South Beach Ocean Drive Hotel Gets a Front-Row Seat to Miami's Gay Pride Parade

MIAMI BEACH, FL--(Marketwired - Apr 10, 2014) - Gay Pride parades rarely want for color or vivacity, especially in a city like Miami Beach. And while plenty of people look forward to joining in, sometimes it's just as much fun to watch, especially when your hotel sits directly on the parade route. Such is the happy circumstance for the stylish boutique hotel, Winter Haven, which is poised to catch every detail as the revelers strut and sashay down Ocean Avenue during the Miami Beach Gay Pride Parade on April 13, 2014.

This year, Gloria Estefan and Kenny Ortega will usher in the festivities as the Gay Pride Grand Marshals. The parade will begin at noon and cover the length of Miami's hottest street -- directly past this Ocean Drive Art Deco hotel -- with a range of costumes and displays as diverse as the individuals, couples and families who are parading. (There's even a contest for the parade entry that best captures the spirit of Pride.)

Of course, the Parade is only part of the exciting two-day event. On Saturday, April 12, people from all over the country will converge on Lummus Park (at Ocean Drive and 11^th Street) between 2 and 9 p.m. for a free Beach Party that incorporates sun, surf and sipping, plus the expert spinning of two international DJs. And after the Parade on the 13^th, another party will get underway with celebrities, concerts, food, family-friendly play areas and more than 125 LGBT-friendly vendors and businesses coming together to create a joyful vibe.

Beachfront hotels along Ocean Drive have stood witness to the growing popularity of the Miami Beach Gay Pride Parade and Festival for five years. And as the event turns 6 this year, it promises to be bigger and better than ever. Last year, more than 80,000 people from all over the country arrived to celebrate, and no place is better suited to welcome them than that star among Miami beachfront boutique hotels, Winter Haven.

Whether guests watch from their rooms, the swanky lobby or the chic rooftop terrace, Winter Haven offers a winning combination of views, location and style. The hotel's legacy stretches back to the heyday of Art Deco design in 1939, and even after a complete renovation, luxurious touches of its original glory remain intact. Light fixtures and painted mirrors, for example, nod to the hotel's heritage, while luxurious appointments in the guest rooms and the signature Il Bolognese, which is arguably the best Italian restaurant in South Beach, speak to contemporary interests of comfort and cuisine.

Such a backdrop is suitably stylish for the Gay Pride Parade and Festival, but it also makes an ideal destination for guests eager to experience Miami's nightlife and corporate travelers who are intent on getting a little rest and relaxation in between meetings. The hotel, in other words, has a lot to be proud of, too.

About Winter Haven, Autograph Collection®
Enviably situated between crystalline waves and the universally renowned Ocean Drive, Winter Haven, Autograph Collection® gives its guests a Miami Beach experience like no other. Visitors can experience a unique hybrid of modern luxury and vintage sophistication, thanks to a complete but sensitive renovation of the 1939 property. Terrazzo floor tiles, glass accents and original fixtures appear throughout the property, while contemporary travelers can also indulge in a chic rooftop terrace, HDTVs and Wi-Fi in the guest rooms and acclaimed dining at the hotel's signature Il Bolognese. Even business travelers can get in on the stylish setting by booking an event on the hotel's mezzanine floor or rooftop patio. And when it's time to play, the city's best shopping, dining, culture and nightlife are all just steps away from the hotel.