Tourism

If 90210 is the postal code associated with the glamour and luxury of Beverly Hills, 33154 has the same significance on the East coast of the United States. This number is associated with the refinement and elegance of the preferred destination for the wealthiest people on the planet: Bal Harbor Village, in Florida.

This is a relatively young community – built in 1926 – and not large – less than 2.5 km² in area – but manages to combine the three required characteristics of a luxury destination: first class residential homes, diamond class hotels and stores selling the world’s most exclusive brands. So it is no surprise that on its streets can be seen such celebrities as Julio Iglesias, Sofía Loren, Bob Dylan, Jennifer López, Shakira, Oscar de la Renta or Roberto Cavalli.

The person who came up with the idea of locating an exclusive community between Biscayne Bay and the Atlantic Ocean was industrialist Robert Graham and his partners, who chose this spot that had been used as a military base by the United States Armed Forces. In short order the barracks and military vehicles were replaced by luxury properties, surrounded by Florida’s exuberant tropical vegetation, and luxury motor cars that were a clear symbol of the lifestyle enjoyed by its new residents.

Very soon, millionaires from all over began to take notice of Bal Harbor, attracted not only by the obvious physical attributes, but also the climate which proved to be ideal for getting away from the harshness of the winter cold. This tiny community did not disappoint and offered first class hotels, equipped to satisfy every last one of their whims.

This tradition of exquisite sophistication has continued to today and has confirmed Bal Harbor as one of the world’s most luxurious places, only rivaled by Beverly Hills or Saint Tropez. The hotels and businesses of yesteryear are not the same as the ones of today, and have given way to new attractions which pay tribute to the glamorous charms of this area.

The jewel in the crown is the mall known as Bal Harbor Shops (www.balharbourshops.com), which according to Women’s Wear Daily magazine holds the enviable record of having the highest sales per square meter in the United States. And it achieves this by selling such exclusive brands of the fashion world as Neiman Marcus, Prada, Hermes, Oscar de la Renta, Gucci, Cartier and Bvlgari. In fact, the last three have never before had stores in shopping centers. They only made this concession to be close to the select clientele that pass through the open spaces of Bal Harbor Shops.

In addition to fashion designers, the world’s most famous jewelers and watch makers can also be found here. Bal Harbor Shops boasts the largest concentration of luxury jewelers in the world, including brands of the status of Tiffany, Chopard, David Yurman, Graff and Harry Winston.

Each of these stores, together with mouth watering restaurants such as Carpaccio – reservations essential as every day there are queues to enjoy its delicious Italian menu – or La Goulue – quintessentially French thanks to the menu designed by chef Christian Delouvrier, also responsible for the successful restoration to its former glory of the Lespinasse restaurant in New York – satisfy the vision of Stanley Whitman, the shopping center’s founder. In the 1960s, he had the vision to select this location, which was to become the favorite destination of high purchasing power individuals, to create a space dedicated exclusively to luxury stores, which at that time was considered as madness.

Other notable names that form part of the select range of Bal Harbor attractions are the exclusive hotels. The most traditional of all is the Sea View (www.seaview-hotel.com), built in the 1940s and even today, in spite of concessions to the comforts of modern hotels, it maintains a certain retro charm that makes it a favorite for personalities like Julio Iglesias and Shakira. At one period in its history, the hotel’s sophistication, privacy and elegance turned it into a much sought after refuge for one of the heavy hitters of the world of cosmetics: Estée Lauder.

Contrasting with the Sea View’s classic style, just a few streets way lays the unmistakably contemporary Regent Bal Harbor Hotel (www.theregentexperience.com). This imposing building with its 124 rooms elegantly decorated in an oriental style, is ready to delight its guests. It boasts fine details such as leather covered walls, rooms decorated with works of art valued at $4.5m and created exclusively for the hotel, the first spa opened by the Gerlain brand in the United States, a presidential suite including a wine cellar and a tiny cinema, and a gourmet menu featuring Mediterranean style cooking. All of these high points have earned the Regent Bal Harbor a place as one of Travel & Leisure magazine’s 30 best hotels in the world for 2008.

In 2011 a new hotel will be added to this impressive list – the St. Regis (www.stregisbalharbour.com), heir to an impeccable hotel tradition, which not only offers accommodation but also has two apartment towers, luxuriously designed to satisfy the tastes of their residents. Prices of these apartments start at $1.9m and they have been bought by celebrities such as Argentine presenter Susana Giménez and Mexican singer Luis Miguel.

This feeling of luxury and exclusivity is what has made Bal Harbor one of the essential destinations for anyone on the world’s list of “who’s who”, looking to enjoy the high life and with enough money to do it with style. For these select few, the code 33154 represents Miami’s all year round sunny city.

www.balharbourflorida.com