The best hotels in Miami are your fast pass to a whole new world of nightlife and sun-drenched fun, from showy, celebrity-filled restaurants and clubs open until the early morning hours to beaches that double as fashion runways—not to mention home prices that break record after record. An understated destination this is not.
“Miami’s hotels tend to be glamorous spots that are the ‘it’ places to hang out in town,” says Shelby Albo, a luxury consultant at travel advisory Embark Beyond, who adds that, “in fact, people visit Miami just for the hotels.” Our list of 14 standout properties in the Magic City spans from Surfside to South Beach, and we don’t exclude Mid-Beach in between—check them out below.
The Best Hotels in Miami, According to Us
Photo: Ryan Forbes
Launched as one of the brand’s three inaugural hotels in 2015, the environmentally sustainable, beachfront 1 Hotel South Beach occupies a full city block on a prominent stretch of Collins Avenue on a site where Miami’s first large luxury hotel was built in 1920. Since that time, the structure went from hotel to residences, was demolished and rebuilt, and finally underwent a $1-million renovation and redesign by Miami architect Kobi Karp before reopening as the 425-room, LEED Silver certified 1 Hotel.
The beachside setting informed the design of the hotel, and all materials are reclaimed or repurposed and locally sourced, including eco-friendly and economical driftwood that’s prominently employed throughout the property. The ground floor restaurant and lobby, featuring a garden with local foliage, open up to bustling South Beach, and a lavish rooftop pool offers views of the ocean and the city. This Michelin-key hotel also features three other resplendent pools decked out with cabanas, as well as a 40,000 wellness spa and fitness center that includes a SoulCycle studio. From $999 per night.
Photo: Craig Denis
Another top hotel option on Collins Ave. for the eco-conscious traveler, The Palms Hotel & Spa melds environmentally sustainable design with a tropical aesthetic in a historic Art Deco building. An on-site “green team” ensures that the hotel maintains eco-conscious practices, which earned the property Green Globe certification and a 3 Palm rating from the Florida Green Lodging program. Hailed as a “tropical enclave” in one guest review, the 251-room hotel overlooks the ocean, pool, or lush tropical gardens from each spa-inspired guest room or suite. And the hotel’s actual spa is a true destination: Influenced by Ayurvedic holistic philosophy, The Palms AVEDA Spa offers beachside massages as well as other spa and salon services. Guests will enjoy pampering beyond the spa with an attentive staff that prioritizes service to ensure a sophisticated and satisfying experience. From $427 per night.
Photo: Dylan Rives
Impeccable service is a prime consideration at Hotel Greystone, which received one 2024 Michelin key. With a true Art Deco style depicted in the hotel’s ziggurat roofline, curved facade, and porthole windows, the Greystone was designed by well-known Miami architect Henry Hohauser in 1939, was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1979, and underwent a $65-million renovation led by Holly Muhl in 2019, reopening two years later.
Muhl’s goal with the interior design was to “create something stylish and comfortable that evokes the dynamic layers of Miami Beach,” she says. Set on the corner of 19th Street and Collins Avenue across from the beach in the Art Deco district, this adults-only boutique hotel offers 91 posh guest rooms and suites, a main restaurant and bar, courtyard cafe, and rooftop pool and bar—a place to see and be seen any time of day or night. From $311 per night.
Courtesy of The Goodtime Hotel
A collaboration between the famed Miami nightlife and restaurant entrepreneur David Grutman and the singer-songwriter Pharrell Williams, the Goodtime Hotel is hands-down the liveliest place to stay when you’re in Miami. As the name suggests, guests really are in for a good time: The trendy public spaces feature hand-painted murals and Deco plasterwork while rooms are pure fun, with leopard-print benches and pink rotary dial phones. This Miami Beach hotel also has a 30,000-square-foot pool club called Strawberry Moon, a spacious gym, and a library where guests can socialize over coffee or cocktails. From $165 per night.
Courtesy of W South Beach
After 10 years as an Art Basel social center, W South Beach reopened in 2020 following a $30 million renovation. Gone are the dark tones and shiny finishes: The 357 guest rooms now feature an airy aesthetic and emphasize warm oaks and natural light, making this a serene getaway on Collins Avenue. The property also has a new spa and an updated art collection, valued at $100 million and featuring 21 original Andy Warhols. Standout amenities include on-site tennis and basketball courts, new beach cabanas, and an outpost of the celebrity-favorite restaurant Mr. Chow. From $423 per night.
Courtesy of The Setai
With sleek, dark tones and a distinctly Asian-influenced design, the Setai, Miami Beach oozes elegance. You can spend your time at the property—a member of the Leading Hotels of the World—sipping fresh coconut juice from the fruit itself by the three guest-only swimming pools or splurging on a treatment at the Valmont spa. The signature restaurant, Jaya, serves up some of the best Asian food you’ll ever eat, including killer Indian curries, and you can expect a full-on show while you dine. Think fire dancers, aerial acrobats suspended from the roof, and live jazz. From $630 per night.
Courtesy of The Betsy
A European-inspired, family-owned luxury boutique hotel right on Ocean Drive in the heart of South Beach, the Betsy is a property where an art gallery (the fabulous collection is a highlight) meets a jazz club (there’s live music seven days a week) meets a coffee shop that hosts regular book talks and poetry readings. The hotel also has a beach-facing outdoor dining terrace that’s buzzy all day and a rooftop pool with panoramic views of the city. From $428 per night.
Courtesy of Faena Hotel Miami Beach
In the heart of Mid-Beach and boasting some of the widest and most pristine beachfront Miami has to offer, Faena Hotel Miami Beach can best be described as maximalism and then some. With the help of Baz Luhrmann and Catherine Martin, Argentinian hotelier Alan Faena reimagined the historic Saxony Hotel, originally built in 1947 and the stomping ground of Hollywood icons such as Frank Sinatra and Marilyn Monroe, into an Art Deco–inspired space that’s a throwback to its old glory days.
