Join Jo Oprah on Miami’s posh po private island,
Fisher Island Club Hotel & Resort, Miami
MOST folks think of Fisher Island as a private, beachfront condo development in Miami — which it is.
But the 200-acre islet is also a hotel, with 15 cabana-like rooms spread among original Spanish-style architecture at the Fisher Island Club (from $1,100; FisherIslandClub.com).
A RICH PAST
The island itself, located off the southern tip of Miami Beach, is layered in history. Created in 1905 as part of a citywide land reclamation program, Fisher was once the private family playground of the venerable Vanderbilt clan, who vacationed here for nearly 20 years before it was sold to developers. Later, once swanky condos were introduced, high-profile homeowners such as billionaire Oprah Winfrey, actress Julia Roberts and model Karolina Kurkova have helped Fisher boast one of the highest per-capita incomes of any community in the entire country. Despite its elite appeal, Fisher Island has a population of just 1,500 — spread among some 650 private residences, most with water views. The hotel dates back to the early 1990s, when the island’s club was renovated, and is set in and around the Vanderbilt family’s original quarters.
SWANKY EXTRAS
The lushly landscaped island takes “something for everyone” to swanky new heights. There are clay, grass and hard tennis courts, a massive spa, a pizza parlor, a fancy grocery shop and even a proper school for residents’ children. Another highlight: There’s a tropical aviary with beautifully colored parrots and toucans, plus plenty of peacocks parading about the property who wow folks young and old.
PRIVACY & CONVENIENCE
Fun fact: Unlike Miami’s other private-island enclaves — Star Island, Indian Creek Island, the Sunset Islands, the Venetian Islands — Fisher is the only one in the area with zero (yes, zero!) physical connection to the mainland.
There’s no bridge or causeway, so it’s considered ultrasecure. Folks staying there are hardly stranded, though, thanks to a 24-hour ferry that connects to the MacArthur Causeway, a main drag just west of the southern tip of South Beach. The journey takes less than 10 minutes. Despite its remote feel, Fisher is literally close to everything, from the bars and restaurants of Ocean Drive to the shops of downtown Miami. The airport is a 30-minute car ride away.
SERENE BEACHES
Also secluded are Fisher’s beaches. The island’s entire eastern coast is ringed by a series of them; some are reserved for residents as well as hotel and club guests, others just for homeowners. The island’s main beach is a sun-kissed sandy swath, fronted by gin-clear waters, that is steps away from cocktails and seafood specialties at the Beach Club restaurant.