Last Updated on January 15, 2026 by Mauricio Vite
Miami is a city that usually demands you pick a side. Are you doing the neon-soaked chaos of South Beach, or are you retreating to the quiet, manicured streets of the suburbs? For the longest time, Coral Gables—Miami’s historic “City Beautiful”—felt a little sleepy. It was where you went for a nice dinner, not necessarily where you stayed for a vibe.
That changed when I checked into the Thesis Hotel Miami.
Located right across the street from the University of Miami, the Thesis is fairly brand new and it immediately makes a statement. It doesn’t feel like the old-school, stuffy hotels the area is known for. It feels current. It feels upscale. It feels like a place where things are happening.
I stayed here recently for a few nights to see if the hype matched the reality. The short answer? I enjoyed it quite a lot. The hotel is beautiful, the room was incredibly comfortable, and the food at Mamey is some of the best I’ve had in the city. But, and this is a big “but,” no new hotel opens without hiccups.
There were moments—specifically at breakfast—where the cracks in the service started to show. It became clear that while the building is ready for prime time, the operations team is still “calibrating.” They are still figuring out how to handle a full house.
Here is my honest, unfiltered review of the Thesis Hotel Miami.
Rating on Google and Trip Advisor
4.3
The Location: Why Coral Gables?
If you aren’t familiar with Miami geography, you need to know that Coral Gables is not on the beach. And honestly? That is a huge plus.
South Beach is fun for about six hours. After that, the noise, the traffic, and the constant sensory overload get exhausting. Coral Gables is the antidote. It is lush, green, and sophisticated. The Thesis is situated in a mixed-use complex called Paseo de la Riviera, which gives it a more residential, community feel rather than a tourist trap vibe.
For anyone visiting the University of Miami (UM), the location is unbeatable. You are literally across the street. If you are a parent visiting a student, or just someone who wants to be centrally located between the airport and Coconut Grove, this spot is strategic gold.
Being here means you are trading ocean views for skyline views and tree-lined avenues. It feels more grown-up. You are walking distance to upscale shopping, fantastic local dining, and the Underline (Miami’s answer to the NYC High Line). It’s a location that says you know your way around Miami and don’t need to rely on Ocean Drive for a good time.
First Impressions: Lobby Vibes and The Cookie Ritual
You know a hotel is going to be good when the lobby feels like a destination in itself.
Walking into the Thesis, you are hit with a very specific energy. It’s open, airy, and modern. It doesn’t feel like a transaction space where you just grab a key and leave. People were actually hanging out—working on laptops, having drinks, chatting on the sofas. It has that “living room” energy that great lifestyle hotels strive for.
The front desk team deserves a special shout-out here. Check-in can often be a stiff, robotic process, but the staff here was warm, chatty, and genuinely welcoming. They set a tone that made me feel like a guest, not a room number.
The Room: A Look Inside the Double Queen
I stayed in a Double Queen Room, and if I had to grade the hard product—the actual physical room itself—it gets an A.
Space in Miami hotels is usually at a premium. Unless you are dropping serious cash, you often end up in a shoebox. That wasn’t the case here. The room was spacious enough that even with two queen beds, it didn’t feel cramped. You could walk around, open a suitcase, and relax without tripping over furniture.
The Design
The aesthetic is modern but warm. They didn’t go for that stark, hospital-white minimalism that was popular ten years ago. Instead, it’s textured and thoughtful. The beds were incredibly comfortable—plush mattresses, high-thread-count linens, and pillows that actually offer support.
The Amenities
They didn’t cheap out on the in-room essentials, either.
- Coffee: Instead of a generic drip pot, there was a Lavazza coffee machine. As someone who needs caffeine immediately upon waking up, having quality espresso-style coffee in the room is a massive perk.
- The Bathroom: This was a highlight. My room featured a roll-in shower, which meant it was huge, accessible, and felt very spa-like. The water pressure was excellent (never a guarantee in hotels), and the toiletries felt premium.
Overall, the room was a sanctuary. It was quiet, the AC worked perfectly (crucial in Miami), and it felt like a retreat. If the review stopped here, this would be a perfect 10/10 stay.
The Food: High Highs and Low Lows
This is where the review gets complicated. The Thesis prides itself on its culinary program, and for the most part, they should. But the gap between the dinner service and the breakfast service was so wide it felt like I was staying at two different hotels.
Mamey: The Star of the Show
Located on the ground floor, Mamey is the hotel’s flagship restaurant, helmed by Chef Niven Patel. The vibe here is tropical and lush—lots of greenery, dim lighting, and a buzzing atmosphere.
I sat down for dinner not knowing what to expect, and my God, the food was actually good. I’m not talking “hotel food good,” I mean “I would travel here just to eat” good.
- The Burger: If you see this on the menu, order it. It was cooked perfectly, juicy, and messy in the best way possible. It’s easily one of the best burgers I’ve had in Coral Gables.
- The Chicken Wings: These were another standout. They were glazed, sticky, savory, and fell off the bone.
Service at Mamey was sharp. The servers knew the menu, the food came out hot, and drinks were refilled promptly. It felt like a well-oiled machine.
The Ivy Rooftop: Drinks with a View
On the third floor, you’ll find The Ivy. This is an open-air rooftop space that serves food and drinks by the pool.
I didn’t eat a full meal here, but I did grab drinks, and it was the perfect spot to unwind. The view over the tree canopy of Coral Gables is lovely, especially at sunset. It’s laid back and feels very Miami, but without the pretension of a velvet-rope nightclub. It’s just a great spot to sip a cocktail and enjoy the breeze.
The Collab: The “Calibration” Problem
And then, we have to talk about breakfast.
Breakfast was included in my hotel fee, which is usually a great perk. It was served at The Collab, another venue within the hotel. Unfortunately, this is where the wheels fell off.
To put it bluntly: the service was terrible.
Every morning was a struggle. I found myself waiting up to 45 minutes just to get simple items like bagels or scrambled eggs. Even getting a cup of coffee—the simplest task in hospitality—felt like a negotiation.
The issue wasn’t that the staff was rude; it was that they were severely understaffed. It felt like the management was not expecting people to actually show up for breakfast. There were too few servers for too many tables, leading to long waits to be seated, long waits to order, and long waits to eat.
One morning, the kitchen seemed so overwhelmed by the volume of orders that they pivoted to a Buffet just to make things easier and get food out faster. It was a clear sign that the back-of-house operations were drowning.
This brings me back to my main theory about the Thesis: They are still calibrating.
The hotel is fairly new. The building is finished, but the operational flow is still being worked out. It feels like they haven’t quite figured out their staffing ratios for peak times yet. The hardware (the kitchen, the dining room) is beautiful, but the software (the processes, the staffing) is glitchy. It’s frustrating as a guest, but it’s also a fixable problem. I suspect in six months this might be resolved, but right now, it requires patience.
The Amenities: Exclusive Feels
Beyond the food and the room, the hotel offers some solid amenities that justify the “resort” feel they are going for.
The Pool
The pool deck is really cool. It’s not an Olympic-sized pool, but it’s designed to feel exclusive and chic. It’s flanked by palm trees and comfortable loungers. It’s the kind of place where you want to bring a book and lay out for three hours. Because it’s on the rooftop, it feels separated from the street noise below.
Fitness & Business Centers
I didn’t spend a ton of time in these, but they are worth mentioning.
- The Fitness Center: It’s not an afterthought dungeon in the basement. It’s well-lit, clean, and has modern equipment. You can actually get a real workout in here.
- The Business Center: Functional and quiet. If you need to print a boarding pass or take a Zoom call, it does the job.
The Hidden Costs: Parking
We have to talk about money, because this is often the sting in the tail for Miami hotels.
Parking is not free.
If you are renting a car (which you likely are if you’re in Miami), you need to budget for this. The cost was $35 per night. Is that annoying? Yes. Is it standard for Miami? Unfortunately, also yes.
Most hotels in this caliber charge for valet or parking, so it’s not unique to the Thesis, but it is a substantial cost to add to your daily rate. Just be aware of it before you arrive so you aren’t shocked when you see the final bill.
The Verdict: Is Thesis Hotel Worth It?
So, would I stay at the Thesis Hotel Miami again?
Yes.
Despite the breakfast chaos, the pros heavily outweigh the cons. The location in Coral Gables is fantastic, the rooms are genuinely comfortable and high-end, and dinner at Mamey is a culinary highlight of the neighborhood. The front desk team and those lobby cookies make you feel welcome the moment you step inside.
However, I recommend this hotel with a caveat. You have to understand that this is a property that is fairly brand new. They are still learning. They are still calibrating their operations, specifically when it comes to volume at breakfast.
If you are the type of traveler who needs absolute perfection and military-precision service, the current state of The Collab might drive you crazy. But if you are a traveler who appreciates upscale design, great vibes, and incredible food—and you have the patience to forgive some service slow-downs—then the Thesis is a fantastic choice.
It’s a hotel with five-star potential that is currently working through some three-star growing pains. Once they fix the service flow, this place will be unstoppable.
Snapshot Summary
- Best For: Foodies, Couples, University of Miami Visitors.
- The Highlight: Dinner at Mamey (get the burger!) and the comfortable Double Queen rooms.
- The Lowlight: Breakfast service at The Collab (expect a wait).
- Don’t Miss: The free cookies in the lobby every 3 hours.
- Budget Note: Factor in $35/night for parking.
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