Circa 39 Review – A Travel Inspired Hotel in Miami Beach

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Circa 39 Review – A Travel Inspired Hotel in Miami Beach

Life is a trip, words that couldn’t be more on brand for this site and for a boutique hotel for me to stay at while in Miami. This inspirational quote (among many others) can be found proudly on display at Circa 39, a travel-inspired hotel in Miami’s up-and-coming mid-beach area. From t-shirts on the smiling staff to captions on travel photos from around the globe, the desire to see the world is shared throughout this wonderful property and made for a very welcoming and very fitting stay.

A perfect spot to call home before leaving it

After spending 3 weeks or so bouncing around friends and families places in Florida, staying at a boutique hotel was a welcomed change. With an offering of pullout couches and air mattresses during those stays, stepping into our Circa 39 hotel room and seeing a massive bed was a little bit of heaven on earth. On top of that, our Circa 39 room was bright and airy with colours I had happily envisioned amongst the art deco buildings of Miami.

A clean and modern bathroom compliments this feel and made us feel at home in Miami Beach

With ample space, we were able to unpack and unwind for the first time in weeks. This was a change of pace and one that truly made our stay that much harder to leave. We were in town for a friends wedding which made for a nice send off as Miami was one of our last stops in North America before heading east. Circa 39 was a most comfortable and fitting place to do so from and their mission statement couldn’t be more bang on – Creating an enriching and authentic travel experience for unpretentious travelers.

Pretty awesome right? I mean unpretentious travelers are the best kind of travelers after all and Circa 39 gets this. To find out how this awesome boutique hotel came to be I sat down with Tanja, Circa 39’s brand guru. An avid traveler herself, Tanja was instrumental in the creation and direction of Circa 39. Her personal travel photos that are proudly on display in Jules Kitchen Cafe can attest to this – including one of her 5-year-old-self with her father overlooking the Grand Canyon.

Over a drink in the cozy loungers by the pool, Tanja explained what makes Circa 39 unique. She went on to share the various travel themed features at Circa 39 such as Jules Kitchen Café, appropriately named after Around the World in 80 Days author Jules Verne. In Wunderbar guests can enjoy craft cocktails with a travel themed twist and rum tastings are offered for those looking for a little local flavour. All nice touches that play well with Circa 39’s theme.

Tanja’s love for travel is what led to our partnership. As I have found before, those passionate about travel are most receptive to those looking to promote it. This unpretentious approach is an attractive one and makes Circa 39 that much more welcoming.

Hip Location

Situated on Collins Street, Circa 39 is ideally located one block off of Miami Beach. This hip new area is considered mid-beach and is coined as Miami Beach’s ‘Wunder Mile’ for its revitalization of buildings with character to spare. Circa 39 for instance, was built in 1939 as the Copley Plaza Hotel by architect Albert Anis. This Art Deco building played a interracial role in its history housing US Armed Forces during WWII. Not a bad place to be stationed.

Although not directly on the water, Circa 39 offers complimentary beach access that includes loungers and beach towels – a nice touch, especially on the wallet. Beachfront hotels in Miami come at a premium price so a stay at this hotel can save you a few dollars while still offering a similar experience.

Although it wasn’t quite beach weather while I was visiting Circa 39, I did grab a CitiBike (Miami Bike share) and cruised the nearby boardwalk to the tip of South Beach. This made getting around quick, easy, and fun. I was able to take in all the colourful buildings and people with ease from mid-beach without having to pay South Beach prices.

Circa 39’s Big Sister

Coincidentally the wedding I was in town to attend was held at The Palms Hotel. Located just 9 blocks away from Circa 39, this Miami Beach front hotel offered a picture perfect backdrop for an incredible destination wedding.

Stay Better

For those looking for a South Beach holiday without South Beach prices, Circa 39 is an excellent choice. Furthermore, Circa 39’s open approach to travel and seeing the world beyond your typical holiday makes it that much more appealing. With 97 rooms recently renovated and a location on the up, you can’t miss with Circa 39. I know I didn’t.