Not so long ago Miami was famous for its popularity among retired snowbirds, who flocked to the South Florida city to escape colder climates. Its other more unfortunate claims to fame were its booming budget holiday market and its organised crime. But this is the past. The cranes lined up along its shoreline are building Miami a new reputation – for ultra-luxury homes.
Over the last two decades Miami has emerged as one of the world's branded-residence capitals. There are, according to research by Savills, almost 40 such buildings in South Florida, with another dozen or so in the pipeline, more than anywhere else in the western world.
The concept was pioneered by leading hotel chains such as Four Seasons, which
