Lobby at the new Hampton Inn Downtown Miami

Downtown Miami’s newest hotel isn’t a celebrity draw or a showcase for some hot designer, but it is surprisingly hip-looking for a…Hampton Inn.

Located in the Brickell financial district of Miami but a couple blocks from dozens of bars and restaurants, this new Hampton Inn is a great alternative to the opulent luxury hotels so prevalent in this area and the too-cool-for-you boutique inns at South Beach. It’s a great spot to settle in and get some work done between meetings (the free Wi-Fi is lightning fast) or for spending a night before an early flight or a cruise.

Bar/lounge between the lobby and pool

I have to admit it’s been a while since I’ve been to a Hampton Inn, but I remember that there wasn’t much to remember: typical bland hotel furniture and not an ounce of pizazz. The company has been working hard on updating that staid look and the lobby here is a showpiece. It’s bright and cheerful, with sleek contemporarary leather chairs in one area in white and splashes of bold colors in the bar and lounge across the hall. Colorful hand-blown glass vases and bowls are on tables and mounted above the reception desk.

Pool deck at Hampton Inn Miami

Complimentary coffee and tea are out all day here and a few steps away is a large area for the complimentary breakfast. Tables are joined by a counter with outlets so solo travelers can get a head start on e-mail. You can load up on sugar and hot waffles here if you’d like, but there are also hot dishes, fat-free yogurt, and fruit.

The outdoor pool area is pure Miami with its lounge beds and covered cabana offering views of skyscrapers. A hot tub is off to the side.

Rooms come in two sizes. The first is a standard hotel layout with a desk, one or two beds, and a chair or sofa. The light wood and pressboard desk, headboard, and bathroom vanity have the Scandanavian Ikea look and the white patterned bedspread looks nice and works as a comforter—it’s not just for show. Other nice touches include a lap desk for working on a laptop in bed and an alarm clock radio pre-set to certain types of music. It also has an MP3 input.

The second room type is a corner junior suite that adds a wet bar and living room area. These have a full desk, a big flat-screen TV that swivels to face either area, and a divan that holds a fold-out bed. The gray-on-gray patterned carpet is a backdrop for lots of color, like a pink vinyl ottoman, a fuscia chair, and Asian looking wallpaper behind the bed that changes its shade of magenta as the light varies. Patterned aqua window treatments are over sheer curtains and blackout curtain to keep out the light (and peepers from the neighboring condos). Some of these suites have a whirlpool, while others just have a standard combo bath/shower.

Corner suite with Brickell area views

The company put a lot of thought into environmental impact and sustainability when designing the hotel. A cistern collects waste water for reuse, recycling bins are prevalent, and each shower curtain has taken 80 plastic water bottles out of circulation. Unfortunately, actions speak louder than pamphlets. The hotel generates a mountain of garbage each day since all cups, forks, knives, spoons, and plates are disposible. They’re marked as biodegradable, but they’re heading for a landfill regardless. Besides the environmental impact of this, it also feels like you’re in a cheap roadside motel when the only thing to drink with in your room is a throwaway coffee cup individually wrapped in plastic. I’m sure this cuts down on labor costs since everything gets chucked into a garbage can instead of being washed, but is that what we really need anyway in this jobs climate?

Service from those working here is friendly and attentive though. When I left my “do not disturb” door hanger on all day, housekeeping phoned to see if I needed them to bring by new towels or toiletries. If you forget a razor or toothpaste, they’ll set you up.

The Hampton Inn Miami has its own covered parking garage and the cool little Miami Metromover monorail can be boarded a block away.

Rates here start at $179 per night. For more info see the official website.

Related info from Uptake:

Review and photos by Travel Writing 2.0 book author Tim Leffel, who was hosted by Hampton Inn to cover the opening of this new property.