Key West hotels and one in Sunny Isles Beach made Tripadvisor’s Best of the Best list

Connie Ogle
·2 min read

Tripadvisor has turned its attention to hotels and resorts. And in South Florida, it likes what it sees.

Four local hotels have made the travel website’s Traveler’s Choice Best of the Best Awards for Hotels in a couple of different categories, which is not surprising, considering Tripadvisor recently reported that Key West and Miami Beach are two of the top travel destinations in the U.S. this summer.

Acqualina Resort & Spa in Sunny Isles Beach came in fifth on the list of the 25 highest-rated hotels in the United States. Accolades are becoming somewhat routine for the luxury oceanfront property. Most recently it was named the best resort in the continental U.S. by U.S. News & World Report. It also made the Forbes 5-Star list earlier this year.

Acqualina was the only Florida hotel on the top 25 list. Tripadvisor’s favorite hotel in the country? Mint House at 70 Pine in New York City.

Two Key West hotels were also singled out for Tripadvisor honors. The Gardens Hotel was ranked No. 10 on the Most Romantic Hotels in the U.S. list, with The H20 Suites Hotel in Key West at No. 13. Other Florida hotels noted for their romantic atmosphere are the Port d’Hiver in Melbourne Beach and the Marker 8 Hotel & Marina in St. Augustine.

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Havana Cabana at Key West is the “most saved” hotel in the world (that means it’s the spot the most Tripadvisor users have put on their bucket lists).
Havana Cabana at Key West is the “most saved” hotel in the world (that means it’s the spot the most Tripadvisor users have put on their bucket lists).

The Gardens Hotel in Key West also made the Best Small Hotels in the U.S. list (No. 12) as did the Black Dolphin Inn in New Smyrna Beach and the Port d’Hiver in Melbourne Beach.

Tripadvisor also paid tribute to the “most saved” hotels, which are resorts travelers added most often to their bucket lists. The top bucket list hotel in the world was Havana Cabana at Key West. The Palms Hotel & Spa in Miami Beach was No. 4 on the U.S. most saved list.

The Palms Hotel & Spa in Miami Beach.
The Palms Hotel & Spa in Miami Beach.

The website based its rankings on the quality and quantity of traveler reviews and ratings posted on Tripadvisor between Jan. 1 and Dec. 31, 2020. It also added new rankings this year: Hottest New Hotels (properties that opened in July 2019 or later), Top Rooftop Hotels, Safari Stays and Picture-Perfect Hotels.

“As the world gears up for a busier summer travel season, Tripadvisor’s highly coveted Best of the Best Awards are here to help people discover spectacular places to stay as they start planning their long-awaited next trip,” said Lindsay Nelson, chief experience and brand officer at Tripadvisor, in a press release.

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The Gardens Hotel in Key West.
The Gardens Hotel in Key West.