Unlike the two Standard hotels in Los Angeles, with their party scenes, the new South Beach outpost is a haven of serenity. That's partly thanks to the 14,000-square-foot spa—the first ever from hotelier André Balazs—that is the centerpiece of the 105-room Standard Miami, on Biscayne Bay's Belle Island, and reason enough to stop by for an afternoon. Inspired by European hydrotherapy traditions, the hotel's wellness center, which occupies an entire floor of the midcentury building (formerly the Lido Spa Hotel), is more like a chic bathhouse than a spa. "In America, 'spa' has come to mean a place to go for an expensive one-on-one treatment that probably involves being slathered with six different products," says Balazs. "Of course you can get a good massage at the Standard, but like the ancient bathing rituals of Rome, Greece and Finland, ours focus on the healing qualities of water, heat and mud."
An affordable day pass ($40 during the week, $50 on weekends) encourages guests to socialize and relish unprogrammed time with a variety of therapies. The coed outdoor area includes a 103-degree waterfall, an icy plunge pool and, for the bold, a clothing-optional mud alcove where you can cover yourself in detoxifying red, gold and green mud. A sauna and steam room are indoors. Locals often come for yoga classes or lunch on the pool deck. After indulging in holistic remedies, spa goers can visit the beauty salon for an aesthetic fix. This is South Beach, after all. 40 Island Ave.; 305-673-1717; standardhotel.com.
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