Fatou Sylla
Google
Horrible experience at Nikki Beach Miami.
We arrived a little before noon and were the first guests there, yet the two hostesses, Monica and a brunette with a ponytail, told us that all the beds were sold out and that we had to go to the beach. This seemed very strange to us since it was low season, and we had even tried to book by email a few days earlier without receiving any reply. Luckily, we ran into the manager, who kindly and professionally said he would set up a bed especially for us. However, Monica still disagreed and then told us there was a $200 minimum spend. We said that was fine, but explained that we don’t drink alcohol and would consume food and non-alcoholic beverages to reach that minimum. She then said no, that we absolutely had to order a bottle, and started talking about financial matters without knowing anything about our means.
This policy is very strange. If I’m pregnant or don’t drink for other reasons, does that mean I can’t access Nikki Beach? Am I supposed to buy a bottle just to leave it untouched?
We gave up negotiating for a bed in the restaurant area and spent the day on the Nikki Beach sand instead, where our meals, sushis and wraps, were served in lunch boxes (see photo), which is far below the level of service this establishment usually advertises. Around 4:30 pm, we walked back inside Nikki Beach which was supposedly “sold out” only to find that about 90% of the beds were empty (see photo).
It became clear to us that Monica’s refusal wasn’t because the place was sold out or because we didn’t drink alcohol, but simply because she didn’t like our physical appearance. After speaking with other guests, we learned that younger-looking people are not always welcome (we are 26 and 27 years old), which could explain why she didn’t want us there that day.
Thanks anyway to the manager Brandon, who did try to welcome us and even invited us to come back, and to Cazeau for his impeccable service on the beach.