Miami Biltmore Hotel Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids Significant dates

Miami-Biltmore Hotel & Country Club
U.S. National Register of Historic Places
U.S. National Historic Landmark

The Biltmore in March, 2011
Location in Miami Show map of Miami Location in Florida Show map of Florida Location in the United States Show map of the United States
Location	Coral Gables, Florida
Built	1926
Architect	Schultze and Weaver
Architectural style	Mission/Spanish Revival/Italian Renaissance
NRHP reference No.	72000306
Added to NRHP	September 27, 1972
Designated NHL	June 19, 1996

The Miami Biltmore Hotel is a fancy hotel in Coral Gables, Florida, United States. It was designed by Schultze and Weaver. The hotel was built in 1926 by John McEntee Bowman and George Merrick. It was part of the famous Biltmore hotel chain.

The hotel's tall tower looks like the Giralda. This is a medieval tower from the cathedral of Seville in Spain. When it was finished, the Biltmore was the tallest building in Florida. It stood at 315 feet (about 96 meters) tall. It held this record until 1928. That's when the Miami-Dade County Courthouse was built.

The Biltmore once had the biggest swimming pool in the world! A famous swimming instructor worked there. His name was Johnny Weissmuller. He later became known for playing Tarzan in movies. During World War II, the hotel became a hospital. It also served as a VA Hospital and part of the University of Miami medical school until 1968. After being empty for many years, it became a hotel again in 1987. In 1996, it was named a National Historic Landmark. This means it's a very important historical place.

Building a Dream Hotel
The Biltmore as a Hospital
Bringing the Hotel Back to Life
- A Hotel with Stories
Golfing at the Biltmore
Relaxing at the Spa
Images for kids
See also

Building a Dream Hotel

In 1925, a land developer named George E. Merrick teamed up with hotel owner John McEntee Bowman. They wanted to build a "great hotel" in Coral Gables. It would be a place for visitors and a center for sports and fashion. In January 1926, after just ten months and costing $10 million, the hotel opened. Special trains brought people from northern cities to the grand opening.

Famous Visitors and Fun Times

Many famous people stayed at the Biltmore Hotel. These included the Duke and Duchess of Windsor. Other guests were Ginger Rogers, Judy Garland, Bing Crosby, and members of the Roosevelt and Vanderbilt families. Franklin D. Roosevelt even had a temporary office there when he was on vacation.

The hotel hosted many fancy parties and amazing water shows. These shows took place at the huge pool. It was also a beautiful spot for weddings and important golf tournaments.

Surviving a Big Storm

Just a few months after the hotel opened, a huge storm hit. This was the 1926 Miami hurricane. The hotel itself was not damaged. In fact, it gave shelter to over 2,000 people who survived the storm. However, this disaster marked the end of the Florida land boom.

Changes in Ownership

George Merrick's company went bankrupt in 1929. His partner, John McEntee Bowman, bought his share of the hotel. Bowman then sold the hotel in 1931 to a rich man named Henry Latham Doherty. The hotel kept going in the early 1930s by hosting exciting water shows. Up to 3,000 people would come to watch on Sundays. They saw synchronized swimmers, beautiful bathing suit models, and even alligator wrestling! Johnny Weissmuller, before he became Tarzan, set a world record at the hotel's pool.

The Biltmore as a Hospital

When World War II started, the U.S. War Department took over the hotel. In November 1942, it became a hospital with 1,200 beds. In 1946, it was given to the Army and renamed Pratt General Hospital. Many windows were covered with concrete. The beautiful marble floors were covered with plain linoleum.

In 1947, the hospital was transferred to the Veterans Administration (VA). It remained a VA hospital until 1968. At that time, a new hospital opened nearby, and the Biltmore building was left empty.

Bringing the Hotel Back to Life

In 1973, the City of Coral Gables gained control of the building. It stayed empty for almost 10 years. Then, in 1983, the City started a big project to restore it. They wanted to open it again as a grand hotel. On December 31, 1987, the Biltmore reopened as a top-class hotel and resort.

In 1992, a group of companies led by Seaway Hotels Corporation took over running the hotel. They made many more improvements. They added new lighting and phone systems. They also fixed the pool, updated the furniture, and renovated all the guest rooms. A new spa was also added.

In February 2009, the hotel opened a special cooking school. It's called the Biltmore Culinary Academy. It offers fun, hands-on cooking classes for both adults and children. The hotel's own chefs teach these classes.

In 2012, the Florida Chapter of the AIA put the Biltmore on its list of "Florida Architecture, 100 Years, 100 Places." This shows how important its design is.

A Hotel with Stories

The Biltmore Hotel is also on a list of supposedly haunted places. In 1929, a person named Thomas Walsh passed away at the hotel.

The hotel has been used as a setting in many movies and TV shows. These include Bad Boys, The Specialist, Shock Waves, Popi, and Miami Vice.

Golfing at the Biltmore

The hotel has a fantastic 18-hole golf course. It's a championship course designed by Donald Ross. In 2007, the course was updated and restored by Brian Silva. It cost $5 million! The original layout from 1925 was kept. But all the greens, tees, and bunkers were rebuilt. They were made to modern standards. In 2018, more improvements were made to the golf course.

Relaxing at the Spa

The hotel has a large spa that is 12,000 square feet (about 1,115 square meters). It offers many services to help you relax. It is also a member of the Leading Spas of the World.