Ultra Music Festival - A weekend in Miami

Having spent the year before listening to live casts of the festival through my headphones at work, I really wanted to experience it first hand.

Now luckily enough, I had been working with a company based out of Miami for a while, and hadn't yet met them. So it made sense to tie together a business trip with the festival. So we were going to Miami!

So, tying everything together I managed to get myself a trip to Miami for Ultra! As soon as the plan had been announced I couldn't wait to look up the lineup, and it didn't disappoint.

Ultra Music Festival. An Absolute extravaganza held in downtown Miami. After visits to Ibiza & Global Gathering, Ultra was always top of the list of festivals I wanted to tick off the list.

3 days, and 3 epic things I loved in Miami!

Stop at the Fountainbleu

This isn’t just any hotel, this is often the choice of the Rich and Famous. It’s one of the most historical buildings in Miami, and was built to be the most luxurious hotel in Miami Beach.

It’s had more than it’s time in the limelight too. Being the hotel in the 1964 James Bond film Goldfinger. In 1983 the hotel figured no other than Scarface, and Frank Sinatra was a well-known guest.

Roll on a few years and the hotel hasn’t lost its charm. It was shown in the 2002 show ‘The Sopranos’, and still today, if you stop here you are very likely to see a celebrity. When I was in the lobby, none other than Floyd Mayweather walked on past with his entourage…….and that guy doesn’t just stop anywhere!

So when I got told that the hotel I needed to go and check in to was the Fountainbleu, I was pretty excited to say the least.
The Fantainbleu on Miami Beach is home to arguably the best nightclub on Miami Beach (Liv) and host to tonnes of great restaurants. After hitting it pretty hard on the first day, it was great to know that the pool had a perfect bar to sit and feel human again. The hotel looks straight out on to Miami Beach, and while I didn’t feel like doing much exercise at all on this trip, it did look a pretty iconic place to go for a run. They say you haven’t been to Miami until you have been to South Beach. Well then what better place to stop than the most iconic hotel sat right in the middle of it?!

Take a Miami Cruise around the bay

Miami, home to the rich and famous, with flamboyancy not rivalled my many other cities. Most of the city has intricate canals and on these are RIDICULOUSLY good homes!
There are sightseeing cruises all around Miami, and I managed to get the chance to head out and check out the Millionaires row houses.

With nearly all of the houses having the incredible Miami water at the end of their garden, you’re able to take the slow and relaxing visit around the sites. Some of the houses are just incredible to see. You can sit back having a nice relax, sipping your champagne, while seeing how the super-rich live!

If you manage to time it right and you’re lucky with the weather as we were, you are able to get the iconic Miami Skyline in a sunset photo. Just like the one above!

Go to Ultra Music Festival

And lastly, but certainly not least….is the thing that I went to Miami for. No not the work rota, but Miami Music Festival. Words can’t really describe how good the festival was.

Hardwell had been my favourite DJ for quite a while, and to listen to him live at the best festival in the world was a dream.

Firstly, our cruise actually included docking up at Ultra. So we were able to get off the boat straight to the festival....a real VIP experience.

Once we got in to our booths, I was amazed at the view to the main stage. With having a table and room to manoeuvre you didn't have to worry about being crammed in, or losing your spot when you needed the toilet!

Table service there gives you VIP treatment like I've not experienced elsewhere. The guys are on hand for your drinks, and if you get a bit peckish for Pizza like I did, they'll even bring that for you too!

While we got their fairly early the build up was amazing. W&W, Afrojack, Avicii, global names in electronic music dropping set after set. Then the best act of my life starts. 11:00PM gives Hardwell the headline slot, and he comes on for a crazy last set to end the night!

I feel it only right to provide you with the link to Hardwell's set, and with over 11 million views, I'm sure if you love Electronic music you'll love this.