Plan Your Meetings

Want to meet on South Beach?

Give attendees a unique perspective with an event held on the roof of the chic Gansevoort Miami Beach, which has a 300-person, 26,000-sq. ft. venue with a pool 18 stories above the city. The property also has a high-tech 3,600-sq. ft. Sony Cierge Suite that is outfitted with Sony gaming and electronics gear and has stunning ocean views. The AAA Four-Diamond National Hotel exudes 1940s elegance. The 151-room boutique property combines restored Art Deco décor with sleek and modern amenities, creating an ambiance of South Beach glamor with an Old Hollywood twist. Meeting space includes a 1,295-sq. ft. oval room (capacity: 150), two boardrooms, and a 420-sq. ft. room for 15 to 40 people. Function space includes a mezzanine balcony (capacity: 50), two garden terraces (capacity: 60 each) and a lounge (capacity: 150); groups also can meet poolside (capacity: 500) and on the beach. Also on the beach is a 790-room Loews Hotel, which has 65,000 square feet of event space and themed décor that is available at no additional charge.

Want to meet in a place with history?

As old as Miami Beach itself, The Villa by Barton G. (formerly Casa Casuarina) is best known as the former residence of the late designer Gianni Versace. The mansion is now a 10-suite luxury boutique hotel, restaurant and special event space. A mosaic garden accommodates up to 450 guests and an interior courtyard holds up to 350; intimate rooftop event space and a 30-seat dining room also are available. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the Deering Estate at Cutler operates as a small conference center, special events facility and conservation site. There are multiple indoor and outdoor event spaces, including a 150-person ballroom, several meeting rooms and 2,000-sq. ft. lawn area. The property also houses permanent and rotating art exhibits, an artist’s village, an artist in-residence program and a creative arts camp. Tours also are available.

Want to surround your group with culture?

The African Heritage Cultural Arts Center is a visual and performing arts academy. The five-building complex includes a 200-seat theater, a 300-person atrium, a 75-person art gallery and a 3,000-person outdoor reception area. The Bass Museum of Art was Miami’s first public facility for the exhibition of fine arts. Although it still operates as a gallery, it has since been redesigned and has several spaces for groups up to 300 people. The Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts is Miami-Dade County’s premier arts and entertainment venue. The 567,000-sq. ft. center has several spaces for groups of up to 6,000 people, including its 2,400-seat Ziff Ballet House, the 2,200-seat Knight Concert Hall, the 3,500-sq. ft. Peacock Education Center, and the Thompson Plaza for the Arts, an outdoor performance and events area that links the concert hall and the ballet house together. There also is a signature Barton G’s restaurant on-site. The 28,000-sq. ft. James L. Knight Center is a multipurpose entertainment complex connected to the Miami Convention Center. In addition to its 5,000-seat theater, the Riverfront Hall accommodates a 4,000-person reception or a 1,800-person banquet; it also can be divided into smaller classroom-style settings.

Want to meet in a place with history?

Formerly the winter home of American industrialist James Deering (half brother of Charles Deering, original owner of the Deering Estate at Cutler), Vizcaya Museum and Gardens was built to resemble a 400-year-old Italian Renaissance villa. With 10 acres of formal gardens and fountains, and 34 rooms of 15th–19th century furnishings and art, the estate is now a National Historic Landmark with event space for up to 200 people indoors and 2,000 guests outdoors. The oldest building in the Western Hemisphere, the Ancient Spanish Monastery was built in Segovia, Spain, between 1133 and 1144 for Cistercian monks. It eventually was purchased in 1925 by William Randolph Hearst, who had it dismantled stone by stone and shipped to the United States. Due to Hearst’s financial troubles, he was never able to rebuild the structure. Instead, the dismantled property remained in a warehouse for 26 years until it was purchased for use as a tourist attraction in 1952. In addition to being home to the St. Bernard de Clairvaux Episcopal Church, the medieval building is now an events facility with reception space for up to 250 people.

Want creative venues?

The Hard Rock Café Miami has a living museum of rock ‘n’ roll memorabilia, and three function spaces for music-centric or themed meetings and events, including the 100-person Sanctuary and 500-person outdoor patio. The entire venue can be rented out to accommodate up to 525 guests reception-style. As an alternative events venue, the artsy WhereHouse 2016 has space for up to 300 people. Decorated as a life-size work of art, the space includes floor-to-ceiling wall murals, handmade light sculptures and custom-painted furniture and floors. It’s also equipped with audio/visual technology, an adjustable stage and a catering kitchen. Soho Studios in the Wynwood Art District is a contemporary Art Deco-style warehouse with open floor plans that accommodate an array of small to large-scale functions. The facility regularly hosts weddings, film shoots, concerts and corporate events. Wings Over Miami is an aviation museum and educational center that showcases classic and current aircraft, and flying warbirds and military memorabilia from World War II. The museum accommodates 400 guests reception-style; an outdoor area can seat 1,000.

Want to meet on the high seas?

Water Fantaseas can plan custom sightseeing dinners for 10 to 400 guests onboard one of its luxury or party yachts. Biscayne Lady Yacht Charters has state-of-the-art audiovisual equipment and can modify its rooms to fit a variety of seating layouts. The yacht can be chartered for an event or an entire conference of up to 380 people. Island Queen Cruises offers a variety of cruises, including a bilingual, 90-minute sightseeing cruise; public/private fishing cruises; and nightly dance and party cruises. Windridge Yachts offers corporate event charters that can be booked for breakfast meetings and interactive luncheons, or sunset dinners and midnight cruises for up to 300 people.

Want a high-energy setting?

Miami’s famed Mansion, a palatial residence-style nightclub, has been the site of many Hollywood A-list events. And with space for 2,500 people, a glamorous vibe and ornate décor, it can make corporate groups feel like VIPs, too. Mansion’s sister club, the 10,000-sq. ft. SET Miami, was inspired by the grand Hollywood homes of the 1930s and ’40s. The dramatically designed venue (think: glass fireplaces, crystal accents, Pucci fabrics, crocodile prints and leather) has two floors and a 450-person VIP lounge.

Want group dining?

Located in the trendy South of Fifth (SoFi) neighborhood, Red is a contemporary, Mediterranean-influenced steak house. To accommodate groups, a front VIP room sits 16 boardroom-style; a private dining room holds 125 reception-style or 60 for seated dinners; and a large rooftop terrace with panoramic city and ocean views accommodates up to 450 guests. For additional space, the entire restaurant can be reserved to seat 220. OLA, a Nuevo Latin restaurant in the Sanctuary Hotel, has four private/semi-private dining spaces for groups. Its rooftop terrace seats 100 for dinner or 150 for cocktail and non-dining events; a rooftop pool accommodates 75; and indoors, the main dining room seats 80, with room for an additional 40 in its lounge. Both restaurants also offer culinary team building. OLA has hands-on ceviche and mojito making classes as well as paella and sangria-making workshops. Red offers “The Classic Muddle,” a bartender competition where guests try to identify the flavors used in various drinks, learn the history of “mixology,” then split into groups to create signature cocktails.

Want flexible catering options?

Barton G’s, a respected destination management company and events designer, has two signature restaurants and offers stylish off-premise catering. They also work in-house at several venues including the Loews Hotels and the Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts. Bill Hansen Catering has been a Miami favorite since 1980. Known for their expansive and diverse menus, they are the preferred caterer for numerous venues throughout the city, including the Deering Estate, Vizcaya Museum and Gardens, the Bass Museum and the Ancient Spanish Monastery.

Want event support?

If you’re looking for third-party planner assistance, Cream of the Crop Events & Logistics is a team of event professionals with extensive experience producing corporate and high-end functions. In addition to handling event logistics, they’re also capable of handling  staging, lighting and off-site catering.