Miami, a lovely place in Florida, is famous for its significant nightlife, enormous beaches, and warm weather. It’s one of the crucial hubs for tourists looking to get away and enjoy some time in the sun. Some of the best hotels in Miami provide you with luxury amenities, beach access, fine dining, and exquisite comfort for your visit.
Now if you are visiting Miami and don’t go to beaches, will your trip even be completed? Even those who love luxury often prefer going to the beach to relax and soak in some sun. Some people like to frolic around in the sand and dip their feet in the warm water. After all, what’s not to love about beaches? This study ranked South Beach, Miami, as a must-visit if you are heading to Florida. South Beach is the most well-known of the three, home to sandy beaches, swinging palms, and the pastel-colored Art Deco structures that have come to symbolize this unforgettable location and make it so indisputably picturesque.
Besides being pretty, these sights can also boost your mood. One recent study shows the best way to combat the blues is to spend time in blue spaces — near a beach, lake, river or even some fountains. Researchers with the Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal) studied the benefits of different environments on mood and found that short walks near water are especially helpful in lifting a person’s mood.
If you plan to visit this place to put a smile on your face and relax, selecting the right place to stay makes the experience worthwhile. To make your search easier, we’ve selected the five best hotels in Miami with the maximum ratings after reviewing the top 10 travel websites. If you have another spot you love, let us know in the comments below!
The List: Best Hotels in Miami, According to Experts
1. The Setai, Miami Beach
According to Travel + Leisure, this is the only place you can experience Setai’s luxury in the U.S. as all of their other hotels are located in other countries. “Jaya, the resort’s restaurant in its picturesque courtyard, hosts flashy dinner shows and is a celebrity hot spot; there are three temperature-controlled infinity pools; and the beachfront Ocean Grill serves some of the best Maine-lobster spaghetti in the city.”
“Jay-Z, Beyoncé, and Madonna are all fans of The Setai—and it’s no wonder: It’s hard not to feel a wave of relaxation wash over you as you walk through The Setai’s two-story, zen-inspired lobby, which uses elements like black granite floors and French limestone to create an environment that is at once quite sleek and modern, but somehow also timeless,” writes Conde Nast Traveler. “Think the lobby has a chill vibe? Try spending a night in one of the Ocean Suites, which touts handmade Swedish DUXIANA beds and—you guessed it—views, views, views.”
“The Setai, Miami Beach masterfully combines the warmth of Asian hospitality with the best in personalized service and truly rarified comfort. The property is housed in a restored 1930 art deco landmark building and connecting 40-story glass residential tower. Featuring 87 Art Deco suites, the resort boasts world-class amenities, including beachfront services, exceptional dining experiences, Valmont for The Spa at The Setai, and a Clefs d’Or Concierge team. The hotel is a member of Leading Hotels of the World,” adds Luxury Travel Expert.
2. The Miami Beach Edition
Time Out loves this spot for its spin on history: “Hotelier Ian Schrager’s renovation of the landmark 1955 Seville Hotel by architect Melvin Grossman embraces the city’s changing cultural landscape with a focus on breakthrough art, multidimensional nightlife and haute cuisine. The Forum further breaks from the hotel convention, reimagining the traditional meeting space, hosting year-round gallery openings and installations among other offerings, while the lobby’s white marble floors and polished, white pearl Venetian plaster walls serve as a nod to the original property’s mid-century influence and ‘Miami Modern’ architecture. If the glamorous, white-marble-decked lobby didn’t tip you off, this place is fancy.”
Forbes says this hotel offers guests every amenity under the sun combined with its cool, dramatic aura. “The resort’s five restaurants, including Jean-Georges Vongerichten’s innovative Latin fusion spot Matador Room are one-of-a-kind, but that’s only the beginning of what makes this hotel unique. For starters, the lively underground club, Basement Bowl, has a bowling alley and ice-skating rink.”
“The Setai, Miami Beach blatantly spurns Miami Beach, Florida’s neon reputation in favor of a classier ambiance, and recent guests appreciate it. Rather than funky decor and bright colors, the art deco-era property is filled with classy Asian-inspired design elements (think: muted beige and brown color palettes), plus amenities like Frette linens, flat-screen TVs and rainfall showers. Although The Setai’s environment may induce relaxation on the spot, previous guests highly recommend a visit to the in-house spa, which offers a wide array of massages and skin treatments and houses private baths, steam rooms and a 24-hour fitness center,” adds U.S. News.
3. Mandarin Oriental Miami
Fodor’s Travel describes the Mandarin as feeling exclusive “with luxurious rooms, exalted restaurants, and the city’s top spa, all of which marry the brand’s signature Asian style with Miami’s bold tropical elegance. The sumptuous, colorful rooms face either west toward the downtown skyline or east over Miami Beach and the blue Atlantic. There’s also beauty in the details: sliding screens that close off the baths, dark wood, crisp linens, and room numbers hand-painted on rice paper at check-in. Sun-worshippers adore the 20,000-square-foot private beach.”
“Gorgeous Key Biscayne, which boasts stunning, sheltered beaches, is also easily accessible, as are the waters and energy of South Beach,” says Good Housekeeping. “The hotel itself offers waterfront views and features popular amenities such as gourmet dining, a lush spa, an infinity pool and a palm-tree-lined private beach. Whether you’re on a solo business trip or are bringing the kiddos along, the Mandarin Oriental is guaranteed to be a wonderful hub for your time away. Reviewers online love the hotel’s central location, city views and outstanding service.”
“If you want to be in Miami, but away from Miami, stay here to be tucked away on Brickell Key, an island off the coast of ‘downtown’. Be wrapped in a cocoon of Asian-influenced luxury and dart from infinity pool to spa to Peruvian-inspired dining from chef Gaston Acurio, and back to your room for floor-to-ceiling windows, private balcony and views over Biscayne Bay or the skyscrapers of the business district. The hotel is also home to Miami’s only private beach,” explains Times Travel.
4. 1 Hotel South Beach
According to The Telegraph, “1 Hotel is at the frontier of eco-luxury with a 900-metre ‘living wall’ composed of 11,000 varieties of local plants crawling up the façade. Nearby, beneath the port cochere, white Teslas (electric cars) are docked in their charging stations. An expansive whitewashed, sun-drenched lobby, composed of natural wood and comfortable canvas sofas, is appropriately elegant. The 15 square-metre main pool, on an elevated plaza, puts the ocean at mesmerising eye level. 1 Hotel South Beach is an eco-chic hotel boasting one of the most scenic poolscapes in Miami, as well as a rooftop pool. Spacious guest rooms, elegant décor, a spa, boot camp-style gym and multiple dining venues add to the appeal.”
Time Out says it’ll be hard to escape the beach. That is, if you even want to. “The nature-inspired interiors bring the sea inside via reclaimed wood structures and a neutral color palette with sandy tones and beachy (off) whites dotted with foliage. The vibe is decidedly Zen, more Martha’s Vineyard than summer in the Hamptons, but at night the sense is that you’re back in South Beach, where a stylish rooftop pool and bar gives way to one of the city’s best rooftop parties, lasting way into the wee hours.”
Known for its commitment to being eco-friendly, this spot’s keys are made of recycled wood. “With massive guest rooms—a standard room averages around 700- square-feet—and five-star amenities including the chic Bamford Wellness Spa, the biggest problem you’ll encounter during your stay is deciding which swimming pool you’ll spend the day lounging beside. The second problem? Deciding which healthful dishes to sample at the hotel’s seven dining options, like a lobster truffle roll at rooftop restaurant Watr or fresh fish tacos at The Sandbox,” writes Forbes.
5. The St. Regis Bal Harbour Resort
Good Housekeeping touts its exceptional service and ocean views: “The hotel is ideal for couples seeking a romantic getaway and families alike; it offers numerous activities and excursions to keep kids entertained as well as plush amenities such as a spa, fitness center, outdoor pool and hot tub, beach access and more.”
This hotel is new to Miami’s scene, but that doesn’t make it any less iconic. U.S. News writes: “Overlooking the Atlantic Ocean from its seat in Bal Harbour (about 10 miles north of South Beach), this member of the St. Regis Hotels family provides a less frenzied setting much appreciated by couples and travelers with children. Guest rooms are spacious (albeit pricey thanks to the $45 daily resort fee) and feature neutral hues and private furnished balconies, as well as high-tech amenities like flat-screen TVs with DVD players and tablets for controlling lights, blinds and thermostats. When you’re not bedding down, you can pass the time at one of two outdoor pools, the 14,000-square-foot spa or the adjacent 1,000-foot-long beach. And because The St. Regis Bal Harbour Resort is part of the Marriott hotel family, Marriott Bonvoy members can earn and use points here.”
“Stepping into The St. Regis Bal Harbour Resort feels a little bit like entering an abstract art gallery: the entryway is a largely empty room, save for an enormous metal sculpture hanging from the ceiling and a few tufted chairs and couches that you may or may not be allowed to sit on. But check into your butler-serviced, Yabu-Pushelberg-designed suite, outfitted in a neutral palette, and you’ll feel right at home. The four restaurants, two pools, cabana-lined beachfront, and adjacent Bal Harbour shops offer a bevy of entertainment and leisure,” adds Conde Nast Traveler.
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You might be interested in:
- Best Hotels in Palm Springs
- Best Resorts in Florida
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- Best Florida Beaches
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Sources:
- Conde Nast Traveler
- Time Out
- Luxury Travel Expert
- Forbes
- Travel + Leisure
- U.S. News
- The Telegraph
- Good Housekeeping
- Times Travel
- Fodor’s Travel
Note: This article was not paid for nor sponsored. StudyFinds is not connected to nor partnered with any of the brands mentioned and receives no compensation for its recommendations. This post may contain affiliate links.