The Best Hotels In Miami, USA

Miami is a tapestry of art, design and culture – and its hotel scene is a fitting reflection of this. Most city visitors gravitate to glitzy Miami Beach, the exclusive island enclave known for its golden sands and year-round high-profile events, Art Basel Miami Beach being the best known. But venture onto the mainland and you’ll find a new wave of stays emerging in other districts, including Wynwood and Coconut Grove.

Wherever you lay your head, expect to find a backdrop of architectural treasures paired with avant-garde galleries, flamboyant dining spots and Miami’s diverse, ever-creative communities. Whether you’re here for Art Basel or chasing the city’s inimitable lifestyle, these are the Miami hotels worth booking.

The lobby at The Betsy South Beach

The Betsy South Beach

Located literally on the doorstep of the Miami Beach Convention Centre (hello, Art Basel visitors seeking a close-to-the-action stay), this family-run deco grande dame pairs beautifully curated interiors with an immersive artistic experience. The building, located on Ocean Drive’s landward side, was the magnus opus of L. Murray Dixon, the grandfather of the city’s Art Deco District. Split between two buildings – the Art Deco and Colonial wings – you’ll likely get lost in the hotel’s labyrinthine corridors, stumbling upon unexpected art pieces and hidden libraries as you wind your way to your room. Talking of rooms, they feel more like private apartments than check-in, check-out affairs: expect hand-selected sculptures, curios and books dotted throughout. Head to the much-hyped restaurant LT Steak & Seafood for chef Laurent Tourondel’s take on surf ’n’ turf, or take a seat at the quieter Alley for modern trattoria dishes.

1440 Ocean Dr, FL 33139; thebetsyhotel.com

The lobby at Hotel Greystone

Hotel Greystone

For art deco decadence, head to this South Beach jewel that hails from the 1930s. A recent renovation has restored the Hotel Greystone to its former glory – all sleek, streamlined curves and subtle deco accents. Despite its central location on Collins Avenue, the hotel is a paragon of calm, with minimalist, cream-hued interiors revealed within its sugar-white walls. Bedrooms are kept simple, with clean-lined furnishings warmed up by natural textures (think jute rugs and tan leather chairs), while the sultry bar and French-Japanese restaurant downstairs look to the era of decadence for their design inspiration. On the roof, you’ll find an aquamarine pool flanked by parasols and pink towel-covered loungers.

1920 Collins Ave, FL 33139; greystonehotel.com

Soho Beach House

Interiors at the 49-room Soho House Miami outpost are inspired by the city’s character. All 16 storeys of the bright white Beach House tower, located in the northern part of the Art Deco District, are stuffed with jewel-toned furnishings, frivolous patterns and Venetian chandeliers. There’s a touch of art deco, sure, but there’s also a lot of old-world Havana going on, from marble-clad bathrooms to colourful floor tiles. Among the hotel’s 50 rooms are 15 suites that come with a balcony offering Atlantic views. Spend days paddling in the garden pool or soaking up skyline vistas from the rooftop plunge pool. There’s a Cowshed Spa, complete with sea-gazing fitness area, plus an outpost of Soho House stalwart Cecconi’s – and there are few destinations at which it feels more fitting to be feasting on lobster spaghetti, short rib gnocchi and Kobe beef tartare.

4385 Collins Ave, FL 33140; sohohouse.com

A bedroom at Mayfair House Hotel & Garden | Credit: Will Pryce

Mayfair House Hotel & Garden

Everything’s a little bit different at this Coconut Grove stay. Forget art deco: at Mayfair House, the vibes are all 80s. Housed within a vast, striking brutalist property designed by Kenneth Treister that straddles two city blocks, the hotel is a riot of bold design and bolshie colour schemes. There’s a black-and-white-striped rooftop pool (with a vivid floral mural on one wall), splashes of green, blue and pink across suites, mustard-yellow sofas dotted around and a vast atrium so packed with plants that a drink at the lobby bar (located within a hollowed-out fountain) feels a little like enjoying a late-night tipple in Jurassic Park. Rooms are spacious, most coming with balconies, and you’ll find odd quirks in all, from cocktail carts to working typewriters.

3000 Florida Ave, FL 33133; mayfairhousemiami.com

A bedroom at Arlo Wynwood

Arlo Wynwood Miami

The gallery-packed district of Wynwood was crying out for a hotel – and Arlo delivered in 2022. Art-filled and urban (with a piece of swirling, colourful street art on one side of the hotel created by Miami-based Hoxxoh), this buzzy stay channels the creative juices flowing through the surrounding streets, with over 250 contemporary artworks peppered across the hotel. Its 217 rooms are spread across nine floors, and slickly dressed with barely there, light-oak furnishings, crisp white paint and wall-to-wall windows. Come evening, Arlo visitors can opt to dine at the 14-seater Hiden omakase counter – an intimate experience – or skip dining and head straight for drinks at Higher Ground, a foliage-filled courtyard cocktail bar on the third floor loved for its basil-infused mojitos and natural wines (there’s a menu of light bites, too). The highlight? The rooftop pool – a rectangle of turquoise guarded by scalloped red parasols and private cabanas.

2217 NW Miami Ct, FL 33127; arlohotels.com

The atrium at Casa Faena

Casa Faena

Casa Faena's beachside red-and-white painted facade is iconic in Miami Beach – but its interiors are just as intriguing. Framed by enormous archways, chic, whitewashed spaces backdrop unpretentious, colourful furnishings which blend Art Deco touches with 1900s Spanish influences. Bedrooms – of which there are just 38 – are decked out with ornately framed beds and playful antiques. The hotel has it’s own recently opened restaurant, too. Campo, is equally colourful in flavour and design: between boldly patterned walls and ample fronds of foliage, chef Antonio Maldonado plates up vibrant dishes. Think, jalapeño-spiked yellowtail sushi rolls and robata-grilled shrimp marinated in adobo and yuzu. Don’t miss the brunch offering, either – immune-boosting juices and superfood bowls join loaded pancakes, morning chilaquiles,and a standout vegan selection.

3500 Collins Ave, FL 33140; faena.com

The hammam at The Standard Spa Miami Beach

The Standard Spa Miami beach

If you’re in town for some R&R, try a check-in at The Standard’s Miami stronghold. Located a little way from all the South Beach action, on Belle Isle, the adults-only spa hotel belies the city’s party-hard reputation. Instead, the renovated Morris Lapidus-designed motel (an original from the 1960s) promises a restorative stay. Tucked away behind fronds of greenery on Island Drive, you’ll find a guests-only pool (and Jacuzzi), minimalist, oh-so-sexy rooms and a Turkish hammam, plus mud lounge, Arctic plunge pool and hot tub. Then there’s the Lido Bayside Grill, promising fresh seafood and bay views, and the sultry, seductive Monterrey Bar, an intimate cocktail den that’s open ’til late. Opt for a room with a “bath terrace” for a freestanding tub outside – all that separates you and fellow al fresco soakers are the fabric sheets between terraces, but that’s part of the fun. This is Miami, after all.

40 Island Av, FL 33139; standardhotels.com