Rock On

South Florida’s answer to Las Vegas, the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Hollywood is creating even more buzz these days: It just wrapped up a long-awaited $1.5 billion expansion that has visitors humming a happy tune. 

The not-to-be-missed playlist begins with the Guitar Hotel. The world’s first guitar-shaped hotel tower, it reaches 450 feet high – with beams of light shooting into the night sky that can be seen from Miami Beach to Boca Raton. The tower, an architectural and engineering masterpiece resembling back-to-back guitars, features 638 new luxury guest rooms and suites. 

But that’s only one part of the new development. Owned by the Seminole Tribe of Florida, the resort also unveiled a new spa, 13.5 acres of recreational waterscape, new gaming areas, premier meeting and convention space, a state-of-the-art entertainment venue and new retail shops in October.

The original structures have their own special vibe, too: The 168-room Oasis Tower gives guests the option of a room with a spectacular view of the guitar tower or an exclusive swim-up suite.

Hotel rooms, many with balconies, are equipped with luxury amenities (Egyptian cotton sheets, plush bathrobes and Sweetgrass Collection body products) with a Hard Rock touch, of course. Guitars are available to rent for those who want to rock out during their visit. Guests will also find contemporary hardwood furniture, HD flat-screen TVs, mood lighting, a sound system and complimentary internet access.

One of the biggest attractions is the 13.5-acre water experience, offering three waterfalls; a beach; private villas with plunge pools; and watersports like kayaking and paddleboarding. Then, in the dreamy Bora Bora-style lagoon, you’ll be transported to the South Pacific while traversing wood boardwalks to reach private overwater cabanas.

Tranquility, for guests who seek more of it than they can get lounging around the pool, can be found in the resort’s 42,000-square-foot Rock Spa. A range of wellness offerings is available as well as a 3,600-square-foot salon and a 3,200-square-foot fitness center. The music-centric spa even infuses vibrations into its treatments (try the Synchronicity, a pulsating massage featuring a masterfully blended soundtrack). 

If you like to shop on your getaways, explore the 26,000-square-foot promenade of storefronts, including Davidoff of Geneva, Psycho Bunny, Sharper Image and Wentworth Gallery.

For those who come to play, a new 30,000-square-foot gaming area is equipped with nearly 200 table games, 3,100 slot machines and a 45-table poker room. (Non-smoking areas are available.) Table games are helmed by live dealers, and guests can play Blackjack, Mini-Baccarat, Pai-Gow Poker, Three-Card Poker, Casino War, Texas Hold ’Em, Spanish 21 and Let It Ride.

Worked up an appetite? You’re in luck – dining options abound. Council Oak Steaks & Seafood, a staple at the resort, serves classic steakhouse fare. Overlooking a pool and waterfalls, the newly designed space features an open kitchen; an in-house butcher shop; and a dry-aging room outfitted with pink Himalayan salt walls, multilevel seating and a glass-enclosed wine room with the restaurant’s award-winning selection of more than 400 labels.

New restaurants include Cipresso, an Italian-American eatery, and Abiaka, showcasing the culinary technique of fuel grilling, inspired by South Florida’s bold flavors.

Last, but certainly not least, are the Hard Rock’s entertainment offerings, including the new 7,000-seat Hard Rock Live, which hosts celebrity performances, award shows, sporting events and nationally televised programs.

Bars and lounges include the intimate L Bar; the Center Bar, sporting an 18-karat-gold sculptural design; and the Kuro Bar, which specializes in handcrafted cocktails divided into five categories based on the basic tastes: sweet, sour, bitter, salty and umami.

New to the nightlife mix is Entice, an upscale lounge with three bars and a high-energy dance club with DJs and VIP bottle service. And don’t miss Oculus, in the hotel lobby, being touted as the place to see and be seen. 

Those who visit the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Hollywood will find that, after its makeover, the iconic resort has more star power than ever before. O

Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Hollywood is located at 1 Seminole Way.  For more information, call 866-502-7529 or visit seminolehardrockhollywood.com.