On Location: Marriott's South Florida Offerings

The Marriott brand has an impressive portfolio of properties around the world, and South Florida is no exception. A recent fam to a few of the region's resorts allowed us to escape the Northeast winter for a week and explore the hotel giant's meetings and wellness opportunities. 

Fort Lauderdale Marriott Harbor Beach Resort and Spa

The first stop was the Fort Lauderdale Marriott Harbor Beach Resort and Spa, a 650-room property with nearly 100,000 square feet of event space. This summer, the property will begin renovating the ballrooms and breakout rooms, to be completed by Oct. 1.

Attendees can put their toes in the sand with the Barefoot Dining Experience on the beach. Presented by the resort's Sea Level Restaurant, the family-style menu includes a Moët champagne toast and four courses paired with sommelier-selected wines.

For some physical activity, guests play pickleball on one of the property's six courts; the a resident pickleball pro can introduce novices to the fastest-growing sport in the country with private lessons.

Other wellness opportunities for groups include a private yoga class on the beach or treatments at the 22,000-square-foot spa, which includes a pool, hot tub and sauna. After a rejuvenating facial or a relaxing massage, groups can set up a hand-scrub station or mimosa bar in the spa lounge, or host a brunch on the spa terrace overlooking the water. 

JW Marriott Miami Turnberry Resort and Spa

Another standout for the brand is the JW Marriott Miami Turnberry Resort and Spa. Renovated in 2019, the 300-acre property offers 685 rooms, 120,000 square feet of meeting space, two golf courses and a water park. During the $250 million upgrade, the Royal and Magnolia ballrooms were added. 

The Surf House Loft strays from the typical venue, overlooking the Tidal Cove Waterpark. Attendees can soak up the South Florida sun while sipping on a mango mojito, savoring fresh seafood and watching parkgoers try to balance on the FlowRider Triple surf machine. 

Bourbon Steak, the property's signature restaurant, provides groups with an onsite fine-dining experience. Private dining spaces include the Glass Box for parties of 14, the large dining room for up to 32 guests or a full buyout for 275 people. Regardless of the room, the pastrami-spiced short rib is a must. Afterwards, retreat to Soff's Lobby Lounge for a nightcap in the form of a cocktail or nonalcoholic beverage.

Wellness options also abound at the JW Marriott Miami Turnberry. The Âme Spa and Wellness Collective is a separate three-story building, complete with a full-service spa, a salon, a holistic rejuvenation center, a Himalayan salt room and the fitness center. Here, guests are able to decompress or get in touch with their spiritual side through a guided sound-bowl meditation. If you can't bring your group to the spa, bring the spa to your meeting with chair massages and a portable cryotherapy machine. 

JW Marriott Marco Island Beach Resort

Heading west across Alligator Alley to the JW Marriott Marco Island Beach Resort, make a pit stop at Clyde Butcher Big Cypress Gallery. At the edge of the Everglades, the showroom exhibits a large selection of works from the black-and-white photographer, humanitarian and environmentalist.

Keep driving west until you come to Marco Island, one of a chain of 10,000 islands. Overlooking the Gulf of Mexico, the JW Marriott Marco Island features 809 rooms, four pools, two golf courses, and more than 140,000 square feet of indoor and outdoor square feet of event space. The exclusive Paradise by Sirene tower is an adults-only sanctuary with 94 rooms and additional amenities, such as a rooftop pool, a restaurant and personalized beach-side service.

Much like its sister property in Fort Lauderdale, group experiences invite attendees to kick off their shoes. A beach igloo dessert reception includes fire pits, branded blankets, individual s'mores kits and a fire performer. For a more action-packed activity, 10K Alley is an onsite arcade packed with games, such as skee ball, air hockey and Pac-Man, as well as a bar, a mini-golf course and a bowling alley. 

With 11 onsite dining options, the property is a food destination par excellence. Tesoro offers upscale Mediterranean fare, Kane Tiki Bar serves Polynesian street food, and Korals Sushi and Cocktail Lobby Bar features small plates and cocktails. Don't miss the signature restaurant, Ario. Highlights from chef Damian Manfre's menu include the kampachi crudo for seafood lovers, the 14-day dry-aged duck breast for carnivores, and the bread service with miso butter and honey for carb enthusiasts.

Wellness and water go hand-in-hand on Marco Island. The most popular — and relaxing — area activity is shelling, wandering the beach collecting shells, conchs, sand dollars and other beauties brought in by the waves. Groups also can venture further by taking a catamaran to an uninhabited island for a more unique a shelling excursion, sailing back to the marina, mimosa in hand, to return to the meeting feeling refreshed and relaxed.