The best Miami hotels to book for your next vacation

The architecture of Richard Meier and interior design of Joseph Dirand unite to transform Surfside’s historic Surf Club into a work of sublime luxury for the Four Seasons group. Think minimalist oceanfront balconies with floating glass verandas, marble-decked rooms that are the definition of a jewel box, and an old Florida ballroom lovingly restored to create a ritzy champagne bar.

Time Out tip: A New American restaurant by Thomas Keller of Napa Valley’s The French Laundry soon joins Le Sirenuse, the hotel’s Italian fine dining restaurant that hails from the Amalfi Coast. It will be the legendary chef’s first foray into Florida. Keep your eyes peeled.

Modern elements, understated elegance and plush design are the hallmarks of this fashionable lifestyle hotel, a collaboration between boutique hotel kingpin Ian Schrager and Marriott International. Backing the hip vibe are two restaurants by inimitable chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten, the upscale Matador Room and casual Market.

Time Out tip: In addition to a DJ-fueled dance floor, the semi-subterranean lounge Basement also boasts a small ice skating rink and a four-lane bowling alley.

Faena is an all-encompassing experience dripping in gold, red and animal print created by the flamboyant and visionary Argentinean hotelier Alan Faena. With such wild brushstrokes, he manages to make it all work from the moment you set foot in the gilded cathedral lobby to the moment your head hits the pillow inside your lavish luxury suite.

Time Out tip: Home to jaw-dropping contemporary art, this is the hotel that houses the very Instagrammable “Gone But Not Forgotten” by Damien Hirst. The iconic woolly mammoth skeleton dipped in gold is immortalized inside a glass case on the pool deck. Don’t forget to snap a selfie.

Immortalized by Frank Sinatra and the Rat Pack during its 1950s heyday, the Fontainebleau, with its Miami Modern design flourishes, remains a classic today. It’s all about megawatt entertainment here, whether soaked up alongside its expansive pool deck or devoured at one of three marquee restaurants on the property: Scarpetta, Hakkasan and StripSteak.

Time Out tip: LIV still delivers the South Beach mega-club experience of your dreams, complete with confetti showers, light shows, headliner DJs and a packed dance floor pulsing into the wee hours. Prepare to drop a wad on table service.

Located across the street from the famed Bal Harbour Shops, the five-diamond St. Regis Bal Harbour Resort is the pinnacle of luxury. From its plush suites designed by Yabu Pushelberg and its exceptional, 14,000-foot Remède Spa to its ritzy poolside cabanas decked in Roche Bobois’ high-end furniture, the property pulls no punches when it comes to offering guests a sumptuous experience. There’s even a nightly champagne sabering ritual to kick off your evening in style.

Time Out tip: If you have a spare $30,000 lying around, maybe you’d like to spend the night in the 23rd-floor Grand Palace Suite, featuring eight bedrooms, a private balcony, multiple living rooms, kitchens, a poolside day villa and butler service.

The 1 is a luxury destination with an eco-driven mission and design aesthetic that brings the outside in—think lounges draped in airy white linen, driftwood accents and vertical gardens. The LEED-certified hotel is home to some of the largest and most tranquil guest rooms in all of Miami, where plush platform beds and spa-like bathrooms await.

Time Out tip: With four pools spread throughout the property, there are plenty of options for places to lounge. Head up to the rooftop pool for maximum sun and panoramic views of Miami Beach, plus the liveliest scene and delicious bites and frozen cocktails at Asian fusion restaurant Watr.

Towering above Miami’s financial district, the Kimpton EPIC is a sleek Downtown hotel located at the mouth of the Miami River offering panoramic views of Biscayne Bay. The property also boasts the perennially popular Zuma, where every Miamian with a decent palate and deep pockets knows to go for upscale Japanese and sushi.

Time Out tip: The hotel’s 16th floor is home to Exhale Spa, touting wellness-oriented spa treatments, yoga and barre classes. Adjacent to the boutique spa is a chic pool deck with a fun pop-up restaurant serving all kinds of delicious tapas.

Philippe Starck’s surreal design is partly what makes the SLS Brickell seem like a work of art. Inside, the hotel owes the designation to a museum-quality contemporary art display culled from developer Jorge Perez’s private collection. Part of the lifestyle brand born in Beverly Hills and rapidly expanding across Miami, the SLS Brickell provides a trendy escape in the otherwise straight-edge financial district.

Time Out tip: SLS Brickell boasts not one but two James Beard Award winners: Spanish avant-garde chef and activist José Andrés of Bazaar Mar and Miami’s homegrown favorite Michael Schwartz of Fi’lia.

Located on a manmade island just east of downtown Brickell, Mandarin Oriental is a true destination resort. With unparalleled service, the staff will ensure you have everything you need by the pool, at the five-star spa or in your luxury suite with sprawling views of Miami.

Time Out tip: Make a reservation for Sunday brunch at La Mar by Gastón Acurio—one of Miami’s best brunches. Experience hours of bottomless champagne, pisco cocktails, a lavish Peruvian buffet, a tasty entrée that’s served tableside and an adorable artisanal house that’s filled with desserts. The best part: it all happens on the terrace overlooking Biscayne Bay.

Delano is the boutique hotel that put South Beach back on the map in the ‘90s thanks to its raging lobby parties frequented by Madonna, Lenny Kravitz and swarms of models. With its iconic Philippe Starck design inspired by Alice in Wonderland, the scene is still abuzz and you’ll find the latest party just off the lobby at downstairs club Doheny Room.

Time Out tip: Leynia is the latest iteration of Delano’s signature restaurant occupying the tiered terrace that overlooks the pool. It specializes in wood-fired Argentinian fare with an Asian twist—and it’s a hit!

A sleek tower rising from the heart of Brickell, EAST, Miami takes its design inspiration from the Far East with minimalist rooms boasting floor-to-ceiling windows. The hotel’s 40th floor houses the buzzy rooftop bar Suga as well as the excellent South American parilla restaurant, Quinto La Huella, a few floors below.

Time Out tip: EAST, Miami is the anchor hotel of the new Brickell City Centre, a mixed-use, outdoor shopping center. Downtown’s first area mall features two Italian food halls, La Centrale and Casa Tua Cucina, CMX luxury cinemas and tons of upscale boutiques. Plus, the genius climate ribbon means you’ll never get wet during an impromptu shower.

A hip hostel born from a pop-up cocktail bar inside a defunct hotel on the outskirts of South Beach—that’s the brief origin story of the Freehand and its famous patio bar, the Broken Shaker. And the rest, as they say, is history. The perennially popular spot reinvigorated local culture in Miami Beach by slinging masterfully creative cocktails and providing curious travelers with some of the cheapest lodgings in town.

Time Out tip: The Freehand’s pool throws a different kind of Miami Beach pool party. Check the hotel’s website for details on the latest knitting parties, cocktail events and more kitschy fun.

Fresh off a $50 million renovation, Loews Miami Beach is a sprawling family-friendly resort with impeccable hospitality. It’s home to multiple dining venues, a gorgeous pool and an outpost of Exhale Spa.

Time Out tip: Be sure to make a reservation at Lure Fishbar, an upscale restaurant in the hotel’s stylish historic tower for some of the best seafood in South Beach.

The exclusive, members-only club with locations across the globe has a South Beach outpost inside a restored Art Deco boutique hotel. Guests enjoy oversized rooms and terraces with a shabby chic design aesthetic, as well as access to multiple restaurants, the Cowshed Spa, exclusive events and ubiquitous celebrity sightings.

Time Out tip: Not a member or a hotel guest? You can still get a taste of Soho Beach House at Cecconi’s, the charming courtyard Italian restaurant open to the public.

The enormous bayfront, zero-entry swimming pool is the centerpiece of the Standard, where scenesters lounge on lemon-yellow chaises and sip frosé. The vibe is decidedly hip yet mellow as guests shuffle about in bathrobes from the pool to the third-floor spa, beloved for its expansive hammam with tiered seating and superb yoga programming.

Time Out tip: The Standard provides a monthly membership to locals, so if you’re looking to mingle with the cool kids of Miami, you’ve found your place.

New to the spate of boutique properties in South Beach, the Plymouth oozes Art Deco charm with its glossy lobby, cheeky indoor tiki bar and courtyard swimming pool decked in checkered tiles and coral lounge chairs. Head past the quaint reception desk to find Miami’s outpost of the celebrated Blue Ribbon Sushi Bar & Grill, where omakase dinners juxtapose ridiculous fried chicken with quite the cult following.

Time Out tip: Each guestroom has its own unique floor plan and classic design, including some with a clawfoot bathtub at the foot of the bed. No two experiences at the Plymouth are ever the same.

This beacon of decadent Mediterranean Revival comes to us from Coral Gables’ brilliant city planner and developer George Merrick. With a fascinating history that spans across the 20th century (it was once a wartime hospital!), the Biltmore remains a lavish resort complete with a golf course, spa and several fine-dining restaurants.

Time Out tip: The Biltmore is home to one of the largest swimming pools in the world, boasting a reported 600,000 refreshing gallons of water for swimming and lounging.

SLS South Beach is the epitome of the trendy South Beach hotel: Philippe Starck’s sleek and surreal aesthetic, a celebrity chef-helmed restaurant and a DJ-fueled poolside nightclub protected by a perennial velvet rope. If all of that is your idea of a good time, then you’ve found your place.

Time Out tip: Dining at Bazaar by José Andrés on site? Flag down the CO2 caipirinha cart for a frosty (and boozy) tableside preparation of the beloved cachaça-based Brazilian cocktail.

A bastion of elegance on the otherwise frenetic, neon-splashed Ocean Drive, the Betsy plays up the Colonial charm of its historic architecture with neat literary programs for guests and aspiring writers. (The entire building is stocked with books you can freely borrow as you please.) Home to the excellent LT Steak & Seafood by Laurent Tourondel, you’ll also find the more casual but equally delicious pizzeria The Alley beneath the Betsy orb, a mind-bending architectural installation wedged aloft between two buildings.

Time Out tip: The Betsy is dedicated to the cultural arts, so check its schedule of weekly programming for everything from poetry readings and art exhibitions to live jazz, most of which is free to experience.

One of the only South Beach hotels on Biscayne Bay, the stylish Mondrian offers unparalleled sunset views you can’t quite get from one of the properties on the Miami Beach sands. Designer Marcel Wanders was inspired by Sleeping Beauty’s castle so expect dreamy guestrooms, lacquer accents and dramatic poolside cabanas designed to enormous scale.

Time Out tip: Speaking of poolside views, the Mondrian hosts gratis yoga classes on its expansive poolscape every Sunday morning. Bring your mat, chill out and take in the views for free.

Consider this your ultimate Miami bucket list