Earlier this month, I headed to Sunny Isles, Florida for a week of training with Virtuoso. I was excited going into the week as Virtuoso does an amazing job with whatever they touch. This week of training was no exception. I left with a new skill set and can now say I am fully trained as a travel advisor!

Our training was located at the Acqualina Resort and Spa at the Beach. The property is located 14 miles from Fort Lauderdale airport (FLL) or 19 miles from Miami airport (MIA). The property is part condo, part hotel with 180 condo unites and 98 hotel rooms and suites. A second tower is currently under construction and will be resident mansions. Acqualina was built in 2006 with a Mediterranean flair and proudly boasts the first ESPA-branded spa in the US, the Acqualina Spa by ESPA. The property is owned by the Trump brothers, who hail from South Africa and are not related to the infamous Donald Trump.

At check in, I was welcomed with a choice of beverage and I selected champagne. Check in was quick and I was offered a quick tour of the main floor and escorted to my room. All rooms above the 12th floor require inserting your key into the elevator panel to access. I was spending my week in a king, intracoastal room, facing Collins street with a terrace. My first impression was the room was big, light, and airy. I did have one complaint for the room – the desk, which I did a lot of work at, was positioned poorly in relationship to the sofa. They need to be offset a bit more to facilitate easier transitions in and out of the desk.

A little blurry – HUGE TV and sofa. A desk is to the left, not seen in the photo.

King bed with turn down service complete.

Welcome amenity with note.

The room had a full minibar and an Illy brand espresso machine. Tea Forte brand tea was provided.

A few mini bar provisions. Champagne glass was mine from check in.

The bathroom was medium sized with lots of mirrors. The mirrors were so large, I could not photo graph it well. In addition to dual sinks, there was a jetted bath tub, walk in shower, and toilet with privacy door. All rooms at the property are appointed with ESPA products. This was my first experience with the ESPA brand and was very impressed. My hair and skin both felt great after using the products.

Double vanity and a peek at the soaking tub.

ESPA branded toiletries.

The property boasts four pools, including one for adults only. The main pool has cabanas, which can be rented for $150 each. With the cabana, a mini fridge with fruit and water is provided in addition to other amenities like sunscreen. For all the pools, there is a complimentary pool service. An attendant visits once an hour with amenities including newspapers, frozen drinks, fruit, etc. Located close to the pool is a complimentary children’s program, called AquaMarine for children 5-12 years old. The property also has a small soccer field complete with artificial turf.

AquaMarine children’s program.

Acqualina Spa by ESPA – sadly, I did not have nearly enough free time to enjoy this fantastic spa as much as I would have preferred. I did get a taste though and loved what I experienced. The spa is 20,000 square feet over two floors with eleven treatment rooms, four spa treatment rooms, a private spa suite for two, and an outdoor terrace with a spa pool and a heated jet pool with a Roman waterfall. The spa faces the Atlantic ocean, so the views can be enjoyed during treatments. I did not partake in any paid services – just the complimentary areas. In both the male and female shower rooms one can experience relaxation with a dry heat sauna, steam room, and rain forest shower. I tried all 3. I didn’t care for the rain forest shower as the max temperature is 50 degrees F. It is suppose to be refreshing, but I have never been one for cold water. It did have three settings to change how the water flowed from the enormous shower head. I did use the dry sauna and my favorite, the steam room. I also visited the jet pool and Roman waterfall. The waterfall was excellent to sit under and work out some of the knots in my shoulders. Finally, after I was nice and relaxed, I visited the relaxation room with complimentary tea, cookies, newspapers, and other amenities. One thing to note, if you arrive before check in, while waiting for the room, you are encouraged to visit these areas.

Through this door lies the rain shower, sauna and steam room.

Relaxation room. The tea and cookies were delicious!

Acqualina has several options for dining including AQ by Acqualina, Il Mulino New York, Costa Grill and an option to have a private beach front dining experience. I did not eat at any of the restaurants, but we did have breakfast and lunch provided daily as part of our training. Every meal provided to us was amazing. I never left hungry or unsatisfied. One participant in our training had a wheat allergy. After the first lunch, the staff realized the need and always made sure the participant was well taken care of to the level of making special desserts.

Other notes: there is a house car for free use, but on a first come, first serve basis, so the wait can be quite long. Our group was able to spend time with one of the property principals and I was quite impressed. The intention of the property is for the property to be a place of heritage building – they want families to visit repeatedly while maintaining “elegance on the beach”. I would not say this is a family only property as they work hard to make all types of travelers feel comfortable by giving enough space for everyone to coexist. I wouldn’t hesitate bringing my family here or returning with just my husband for some adult time.

As this is a Virtuoso property, I am proud to offer the following amenities: Upgrade on arrival, subject to availability; Daily Buffet breakfast, for up to two in room guests; $100 USD Spa Services credit, to be utilized during stay (not combinable, no cash value if not redeemed in full); Complimentary spa access to the thermal heat areas (including the Crystal Steam Rooms and Finnish Saunas); and Early check-in/late check-out, subject to availability.