USA, Miami - Ghosts, luxury, mafia murders and golf

A golf hotel or a hotel with a golf course? When it comes to the Biltmore outside of Miami in the United States, it’s the hotel that counts even if hundreds of championships have been played on the course. It's hard to compete with one of America's most mythical hotels.

WE LEAVE THE multi-lane motorway, leave the queues and those who are going to Key West and the Everglades and encounter a totally different Miami. The roads turn into the Boulevard, the greenery takes over the concrete and flowers line the roads. This is the prosperous district of Coral Gables, a little cleaner, a bit calmer, and a bit nicer than the noisy Miami.

All of Coral Gables is the gist of George Merrick's dream. During the roaring twenties a city planner’s dream of building a completely new city consisting of Italian and Spanish architecture, the most beautiful George Merrick knew, was nourished. The jewel in what is now called the City Beautiful became the Biltmore Hotel, with equally exciting history as architecture.

THE FIRST THING YOU SEE is the 80 metre high tower, a replica of the Giralda Tower in Seville. In the lobby we are greeted by beautiful chandeliers, comfortable old leather chairs and antique bird cages with chirping finches. Just outside is one of the world's largest outdoor swimming pools.

THE FIRST TEE is located at one end of an enormous staircase leading up to the hotel. In the beginning the large area outside of the Biltmore functioned as hunting grounds for the hotel’s guests, but as Coral Gables grew the game disappeared. Next to the building several small streams and rivers were constructed where imported Italian gondolas frequented the waters with hotel guests.

The golf course was designed by legendary golf course designer Donald Ross. The course quickly became a favourite and has over the years hosted major golf tournaments. The Junior Orange Bowl Golf Championship is still held here every year. Both Tiger Woods and Sergio Garcia had their breakthrough at the Biltmore and in the junior championship.

Despite everything, it’s not golf that is the focus at the Biltmore, it’s the hotel. "It was here Fatty Walsh was murdered," says Kathi Gathercole.

The Biltmore is one of the few hotels with a 13th floor, but it is obviously coveted by people who want to tempt fate. There are stories about how lamps turn on and off, fluttering curtains, the very basic kit of stories about hotel ghosts. Author Richard Weiner took the media here and said that it was haunted, which he later described in the book "Haunted Houses in Florida".

On Sunday champagne brunch is served. The place is a Venetian courtyard with beautiful fountains, oversized palm trees and bougainvillea. This is where the cream of the residents of Coral Gables gathers to eat late brunch, sip a little champagne and then head out on the golf course.

THE ROOMS are spacious and decorated in bright colors. The classic American wall-to wall-carpet you don’t get away from but here it’s denser and more pleasant than anything I have experienced. A glass door leads to the balcony overlooking the azure pool and the green hills of the golf course.

Here you can move the armchair, sip on your strawberry daiquiri and wonder if it can be better anywhere else. No, I do not think so.

Text: Anders Blank
Photo: Biltmore Resort & Spa, Miami
Web Editor: Emma Lindén