Balfour in Miami Beach has reopened as part of the Morgans Originals collection, following a renovation by Bigtime Design Studios in collaboration with Ennismore. Located on Ocean Drive in South of Fifth, the 82-room art deco hotel now includes Cleo, an Eastern Mediterranean restaurant, and SoFi Coffee, a community café expected to open later this summer.
Originally opened in 1940 as The Lord Balfour Hotel, the property was designed by Anton Skislewicz. Its renovation preserved elements such as original terrazzo flooring and brass elevator doors, while adding new features like herringbone and hardwood floors and midcentury furniture. Artwork was commissioned from Mike Willcox.
Room types include Classic Rooms, Superior Rooms with green wainscoting and Suites with marble bathrooms. A Junior Suite offers bunk beds. Amenities include robes and refillable vegan bath products from The Botanist & The Chemist. In-room bar carts are stocked with Lavazza coffee machines, cocktail shakers and local snacks.
Hotel facilities include a plunge pool with terracotta tiles, a rooftop deck, complimentary bicycles and 2,000 square feet of event space. Cleo spans the building’s ground floor and courtyard. Led by executive chef Camila Olarte, the restaurant serves “wholesome, family-style dishes that celebrate the bold, diverse flavors of the Eastern Mediterranean.” Weekly programming includes Wine Wednesdays and Sunday brunch. Cleo also plans masterclasses, curated pop-ups and a female chef dinner series.
SoFi Coffee will offer hand-poured brews from Imperial Moto using beans from Colombia, Brazil and Guatemala. The café’s drink menu includes matcha lattes, teas such as Silver Needle and Earl Grey, and wellness shots. Pastries from Butter Moon will include “matcha and raspberry New York rolls, alfajores and pistachio-walnut croissants.”
The café features “matcha-colored chairs,” a “plush pink velvet banquette,” a marble-topped bar and tropical leaf-print wallpaper. Open daily from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., the space is located steps from the Miami Beach Boardwalk.
