Dreaming of a sunny Christmas?
Head to Miami, where you can trade frosted evergreens for swaying palm trees and celebrate the holidays with a tropical twist. Sip on coquito, the festive coconut cocktail that originated in Puerto Rico and is popular in Miami, and finish your gift list at Brickell City Centre, which is a premier destination for shopping, dining and entertainment.
When it’s time to settle in for the night and dream of sugar plums (and ocean views), check into InterContinental Miami, a hotel that fully embraces the holiday spirit. From unique holiday programs (like a pop-up Christmas bar and ugly holiday sweater contest … for dogs) to its one-of-a-kind Festive Christmas Suite, the hotel is set on Biscayne Bay in Miami’s cosmopolitan Brickell neighborhood and is the perfect place to make your December stay merry and bright.
Here’s seven unique ways to enjoy the holidays at InterContinental Miami.
Check into the Festive Christmas Suite
The hotel’s Festive Christmas Suite (available for stays from Nov. 20 through Dec. 26) transforms into a winter wonderland, but makes it Miami style. The two-bedroom suite shimmers with holiday decor, from a Christmas village in the foyer to a tree twinkling in the living room.
Guests can snuggle into holiday bedding, sip hot cocoa from the in-room cocoa bar and cue up classic holiday movies. There’s even a “Buddy on the Shelf” to keep the tradition alive for traveling families. Christmas Suite guests also gain access to Club InterContinental with included breakfast, afternoon tea and evening happy hour.
Experience “Holidays Around the World” at Club InterContinental
Holiday suite stays and guests in Club rooms get access to the Club InterContinental lounge, which comes with a daily breakfast, afternoon tea, and nightly happy hour.
The theme in December is “Holidays Around the World” and features mulled wine, international holiday desserts and decadent holiday-inspired cocktails like peppermint martinis and eggnog.
Sip at Frosty’s Hideaway Pop-Up Bar
Freddy’s Lounge—a Prohibition-style speakeasy—gets a festive makeover for the holidays, transforming into Frosty’s Hideaway, Miami’s answer to the North Pole. Open for Friday and Saturday seatings, the pop-up bar dazzles with photo-worthy holiday decorations while Christmas tunes set the soundtrack.
Bring Your Pup to the Ugly Sweater “Paawty”
The holidays go to the dogs—in the best way possible—on December 10 during the Ugly Sweater Paawty. Pups and their humans are invited to don their gaudiest holiday attire and gather on the Bayside Terrace for a playful evening complete with pup cups, photo ops with Santa, local vendors, and live music. The event is free and open to locals, too. Even if you’re not bringing a dog, it’s a delight to watch the fun unfold.
Enjoy Breakfast with Santa
On Dec. 13, families can head to Ole’ for a morning that feels straight out of a holiday movie. Santa will make the rounds during breakfast, listening to wish lists and posing for photos. Guests can enjoy the a la carte or buffet breakfast menu while little ones get into the holiday spirit before hitting the pool, exploring nearby Bayfront Park, or visit the Miami Children’s Museum.
Feast on a Noche Buena Dinner at Toro Toro
At Toro Toro, the hotel’s acclaimed Pan-Latin steakhouse, Christmas Eve and Christmas Day dinners are truly decadent. The Noche Buena menu is a celebration of flavors, featuring dry-aged porterhouse steaks, wagyu tomahawks, sea bass, glazed pork tenderloin and braised veal cheeks with a sun-dried smoky chili sauce. Desserts include Noir de Noël dark chocolate cake with espresso ganache, Madagascar vanilla bean gelato and the Christmas Whisky Candle that’s made with a vanilla crust, cherry compote cheesecake and whisky vanilla cream. With kid-friendly options available, it’s a festive meal for all ages.
Celebrate Poolside at the Christmas Cabana
From December 1–26, guests can book the Sleigh in the Sun Cabana, an ocean-view retreat decked out with mini palm tree ornaments, twinkling lights, a Santa-in-sunglasses as well as Santa hats. Alongside striped towels and chilled eucalyptus-scented “snowball” towels, guests can enjoy a bottle of bubbles to make Poinsettia cocktails with rosemary and cranberries. The cabanas can host groups of up to six.
Bonus: Ring in the New Year in Miami
End the year in style with the hotel’s New Year’s Eve celebration at Toro Toro. The evening features a three-course dinner, bottle of bubbles and midnight fireworks viewing on Bayside Terrace, complete with a champagne toast.
The resort also hosts a ticketed event: Seaside VIP Fireworks Viewing Sweets and Bubbles that’s open to 120 guests. The experience includes unlimited chef-curated sweets with a bottle of bubbles for every pair of tickets sold, live DJs, and the option to upgrade into a cabana.
How to Make Coquito
Meaning “little coconut,” coquito is a Puerto Rican holiday tradition made with coconut cream, coconut milk, and baking spices, and, of course,Puerto Rican rum. It’s a family favorite during the holiday season.
The bartenders at InterContinental Miami have shared their rum-forward recipe so that guests can continue the tradition after they check, making coquito at home.
Coquito Recipe
Ingredients:
-
5 ounce can cream of coconut
-
4 cups coconut milk or (2) 13.5-ounce cans of coconut milk
-
14 ounce can sweetened condensed milk
-
1 cup white rum
-
3/4 cup gold rum
-
3/4 cup spiced rum
-
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
-
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
-
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract optional
-
13.5 ounce can canned coconut milk optional for more coconut flavor
Instructions:
-
In a blender, combine the cream of coconut, coconut milk, and sweetened condensed milk. Blend until smooth.
-
Add the white, gold, and spiced rums, along with the cinnamon, nutmeg, and vanilla extract (if using). Blend again until fully incorporated.
-
Taste and adjust sweetness or spice as desired.
-
Pour into glass bottles or a pitcher, cover, and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight to chill and allow flavors to meld.
-
Shake well before serving. Serve cold in a chilled mini-martini glass, garnished with a sprinkle of cinnamon or a cinnamon stick if desired.
To learn more about the festive holiday activations at InterContinental Miami this year, visit their Winter Wonderland.