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Virgin continues Florida takeover with plans for new Miami hotel

Sept. 28, 2019
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2 min read
Virgin Voyages Unveils Vitamin Sea with Sir Richard Branson
Virgin continues Florida takeover with plans for new Miami hotel
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Sir Richard Branson's Virgin brand is no stranger to Florida, and the company is continuing its focus on the area with a new Virgin Hotel in Miami, according to the Sun Sentinel.

Virgin currently offers travelers in the area options for air travel, train travel and even a new cruise line based in the region. The newest endeavor will be a Virgin Hotel in Miami's Brickell financial district. The hotel is slated to open in 2023.

Related: Everything We've Learned About Virgin Voyages

Virgin wants to be a one-stop travel retailer for its customers: air travel, high-speed train travel, cruises and hotels. A spokesperson for Virgin told the paper, "Once we have a Virgin hotel in place in Miami, Virgin Atlantic, Virgin Holidays, Virgin Trains and Virgin Voyages will all be working to integrate and promote trips to Florida."

In 2018, Branson acquired a stake in Brightline, the existing passenger train that serves Miami, Fort Lauderdale and West Palm Beach. He is working on rebranding it as Virgin Trains and promised to extend the route to Orlando and Tampa.

Virgin Atlantic, on the other hand, flies to both Orlando and Miami, which is also the home port for its newest venture: cruise ships. The Scarlet Lady is slated to set sail on her maiden voyage next year.

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This latest move from the company makes it clear that Virgin plans to stay focused on Florida for many years to come. The good news for travelers, hopefully, will be the opportunity to book packages with Virgin, allowing customers to bundle travel under the same brand.

Companies have tried this type of vertical travel integration before: For years Pan Am owned and operated the Intercontinental brand of hotels, until it was sold to help keep the airline solvent. Hopefully, Virgin's venture will be more successful.

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Featured image by Getty Images for VIRGIN VOYAGES

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  • You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
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  • $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
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  • Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
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