Miami hotels

The most unique property on South Beach is this Ocean Drive boutique, with meticulously decorated, themed suites that immerse you in another place and time. Live like a 1960s ad exec in the “Executive Sixties” suite or sleep among furniture made from airplanes in the “Up Up in the Sky” room. Surround yourself in the jungle in the “Go Bananas” bungalow or get immersed in the bright lights of the “Vegas” suite. Nothing about the place is kitschy either, as the décor is done up in vintage pieces that are works of art in and of themselves.

This art-deco, beachside landmark is an ideal spot for families, where three sprawling swimming pools and a grassy backyard offer plenty of places for kids release all that youthful energy. The hotel recently added two-story loft rooms right next to the pool, perfect for parents who want some privacy upstairs while the kids play in the family room below. The onsite restaurants are fantastic too, whether enjoying seaside farm-to-table creations at Ocean Social, or the world-famous sushi at Nobu.

Set a little north of the city, the Diplomat is one of the largest properties in South Florida with over 1,000 rooms. It also boasts a massive lagoon pool where kids can play on splash pads or dip into shallow water, while parents lounge in a private cabana and enjoy waterside drinks. The long, private beach gives young ones a place to roam, and the onsite Diplomat Prime steakhouse makes for a perfect date night after dropping children at the kids’ club.

When you’ve got one of the most famous nightclubs in the world right in your lobby, the party is impossible to escape. But Fontainebleau’s scene stretches far past the velvet ropes at LIV. Dinners at Hakkasan and Stripsteak also bring festive crowds, as do the daytime pool party at Arkadia and the frequent Bleaulive concerts in the ballroom.

If your idea of a Miami party is more beers by the pool than bottles in the club, the venerable Clevelander is the spot for you. This famous Ocean Drive art deco gem has been ground zero for Spring Break for years and hosts lively pool parties every weekend. It’s famous for the frozen Miami Vice cocktail, which tastes especially sweet when coupled with views of Ocean Drive and hundreds of semi-clothed revelers.

This small boutique sits just off Collins Park in South Beach, far enough removed to avoid the rowdy masses. Dinner at Layla, the onsite middle eastern restaurant, feels like savoring a meal on a secluded jungle river cruise. Upstairs, you’ll find tranquil, private pools, where you’ll rarely share space with other guests and can bask in the sun in complete bliss.

Miami’s best spa is at the Carillon, where multiple stories of treatment rooms and high-tech touchless treatments allow you to spend your entire vacation getting pampered. The Carillon also offers two swimming pools, including an elevated saltwater pool with views over the ocean. You can enjoy fine dining in the new French-inspired Tambourine Room, then retreat to your two-room suite with stunning views of the Atlantic.

Across from the University of Miami in Coral Gables, you’ll find the Thesis hotel, where lauded local chef Niven Patel has two restaurants. Patel gained his fame by using ingredients from his nearby farm, as he does with Caribbean dishes at the tropical-themed Mamey. Across the lobby, Orno offers wood-fired meats and vegetables alongside inventive cocktails.

This luxury lifestyle property sits in the heart of Miami’s financial district, offering easy walks to Brickell City Centry, Mary Brickell Village, and Miami’s Metrorail. The elegant rooms are done up in midcentury modern paster furniture, giving a hint of deco glam Miami in the glass-and-steel downtown. Downstairs, you’ll find one of the top Italian restaurants in Miami at Fi’lia, where a wood fired oven cooks savory meats and satisfying pizzas.

Set on the calming waters of Brickell Key, the Mandarin Oriental offers an Asian-inspired escape just steps from the fervor of the financial district. Its rooms offer balcony views of either the Brickell skyline or Biscayne Bay, with a luxurious spa and private beach on the edge of the island. The onsite restaurant La Mar can make a case as the best Peruvian food in Miami, and on weekends it hosts one of the city’s most popular brunches.

The ultra-luxe Faena is a study in fine art, where a gold mammoth statue stands in the backyard and provocative art lines the walls. The restaurants are helmed by world-famous chefs, like Pao by Paul Qui and Frances Mallman’s steak emporium at Fuego. Faena recently opened a new omakase counter called El Secreto, and the ballroom is home to an uber-sexy cabaret show called Allura.