I was in Miami for a four days at work conference. I stayed at the Epic Hotel. Corporate conferences usually get a "corporate rate" on a certain number of rooms. As long as you commit to the conference "in time" you get a room at a the hotel at a group rate. Well - based on tons of work projects going on, I didn't decide to attend this conference until about 3 weeks ago. By that time all of the group rate rooms were gone. The travel department at my company checked surrounding hotels - but were not able to find much lower rates, so they booked me into an available room at the conference hotel. I didn't really know that it would be any different than the reserved rooms - simply more expensive. Well much to my surprise when I entered my room and discovered it was a suite and it also gave me access to "club level" perks. . . . I didn't even want to attend the conference.
I don't think I can describe just how nice my room and the extras were . . . but let me try.
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| Separate Living room w/ couch, chair and lovely view |
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| King size bed with floor to ceiling wrap around windows |
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| Bathroom with separate jacuzzi tub and walk in rain shower |
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| Patio with river view |
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| View of Miami river from my patio |
Access to the club level lounge.
This pic is of the Centrust building from the club level patio. They offer complimentary food and drinks through out the day - accessible to "club level" guests only. It was wonderful to sit out on the patio, enjoying some spring rolls and other assorted appetizers and a glass of wine. Tonight I decided to venture up to the club lounge to check it out. I am sitting outside on a beautiful patio, overlooking the city.
Beth, at Shut up and Run -
HERE , posted today about going crazy while attending a day long conference - eating crappy food and not doing anything. I so agree. It is dangerous attending conferences - buffet breakfasts with sweet rolls, bacon, eggs, etc. Lunch with way too many choices and dessert - really - who needs dessert at lunch!!!. Snacks in the morning and afternoon - cookies, soda, chips and coffee . . . which I drank too much of to stay alert and warm! Why or why do they keep meeting rooms so cold . . . I am never cold . . . but froze in the meeting rooms (as did everyone else). Back to food: Evening receptions, with drinks, shrimp, crab cakes, sliced tenderloin, and too much other stuff to even mention. I go into the conference with a watchful eye on my food intake. While it would be nice to eat - eat - eat . . . I
work extra hard to avoid the snacks, eat lightly at breakfast, lunch and dinner, skip desserts (really who needs cheese cake at lunch or 3:00 in the afternoon) and exercise. I got up at 5:30 figuring that I could head outside for a run - but forgot to factor in that the sun didn't rise in Miami until 6:40 - pretty much the same time as Madison. I thought it would rise earlier! So instead of heading out the door before 6, I headed down to the treadmill - got in about 3 miles and then headed outside for another 2.5 mile loop around Brickell Key and the hotel.
Wednesday morning - I ran in the morning and the temperature was 75. Thursday morning - I ran in Madison and the temperature was 22. Quite the difference.
Glad to be home - but I would have liked to stay a couple more days in the hotel and take advantage of the extras ;-)
