EPIC Hotel’s water cleared in Legionnaire’s case

by Melanie Nayer on

The water at the EPIC Hotel in Miami has been cleared by the health department, allowing the Miami hotel to reopen and rebook guests.

The EPIC was forced to close and relocate guests two weeks ago after three cases of Legionnaires’ disease — including one death — were discovered from guests who stayed at the hotel.

According to the Miami Herald, the Miami-Dade County Health Department officials said they couldn’t be certain that EPIC was the cause of the death or illnesses, and they will continue to investigate the situation. The department of health conducted a series of tests on the hotel’s water filtration system and it was found clean and safe for drinking on Saturday. The health investigation did discover, however, that the hotel’s filtration system may have been stripping chlorine out of its water, which would have made the system susceptible to waterborne diseases.

During the course of the investigation, the EPIC underwent a major cleaning effort including removing and sanitizing all shower fixtures and installing a new copper-silver ionization filtration system, which is said to disinfect the water and prevent the bacteria that causes Legionnaires’ disease.


[via Miami Herald]

EPIC update: Tourist who died from Legionnaires disease didn’t contract it from hotel

by Melanie Nayer on

Breaking news from the Miami-Dade Health Department says the EPIC hotel is not responsible for the death of a guest who contracted Legionnaires disease.

Earlier this week it was reported that one guest died and two others remain ill after contracting Legionnaires disease from contaminated water at the EPIC Hotel in Miami. However, results of a recent investigation from the health department says differently.

According to a last minute news conference on Wednesday night (Dec. 16, 2009), investigations of the hotel’s water and infiltration system revealed that there is no connection between the EPIC hotel and the bacteria that causes Legionnaires.

USA Today reports, “The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention of Atlanta contacted Miami-Dade Health officials to tell them that testing proved that the strain of legionelle bacteria that affected the patient who died was associated with a different source.”

The EPIC hotel, a member of the Kimpton Hotel family, remains closed while the investigation continues.

EPIC Hotel guest dies after contracting Legionnaire’s Disease

by Melanie Nayer on

The EPIC hotel in Miami has stopped booking new guests after one guest died and two more fell ill from contracting Legionnaire’s Disease at the hotel earlier this fall.

The EPIC, a Kimpton Hotel, has transferred all current guests to nearby hotels while the Miami-Dade Health Department investigates the situation. Legionnaire’s disease is an acute respiratory infection usually contracted from infected water delivery systems.

Earlier this year, the EPIC made efforts to improve its drinking water throughout the hotel. The Miami Herald reports: “An investigation this week by county and state officials revealed that the hotel had installed a water filter powerful enough to remove chlorine from its city-supplied water, a move that encouraged bacterial growth.”

The hotel has been closed indefinitely to new guests but remains open while hotel staff and the health department resolve the issue. The hotel posted a note on its website detailing the precautionary measures currently being taken:

  • Immediate notification and communication of precautionary measures to guests and staff
  • Relocation of guests to area hotels to maximize guest care and minimize inconvenience
  • Efforts underway to notify future guests booked during this time, to make alternative arrangements
  • Worked together with the health department to conduct a thorough inspection of the hotel’s water system
  • Proceeded with all remedial procedures in conjunction with the health department to restore full system operations

There is no immediate reopen date on the hotel’s website.

Story via HotelChatter

Lodge in style at Miami’s EPIC Hotel

by Grant Martin on

Miami is a lavish city. It’s people and beaches are beautiful, the food is tremendous and money and style reign. It takes a special hotel to cater to these traits, a special cut of class that not any old property can fully develop. Kimpton’s EPIC hotel fits this bill perfectly.

Situated on the edge of the Miami river and the Biscane Bay, Kimpton’s EPIC Hotel opened its doors only six months ago and is practically brand spanking new. A sprawling, 54 floor ellipse, the EPIC proudly stands out from the rest of the drab, downtown buildings, glowing white against the sublime Miami skyline.

Each of the 411 rooms is expertly and immaculately appointed, with the nicest sheets on the planet, large, open bathrooms and a private balcony overlooking either the city or the bay.

One of the most useful facets of the rooms is the connectivity. Each is equipped with a desktop computer, where you can log onto the internet, view your current room balance, manage your account or engage in a variety of other activities. You can even select your preferred pillow type for your return trip. If you prefer to work from your bed, you can tune into the free wireless as well, or just relax and watch your giant LCD flat screen TV.
If you’re going to relax though, you should head down to the 16th floor pool deck, where you can currently dock into any of the cabanas circling the pool for free, turn on your personal television and order a few drink as you lounge in the Miami heat. It’s an excellent way to spend the afternoon avoiding work and people watching, but do it soon before the deck gets popular and they start charging for cabanas.

After your swim through one of the two massive swimming pools, you can stop by John Critchely’s Area 31 restaurant for a Mediterranean inspired sea food dish as you gaze out at the sparkling city. Alternatively, the River Lounge on the first floor will cut you a top quality cocktail, as you munch on bar bites and watch patrons pull up to the lounge on their boats from the Miami River.

It’s true – the luxury afforded by the EPIC hotel comes at a price. You’re going to end up paying more for a beautiful room facing the Biscane Bay than you will for a motel on the highway. But the overall experience – the magnificent style, the spacious rooms, the ridiculous pool deck and the wonderful sleep that you’ll get at the EPIC – will be well worth your investment. Check out Kimpton’s website for rates after you go the gallery below.

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