I lived at The Ivy Miami for 14 months. Unit 2907. One bedroom, river view, south side. (For specs and the latest floor-plan layouts, see the building’s official website.) I moved in right after summer storms, when the air felt like soup and the sunsets hit pink and gold. So, yeah, I’ve got thoughts.
The vibe, in plain words
It’s a gated condo tower on the Miami River, a short walk from Brickell. You pass a guard booth to get in. Boats slide by all day. Sometimes loud ones. The building feels young and busy, but not wild. Think “work hard, gym after, pool on weekends.” That was me most weeks.
My actual unit
- Layout: Open kitchen, small island, decent closet. The balcony was deep enough for two chairs and a tiny table. I ate breakfast out there with cafecito most days.
- Appliances: Stainless GE set. The oven ran a little hot, so cookies needed less time. Washer/dryer was a stacker in a closet. Loud, but fine.
- AC: Cooled fast. Once the drain clogged and dripped. The building tech came the same day and flushed it. No charge.
- Water pressure: Shower felt strong; hot water never ran out, even when I washed towels back-to-back.
The amenities I used (and the ones I ignored)
- Pool: Big deck, lots of chairs. Sun until mid-afternoon, then some shade. Weekends get busy, but I could still find a spot by 11 am. I did get scolded once for staying past 10 pm. My bad.
- Hot tub, sauna, steam: Yes to all three. Steam room was hit-or-miss. It was down for a week in July, then fixed.
- Gym: Clean, cool, and bright. Life Fitness treadmills, rower, squat rack, and dumbbells up to 75 lbs. Windows face the river. Morning runs felt good there, even when outside felt like a sauna.
- Package room: Luxer lockers. My Amazon stuff was safe. Groceries? I had to grab them fast—no fridge panels.
- Parking: One assigned spot in the garage. Ramps are steep. Guests used paid valet on weekends; not cheap, but smooth.
- Dog life: I don’t have a dog, but my neighbor’s Frenchie, Mango, had his own fan club. There’s a small grassy patch by the river where pups do their thing.
By the way, front desk folks were kind. Carlos knew my name by week two. Lidia handled a weird package mix-up for me and didn’t make me feel dumb.
Location perks (and pain points)
You can walk to Brickell City Centre (official site) in about 10–12 minutes if you cut along the river. I did groceries at Publix near Mary Brickell Village, then Ubered back when the bags got heavy. Whole Foods downtown was about a 15-minute walk for me when it wasn’t raining. If you’re looking for an easy primer on more neighborhoods and things to do around town, skim Miami For Visitors for clear, tourist-friendly rundowns. For a different take on high-rise living up the road, check out my straight-talk review of Quantum Miami. If it rained, forget it—hello, rideshare.
The good:
- Easy to get on I-95. Airport runs were a breeze.
- Brickell food is close: Pura Vida for quick bowls, La Sandwicherie when I wanted late-night bites, and Sagrado for a long brunch.
- MetroMover is nearby, but I mostly walked.
The not so good:
- Boat parties on Saturday. Fun to watch. Not fun at 1 am if you’re a light sleeper on lower floors.
- The highway hum is real if your unit faces north or sits low. My south view helped.
Noise, crowds, and other truths
- Elevators: Morning rush is a thing. I waited 5–8 minutes sometimes, which felt long when my iced coffee had sweat on it already.
- Hall smells: It’s Miami. Sometimes the hall smelled like someone’s dinner. Sometimes like weed. It passed, but it happened.
- Sirens and horns: You’ll hear boat horns some nights. You’ll hear sirens, too. City living, right?
Safety and storms
The building feels safe. Fob use everywhere. Security at the gate. During one huge rain, the river rose and turned brown and fast. The garage stayed dry for me. Windy nights made the balcony whistle, but the glass held firm. Windows are impact-rated, so I didn’t need shutters.
Money and small gotchas
- Electric with FPL ran me about $85/month on average.
- Internet: I used AT&T Fiber 1 Gig for $70/month. Rock solid. Zoom calls never froze.
- Water and trash were included in my rent.
- Move-in: I had to reserve the freight elevator and leave a $250 deposit. Got it back, no fuss.
- Guest rules: Front desk is strict. Put folks on the list or they won’t get up. My cousin learned the hard way.
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Two real hiccups
- One elevator was down for three days in July. Lines formed at 8:30 am. People got grumpy. Me too.
- The pool furniture got a little worn by late spring. Torn corners here and there. They swapped some pieces out a month later.
A quick cheat sheet
What I loved:
- River views and pink sunsets
- Big gym with real weights
- Easy airport drives
- Friendly staff who actually remember you
What bugged me:
- Weekend boat noise
- Elevator waits at peak times
- Steam room downtime
- Strict guest check-ins (which is also a plus, to be fair)
Tips if you’re moving in
- Ask for a south or river-facing unit above the 20th floor. Quieter and better light.
- Reserve the freight elevator early on weekends. Slots go fast at month-end.
- Get two fobs if you live with someone. Sharing one gets old.
- Keep a small fan on the balcony. It helps with bugs on humid nights.
Who it fits
- Young pros who want Brickell nearby but not right on the chaos.
- Gym folks who care about equipment and space.
- Dog owners who like river walks and a quick patch of grass.
- Night-shift workers? Maybe not. The area can buzz late.
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If that all sounds too hectic and you’d rather hear seabirds than sirens, my stay at Grove Isle Miami might be your speed.
Final take
The Ivy Miami isn’t perfect. It’s busy. It’s loud some nights. But it felt like home for me. The staff were kind, the gym worked, the pool soothed my brain, and that balcony breakfast became a little ritual. I left for more space, not because I was unhappy.
I’d give it a solid 4 out of 5. I’d live there again—just give me the river side, a high floor, and those pink sunsets. You know what? I still miss them.