Sunny Isles Beach, a barrier island in North Miami Beach, bordered by chic Aventura to the northwest, elegant Bal Harbour to the south and secluded Golden Beach to the north has been compared to Monte Carlo, the glamorous and ritzy borough in Monaco, home to the famous Le Grand Casino and the opulent palace Hôtel de Paris, a member of The Leading Hotels of the World. Fittingly, the new slogan on Sunny Isles Beach’s public service vehicles, official brochures and flags proudly marks the city to be ‘Florida’s Rivera’. Arguably there are intriguing similarities but as well significant distinctions. Both cities boast the Atlantic Ocean, respectively the Mediterranean Sea as their dramatic backgrounds; also Sunny Isles Beach has its Leading Hotels of the World, the spectacular Acqualina Resort & SPA on the Beach and a casino with poker tables and Las Vegas style-slot machines is only 5 minutes away on the mainland. Donald Trump invested heavily in the city, with six luxurious sky rises bearing his name - the Miami Trump Towers being his trifecta. The Trump Palace and the Trump Royale condos are sensational lifestyle destinations, only available to a selected few and now the city will be flanked by St. Tropez Condominiums, a brand new 3-towers waterfront development at the gateway into the city and adjacent to the planned, futuristic Town Center and City Park complete with amphitheater and pedestrian-friendly parks, water features deluxe shopping and fine restaurants. Monaco is legendary for attracting the rich and famous - so is Sunny Isles Beach. A stroll on the 2 ½ miles-long stretch of sand beach could occur to spotting the Who’s Who in the World. From Russian pop stars to international beacons of industry, novelist, artists, movie producers, actors and actresses, sports celebrities, Congressman and women: Irina Allegrova, Alicia Keys, Enrique Iglesias, Terrell Owens, Sammy Sosa, George Hamilton and Barbara Streisand who made the Turnberry Ocean Colony famous and even the Clintons, are rumored to own a condo in town, to name but a few. And what greater incidental similarity to Monaco could there be: Grace Kelly, the American Academy Award winning actress who went on the marry Prince Rainier of the Principality wintered at the Golden Strand Hotel in Sunny Isles Beach. Whereas South Beach is the Mecca for crowds that could be described as young Wall Street successes, socialites, and ultimate-party-goers, Sunny Isles Beach is attracting a more subdued type of resident. Grocery shopping in Monaco can be stylish – so can it be in Sunny Isles Beach. Epicure, the town’s Gourmet Market and Café welcomes its shoppers with valet service. Browsing through the aisles feels like being transported to a European connoisseur market. From Caviar to Foie Gras in Port Wine, the best fresh pastries in town to a delectable assortment of fresh produce, exotic meats and luxurious flowers. Epicure’s very own wine steward will make sure that only the best collections are stocked and available for home delivery. And as Monaco is one of the number one tourist destinations in Europe, Sunny Isles Beach earned the rank to be # 1 of the Top 10 tourist destinations in the US with more than 1 million visitors a year - according to Tripadvisor’s Travelcast. |