Looking for some of the best venues in two of the top meeting and incentive travel destinations? The following are some of the newest or most recently renovated hot spots in Miami and NYC to keep in mind for your next event!
MIAMI
Catch Miami
This seafood restaurant from Top Chef winner Hung Huynh, opened within the James Royal Palm hotel in South Beach. Catch Miami seats 190 guests on two floors and an outdoor patio includes a Sushi Lounge that holds as many as 50 seated guests for semiprivate dining. Some menu items have been brought over from the original Catch in New York’s meatpacking district, but other items such as Kampachi Crudo and a Key Lime Donut reflect local influences.
Sense Beach House
Formerly the Sense Hotel, the 18-room luxury boutique hotel underwent a renovation and rebranding into a Hamptons-style beach house called Sense Beach House. The hotel is available for full buyouts and has a full-service restaurant, the Local House, as well as a rooftop pool with panoramic views of the beach and South Beach skyline. The pool area can accommodate 75 people for events.
Charles Street
This modern bistro opened in March 2013 on the ground floor of the Boulan South Beach hotel featuring internationally inspired food, high quality service and affordable fare for all. Charles Street is a New York inspired 70-seat space from Maso Hospitality Group and THINK Hospitality features not only an international menu but specialty crafted cocktails and a broad selection of wines.
Oak Tavern
This neighborhood bistro from chef and restaurateur David Bracha, opened in January in the design district. Featuring many locally sourced ingredients, Oak Tavern‘s menu includes wood-fired pizza, house-made charcuterie, and fresh oysters. A giant oak tree in the courtyard as well as standing lamps with carved wood bases resembling trees reinforce the restaurant’s name. The design features brick walls, a communal table on wheels near the entry, and large glass doors that open out to the courtyard. The 5,500-square-foot space has indoor-outdoor seating for 140.
The Flat
This Miami Beach lounge that opened in March, is designed as a bohemian-style loft with furniture arranged as a living room. The space offers 48 seats indoors with another 12 seats outdoors on a 425-square-foot patio. The Flat thrives on being a “Before Experience” which is a much more elegant way of saying “Pre-party” and boasts a convivial feel of feeling like you’re at your friends’ cocktail party.
SKYDECK Miami
This rooftop space emulates the upper deck of private yacht with 360° views of Miami Beach’s skyline and the Atlantic Ocean throughout its 3,700 square feet of rooftop space. SKYDECK Miami, large enough to accommodate groups of up to 250, is adorned with custom made furniture designed by internationally acclaimed interior designer Karine Rousseau.
NEW YORK
Marquee
Ten years after Marquee opened, the Chelsea mega-club has a new life following a multimillion-dollar renovation in January that created a new entrance, reconfigured the interior, expanded the stage, and upgraded the audiovisual experience to a Funktion-One sound system that can be synced with images on a massive LED screen and five moveable rigs of LED lights. The 1,200-person club already has hosted several corporate events, which can take over the entire venue or two smaller areas, the mezzanine or a main-floor alcove room dubbed “the Boombox.”
Rogue & Canon
This bar and kitchen concept from the team behind Jimmy at the James, opened in Greenwich Village in January. Rogue & Canon‘s menu consists of small plates of classic American dishes and artisanal cocktails. The space is available for buyouts and seats 54 people or holds 120 for receptions.
The Ellington
This Upper West Side bar and restaurant, opened in March after a nearly four-month renovation. Located at the corner of Amsterdam Avenue and West 106th Street—also known as Duke Ellington Boulevard—the venue pays homage to its namesake with a portrait near the entrance and a quote decorating the walls. Cocktails are named after the jazz icon’s songs. The Ellington has an indoor capacity of 100 people, with space for an additional 70 outdoors during nice weather. Buyouts of the 1,200-square-foot space are available, as are custom menus for groups. The gastropub menu includes vegetarian and vegan options.
The American Museum of Natural History
A recent three-year, $40 million renovation at the American Museum of Natural History has restored the Teddy Roosevelt Memorial Rotunda and North American Mammals Hall. The rotunda can host receptions for as many as 860 guests or seated dinners for 500. Other improvements to the Upper West Side landmark include a restoration of the pink granite arch on the Central Park West façade, as well as its 350-foot-long paved terrace.
Sanctuary Ultra Lounge
The Sanctuary Hotel opened the sports haven Sanctuary Ultra Lounge in February. With 16 55-inch HDTVs behind one-way mirrors and a 110-inch projection screen, fans can watch multiple games from their banquettes, leather chairs, or bar stools. The entire venue holds 110 seated or 150 standing. Mirrored black doors give way to a private dining room with seating for 30 guests or standing room for 70. It has seven HDTVs and is suitable for presentations, viewing parties, or dinners. The upscale bar food includes Wagyu beef sliders, truffle mac and cheese, chicken and waffles, and seared tuna rolls.
The World Yacht’s Duchess Lounge
The Duchess Lounge, the new second floor on World Yacht’s Duchess ship, offers a modern environment for groups to enjoy views of the New York skyline, Statue of Liberty, and New York Harbor. The space accommodates groups of as many as 150, and semiprivate and full buyout options are available. The climate-controlled space includes a bar, dance floor, and rooftop, with amenities such as full audiovisual capabilities and several food and beverage options.
