The Biltmore Hotel, Coral Gables: history, tower and visiting

The Biltmore Hotel and its 26-story tower stand on Anastasia Avenue in Coral Gables, Florida. It is a working resort, so this page sticks to what the hotel and the City of Coral Gables publish: its history, the tower, what is on the grounds, parking, and the state of the public tours. We checked every line on October 20, 2026. We do not publish room rates or other hotel prices.

The hotel’s contact page gives its address as 1200 Anastasia Avenue, Coral Gables, FL 33134, and its site lists 305 445 1926. Two other pages carry slips: the City’s Biltmore listing labels the address “Coral Gables City Hall” (City Hall is a different building, at 405 Biltmore Way), and the hotel’s Getting Here block shows ZIP 33138. This guide uses the contact page’s ZIP, 33134.

• The Biltmore Hotel's contact page gives "1200 ANASTASIA AVENUE, CORAL GABLES, FL. 33134"; its site header lists 305 445 1926. The Biltmore Hotel: Contact
• Two primary pages carry address slips: the City's Biltmore listing labels the address "Coral Gables City Hall, 1200 Anastasia Ave", and the hotel's Getting Here block shows a different ZIP. The hotel's contact page and its own landmark line give 1200 Anastasia Avenue, Coral Gables, FL 33134, which is the address this guide uses. Coral Gables City Hall is a separate building on Biltmore Way. City of Coral Gables: The Biltmore Hotel; The Biltmore Hotel: About

• Free Sunday history tours of the Biltmore are described only by travel sites and older event listings. The hotel's own website, checked October 20, 2026, lists no public tours, so we list no tour times; ask the hotel. The Biltmore Hotel: About / History (no tours listed)

The Biltmore at a glance

	What the source says	Source
Address	1200 Anastasia Avenue, Coral Gables, FL 33134	Hotel
Opened	January 1926 (the City’s history page gives January 15, 1926)	City and hotel
Architects	Schultze and Weaver	City
Tower	26 stories, a replica of the Giralda Bell Tower of the Cathedral of Seville, Spain	City
Grounds	Over 150 acres; 271 rooms, including 174 suites	City listing
Golf	A restored Donald Ross 18-hole, 71-par course	City listing
Status	“a National Historic Landmark”, in the hotel’s words	Hotel
Operator	Seaway Hotels Group, since 1992	Hotel

• The City's landmarks page: the Biltmore Hotel was designed by Schultze and Weaver; "The 26-story tower is a replica of the Giralda Bell Tower of the Cathedral of Seville, Spain"; its grand opening was "in January of 1926." The War Department used it as an army hospital in the 1940s, the VA ran the hospital until 1968, "the City acquired the Biltmore in 1972," and after sitting vacant almost 20 years it "was restored in 1987 as a luxury hotel." City of Coral Gables: Historical Landmarks
• The City's Biltmore listing describes a resort "Spanning over 150 acres" with "271-room" count including "174 suites", a restored Donald Ross 18-hole, 71-par golf course, tennis courts and a spa. City of Coral Gables: The Biltmore Hotel

How the Biltmore began

The hotel’s history page says George E. Merrick, who called his vision for Coral Gables “The City Beautiful,” joined forces with the hotel magnate John McEntee Bowman. “The 10-million-dollar project was announced on November 25, 1924,” the hotel says, and in less than 14 months it was unveiled to the public in January 1926. The City’s history page names it the Miami-Biltmore Hotel and gives the formal opening as January 15, 1926.

• The Biltmore's history page: George E. Merrick joined hotel magnate John McEntee Bowman; "The 10-million-dollar project was announced on November 25, 1924, and in less than 14 months, The Biltmore was unveiled to the public amid great fanfare in January of 1926." The hotel says Merrick called his vision "The City Beautiful." The Biltmore Hotel: About / History
• The City's history page says the Miami-Biltmore Hotel, designed by Schultze and Weaver, "formally opened on January 15, 1926." City of Coral Gables: History of Coral Gables

Merrick’s planning team shaped the rest of the city around it. The City credits Denman Fink with the design of landmarks such as the Venetian Pool and City Hall, Phineas Paist with carrying the designs to completion, and Frank Button with the winding drives and tree-lined boulevards. The story is on our history and architecture page.

The tower

The City’s landmarks page says the Biltmore’s 26-story tower is a replica of the Giralda Bell Tower of the Cathedral of Seville, in Spain. The City’s historic preservation guide also names “the Biltmore Hotel lobby and tower suites” among the few interiors in Coral Gables that fall under historic review. Most interior remodeling elsewhere is not reviewed.

• The City's guide says designated properties "are not subject to increased property taxes solely because of their designation"; approved improvements may qualify for a ten-year ad valorem exemption on the value of the improvements from Miami-Dade County and the City. Interior remodeling is generally not reviewed unless tax relief is sought, with a few exceptions such as "the Biltmore Hotel lobby and tower suites." City of Coral Gables: Preserving Our Past (PDF)

The hospital years, the City and the restoration

In the 1940s the War Department used the building as an army hospital, the City says. The hotel adds that it served as an Army Air Forces hospital and as an early site of the University of Miami’s School of Medicine, and both agree it stayed a Veterans Administration hospital until 1968.

The two sources give different years for the handover. The City’s landmarks page says “the City acquired the Biltmore in 1972”; the hotel says “In 1973, the City of Coral Gables was granted ownership of the hotel.” After almost 20 years empty, the City says, it was restored in 1987 as a luxury hotel. The hotel adds that restoration began in 1983, that it reopened in 1987 and closed again in 1990, and that Seaway Hotels Group has run the resort and golf course since 1992.

• The Biltmore says it served as an Army Air Forces hospital and early site of the University of Miami's School of Medicine, and remained a Veterans Administration hospital until 1968. "In 1973, the City of Coral Gables was granted ownership of the hotel"; restoration began in 1983 and it "reopened in 1987", closed in 1990, and since 1992 Seaway Hotels Group has operated the resort and golf course. The Biltmore Hotel: About / History
• Sources differ on the year the City took ownership of the Biltmore: the City landmarks page says "the City acquired the Biltmore in 1972"; the hotel's history says "In 1973, the City of Coral Gables was granted ownership." For the opening, the City's history page gives "January 15, 1926" and the hotel says "January of 1926", so this guide says January 1926. The Biltmore Hotel: About; City of Coral Gables: Historical Landmarks

What a visitor can see

The Biltmore is a working resort, and the hotel decides what is open to non-guests on a given day. This is what the published sources support:

• The tower and the approach. The tower is the landmark the City describes, and the palm-lined drive in our photo leads to it.
• The golf course. The City’s listing describes a restored Donald Ross 18-hole, 71-par course, along with tennis courts and a spa.
• The pool. The City’s listing calls it “the largest hotel pool on the East Coast of the United States.” That is the listing’s claim; we have not checked it.
• Dining, spa and rooms. The hotel sets its own hours and prices, and we do not repeat them here. Ask the hotel.

• The City's Biltmore listing calls its pool "the largest hotel pool on the East Coast of the United States." That is the City's description, not a measurement we could confirm. City of Coral Gables: The Biltmore Hotel

Parking at the Biltmore

The hotel says self-parking is available for a fee in the West Parking Lot, and that “Valet services are $25 daily for visitors and $42 per day for overnight guests. Rates are subject to change.” It does not print the self-parking fee. The hotel is not a City parking facility, so the City’s garage rates and merchant validations do not apply here. City rates for downtown are on our parking page.

• The Biltmore calls itself "a National Historic Landmark located at 1200 Anastasia Ave, Coral Gables, Florida 33134." It says self-parking is available for a fee in the West Parking Lot and "Valet services are $25 daily for visitors and $42 per day for overnight guests. Rates are subject to change." The Biltmore Hotel: About / Getting Here

Pair it with

• The Venetian Pool, 2701 De Soto Boulevard: the City’s 1924 pool, made from a limestone quarry, closed on Mondays.
• Coral Gables City Hall, 405 Biltmore Way: built from 1927 through 1928 to designs by Phineas Paist and Denman Fink, in Mediterranean Revival style using native oolitic limestone, per the City.
• Merrick House, 907 Coral Way: weekend guided tours at 1, 2 and 3 p.m., cash only, adults $5, per the City.

• The City gives City Hall's street address on its Farmers Market page: the market is "located in front of City Hall at 405 Biltmore Way." The City's historical landmarks page says City Hall "was constructed from 1927 through 1928" and was designed by Phineas Paist and Denman Fink in the Mediterranean Revival style, "utilizing the native oolitic limestone." City of Coral Gables: Farmers Market at Merrick Park; City of Coral Gables: Historical Landmarks
• The City lists Merrick House at "907 Coral Way, Coral Gables, FL", phone 305-774-0155. "Guided Tours Are Weekends Only": "Hours for tours: Saturday and Sunday, 1 p.m., 2 p.m., and 3 p.m. No reservation necessary. Cash only." Group tours need two weeks' notice by email to merrickhouse@coralgables.com. City of Coral Gables: Merrick House
• Merrick House tour ticket prices on the City page: "Adults: $5", "Seniors & Military: $3", "Students (over 12): $3", "Students (under 12): $1", "Children (under 6): Free". City of Coral Gables: Merrick House

The day planner puts these in order for the time you have.

Biltmore Hotel FAQ

Dates, rules and hours can change. The organisers have the final word: City of Coral Gables (official site)