Apogee vs Continuum vs Ritz-Carlton Residences in South Beach: Views & exposure
Quick Summary
- Apogee’s 67 residences favor low-density, flow-through sunrise-to-sunset
- Continuum’s ~12-acre gated oceanfront grounds shape layered coastal views
- Ritz-Carlton Residences South Beach offers boutique scale with 30 residences
- In all three, stack, floor, and orientation decide the real view experience
Views are a product, not a perk
In Miami Beach luxury living, the view is rarely an afterthought. It is the primary deliverable-and for many buyers, the most defensible reason a residence feels irreplaceable. Yet “views” remains one of the most misunderstood lines in a listing description. Oceanfront does not automatically mean expansive. Bay-facing does not automatically mean sunset. And a high floor does not automatically guarantee a clean horizon.
In South of Fifth (Sofi), three names consistently anchor the conversation around exposure: Apogee, Continuum on South Beach, and The Ritz-Carlton Residences® South Beach. Each sits differently within the Miami Beach landscape, and those differences show up in the light at breakfast, the afternoon color temperature, and the level of privacy you feel on a terrace.
This is not a verdict on which building is “best.” It is a buyer-oriented way to understand what you are actually purchasing when you purchase view lines.
Apogee: tip-of-the-island drama with flow-through planning
Apogee holds a prized position at 800 South Pointe Drive, at the southern tip of Miami Beach’s South of Fifth area. That geography matters. When a building sits on a point rather than mid-block, view corridors can read as more open and more cinematic-especially when the residence is oriented toward water.
Apogee is a 22-story condominium with 67 residences, a low-density profile by South Beach standards. Fewer residences typically means fewer competing sightlines, fewer neighbors per floor, and-often-more perimeter devoted to glass, terraces, and corner conditions.
Apogee is widely described as “flow-through,” a layout approach intended to capture exposures from opposite sides of the residence. The practical implication is simple and highly valuable: you can live with water and skyline from different rooms, not just from a single living-room window. At its best, flow-through planning turns sunrise and sunset into part of the home’s daily rhythm, with morning light arriving from one side and warmer late-day light arriving from the other.
For buyers comparing Miami Beach inventory beyond Sofi, it can be useful to contrast Apogee’s point-of-land exposure with more linear beachfront settings. A project like 57 Ocean Miami Beach, for example, reflects a different relationship with the Atlantic: direct, coastline-forward, and often shaped by how a building addresses the beach edge rather than a tip-of-island panorama.
Continuum on South Beach: layered views across a gated oceanfront campus
Continuum on South Beach presents a different proposition. It is a large, gated oceanfront community on roughly 12 acres, with two towers: the South Tower at 40 stories and the North Tower at 37 stories. The unit count is correspondingly substantial, with 318 units in the South Tower and 203 in the North Tower.
For view and exposure, that scale changes the equation. Instead of a single building maximizing openness around a point, Continuum offers a campus-like composition where ocean, landscaping, and amenity grounds can all sit in the same frame. Depending on tower, stack, and elevation, a residence may look across a layered foreground of curated green space and pools, then the beach, then the Atlantic beyond. For many buyers, that depth reads as resort-calibrated and calming, with a sense of dimension that pure “glass to ocean” towers do not always deliver.
The tradeoff of a larger community is variability. With more units and more stacks, outcomes can swing widely. Two residences in the same tower can present very different horizons and privacy levels based on their relationship to the grounds, nearby structures, and how the towers sit within the 12-acre footprint. Here, due diligence is not optional: your preferred view is not simply a building feature; it is a unit feature.
If your lifestyle priorities lean toward privacy, gates, and a clearly defined internal environment, Continuum’s framework often resonates. That same preference profile may also explore other gated-community concepts elsewhere in South Florida, including newer master-planned luxury offerings such as Continuum Club & Residences North Bay Village, which appeals to buyers who value a contained residential ecosystem.
The Ritz-Carlton Residences® South Beach: boutique-scale views with a hotel-adjacent sensibility
The Ritz-Carlton Residences, South Beach is positioned as a new luxury condominium concept, with dedicated residences marketed separately from the hotel. For view and exposure, the headline is its boutique scale: it is planned for 30 residences.
A 30-residence building typically signals a more individualized product. While the lived experience still depends on orientation and floor plan, boutique inventory often supports the sense that terraces, sightlines, and interior-to-exterior transitions were treated as primary design decisions-not merely consequences of a stack. Public marketing emphasizes ocean and Miami Beach views as a core part of the residential offering, reinforcing that the building is selling the visual experience as much as the address.
For Sofi buyers who value hospitality polish but want the privacy and ownership benefits of a dedicated residence, this format can feel like a best-of-both-worlds solution. It is also a reminder that “exposure” includes more than what you see from inside the unit. It includes what you see and feel as you move through the property: the approach, the lobby, the amenity deck, and the emotional temperature of the common areas.
In the broader Miami Beach market, buyers cross-shopping boutique, service-forward residences often include similarly curated concepts like Shore Club Private Collections Miami Beach, where the promise is not just a view, but a particular way of living with it.
How to evaluate “views & exposure” like a seasoned buyer
Luxury buyers rarely regret paying for a view they truly use. They do regret paying a premium for a view that only works from one spot, at one time of day, behind one set of shades. When touring Apogee South Beach, Continuum on South Beach, or The Ritz-Carlton Residences® South Beach, use these buyer-first filters.
1) Sunrise vs sunset is not a slogan
Apogee’s location and flow-through planning are positioned around the ability to enjoy both sunrise and sunset. That can be a meaningful differentiator if you want a day-long light story. In practice, verify where the primary living areas face and where the bedrooms face. Some buyers prefer morning light in bedrooms and softer afternoon light in living rooms; others want the reverse.
2) “Flow-through” should be experienced, not assumed
Flow-through is strongly associated with Apogee and, when executed well, can deliver dual-aspect drama and cross-ventilation potential. But the feel of flow-through is also about proportion: the distance between glass lines, the width of the terrace, and how the plan frames corners. Walk the space and confirm whether it reads as panoramic, or as two separate viewpoints.
3) Layered views can be a luxury feature
At Continuum, the amenity grounds and beachfront orientation can produce a view that is as much “resort landscape” as “ocean horizon.” If you expect to spend time in common areas, that becomes part of your visual lifestyle. If you prefer a more minimal composition, prioritize stacks and elevations that reduce foreground activity.
4) Variability increases with unit count
Continuum’s 521 total units across two towers creates real diversity in view outcomes. That can be an advantage if you want options, but it also means you cannot generalize from a single tour or a single friend’s unit. Evaluate each candidate residence as its own product.
5) Boutique scale often emphasizes individuality, but still verify orientation
The Ritz-Carlton Residences® South Beach, at 30 residences, suggests a more bespoke feel. Still, boutique does not automatically equal “best view.” It typically means fewer units-not guaranteed superior exposure. Request the floor plan, confirm where the primary glazing sits, and then measure that against how you actually use the space.
What different buyer profiles tend to prefer
There is no universal winner, but there are consistent patterns.
If you want a South of Fifth address that reads intimate and view-forward, Apogee’s low-density profile and tip-of-the-island position can feel well-suited to buyers who prioritize privacy in their sightlines and a strong indoor-outdoor rhythm. The building’s identity is closely tied to flow-through living and dual-aspect exposure.
If you value a gated oceanfront environment with substantial amenity grounds, Continuum on South Beach often fits buyers who treat the property as a full-time lifestyle campus, not simply a place to sleep between dinners. In this frame, the view is both private and communal, spanning the residence and the broader 12-acre experience.
If you gravitate toward ownership with a hospitality-minded atmosphere, The Ritz-Carlton Residences® South Beach may appeal to buyers who want a newer, boutique-scale offering where the view is part of a curated daily routine.
Elsewhere in South Florida, buyers who want similarly design-led, view-emphasized living-but in a different coastal context-sometimes look north toward curated oceanfront settings like Oceana Bal Harbour, where the relationship between architecture and water takes on a distinct tone.
Decision checklist: questions to answer before you make an offer
A view premium should attach to a view you can defend-emotionally and financially. Before you commit, make sure you can answer these questions without hesitation.
First, identify the non-negotiable direction of your daily life. Are you a sunrise person, a sunset person, or both? Second, decide whether you want a pure horizon or a layered foreground that includes landscaped grounds and amenity activity. Third, confirm whether the view is enjoyable from multiple rooms, or only from the terrace.
Finally, remember that in Sofi, the view is inseparable from the site plan. Apogee’s tip-of-the-island address, Continuum’s large campus, and The Ritz-Carlton Residences® South Beach’s boutique footprint create three different sightline economies. Choose the one that aligns with how you actually live.
FAQs
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Does Apogee South Beach have flow-through residences? Apogee is widely described as a flow-through building, designed to capture exposures from opposite sides.
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Where is Apogee located in Miami Beach? It is located at 800 South Pointe Drive in the South of Fifth area.
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How tall is Apogee and how many residences does it have? Apogee is a 22-story condominium with 67 residences.
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Is Continuum on South Beach a gated community? Yes, it is a gated oceanfront community set on roughly 12 acres.
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How many towers are at Continuum on South Beach? Continuum consists of two towers: a 40-story South Tower and a 37-story North Tower.
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How many units are in Continuum’s towers? The South Tower has 318 units and the North Tower has 203 units.
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What kind of view experience can Continuum offer beyond the unit? Its beachfront amenities and grounds can shape layered coastal views from common areas as well.
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How many residences are planned at The Ritz-Carlton Residences® South Beach? It is planned as a boutique-scale building with 30 residences.
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Are ocean and Miami Beach views central to The Ritz-Carlton Residences® South Beach? Yes, public marketing emphasizes ocean and Miami Beach views as a core selling point.
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What is the most important variable across these buildings when comparing views? Stack, floor, and orientation typically determine the real exposure more than the name on the lobby.
For a confidential assessment and a building-by-building shortlist, connect with MILLION Luxury.
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