My husband and I arrived very early on a Wednesday morning (6:30am) and the hotel allowed us to check-in and as our room was ready we were able to head straight to our room for some sleep (very tired from an overnight flight). Given that check-in is normally 3pm, we were very happy being able to check in so early in the morning.

The room was very big! Huge bathroom with shower and bathtub and two sinks/basins. Excellent toiletries as well! The bath towels are huge and lovely and soft - it is always great to stay in a new'ish hotel as everything is still nice and new..

The bed is the most comfortable I have ever slept in (and we're frequent travellers) - there is a goose down underlay and doona/duvet on top and the pillows are also goose feather/down, which is so comfortable. The block out shades/curtains and comfortable bedding can result in some decent sleep-ins!

The flat screen plasma is excellent (although ours did make a strange buzzing noise which was kind of annoying) and the balcony is quite big. We had a side view of the ocean which was lovely.

Although there is still quite a bit of construction still going on, it didn't both us one bit - keep in mind that there are several buildings being built around the Gansevoort (a Walgreens directly across the road and also the 'W' hotel is being built next door) - so I think a lot of the noise is actually coming from those sites rather than the Gansevoort itself.

The Roof Top is excellent - there is no charge for the use of the cabanas (which I had read in a previous review) and the pool on level 3 is also very good and plenty of deck chairs/lounge chairs etc. The beach front is another good option for those wanting to soak up the sun and towels are provided everywhere.

We didn't eat and the hotel so can't review the food or the prices, but we bought water from the local Walgreens instead of using the mini bar which worked well for us.

We booked directly through the hotel website and got a very reasonable rate of $195 per night (plus taxes) and we were treated very well...

There is free tea and coffee in the lobby area in the morning until around 10-10:30am, which you can take away, so it's great to pop down and grab a coffee and head back to your room to relax.

The hotel is around a 10-15 min walk to Lincoln Road, and we both really enjoyed the walk on the boardwalk rather than the street to get there.

The food in Miami is excellent (and very reasonably priced) and the El Rancho Mexican restaurant we found to be a standout for both price, food and service.

We spent 5 nights at the Gansevoort and didn't want to leave! Very comfortable, very cool and high recommended! 5 stars from us!

The shower pressure here is amazing, you will want to stay in the shower for 30 minutes. The towels are huge and fluffy and the bath robes are terry lined on the inside, but smooth egyptian cotton on the outside. The beds are extremely comfortable, and the sheet are so soft and luxurious. The only huge complaint I have is that everytime I take a shower, a ton of water leaks out of the stall and about 1/4 to 1/2 of the entire bathroom floor is then covered with water. I've stayed in at least 2 different rooms and it happened both times. I think it's the design of the glass doors, there are no seals to keep the water contained. The slippers are also extremely comfortable and well constructed - not cheap.

Room service is unbelievably expensive. The Ocean Drive Omelet is very good, but beware, there is cheese in it, yet they don't note it on the menu or breakfast slip. Toast doesn't come with the entrees. They should offer oatmeal on the breakfast slip.

The pools are nice, but it's a bit of a far walk to the beach. Right now there is no sundry shop in the hotel, so if you need any toiletries, be prepared to walk 7 long blocks. There is a Walgreens under construction across the street.

When you enter, there is a huge aquarium in the lobby with real fish. I'm sure it was cool as a concept on paper. But the water gets cloudy easily, and fish seemed to be dying every day. I'm sure the maintenance cost exceeds the benefit here. They should have just stuck with a waterfall and called it a day.

Overall, there is great potential for this place to be quite the scene (and worth the $$$$) but they have to fix a few things.

I stayed at the Gansevoort South over July 4th weekend. The Gansevoort South was an excellent experience all around. The staff was incredibly friendly and helpful, from the valets, to the check-in desk attendants, the elevator attendants and the pool personnel. My first night there I was in a city view king and the room was beyond my expectations. I was shocked that what is essentially the base room was so large, spacious and comfortable. The styling was a perfect mix of modern and trendy, yet homey and comfortable. For my next 3 nights I was upgraded to an ocean view suite. The room actually had a full ocean view and a roomy balcony. Many south beach hotel, such as the Shoreclub and the National, offer an ocean view, but you tend to end up with a partial ocean view instead. Room service was quick and the housekeeping staff did an excellent job.

Plunge, the rooftop pool and lounge, is incredible. I spent each day lounging in a day bed and enjoying the pool and the scene, which includes a live D.J. It's quite the scene in the evening as well, though I think I still prefer Skybar as my night time, poolside, South Beach lounge of choice.

The hotel is still not completely opened, but there is more than enough going on to thoroughly enjoy yourself, including two pools, a temporary gym and Philipe Chow restaurant. Further, when South Beach is in season and in full swing come the winter and spring, I can only imagine how insane the place, especially plunge, will be. I'm looking forward to returning.

Me and my husband spent 5 days at the Gansevoort. I read the reviews and knew it was new and still had construction going on - so I was prepared for a little "dust". The hotel was actually in great shape and none of the construction affected us or took away from our stay.

The pluses: The rooftop pool is awesome!!! It is absolutely beautiful with beautiful views. The staff was great and set us up in one of the cabanas at no extra charge, because it was during the week and not busy.

The ambience is great and the furniture around both pools is very cool and fun!

The rooms are GREAT!! Very spacious and the bed is great!! Loved the large flat screen on the wall and all the room in the bedroom and bathroom.

Needs Improvement: We had to wait 2.5 hours to get a room - not real happy about that, since it was raining outside, so we really couldn't go walk around to kill time. Luckily we were able to watch the men's Wimbledon finals at the rooftop bar/pool under cover. Their excuse was it was the 4th of July weekend and they had been at full capacity and were behind getting all the rooms cleaned.

Service varied. They were great when approached, but we had to flag down or go look for servers at the pool. Food is VERY pricey at the pools - 2 chicken sandwiches $50 after food, tax, gratuity

If you are looking for a great hotel to relax and enjoy the ambience of South Beach - I would highly recommend this hotel. I think they are working on getting the kinks worked out. We checked in on a Sunday, (right after 4th of July) and didn't experience any problem with music coming from the rooftop pool.

I would highly recommend this hotel for couples or singles. It is not for small children, at all.