This article is part of FT Globetrotter’s guide to Miami.
Enjoy unparalleled luxury: Four Seasons Hotel at the Surf Club
Located in an impressive 1930s building – on the grounds of the legendary private beach club that for years hosted the likes of Winston Churchill, Elizabeth Taylor and Frank Sinatra – Four Seasons at the Surf Club reopened with a new look eight years ago. did. It is a luxury hotel and quickly gained a reputation for offering unparalleled splendor.
At the heart of the historic building, under grand vaulted ceilings and framed by palm trees and velvet furniture, is the champagne bar, a reminder of the venue’s early debauchery, with live music as the sun goes down. It’s packed with music, entertainment, and chic locals. visitor. Don’t miss The Lido, the hotel’s excellent Italian restaurant. Chef Marco Carenzo brings Milanese cuisine to Miami, including delicate handmade pasta dishes and refined Italian classics. Super Chef Thomas Keller is also part of The Surf Club, a Michelin-starred restaurant specializing in fine American cuisine. Think delicious Caesar salads, Rockefeller oysters, and specialty ribeyes.
Four Seasons at the Surf Club is for travelers who want (and are willing to pay for) privacy, space, comfort with top-of-the-line amenities, oceanfront, a resort experience, and stunning views. This is the location. Watch the sunrise from our beachfront terrace), private beach access, 3 swimming pools for adults, all ages and children (including a games area for the kids), impressive wellness facilities and… It features some of the best bars and restaurants. All about Miami. And Surfside, the northern tip of Miami Beach, has an atmosphere of hidden wealth and offers an escape from the hustle and bustle of the south. Four Seasons at the Surf Club has been named one of the world’s 50 best hotels and awarded two Michelin Keys, a new designation that the French group recently began applying to its hotels. It’s very easy to understand why. Doubles start at $1,500. 9011 Collins Ave, Surfside, FL 33154; fourseasons.com/surfside; Directions
South Beach Scene: Setai
While this hotel is certainly family-friendly, consider booking The Setai for trips with kids. This adults-only feast is too fun to skip. Spend an immersive night in the steamy interior, spend lazy mornings lying in a super comfortable bed, or relax peacefully in one of the three pools at different temperatures. 85 and 90 °F). Don’t miss the Valmont Spa, which overlooks the sea.
Setai was designed by hotel maestro John Michel Gathy with an Oriental and Miami aesthetic inspired by the Asian Art Deco movement, and features original black granite bricks from Shanghai, natural wood and subdued lighting. The most striking architectural feature is the charming restaurant Jaya, located at the heart of the building. Guests can have breakfast here, then enjoy South Asian cuisine, cocktails and our popular weekend brunch. The facility is built around a lush, palm-lined waterfront under a retractable roof, with nightly DJs and performances from acrobats and dancers.
The rooms above are quiet (even those facing the frenetic Collins Avenue), and the Ocean Suite, located in an adjacent high-rise along with the Setai family mansion, offers panoramic views of the beach and beyond. You can. No detail has been overlooked. It also has built-in power outlets in a variety of shapes and sizes, so international travelers don’t have to bring along clunky converters. Luxury is a recurring theme, with musky-scented bath amenities (a collaboration between the hotel and local streetwear brand Palm Angels), and each Dax bed constructed with a mattress topper and special spring system. , these beds together aim to promote deep sleep. Even the showers have cascading water, offering a hedonistic approach to basic hygiene. Doubles start at $900. 2001 Collins Ave, Miami Beach, FL 33139; SetaiHotel.com; Directions
For cultural vultures: Betsy South Beach
Located on Miami Beach’s famous Ocean Drive, this independent boutique hotel is housed in a pre-deco Georgian mansion with chic, contemporary interiors. Guests enjoy plenty of artfully appointed common spaces, including the hotel’s two swimming pools (one rooftop, one garden), restaurant, and bar (the Carlton Room Cafe serves some of the best coffee in Miami). You’ll want to spend some time there. That art gallery. The lobby features live music nightly, as well as a full program of other cultural activities and events, from poetry readings to book signings.
Betsy is particularly lively during Miami Art Week, when there are numerous special exhibits and events. Filled with art year-round, most of its hallways and galleries are curated by co-owner Leslie Goldwasser, an avid collector and friendly New Yorker. A transplant who owns a hotel with her husband. Goldwasser, a cheerful, silver-haired man, is happy to give guests a tour of the exhibit. And you’ll probably get to spy on her with her two “CEOs” (canine executive officers) Betsy and Rosa (the golden retrievers are lovingly immortalized in the hotel’s permanent collection ) ). However, the entire staff provides the kind of personalized service that makes your stay here special. With stylish and comfortable rooms equipped with the latest amenities, The Betsy is not only wonderfully inviting but also very hard to leave. Doubles start at $250. 1440 Ocean Dr, Miami Beach, FL 33139;zabetsihotel.com;Directions
Family friendly: Loews Miami Beach
With 790 rooms and suites, The Loews is one of the largest capacity hotels on the beach, and everything here has been expanded accordingly. Bedrooms are generously sized so families don’t feel crammed into one space. We also have an ideal oceanfront location in the heart of the Art Deco District, close to family-friendly attractions such as South Point, Lummus Park and Jungle Island. , there’s plenty to enjoy for guests of all ages.
Lowe’s bean-shaped swimming pool provides an inviting space for kids to play in the water and adults to lounge and sunbathe. It has sunscreen, aftersun, and wonderfully cold lemon water. If you’re staying over the weekend, arrive early to secure a lounger. Otherwise, you may be directed to the beach (the hotel has its own private section, which guests can access directly from the pool). Beach chair rentals are included in the rate (although upgrades to umbrellas and cabanas cost extra), and jet skis, kayaks, and paddleboards are available for rent. Family considerations also apply to those traveling with pets. The room service menu also includes dog and cat meals developed with licensed veterinarians, such as Bow Wow Beef Tenderloin. There’s something here to please every kind of guest, big or small (and even animals). Doubles start at $369. 1601 Collins Ave, Miami Beach, FL 33139; loewshotels.com/Miami Beach; Directions
For the young (and the young at heart): East Miami
Miami residents quickly came to love Sugar. Sugar was one of the city’s first rooftop bars since opening in 2016, spawning many copycats. Sugar and its adjacent Hong Kong-inspired bootlegger, the Tea Room, often appear on American after-dark calendars. Hear from the city’s young professionals and local cocktail makers. However, the 40th floor bar is also attached to a modern hotel. East Miami is the first hotel in North America by Swire Group, a Hong Kong-based conglomerate that operates Cathay Pacific Airways and several design-focused hotels in Asia.
East fills a gap for travelers in a region where standard business hotels and upscale hotels are in need of an upgrade, offering stylish, affordable accommodations for urban vacations and business trips. Nestled between high-rises, indoor and outdoor shopping malls, and architectural wonders adjacent to Brickell City Center, East has a youthful vibe. Most noticeable is the consistent stream of twenty-somethings heading to the rooftop for drinks and the large artwork. A photo of Tupac Shakur sitting atop a basketball hoop greeting guests upon arrival. Plus, everything here is for the tech-savvy, from the elevator to the light switches to the rooms where you can use your tablet (I’m embarrassed to admit how long I spent fiddling with each one). The rooms are modern and minimalist, with dark colors, natural wood features, and splashes of gold on the walls. Many rooms have balconies and bathtubs, offering varying views of Brickell’s glittering skyscrapers. Luxury is at the forefront of the hotel’s bar and Quinto, a fireplace pan-South American restaurant with a lush, jungle-like terrace. But the best place to get a taste of the trendy, tropical vibe is on the pool deck, where you can easily spend the day in a Scandinavian-style cabana. Doubles start at $309. 788 Brickell Plaza, Miami, FL 33131; easthotels.com/en/miami;Directions
For a resort-style stay at The Ritz-Carlton Key Biscayne
The ultimate test of a hotel room is its smell. Too many bouquets are a combination of cleaning products, stagnant air, new upholstery, or whatever miserable potpourri management uses to mask those odors. My room at the Ritz-Carlton Key Biscayne, on an island just south of Miami Beach, smelled great. It was a little bit like the ocean, a little bit like clean sheets. When the door to the balcony opens, the air conditioner automatically shuts off and the breeze comes in. Another big draw to RCKB is that it has the feel of an authentic beach resort, even though it’s just a short drive from downtown Miami. The designers created an isolated and private corner of a crowded island. Miami is loud. This hotel is not like that. It’s clearly a family friendly hotel. For example, the wading pool is large and central rather than pushed to the side. But finding a quiet spot is also easy. Poolside and beach staff are helpful without being pushy. Doubles start at $569. 455 Grand Bay Drive, Key Biscayne, Miami, FL 33149; Ritz-Carlton.com; Directions to Robert Armstrong
The author was a guest at the featured hotel.
Do you have a favorite hotel in Miami? Let us know in the comments below. Follow FT Globetrotter (@FTGlobetrotter) on Instagram.
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