Just a week before Christmas, the FXExpress Publications team descended on Coral Gables, Florida, to celebrate the winners of our 22nd GT Tested Reader Survey awards. This was the first time we held the event in the Miami area; for years Los Angeles was the site of these acknowledgements of the leaders in the travel industry, as voted by our well-informed and well-traveled readers. That means it’s been a relatively short hop for me (and within my time zone) from where I live in Southern Oregon, while my East Coast colleagues have endured a cross-country trip . . . and in December, that can be a dicey proposition with weather issues and lots of holiday travelers. This year, our journeys were reversed.

I’ve been unable to attend the awards event the past two years and looked forward to meeting with my co-workers (some for the first time), and I was also excited to visit Florida, a state I only briefly visited when I embarked on a Caribbean cruise several years ago. Husband Harry accompanied me as we took off for a full day of travel, starting with a quick hop on United from Medford to San Francisco. There we took advantage of our annual perk via our United Explorer Visa Signature Card from Chase, using our two lounge passes to ride out our three-plus-hour layover in the United Club Lounge in Terminal 3 at Concourse F. (We also had our credit card to thank for our free checked bag.) Visitors are greeted by an impressive marble lobby featuring an elaborate dome and (at this time of year) a large Christmas tree. There are numerous seating areas accommodating a large number of guests; a spacious bar; food and beverage stations (lots of appetizing and healthy options there); free WiFi; and, of course, excellent reading material courtesy of Global Traveler! I also noted that there was a large play area for kids to blow off steam just outside the lounge entrance, a bonus for families.

Our five-and-a-half-hour flight to Miami seemed shorter as we enjoyed United’s free entertainment selections on our phones (I watched Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale; Harry squeezed in three movies!), touching down at MIA at around 9:45 p.m. local time. Our home for the next three nights, Hyatt Regency Coral Gables, lay only 4 miles from the airport, and our driver was waiting for us after we quickly recovered our bag.

I was somewhat surprised that the two doormen at the hotel entrance did not offer to assist us with our bags (they did not seem at all busy), but we nevertheless made our way to the front desk in the lovely, two-story marble lobby and were warmly greeted by the staff, who set us up with some distilled water we required and let us know we could grab a bite at Bar 50, there in the lobby, before 11 p.m. We made our way to our truly spacious room (450 square feet), a King Balcony, on the 11th floor, to drop our bags and check out the accommodations. I really appreciated the spacious marble bath with a large glass-enclosed shower, great lighting (even a digital clock embedded in the mirror) and a roomy vanity.   The bedroom featured soaring ceilings (15 feet high or more), a credenza housing the mini fridge and coffee paraphernalia; a separate dresser with several drawers and a safe, with a 55″ flat-screen TV mounted above; a work space (honestly, the lighting wasn’t great there, and the chair was uncomfortable);    and an armchair with side table and floor lamp. Outside, the balcony looked out over Alhambra Plaza and (during the day) offered a great view of the Miami skyline. I enjoyed sitting out there and taking in the warm air and sunshine the next day.

Later, after enjoying a late-night repast at Bar 50, where, despite the late hour, the staff kindly served our famished selves, we gratefully sunk into our most comfortable bed, looking for a good rest before our next day’s adventures.

— Patty Vanikiotis, associate editor/copy editor