Even as the occasional chill and wind swept through South Florida in mid-October, the aquamarine water at the Venetian Pool looked inviting. The pool, surrounded by cavelike grottos carved from coral rock, terra-cotta roof tiles and observation towers, wasn't quite full of people, but there was a steady stream of visitors to this historical attraction in Coral Gables.
George Merrick founded the pool and the community of Coral Gables back in the 1920s as one of the first planned communities in the U.S. Today the Venetian Pool is filled with 820,000 gallons of spring water from an underground aquifer, and in the spring and summer it is filled and drained daily, according to the city's website.
The only pool to be listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the Venetian Pool represents South Florida and the community of Coral Gables in all its glory: hip, lively, beautiful and relaxing.
Merrick, who founded Coral Gables as part of his vision to create a city featuring magnificent Mediterranean-style buildings coupled with quaint hometown pride, used the Colonnade building as his sales office.
Designed by famed architect Phineas Paist, the building was completed in November 1926 and housed a variety of businesses over the years before becoming the Hotel Colonnade, a luxury hotel that in October became part of Starwood Hotels' Tribute Portfolio brand.
On a recent press trip sponsored by the hotel, I was able to learn about the property's new vision and efforts to restore it to its historical roots. The hotel is "very bridal-driven" and hosts about 65 weddings in the building's rotunda each year, according to Mariana Michelsen, spokeswoman for the hotel.
"We've built our [wedding] business around that social business on the weekends," said Adam Leon, the Colonnade's director of sales and marketing.
The Hotel Colonnade can accommodate more than 700 guests for a wedding reception and offers different locations for the ceremony. There's the neoclassical, marble-tiled rotunda for a classical feel; the traditional Merrick Ballroom; or the Colonnade Ballroom for a stylish yet intimate ceremony and reception. Each of the venues comes with a custom wedding package.
It's a fitting business model for the hotel located just off the Miracle Mile, a thoroughfare that is home to several bridal shops as well as restaurants, coffeehouses and chic bars.
The hotel, which was formerly the Westin Colonnade, recently underwent an $18 million renovation project that included upgrading the lobby and bar, adding a game room and updating the guestrooms. The game room features a pool table, shuffleboard, widescreen TVs and a bar area.
The hotel has also started offering complimentary rooftop yoga and sunset meditation for guests and nearby workers looking to unwind.
Other new programming offered at the Colonnade includes bike tours throughout Coral Gables. During my stay, I was able to ride along with Paul George of the HistoryMiami Museum as he shared the major sites and history of the founding of the city.
Located just 10 miles from Key Biscayne, the Hotel Colonnade and Coral Gables are the perfect jumping-off point to Florida's world-famous beach destinations. Key Biscayne is home to Bill Baggs Cape Florida State Park and a lighthouse built in 1825.
Rooms at the Hotel Colonnade start at around $200 per night. Visit www.hotelcolonnade.com.