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The National review Rate it
Its big-name neighbours - the Delano, Shore Club - are fab and flashy. The National, by contrast, is quietly elegant. Instead of bling, it sticks to its art deco roots and meticulously recreates the ambience of a 1930s hotel. On the ground floor there are terrazzo floors, shiny chrome lights, angular mirrors, walnut furniture and geometric railings. The glamour extends to the grounds: the sleek 205ft infinity pool, the longest in Florida, is framed by rows of palms; the pinstriped sunbeds add to the fashionable feel. On our visit, the bedrooms paled in comparison to the hotel's overall fabulousness - the decor lacked period detail and the technology was dated - but this may well change. The hotel's new owner, Claude Dray, a French art deco collector, has made noises about doing up the rooms and fancifying the hotel.
The National details
at 16th Street
Area Miami
Transport Bus C, H, K, W
Telephone 305 532 2311
Rates $319-$799 double.
Facilities Business centre. Bar/café (2). Concierge. Disabled-adapted rooms. Gym. Internet: Wireless (free). Parking: Parking (paid) ($33/day). Swimming pools: Outdoor (2). Restaurant. Room service. Smoking rooms. TV: Pay movies.
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