The Biltmore Hotel is celebrating 100 years of history, elegance, and architectural beauty—
and it’s still one of the most breathtaking historical places in all of South Florida. From its beautiful design and legendary pool—one of the largest hotel pools in the country— The Biltmore Hotel has hosted world leaders, international summits, Hollywood legends, and generations of memorable moments.

Here's a Little History:

Coral Gables founder George Merrick wanted a monumental building as a centerpiece for his suburban upscale garden-city development. Various cities at that time promoted grand architecture as a foundation of city planning - as a part of the City Beautiful movement. Inspiration for the Biltmore Hotel's iconic tower came from the majestic Giralda Tower in Seville, blending Spanish heritage with Merrick's Mediterranean Revival vision.

The hotel officially opened in January 1926, and it was the tallest building in Florida. In September, a major hurricane struck Miami. While the hotel was undamaged, the housing boom ended, and Merrick's company filed bankruptcy in 1929. The hotel was resold a few times before eventually ending up in the hands of the military during WWII, serving as a hospital.

The building served many roles over its long history - Post WWII, it later became a VA hospital and early UM school of medicine thereafter. Fortunately, the City of Coral Gables was granted ownership for $3 million in 1973 under the Historic Monuments Act, and the building was added to the US National Register of Historic Places. They discussed converting it into a housing complex with adjacent apartment buildings or using it as a campus for FIU.

Fortunately, after bringing the golf course and country club back to life, the city agreed to restore the Biltmore to a 266-suite hotel for $40 Million. That still wasn't the grand season of the Biltmore - After being restored and reopened as a 4-Star hotel in 1987, the loan note was foreclosed on by Barnett Bank and the hotel closed for 3 years in 1989.

A Helping Hand Comes Along: Gene Prescott and the Seaway corporation saved the hotel. The city agreed to lease them property and land for 99-years. It was restored once again, and the Biltmore was later was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1996. Today it remains a centerpiece of Coral Gables heritage, culture and architectural splendor.

What's at the Biltmore Hotel? In addition to being a hotel, there's an 18-hole golf course, a spa, and an iconic swimming pool - one of the largest in the country. There are event rooms, conference and meeting rooms, and restaurants, Sunday brunch is popular. The ballroom often serves as a venue for weddings. The Biltmore offers membership options to the community to use its facilities. Throughout the year are both public and private events, including an outstanding 4th of July fireworks show and a New Years Eve dessert and fireworks event.

Have There Been Famous Visitors?
Here are some of the Biltmore's famous visitors of the past decades: Christina Aguilera, Muhammad Ali, Lauren Bacall, Kevin Bacon, Antonio Banderas, Angela Bassett, Larry Bird, James Caan, Natalie Cole, Cindy Crawford, Celia Cruz, Jane Curtin, His Holiness the Dalai Lama, Jamie Foxx, Andy Garcia, Gisselle, Woody Harrelson, Tommy Hilfiger, Evander Holyfield, Oscar de la Hoya, Rachel Hunter, Julio Iglesias, LL Cool J, Janet Jackson, Magic Johnson, Spike Lee, Jennifer Lopez, Chuck Mansion, Ricky Martin, Luis Miguel, Julianne Moore, Bill Murray, Prince, Robert Redford, Martin Sheen, Will Smith, Sylvester Stallone, Martha Stewart, Rod Steward, Oliver Stone, The Bee Gees, John Travolta, Gloria Vanderbilt, Oprah Winfrey, and the list goes on.

As a long time Miamian and Realtor, I love sharing places that define the character of our community. This hotel isn’t just historic—it’s alive, relevant, and still setting the standard for luxury living in South Florida. If you appreciate iconic architecture, historic hotels, or are curious about life in Coral Gables, this centennial moment is something special to experience.

📍 Coral Gables, Florida 🏛️ Historic Landmark 💯 Celebrating 100 Years of Legacy

For more information about the Biltmore Hotel, click here: The Biltmore Hotel