As a hotelier, what does one think of when considering Miami Beach? Perhaps the hustle of the South Beach strip crammed with Art Deco micro-properties. Or, is it the top brass of properties such as SLS, Setai, The W, Ritz-Carlton or Fontainebleau?
Leave it up to Singapore-based Como Hotels & Resorts to take its turn at reinventing the Miami Beach luxury experience with the early 2014 opening of its Metropolitan by Como. Formerly known as the Traymore (a name that legally remains on the hotel rooftop signage and is now the name of the lobby restaurant and bar), the 74-room property is the result of a total rebuild, while maintaining the overall size and configuration.
The scale of the property doesn’t overwhelm upon arrival. Only eight stories high (and with old-world ceiling heights), the Met Miami tucks into a neat space between two modern condominium buildings. Once inside, the jewel box unfolds. The best words to describe the sense of place are calm and wellbeing.
The tight-cornered, terrazzo-floored lobby opens into the restaurant-bar and directly to the cabana-pool area. Overlooking the scene is a small, glass-walled GM’s office from the mezzanine area above. Javier Beneyto, a newcomer to Como, answers the call as the opening GM. While he seems to be everywhere at once, I managed to get a few moments to ask him about the property and his goals for COMO in Miami.
According to Beneyto, the property is Como’s second in the Americas region, and the company has enjoyed success with its Parrot Cay in Turks & Caicos.
“The addition of a hotel in Miami was a natural, given that this is the transit point for the bulk of guests headed for (Parrot Cay). The Met Miami has been designed in the Como tradition of understated, simple elegance, with our focus on wellness,” Beneyto said. “This has been carried into many of the elements that we use as differentiators: lemon- and ginger-scented towels to welcome weary guests upon arrival, our spa-inspired menu items and our signature Como Shambhala Spa.”
When asked his thoughts on the financial success of the property, Beneyto said: “Como is a relatively new name to North America. Yet, surprisingly, we have had a lot of interest right from pre-opening, given the strong brand following amongst Americans looking for a visionary service approach. We do not advertise, and rely almost exclusively upon past guest referrals. Occupancies have grown steadily as we have moved gradually up to 100% rooms availability. We are matching rate with our competitive set.”
When asked about a success formula for the Met Miami, Beneyto made it clear: It is all about staff and continuous training. The phrase used on property to describe this philosophy is “Retour aux Sources,” meaning a back-to-basics approach to hospitality.
Moreover, for many of the team members, this is their first job in the industry. They have no pre-conceived notion of service standards. The property creates its own, infusing in these young staffers the importance of meeting and exceeding guests’ requirements.
They are constantly reminded this is all about the little details and executing them to perfection every time. They are invited to share in the Como philosophy of wellness and are encouraged to participate in the company’s long-term goals.
This is a recurring theme I’ve witnessed during my years of travel to luxury properties, and the Met Miami is no exception in this regard.
Larry Mogelonsky (MBA, P. Eng) is the founder of LMA Communications Inc., an award-winning, full-service hospitality consulting and communications agency. Established in 1991, the company has assisted hundreds of luxury independent and branded properties throughout the world, providing solutions to sales, marketing, operational and digital challenges. Larry is an associate of G7 Hospitality Group as well as a member of Cayuga Hospitality Advisors and Laguna Strategic Advisors. He is also one of the hotel industry’s most published authors and has been recognized by HSMAI as one of the Top 25 Minds in Hospitality. His work includes three books "Are You an Ostrich or a Llama?" (2012), "Llamas Rule" (2013) and "Hotel Llama" (2014), all of which are always on Amazon.com and Barnes & Noble. You can reach Larry at larry@lma.ca to discuss any hospitality business challenges or to review speaking engagements.
The opinions expressed in this column do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Hotel News Now or its parent company, STR and its affiliated companies. Columnists published on this site are given the freedom to express views that might be controversial, but our goal is to provoke thought and constructive discussion within our reader community. Please feel free to comment or contact an editor with any questions or concerns.