Planning to visit the Miami area in Florida?
Formerly known as the Turnberry Isle Miami (part of Marriott’s Autograph Collection), the new JW Marriott Miami Turnberry Resort was recently renovated and transformed. As part of the renovation, the resort opened a beautiful new water park, complete with 7 waterslides and a triple Flowrider.
Whether you are looking for a family vacation destination in Florida, or are taking a staycation with your kids, the JW Marriott Turnberry Resort is the perfect destination for families. I was there for a two-night stay and really enjoyed my experience.
Disclosure: My visit was complimentary for review as part of a press trip. All opinions are my own. See our water park packing list here for everything you’ll need for a day at the water park.
Review of the JW Marriott Miami Turnberry Resort and Spa and Tidal Cove Water Park
Location of the JW Marriott Miami Turnberry Resort
Located in South Florida between Miami and Fort Lauderdale in the community of Aventura, the JW Marriott Miami Turnberry is convenient for a family vacation. You’ll have the option of flying into either the Fort Lauderdale or Miami airports.
I flew direct from Boston’s Logan Airport to the Fort Lauderdale airport. The ride from the airport to the resort was about 30 minutes. Either airport, however, is convenient, depending on the airline you want to fly. JetBlue, for instance, flies through Fort Lauderdale but not Miami.
Upon my arrival at the resort, I headed to the check-in. My room wasn’t immediately available (I arrived before check-in), so I went to the on-site Starbucks for a quick snack. Once I returned, I received my wristband for the Tidal Cove water park, as well as my room keys.
Rooms at the JW Marriott Turnberry
There are several different towers at the JW Marriott Turnberry, with a total of 685 rooms. This includes the new Orchid Tower. My room was a golf view room in the 325-room Orchid Tower. All of the towers are extremely convenient to all of the resort amenities.
Room types include resort, golf, and ocean view rooms, king rooms, double rooms, and suites. The golf view room I had was absolutely beautiful. I loved sitting on my private balcony overlooking the golf courses.
Rooms include lots of fabulous luxury amenities, including complimentary WiFi, a desk, plenty of outlets for your devices, comfortable beds, large marble bathrooms, a minibar, and Keurig coffee makers.
There’s a convenient lighting system where the lights go off slowly when you turn them off. That way, you have time to get into bed before it’s completely dark. I hadn’t seen this system before, but I really loved it.
Turndown service is offered at the resort. A nightly resort fee includes a shuttle to the nearby beach and Aventura Mall, as well as access to the new Tidal Cove waterpark.
I loved my room – especially the decor. It was bright and modern, and the room was extremely comfortable. There’s so much going on at the resort, so you likely won’t spend too much time in your room. But you’ll enjoy it when you are in the room.
Do you travel with your pets? The JW Marriott Turnberry is a pet-friendly resort, with an additional fee. I saw a few dogs during my stay.
Restaurants at the JW Marriott Miami Turnberry resort
Food is always a big part of any resort experience, and the JW Marriott Miami Turnberry Resort has some of the best resort food I’ve ever had. There are several restaurants on the property.
Starbucks
If you can’t live without your morning caffeine from Starbucks, you are in luck. There’s a Starbucks location right on site, offering the full array of menu items.
Bourbon Steak by Chef Michael Mina
This fantastic restaurant by chef Michael Mina offers delicious steak and seafood entrees. With a selection of mouthwatering appetizers like lobster tacos and duck fat french fries and entrees including lobster pot pie and rib cap steak, Bourbon Steak is definitely a must-visit for a special dinner.
Our group was treated to a selection of appetizers and sides, while we got to choose our own entrees. I had the certified Angus rib cap, and it was the best steak I’ve ever had.
You’ll also want to try the mushrooms and mac and cheese as sides because they are delicious! Bourbon Steak is located right off the lobby.
Corsair Kitchen and Bar
This more casual restaurant offers breakfast, lunch, and dinner. I dined there for breakfast on my last day and enjoyed the avocado toast. There’s also a buffet if you are looking for more options. Lunch options include salads, flatbreads, and sandwiches, while dinner options include shared plates, flatbreads, and entrees.
Soff’s Lobby Bar
This lobby bar, named for Aventura’s founder Don Soffer, offers craft cocktails, beer, and wine. It’s not a place you’ll want to visit with little kids, however. It’s definitely more of an adult bar vibe.
Surf House Bar and Grill
Located right in the Tidal Cove water park, Surf House is a two-story restaurant and bar. It’s resort casual, so you can just put on a coverup and dine there for lunch and early dinner.
We had a few of the meal options from Surf House, and I was so impressed. Everything is fresh and delicious, and the menu goes well beyond standard water park/pool fare. The decor is bright and coastal, perfect for the location.
Freestyle Quick Service
For more casual dining at Tidal Cove, you can pop into Freestyle. They offer grab-and-go options, as well as gelato. Kids are more likely to enjoy the options at Freestyle. It’s nice to have casual food offered right in Tidal Cove, so you don’t have to leave the water park just to eat.
In-Room Dining
Room service is also offered for guests. I ordered my breakfast on the first day from in-room dining, and it was delicious. It arrived within 30 minutes of placing the order and came with a large pot of coffee. It’s always a good option to have room service available.
Amenities at the JW Marriott Turnberry
As a luxury resort, there are lots of great activities for the whole family at the JW Marriott Miami Turnberry. During my stay, I enjoyed a visit to the âme Spa & Wellness Collective, a full-service spa located on the property. The spa includes a fitness center open 24/7 and offers spa and salon treatments.
I got a Thai Muscle Recovery massage, which is an 80-minute treatment that includes acupressure, traditional massage, and treatment with Thai pouches filled with oils and herbs. It was completely relaxing and helped some of the aches I’ve had in my neck.
Guests of the spa can also visit the wellness circuit in the locker room before or after their treatment. The wellness circuit includes a steam room, Himalayan salt room, and a Swiss shower. I had been recovering from bronchitis when I did the wellness circuit, and I felt so much better.
If you are a golfer, there are also two golf courses on property, for a total of 36 holes of golf. These courses include the Soffer course and the Miller course. There’s a pro shop, electric carts, and rental clubs, and private lessons are also offered. Note that the Soffer course is closed for renovation until fall 2019.
Locals can also belong to the country club that is part of the resort. That’s a great way for locals to get access to some of the amenities without needing to stay on property each time.
Looking to travel outside the resort during your stay? The resort fee includes a complimentary shuttle that will take you to the nearby beach as well as the Aventura Mall. The mall does have several restaurants, so it may be a nice place to visit if you are looking to dine elsewhere during your vacation.
In addition to the Tidal Cove water park, there’s also a quieter pool on the property, in the center of the resort. My room overlooked it, and while there were some people in it during my stay, it did appear to be pretty quiet and laid back.
If you’ve got kids aged 4-12, you can also choose to take advantage of the Turnberry Kids’ Club in season. Admission is extra, but there are lots of fun activities for kids including arts and crafts and time at the water park.
You can choose to book for a half-day or full-day of kids’ club. There’s also a weekly rate.
Tidal Cove Water Park at the JW Marriott Miami Turnberry
The highlight to any family vacation at the JW Marriott Miami Turnberry will be the new Tidal Cove water park. Admission to this gorgeous water park is included with the resort fee, and you’ll definitely want to spend much of your time there.
The number of wristbands you receive will be based on the stated number of people in your reservation, so you’ll want to be sure that’s correct when reserving your stay. Resort day passes are also offered.
Guests enter Tidal Cove through a retail shop that offers branded merchandise as well as water park essentials like sunscreen. Once you show your wristband, you can walk through the park to find the area where you want to set up for the day.
Cabanas are also offered for an additional fee and include a refrigerator, locker, and cold beverages. There are twenty-five cabanas that can be booked. Towels and life vests are available to all water park guests.
Within the water park, you’ll find a number of fun activities including a large zero-entry pool and a lazy river. There’s also a 60-foot water slide tower that includes 7 water slides.
I tried out a few of these slides, and my favorite is the Boomerango. On this slide, you’ll ride with your closest friends on a round raft. The raft goes down a steep drop and then shoots back up before plunging into the water. It is so much fun!
There are other water slides for solo riders and duos. Some are much more adventurous than others, so there really is something for everyone. During our stay, the lines were really short so we were able to continuously ride.
Speaking of adventure, Tidal Cove is home to the first triple FlowRider in the US. Thirty-minute lessons on the Flowrider are offered at an additional fee for guests.
Younger kids will love the colorful 4,000-square-foot Kids Cove area of Tidal Cove. This small water area for little kids includes small water slides, splash areas, and a huge ice cream cone that dumps water on an interval. It’s such a cute little area and would be great for kids who are too small for the larger water slides.
There’s also the Oasis Pool, which offers preferred seating at an additional cost for guests. I didn’t visit the Oasis Pool during my visit, and the regular Tidal Cove pool was quiet enough.
I really enjoyed my too-short stay at the JW Marriott Miami Turnberry, and I’d definitely recommend a stay for any family looking for some family fun. With the full water park, delicious restaurants, fantastic spa, and proximity to the beach, there are lots of things for families to enjoy.
To learn more about the resort and water park, visit the JW Marriott Turnberry website and the Tidal Cove website.
