Our Independent Review of The Residences at Mandarin Oriental Miami

Article Overview

In this article we cover

1. Introduction and Basic Information of the Mandarin Oriental Residences Miami
2. The Unique Island Location
3. The floor plans
4. The Team Behind this project
5. The Pros of this project and who should buy
6. The cons and who this condo is not for
7. The Price Analysis
8. Characteristics of High Performing Condos
9. My conclusions

1. Introduction to The Residences at the Mandarin Oriental in Brickell, Miami

2. The Unique Island Location

The Residences at Mandarin Oriental. are situated on a 5-acre island in the middle of the bay, which gives it plenty of space – something unique in Brickell. With abundant waterfront land, they don’t need to compromise by putting a pool on the roof or skimping on space. There is ample ground space with greenery, along with seven pools, bars, and a Michelin-starred restaurant on-site. This setup ensures uninterrupted views that won’t be blocked by anything in the future. Plus, the surroundings are pristine – no obstructed views or disturbances. It’s a peaceful island with a resort-like atmosphere and plenty of green areas, yet just a three-minute journey from the bustling financial district, restaurants, bars, and shops.

3. Floor Plans

Every unit in this condo offers a great view – a rarity in even the best condos where some floor plans may offer less desirable views or layouts. At Mandarin Oriental Residences, while some floor plans may be better than others, there are no bad options, and all units boast fantastic views. The choice here is more about your preference: water views alone or a combination of water and city vistas. If you prefer smaller units, the 04 and 05 lines are available.

The absence of smaller units in this condo makes it less likely to be used as a rental property, reflecting in the overall quality. The units are spacious, with larger residences found higher up in the building, featuring extensive balconies, high ceilings, and top-notch finishes. Sizes range from 2300 to 5800 square feet, excluding the penthouses.

Our Preferred Floor Plans

Our favorite floor plans are the corner residences; the 01 line and the 02 lines. Both offer 3 or 4 bedrooms, at least 3,200 SF, deep balconies, and a well-considered flow and private elevators. Depending on the tier, they offer varying perspectives – the 01 line showcases more of the Brickell coastline, while the 02 line captures expansive water views, extending towards Miami Beach. It will be a brighter unit as it has more sun exposure during the entire day. In Tier 3 (From the 48th Floor ) floor plans provide 180-degree views, encompassing both city and beach scenes.

Typically, low-floor units in other buildings may suffer from obstructions, street noise, or other disturbances. However, this is not the case here. There’s no traffic, neighboring condos, or unwanted noise, and these units are elevated, ensuring peace and quiet. Additionally, the condo boasts beautiful gardens, adding to the tranquil ambiance.

4. The Team Behind the Mandarin Oriental Residences in Miami Brickell

This project is brought to life through a groundbreaking collaboration with an acclaimed global design team. Each member of the team is a leader in their respective fields.

• Development: Swire Properties
• Services and Brand Name: Mandarin Oriental
• Architect: Kohn Pederson Fox Associates (KPF)
• Interior Design: Tristan Auer Paris
• Hotel Interiors: Laura Gonzalez Paris
• Landscape Architecture:  Shma.

The developer, Swire, has an impressive history spanning 200 years of building in Asia and the US. They are responsible for creating Brickell Key and every condo on it, along with the Brickell City Center mall. Swire is financially independent and has a solid reputation for delivering high-quality projects. Swire’s approach is to promise less and deliver more. This final spot on Brickell Key was chosen for a special reason – they aim to create a prestigious property that offers exclusivity, privacy, and an island experience. The Residences at Mandarin Oriental is a flagship project that must uphold its reputation. Mandarin Oriental also has its reputation at stake. SWIRE has partnered with Moss Construction, a top construction company in South Florida, to bring its vision to life. Swire has a dedicated team overseeing the project’s quality, ensuring it meets their high standards. Although it’s a costly and time-consuming process, Swire believes it’s worth it to achieve luxury and quality. Their goal is to set a new standard of excellence for the city.

5. The Pros of the Mandarin Oriental Residences Brickell

1. Targeted towards End Users. This project is solely targeting end-users who want functionality and space, a true home in the sky. This project caters to the new breed of luxury buyers from the Northeast who value space, functionality, and privacy. There are no badly designed floor plans or small floor plans and this project is not likely to attract investors looking to rent this unit out.
2. The luxury of space. The residences and hotel components will be built on a 5-acre lot in the middle of the bay. Despite having just 60 hotel units and 220 private residences, the development boasts a substantial footprint, providing a genuine and legitimate ‘resort’ style environment.
3. Privacy and security. The private access to the residences will have a guard gated access so the residences will only allow access to residences and invitees. Since the residences only offer 220 units and are accessible by elevator the project offers a strong element of price. Because of its large footprint and distance from other condos, this condo provides lots of privacy. In addition, the residents can enjoy the amenities of the Mandarin Oriental hotel, but hotel guests or condo hotel owners are not allowed to use the amenities of the residences.
4. Views. Because of the location of these condos, the views are unparalleled. All units have water views it is just a matter of taste; do you prefer pure water or also city views? Besides the smaller 2 bedrooms (04line) in the lower parts of the tower (floor 26 and lower), all views are unobstructed. The residents and hotel are built in such a way that they don’t look into one another. While in the rest of Brickell, you never know what will be built in the future, the views of the Mandarin Oriental can never get worse.
5. The team behind this project is the best in class. The developer has an excellent track record and built all of Brickell Key. Swire Properties has established a commendable reputation in the Miami real estate market, and the dedicated team involved in this project excels in their respective fields
6. An Established Brand: Hospitals branded condos tend to outperform all other condos, which you can read later in this article. Within the hospitality-branded condos, the cherry on the cake is those that come with a hotel on site that is not WITHin the residential tower.
7. Waterfront Island Location with unobstructed water and city views. These residences will be located in an incredibly lush area on 5 acres of land. This is not possible anywhere else in Brickell. Brickell Key represents a true tropical oasis and is therefore quite different from the rest of Brickell which is more like a concrete jungle.

6. The Cons of the Mandarin Oriental Residences Brickell

Not all condos work for everyone and there is always a downside to anything

1. It’s not cheap for Brickell and you won’t find a condo here for less than $4M
2. It won’t be ready till 2028
3. The Brickell neighborhood is busy. You might be secluded on the island but once you step on the mainland there might be traffic and noise (Manhattan style)

7 The Price analysis

The Mandarin Oriental Residences are selling for around $2,200 per SF. Within the Brickell neighborhood, these prices have never been achieved because a project like this has never been delivered before. The combination of exceptional services, expansive footprint, prime location, and high-end finishes sets it apart from any other project. Comparisons to other projects in Brickell are challenging as this one is unique and brand new. In Brickell, where 80% of the market consists of rental properties, most offerings are mid-level products. To accurately assess the pricing of Mandarin Oriental Residences, it should be compared to similar, unparalleled products. This project is incomparable and cannot be replicated, making it stand out in the market.

8 Miami’s Highest Appreciation Condos

In a recent study, we conducted a thorough comparison between hospitality-branded condos and the broader non-branded condo market. The results unveiled a superior performance by hospitality-branded condos compared to the overall market. When a condo is affiliated with a hospitality brand, particularly in the ultra-luxury sector, maintaining credibility is paramount for the brand. This is because such brands, deeply rooted in the service industry, cannot afford to compromise on their core offerings.

In addition, we revealed the top 5 Miami luxury condos with the highest appreciation over time. What do they all share in common? They possess a strong resort element, boasting ample land space to accommodate a wide range of amenities. These condos offer a perfect blend of privacy and exclusivity without compromising on size or becoming excessively boutique. Additionally, condos with spacious floor plans, well-designed flow-through layouts, and excellent architectural flow tend to perform exceptionally well. Finally, water views are preferred but variety is also essential. The top choice of unit is one where you see BOTH water and the city.

The Residences at Mandarin Oriental possess all the characteristics that make a project stand out and compete in the luxury market, The project prioritizes large floor plans, white-glove service, and views while being located on a large 5-acre lot.  The inclusion of a hotel component allows the project to offer this level of service at scale, making it both feasible and affordable. This project is non-replicable due to a combination of unique, value-adding elements.

9 My Conclusions

Why Should You Buy a Miami Pre-Construction Condo with the David Siddons Group

We enjoy full super-broker status with most of the developments. This means we get first access to information and inventory. As super brokers, we enjoy all the benefits of having this status but by using us you still get independent advice. We are not limited to just one project and are therefore providing you with what the entire market has to offer. We provide you with the pros and cons of the location and the floor plans and we will compare prices with other new and resale condos. There are subtle nuances when it comes to buying pre-construction and therefore it is essential you work with an independent agent who has 17+ years of experience in selling pre-construction. We know the reputation of developers, we know what to look out for and we know what questions to ask.

I have sold hundreds of new construction condos and resale condos over my career. I have provided independent advice about the new condo market for over a decade and I have observed consistent patterns and trends over that time. My experience will not only guide you towards the best unit but also protect you from terrible mistakes. I challenge you to quiz me on any building in any market. I will honestly give you the good, the bad, and the ugly no matter what the cost.

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