Is Novotel Miami Brickell worth it? An honest pros & cons list
Yes — Novotel Miami Brickell is a solid choice if you want a modern, family-friendly 4-star hotel in Brickell with a rooftop infinity pool and on-site dining. It’s convenient for exploring downtown via the nearby Metromover, though expect a busy rooftop at peak times and standard city-hotel tradeoffs (no on-site spa, paid parking).
In this guide
Location & neighborhood
Novotel Miami Brickell sits at 1500 SW 1st Avenue in the Brickell district of Miami. The hotel is adjacent to Simpson Park and a short walk from Brickell City Centre and the Shops at Mary Brickell Village.
Public transit access is convenient: the free Metromover loop has a station a 5–6 minute walk from the hotel, which lets you move around Downtown and Brickell without a car. The hotel’s description and third-party listings place it within easy walking distance of local shopping and dining.
- Address: 1500 SW 1st Avenue, Miami, FL 33129
- Near: Brickell City Centre, Mary Brickell Village, Simpson Park
- Metromover: ~5–6 minute walk to nearest station (free automated people-mover)
| Nearby place | Typical access |
|---|---|
| Brickell City Centre | Short walk |
| Mary Brickell Village | Short walk |
| Vizcaya Museum and Gardens | About 1.2 miles |
Rooms and suites — what to expect
The hotel has 275 air-conditioned rooms and a selection of suites. Room categories listed for the property include Superior Room (various view options), Executive Suite, 1 Bedroom (Bay View), Executive Suite, 1 Bedroom, City View, and Suite, Bay View.
Rooms include minibars and in-room safes; complimentary WiFi is provided throughout the property. When booking, pick the room name that matches your needs — for example, Executive Suite, 1 Bedroom (Bay View) is described with Bay views and 1 King Bed.
- Complimentary WiFi in all rooms
- Minibar and in-room safe in guest rooms
- Room types (examples): Superior Room, 1 King Bed; Superior Room, 2 Queen Beds; Executive Suite, 1 Bedroom (Bay View); Suite, Bay View
| Room name | Beds (as listed) | Noted view |
|---|---|---|
| Executive Suite, 1 Bedroom (534 sq. ft. / Bay View / 4 Guests; beds: 1 King Bed) | 1 King Bed | Bay View |
| Superior Room, 1 King Bed (City and Park view) (; beds: 1 King Bed or 2 Queen Beds) | 1 King Bed or 2 Queen Beds | City and Park view |
| Superior Room, Bay View (323 sq. ft. / Bay View / 4 Guests; beds: 2 Queen Beds) | 2 Queen Beds | Bay View |
Rooftop pool & Vista Rooftop Bar
The hotel’s 12th-floor rooftop features an infinity-style pool with lounge seating, complimentary pool cabanas and towels, plus views of the Brickell skyline and Biscayne Bay.
The Vista Rooftop Bar and Lounge serves cocktails and small plates poolside; the rooftop area can be busy at peak times and guest reviews note the pool feels small when crowded.
- Rooftop infinity pool located on 12th floor
- Complimentary sun loungers, free pool cabanas, towels provided
- Vista Rooftop Bar hours and menus are published by the hotel (cocktails & small plates)
| Feature | Notes |
|---|---|
| Pool | Rooftop infinity pool; may feel small at peak times |
| Pool amenities | Free cabanas, loungers, towels |
| Rooftop bar | Vista Rooftop Bar: cocktails & small plates; reservations accepted via OpenTable |
Dining on site
On-site dining options include UVA Restaurant & Lounge for all-day dining (breakfast, lunch, dinner) and the Vista Rooftop Bar and Lounge for poolside cocktails and small plates. UVA’s menu includes international/Mediterranean-style dishes such as flatbreads, pastas, and steaks.
Both venues publish hours and accept reservations via OpenTable. Breakfast is not automatically included with a room and a hotel-published buffet breakfast is offered for an additional charge.
- UVA Restaurant & Lounge: Breakfast (6:30–10:30 AM), Lunch (12:00–3:00 PM), Dinner (5:30–9:00 PM); Happy Hour Mon–Fri 4–7 PM
- Vista Rooftop Bar and Lounge: poolside cocktails and small plates; hours published by hotel (Sun–Wed and Thu–Sat differences)
- Buffet breakfast available for an extra charge (hotel lists an approximate per-person price)
| Venue | Primary offerings |
|---|---|
| UVA Restaurant & Lounge | All-day dining: breakfast, lunch, dinner, cocktails |
| Vista Rooftop Bar and Lounge | Cocktails and small plates beside the rooftop pool |
Amenities, meetings and event spaces
Novotel Miami Brickell provides a 24-hour fitness center with cardio machines and weights, meeting and event space across multiple rooms, and a 12th-floor Skyline Ballroom and Rooftop Pool Deck that are promoted for weddings and events.
Meeting-space totals appear in multiple listings (roughly 4,200–5,000 sq ft across several rooms), with venue capacities listed by the hotel for specific rooms such as the Brickell Ballroom and Skyline Ballroom.
- 24-hour fitness center with cardio machines, elliptical, treadmill, weight machines and free weights
- Meeting/event rooms include Brickell Ballroom (ground floor) and Skyline Ballroom (12th floor); Rooftop Pool Deck is available for events
- Ballroom capacities and room breakdowns are published on the hotel’s events page
| Venue | Noted capacity or size |
|---|---|
| Brickell Ballroom (ground floor) | 2,226 sq ft; banquet-style capacity up to 160–220 depending on setup |
| Skyline Ballroom (12th floor) | 2,070 sq ft; variable capacities depending on setup |
| Rooftop Pool Deck | 1,500 sq ft; rooftop event capacity listed up to 120 (hotel also lists higher third-party number for full buyouts) |
Practical policies and accessibility
Standard hotel policies: check-in begins at 3:00 PM (check-in window extends to 1:00 AM) and check-out is 12:00 PM (noon). The primary guest checking in must be at least 21 years old. Photo ID and a credit card are required at check-in.
The hotel is 100% non-smoking and wheelchair accessible throughout, with accessible parking and designated accessible rooms and bathrooms. Pets are allowed with a published fee and limits.
- Check-in: 3:00 PM; check-out: 12:00 PM. Late check-out fees apply (12–2 PM = 50% daily rate; after 2 PM = full day rate)
- Minimum age to check in: 21 years; photo ID and credit card required
- Pet policy: up to two pets per room, max 40 lbs each, non-refundable fee of $125 plus tax per 7-day stay
- Parking: on-site self-parking (paid; hotel lists tiered hourly/day rates)
| Accessibility & safety | Notes |
|---|---|
| Wheelchair access | Accessible parking, routes, and meeting spaces; accessible rooms and bathrooms available |
| Pool supervision | Children under 12 must be supervised by an adult at the pool and fitness center |
| WiFi | Complimentary throughout the property |
