The Lap of Luxury this month turns 20 years old. The great Acqualina Resort & Residences on the Beach is the epitome of South Florida luxe lifestyle and elegance. With its 650-foot tall Mansions tower dominating the Collins Ave., skyline between North Miami and Fort Lauderdale, Aqualina is a landmark property in the neighborhood enclave of Sunny Isles Beach..
Known for its red couches on the grass and signature red beach umbrellas, Acqualina is where Mediterranean charm intersects with 4.5 acres of pristine beach. The resort could be the trip of a lifetime in one of its 98 guestrooms – or a lifetime of luxury in one of its 188 multi-million residences. Either way, Acqualina offers the best of each world with one common denominator – it’s all-encompassing service culture of driven by what resort Vice President of Marketing/Sales Mauro Pinho calls “humanizing the exceptional.’’
“Everyone is responsible for our guests and everyone is empowered to make our guests comfortable,’’ Pinho told me. “We create a culture around that.’’
That culture has made Acqualina a staple on the Forbes Five-Star and AAA Five-Diamond lists. And with the renovation of its popular Il Mulino New York restaurant, which re-opened this past March, combined with its Costa Grill, Ke-uH Japanese restaurant, Avra Miami restaurant, three oceanfront pools, 20,000 square-foot spa, meeting rooms and AquaMarine marine biology-based children’s program, the resort will be on each of those for years to come.
“This stretch of beach… for some reason the water along here seems to be a little more pristine,’’ Pinho said.
And by the way, Acqualina this past fall introduced a 2,767 square-foot Oceanfront Villa Suite that features a gourmet kitchen and two terraces.
“Very different from the rest of the property,’’ Pinho said. “And it’s an evolution of the product, as well.’’
Indeed. Located on the resort’s fifth floor, the Villa Suite is a one-of-a-kind amenity – but the same Acqualina culture of service and hospitality. The Lap of Luxury personified.
“Part of it is, when we are recruiting (team members), we look for personalities that work with what we know are our strong values,’’ Pinho said. “That’s a big part of our team members’ contribution. Empowerment is how we operate . And that also contributes to a sense of pride in our team members.
“Customer service and our team members create customer loyalty. Fifty percent of our guests are repeat guests. That’s emotional loyalty – and that’s one of the things that hasn’t changed in 20 years.’’
https://www.acqualinaresort.com
Photo Courtesy of Acqualina Resort