Miami Hotel Guide

Miami is a vibrant, colurful, multifaceted city – and that’s reflected in its ever-evolving hotel scene. Style-wise, you can take your pick between 24-carat opulence, family-friendly playgrounds and cool, contemporary chic. There’s just as much choice on the location front, whether you fancy basing yourself by the beach, heading downtown or opting for an exclusive island escape. Not sure where to start? Allow us to help with a selection of 10 hotels part of Fine Hotels + Resorts. 

 

 

Mandarin Oriental, Miami

 

A short bridge connects Brickell (Miami’s buzzing financial district) to the man-made island of Brickell Key, home to the Mandarin Oriental. Guests, therefore, get easy access to Downtown plus the extra feeling of exclusivity and seclusion that comes with being set apart from the mainland. They also get a great view back across the water to the skyscrapers on the other side. Take a seat on the expansive terrace at La Mar by Gastón Acurio and you can take it all in while enjoying authentic Peruvian cuisine – the signature ceviches and speciality cocktails are always a popular option. Rooms are spacious and understated, with calm colours, contemporary artworks and marble bathrooms, and each one has a balcony with a view, either back towards the Miami skyline or out across the bay. The hotel facilities are not to be missed either, with fitness rooms and outdoor pool deck. In the award-winning spa, treat yourself to a Time Rituals treatment – you book in for two or three hours and get thoroughly pampered with a combination of treatments customised specifically for you. The hotel also has rental bikes with suggested routes, and an audio walking tour of the island, which you can follow at your own leisurely pace. 

 

500 Brickell Key Drive, Miami, Florida, 33131


The St. Regis Bal Harbour Resort

 

Walking into a deluxe room at the beachfront St. Regis, you might think the check-in staff have kindly upgraded you to a suite. But no – the entry level rooms really are that large, more like an urban apartment than a standard hotel room. You’ll find walk-in wardrobes, lavish bathrooms and private balconies with lounge chairs and ocean views. Directly across the road from the hotel is Bal Harbour Shops, a swanky open-air mall filled with stores from high-end designer labels, and the hotel itself is home to renowned boutiques such as The Vault and 120% Lino. Unsurprisngly, the hotel facilities are impressive, from the thoroughly indulgent spa to the luxurious seaside cabanas. You get a choice of two pools (one family-friendly, one adults-only) and several restaurants. Enjoy Mediterranean cuisine in the Greek-inspired Atlantikós, take afternoon tea in La Gourmandise, witness the Champagne Sabering Ritual at The St. Regis Bar or delight your palate with the Italian flavors of Colameco.

 

9703 Collins Avenue, Bal Harbour, Florida 33154


 

The Setai Miami Beach

 

Walking into a Studio Suite at the beachfront The Setai, you might think the check-in staff have kindly upgraded you to the best room in the house. There are two sides to The Setai, an original 1936 Art Deco building and, behind it, a modern glass tower. The original houses most of the bedrooms (Studio Suites) but if you wish a sea view, a high-rise Ocean Suite is the one to go for. Either way, you’ll get plenty of space, sleek Asian-inspired design including Frette linens and Palm Angels toiletries. Public areas are impeccably styled, from the mother-of-pearl-topped cocktail bar to the courtyard, where a large serenity pond is surrounded by al fresco lounge seating, palm trees and a retractable roof. Pass through the garden and a trio of picture-perfect pools (different temperatures) leads down towards Miami Beach’s famed boardwalk and white-sand beach, where The Setai has a private stretch of sand. Of course, you get great wellness facilities (including a Valmont spa, 24-hour fitness centre, and weekend beach yoga) and on the food front, there’s a choice between Mediterranean-Italian at Ocean Grill, or Southern Asian flavours at Jaya.

 

2001 Collins Avenue, Miami Beach, Florida 33154


The Ritz-Carlton Key Biscayne

 

Escape to a luxury Miami Beach resort that exudes the classic charm of South Florida. Located on an exclusive five-mile-long barrier island, the hotel is just minutes from dynamic Miami downtown, yet provides an atmosphere of sequested serenity. With extensive meeting facilities and a full-service business centre, the beachfront resort is popular with corporate travelers but equally appealing for leisure. Strethcing along the beachfront, the luxury hotel is an opportunity to experience Miami living  with redesigned ocean-view suites, luxurious in-room amenities, renowned Cliff Drysdale Tennis Center, resort spa and gym, family and adult pools, beachside service, paddleboards and electric bicycles. The property also offers restaurants; Lightkeepers modern-coastal fare, Dune Gourmet Burgers on the Beach, Havana-style RUMBAR cocktail bar,Cantina Beach Coastal Mexican Fare, Key Pantry Coffee and Light Fare menu. 

 

455 Grand Bay Drive, key Biscayne, Florida 33149


The Miami Beach EDITION

 

The Miami Beach EDITION wows from the second you step into the marble-floored lobby, with its giant columns and a small forest’s worth of potted plants. Clusters of candle lanterns cast dramatic palm frond shadows on the ceiling and Latin music wafts through the air. This is where Miami’s in-crowd comes to play. Head down to Basement, the entertainment hub, to find a neon-lit ice-skating rink next to an equally colourful four-lane bowling alley. In keeping with the hotel’s prime oceanfront setting, there’s a cool beach vibe to the bedrooms: they’re bright, light and serene, with furnishings in soft neutral shades and floaty white gauze drapes at the floor-to-ceiling windows. Things are just as thoughtfully designed outside as well, from the pool cabanas kitted out with TVs, fridges and blankets to the classic navy-and-white stripes of the beach umbrellas. For wellness fans, there’s a classy spa and gym, while foodies are safe in the hands of the famed Jean-Georges Vongerichten. He oversees all the in-house restaurants, including Matador Room, serving his take on Spanish, Caribbean and Latin American cuisines, and the more casual Market at Edition, inspired by gourmet food halls. 

 

2901 Collins Avenue, Miami Beach, Florida 33140


Loews Miami Beach Hotel

 

Loews superior location in South Beach ensures you have everything at your fingertips. Head out the back of the hotel and the iconic pool scape opens straight onto the white-sand beach; while out front is the Art Deco district, the shops and cafes of Lincoln Road and cultural attractions like the New World Center, the Frank Gehry-designed concert hall. Then again, you could just spend time being pampered in the spa and hair salon, working your way around the five restaurants and bars, incuding the legendary New York Italian eatery Rao's, or relaxing by the pool, where the private SOAK Cabanas come with bathrooms, flatscreen TVs, air con and butler service. Bedrooms, too, pack in the little luxuries, like smart TVs, Frette duvets and bathroom products from celebrity hairstylist Julien Farel. ‘Guestrooms for every kind of traveller’ is the Loews’ promise and they deliver: business travellers get plenty of workspace and power outlets; there are specially adapted rooms for guests with hearing or mobility issues; and families can book a room with a sofa-bed or pull-out bed, or go for a suite with a kitchenette. In fact, families feel particularly welcome here, with child-friendly attractions including a kids’ club, curated family programming, rec room and mini spa treatments.

 

1601 Collins Avenue, Miami Beach, Florida 33139


1 Hotel South Beach

 

Many hotels are upping their game on the eco front, including 1 Hotel South Beach and their nature-led approach. When this South Beach outpost was converted from its previous incarnation, a whole host of environmental initiatives were introduced to reduce the building’s carbon footprint, from living green walls and salvaged wood ceilings to intelligent lighting controls and energy-efficient heating and cooling systems. At the same time, just as much attention was paid to the aesthetics and effective design touches in the bedrooms (some of the largest in South Beach) include driftwood transformed into door handles and beach pebbles turned into towel hooks. Beds have organic cotton mattresses and sustainably sourced linens, taps are fitted with a water filtration system, and there are luxurious Bamford toiletries in the bathrooms. You get a great choice of restaurants including Habitat for modern-day Mexican and Watr at the Rooftop for Japanese cuisine. Plus, a top-notch spa and gym, a private stretch of beach and four pools, including a cool adults-only pool way up on the 18th floor, with stunning views to match.

 

2341 Collins Avenue, Miami Beach, Florida 33139


Acqualina Resort & Residences

 

North from Miami Beach, past Bal Harbour, you’ll find the more tranquil surroundings of Sunny Isles Beach, where this family-owned resort occupies a prime beachfront spot. Baroque fountains and archways give the public areas a slight Mediterranean-villa vibe, and by Miami standards, Acqualina is positively boutique, with a mere 98 rooms and suites to its name. It still has all the bells and whistles of a mega resort, though. For starters, you get to pick from three oceanfront pools, all surrounded by bright-red loungers and umbrellas, with private cabanas and poolside service. Then there’s the award-winning spa and state-of-the-art fitness room. If you’re wanting more, there are an impressive range of guest experiences that includes painting classes, scuba lessons and a host of family-friendly activities, from football and basketball to kite-flying and sandcastle-building. Bedrooms are large and elegant, with a sun-bleached colour palette, full seating areas and luxurious textiles; the massive suites come with fully equipped kitchens; and everyone gets a private balcony or terrace. When it’s time to eat, restaurant options include Il Mulino New York for acclaimed Italian food, Ke-uH for creative Japanese cuisine and the recently opened Avra, which brings the Greek taverna experience to the Florida coast. 

 

17875 Collins Avenue, Sunny Isles Beach, Florida 33160


Four Seasons Hotel Miami

 

The streets of Brickell are lined with glittering glass towers, one of which is home to the Four Seasons Hotel Miami. Being at the heart of the city’s bustling financial district makes it unsurprisingly popular with corporate guests, who can take advantage of the 24-hour business centre, and assorted event spaces. However, it works just as well for those who are here to relax. Rooms have elegant Art Deco styling, plush window seats and a largely white colour scheme, accessorised with natural wood, tan leather and brass accents. You can walk from here to the area’s trendy cafes and shops, or down to the waterfront, but there’s also a fleet of hotel bikes for those who fancy pedalling their way around and an electric MOKE to explore the city. The hotel ticks all the right boxes on the facilities front, from the full-on fitness centre and spa to the two excellent restaurants, but the star attraction has to be the two-acre pool deck on the seventh floor. It has a heated main pool for swimming and a second shallow pool, where you just kick off your shoes and wade out to relax in one of the over-water hammocks strung between the palm trees.

 

1435 Brickell Avenue, Miami, Florida 33131


Mr. C Miami Coconot Grove

 

Inspired in part by the over-water houses of nearby Stiltsville and partly by naval architecture and classic Riva yachts, Arquitectonica designed a sleek, curvilinear building and raised it above the treetops of Coconut Grove on monumental stilts. Inside, Martin Brudnizki continued the nautical theme, creating sleek interiors awash with high-gloss wood panelling and chrome and lacquer details. The overall effect is pure glamour, blending Italian style with Miami Modernism to a supremely stylish effect. Mr C. founders Ignazio and Maggio Cipriani are descendants of Giuseppe Cipriani, who launched Harry’s Bar in Venice in 1931 and gave the world the Bellini. The cocktail now lends its name to the flagship restaurant and bar, positioned on the top floor to take full advantage of the ocean views and, naturally enough, serving Italian cuisine. You’ll find the pool up there, too, with some very swish cabanas. Other relaxing options? Head to BeAtala Wellness Spa for bespoke beauty and body treatments or, if you’re craving sand and sea, make for Miami Beach, where Mr C. has a private section of beach reserved for guests.

 

2988 McFarlane Road, Miami, Florida 33131



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