The 14 Most Luxurious Hotels in Miami
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https://www.cntraveler.com/gallery/best-hotels-in-miami
Nikki Beach
Four Seasons/Surf Club
St. Regis Bal Harbour
Setai
Faena
Nobu
Soho Beach House
Betsy
Como
Ritz Carlton Key Biscayne
W South Beach
1 Hotel South Beach
The Palms
Fontainebleu
Acqualina
Edition
The air is getting crisp and the sun just doesn’t soak, drip, or drench you the way it did before Labor Day. Have you unplugged your air conditioner yet? Yes, sweater weather is upon us, and very soon we’ll be layering up to shovel our driveways. That means it’s also time to book a trip to Miami, a city in a tropical climate that continues to be the ultimate magnet for American snowbirds with its sandy beaches, sketchy nightclubs, and unrivaled people-watching perches. It also boasts arguably the greatest collection of luxury beach hotels in the world.
There are close to 185 hotels in the 15.2 square-mile area that makes up Miami Beach—an astonishing 60 percent of which are located in South Beach, a design mecca with original Art Deco buildings that line Ocean Drive and Collins Avenue—with more coming soon, including ones from the likes of Aman and Bulgari.
With so many choices, selecting a hotel seems like a Herculean labor unless you know how to look. “When choosing a hotel in Miami, it’s best to determine how you want to feel during the stay,” says Misty Belles, an executive at luxury travel consortium Virtuoso. “Are you there as a couple, with kids, or with friends? Do you want to see and be seen or hide away and relax?” Miami has many options for either and many things in between. Just make sure that the property has the services and amenities you’re looking for. “For instance, if the beach is where you plan to spend your days,” Belles says. “check that the hotel has a designated section for guests with food and beverage service.”
Still unsure? We have you covered. Here are the 14 best beach hotels in Miami.
Acqualina Resort and Residences
Let’s start off with a gorgeous oceanfront Sunny Isles property designed for sunbathers who prefer to be far from the disco din of Miami Beach proper. With its three pools and private beach, it’s the place to take a much-needed chill pill.
1 Hotel South Beach
If you like your luxury beach hotels eco-friendly, then this is the place for you. The holy trinity of green-living buzzwords—organic, reclaimed, and sustainable—is fully represented here in the bedding, food offerings, and furnishings. Enjoy the view of infinity with an exceedingly small carbon footprint.
Fontainebleau
This is where James Bond famously stayed in Goldfinger. With a pedigree that cool, there’s really nothing else to be said.
Faena Hotel
This was the most-discussed hotel for several years leading up to its opening in 2015, and it would turn out to be totally worth the hype. Almost a decade later, it’s still the buzziest, most decadent beachfront properties in Miami. You know you want to take a selfie in front of the golden woolly mammoth sculpture by Damien Hirst.
The Setai
Known for its mixture of East Asian aesthetics housed in an Art Deco skeleton, it is a feast for the eyes, and a luxurious one at that.
The Miami Beach Edition
The Edition opening was another one people were glued to. The brainchild of real estate magnate and Studio 54 co-owner (and codefendant) Ian Schrager, this Collins Avenue lodestar features a signature scent of black tea and bergamot and a neon-colored bowling alley.
The Palms
It’s not just a clever name. While walking from the hotel to the beach, you’re constantly under a canopy of palm branches. Located in north Miami Beach, this is the place for you if you’re looking for peace and quiet.
Nikki Beach
It’s written somewhere that you have to stay at Nikki Beach once before you die. The South Beach classic opened in 1998 and has been a destination for snowbirds looking for an all-in-one stay-and-play concept with its beachfront location and resident DJs.
Four Seasons at the Surf Club
For all the children of history, the Surf Club is a mecca. Among its most famous guests were the duke and duchess of Windsor, Elizabeth Taylor, Frank Sinatra, the shah of Iran (OK, maybe not a selling point), and many more. The Joseph Dirand–designed hotel residences ain’t too shabby either.
Mondrian South Beach
It’s South Beach without being South Beach. Located on the Bay of Biscayne side, it’s a Marcel Wanders–designed haven from the hubbub of its oceanside neighbors, a few minutes’ car-ride to the east. It’s where you stay if you want to come home from the beach—not live at it.
Nobu Hotel at Eden Roc
The Rockwell Group took inspiration from Japanese design—neutral colors and silk cherry blossom wallcoverings—for the calming interiors of this Robert De Niro–backed ode to chef Nobu Matsuhisa. Obviously, aside from the beachfront, the culinary sitch is the main draw here.
Soho Beach House
Hoping to find Annabelle Bronstein’s membership card in the loo? Try your luck here at the Miami outpost of the buzzy British collection of private club hotels. We hope your English accent is better than Samantha Jones’s.
W South Beach
The 400 rooms here are huge, and all come with balconies and jaw-dropping views. There are dozens of Warhols on display, and celebrity-spotting is like shooting fish in a barrel. All that before you even get to your chaise on the beach.
The Betsy Hotel
The interior design is more Savannah than Miami Beach, and the vibe is less Spring Break! and more “Pardon me, do you have any Grey Poupon?” which makes it stand out from the competition.
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