WSVN — Miami’s Mid-Beach area is exploding with new hangouts, and there’s a new hotel bar that’s all about the locals. Oh, and all about rum! 7’s Belkys Nerey shows us where locals can relax for a unique cocktail and bite in tonight’s Style File.
The Mid-Beach area of Collins Avenue is booming with new hotels and nightlife, and one of the little-known gems is the newly-renovated Circa 39 Hotel.
Jennifer Massolo, Circa 39 Hotel: “For locals, it’s a great place to come and hang out. I liken it to the Caribbean. It’s bright, the colors are lovely.”
The center of attention is the hotel’s WunderBar. Meet your buds at the bright, indoor lounge or chill out in their poolside cabanas.
Melissa Franchy: “It’s just like home away from home for me.”
But let’s talk about why you’re really here: the booze. The primary focus at WunderBar is rum.
Juanita Butler, bar manager, WunderBar: “We have over 80 different selections of rums that vary anywhere from Jamaican-style rums to rums from Barbados, Dominican Republic, Guatemala, even Hawaii.”
Don’t know much about rum? Order a Flight of Fancy.
Juanita Butler: “You can do a rum flight of light rums, medium rums to dark-style rums.”
You can even have your rum in a coconut, or with some fresh cane juice.
Juanita Butler: “This is our guarapo machine. It makes fresh-pressed sugar cane juice.”
Cocktails are globally-inspired, so you’ll find interesting twists on popular drinks.
Juanita Butler: “We offer a Jamaican daiquiri, which is the classic style of daiquiri, but we add Moroccan bitters and curry bitters. We also have our Mule de Provence, which is a twist on a Moscow Mule. Instead of using ginger beer, we decided to actually utilize the Herbes de Provence, and we infuse it into a honey vodka, and it’s mixed with a little bit of our lavender bitters.”
Love to share? Grab your gals for their unique Moroccan Tea Service. It’s “spiked” tea served in a beautiful pot with a bottle of rose water and fresh mint.
Melissa Franchy: “With the whole rose water on the rim of the glass, it just gives it a nice touch.”
Extra bonus: snack on bites like Bang Bang shrimp’ and sesame wings from Jules Kitchen.
WunderBar also has a daily happy hour from 5 to 7 p.m.
FOR MORE INFORMATION:
WunderBar at Circa 39
3900 Collins Avenue
Miami Beach, FL 33140
Main Hotel Telephone: (305) 538-4900