Biba

As alluded to previously, I recently went back to Florida for work. Usually I stay in some boring Hilton or Marriott property. The hotels are so damn expensive, though. Even with the government discount I usually try to get.

I decided to check out Yahoo! Travel this time just to see what my options were. One interesting hit that came up was Hotel Biba. It was the same price as the best price on the Hampton Inn ($120). I researched a bit on Tripadvisor. The reviews were typically negative. When it comes down to it, the only people that generally post on review sites are either paid schills or people that have something to complain about. You have to take both with a grain of salt. I use these to guage whether the negatives are something I can deal with. Usually, yes. Shit doesn't bother me quite like it does other people. Example: "bar was too loud and I couldn't sleep." Me: sounds like a great bar...

The Hotel Biba was built in the 1920's just on the edge of the El Cid Historic Neighborhood and looked like the typical "load the family up we're going on a road trip to South Florida" motor court hotel thing. It was originally the Mount Vernon as you can see on the picture to the left. The big ass parking lot in the back? Not so much. That's now apartment parking for the building in the back.




I didn't roll in until almost 2am the first night there because I flew into Ft. Lauderdale. So, didn't get to see much. The rooms are very cool though. Funky furniture and design, 42" LCD screens and original Terrazzo tile

When I checked in, the desk guy asked me if a room by the bar (which "can get loud at the times") and the pool would be ok. "Mmmm. Ok. I guess." :)

Monday and Tuesday were pretty quiet. I got in a quick swim after work before I went to go play poker at a friend's house. I won $50. My room was right by the pool. Step outside and in.

Wednesday, though, the party begins.

I had several people from work meet me for happy hour at the Biba Wine Bar around 7. It was very low key. We were pretty much the only people there besides a couple of girls that were dressed for action in their little black dresses. At 8. And, for what it's worth, they were still there at 11. More on that later.

We spent a little time out front on the patio, and then went out back by the pool.

The Biba Bar is a great little bar. It used to be one of the lobbies of the old hotel. Now it's a very colorfully decorated Wine Bar. With liquor and beer too of course.

Wednesday night is Veuve Clicquot night. They also have a dj that starts up around 10.

When we pulled up after dinner, it was a serious club scene. Valet. Hummers. Mercedes. Crowds of people all around. Guys in shirts unbuttoned too far with big dark glasses and water bottles. Girls in too short dresses. Including the black dress girls from 8pm.

One friend and I decided to check out the scene. We walked in from the back door. It was 20 feet from the door to my room after all. The bar was packed, so I grabbed a couple of Miller Lites from my room. Only Lites in the place.

It was a hell of a scene. Way out of my coolness range. Of course, that's not hard to achieve. We hung out in front in the courtyard for a beer until it started raining and then we shut it down. Completely not my scene but interesting as hell. I'd rather sit down and listen to a guy I've never heard of play guitar. But, that's just me.

Some dude had rented the room right next to the bar as an "alternate party site" as far as I could tell. Singles and couples would walk in, go to the bathroom together for a couple minutes, and come out. Hmmm. Wonder what was going on.

The amazing thing was that it went on until 1am or so and I couldn't hear it from my room at all. I peeked out a couple of times and it was still going strong.

Funky hotel. Great scene. Different. I liked it.