths feature Roman soaking tubs and bath products by Gilchrist and Soames. In-room spa treatments increase the pampering factor.

When they don’t feel like cooking, guests can dine out, or order delivery from several nearby restaurants. Each suite also comes with a dedicated parking space, a rarity for island living. The grounds’ Zen meditation garden and pool with a natural wood deck enhance the tropical mood.

Sea View Hotel

Built in 1948 during Bal Harbour’s initial hospitality boom, the Sea View’s European-style, oceanside oasis has attracted royalty, presidents, celebrities and families for generations. Its 220 rooms and suites feature several categories and amenities, including many with balconies and kitchens. With its “Go Green” mission, the hotel introduced LEED-certified upgrades for insulation, air conditioning and LED lights.

After treating themselves to a massage and working out in the fitness center, guests can relax in Key West-inspired cabanas around a heated, Olympic-size pool. The aptly named Terrace, the main restaurant that serves breakfast, lunch and dinner, offers plenty of outdoor seating. Other dining options are a pool bar for sundowners and an old-fashioned snack counter for smoothies and sandwiches.

SHOPPING

Bal Harbour Shops put its newly incorporated, namesake village on the map when the charming, open-air “anti-mall” debuted in 1965. Founder Stanley Whitman curated a best-in-class assortment of retailers, restaurants and services, and his dedication has been passed down to the next generations through Whitman Family Development.

Anchored by Neiman Marcus and Saks Fifth Avenue, other tony tenants include Chanel, Ferragamo, Ralph Lauren and Dolce & Gabbana. Bal Harbour Shops ranked number one for sales per square foot in 2012, according to the International Council of Shopping Centers. A regular stream of new stores and renovations deepen its appeal. Rolex, 3.1 Phillip Lim and Florentine shoe sensation Aquazzura premiere boutiques in 2016 and 2017. It’s a busy time overall. Balenciaga, Moncler, Fendi and Emporio Armani are in expansion mode, while Harry Winston, Kiton, Loro Piana and Ermenegildo Zegna, among others, are planning store renovations and/or relocations.

Destination Fashion, the center’s most extravagant gala, benefits the Buoniconti Fund to Cure Paralysis. Held every few years, the enormous effort takes over the property’s first floor and parking lot for a sit-down dinner with a fashion show (past designers have been Pucci and Brunello Cucinelli). Afterward, guests attend a roving cocktail and dessert party throughout themed vignettes, which culminates with a concert finale. Donna Summer and Pitbull are just a couple A-listers who have performed for the noble cause.

DINING

Bal Harbour’s dining scene has changed dramatically to mirror Miami’s culinary renaissance. Bal Harbour Shops has become known for its hip eateries as much as its designer boutiques these days. Philadelphia restaurateur Stephen Starr has achieved stellar results with his adjacent Asian and French concepts, Makoto and Le Zoo. Both offer beautifully appointed interiors, as well as outdoor terraces to take advantage of balmy ocean breezes. Across the main entrance, Carpaccio feeds an astounding number of diners a day. Celebrities and jet setters are often spotted on its packed patio. Upstairs has a completely different at the Hillstone Grill Bal Harbour serving up classic and healthy fare. The innovative, indoor/outdoor design inspired by a teak yacht feels akin to dining in a tropical treehouse.

Hotels are also reinventing their restaurants. The St. Regis Bal Harbour Resort offers the Greek themed Atlantikós in addition to the St. Regis Bar & Wine Vault, whose bloody Mary originally concocted at the St. Regis New York involves a tropical twist, and BH Burger Bar. Afternoon tea is even more delightful with pastries in the French patisserie inspired La Gourmandise.

The Ritz-Carlton, Bal Harbour features the waterfront Artisan Beach House whic pairs global techniques with local ingredients and fresh seafood for all-day dining and Sunday brunch. And at Water’s Edge, poolside dining can be elevated with a private cabana.

ARTS AND CULTURE

Though museums and performance halls are within minutes, culture blooms right here. “Unscripted Bal Harbour” continues its mission with another packed season of private tours, talks and exhibits. Around Bal Harbour, sculptures from renowned artists are prominently throughout the Village and Beach Path in partnership with Opera Gallery

OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES & NATURE

Begin and end the day with a sunrise or sunset stroll along Bal Harbour’s manicured beach. Get a cardio workout on the gorgeous, shade covered one-mile-long beach path with separate lanes for cyclists and pedestrians.

Many “locals” believe that the best way to experience the area is to be on or in the water. Hotel concierges are happy to arrange charters for snorkeling, diving and deep-sea fishing, as well as water-sports equipment from kayaks to paddle boards.

Golfers can tee off at the city’s famed championship golf courses, including the nearby Miami Beach Golf Club renovated by Arthur Hill/Steve Forrest Associates.

CHILDREN’S PROGRAMS

Located on the bay, the soon-to-be-completed Bal Harbour Waterfront Park will features a variety of options for residents and guests of all ages! This enclave will feature open lawn areas for passive activities, strolling gardens, meditative spaces, progressive exercise zones, and a “Mother Earth, Cycle of Life”-themed playground designed by award-winning Danish firm, Monstrum. The 1.5 acre property also includes a terraced garden, a splash pad, and additional Raymond Jungles-designed landscaping with a forest-style canopy that leads visitors into the new Community Center, designed by Zyscovich Architects.

The intimate, three-story jewel has a mirrored-glass design which will reflect the park from the outside and bring nature inside. This 24,000 square foot facility will house multi-purpose event spaces, an indoor and a toddler playground. A third-floor landscaped and covered roof deck will have magnificent water and city views.

Throughout the year the Village hosts seasonal, family-friendly events including Fireworks for New Years Eve and the Fourth of July, Movies on the Beach, and a winter festival with real snow flurries.

The hotels also make sure their youngest guests have a good time.

St. Regis Bal Harbour’s Sea Turtle Club provides full- and half-day camps for children ages 4- to 12-years-old. In addition to a learning center with activities from computer games to beach nature walks, the staff is available for swimming lessons, babysitting and children’s parties.

The Ritz-Carlton Bal Harbour offers children’s movies, books, toys, and video and board games at check-in, as well as a dedicated play area in the sand. Resort activities like ping pong, kite flying and water balloon toss rotate daily.

GETTING AROUND

Equidistant between Miami and Fort Lauderdale, Bal Harbour is a 30-minute drive from Miami International Airport, Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport, downtown Miami/Brickell and South Beach. State Road A1A runs directly through the oceanside village, which is easily accessible to I-95 through the Broad Causeway/SR-922 at 96^th Street/NE 123^rd Street/NE 125^th Street.