Beachfront boutiques and island hideaways: 10 amazing hotels for a romantic retreat in Miami
Sunset strolls on the beach, champagne toasts by the pool, a spa day for two, oceanfront dinners with the sea breeze on your skin and fluffy robes inside plush hotel suites… these are just a few things couples can look forward to when it comes to romance in Miami. From lavish resorts to boutique hideaways and even a private island just south of South Beach, Miami is a popular retreat for romantic holidays, honeymoons and destination weddings. Here's our pick of the best hotels.
Faena Hotel Miami Beach
Miami, Florida, United States
9Telegraph expert rating
This Atlantic-facing hotel is a theatrical fantasia in red, gold and tiger print, dusted with mind-bending contemporary art. Neo-romantic murals by Spanish artist Juan Gatti adorn the gilded cathedral entrance and suites are outfitted with bright turquoise velvet drapes that look as if they were plucked from a proscenium stage. Each room has a balcony and oceanfront rooms offer superior views – perfect for gazing out over a sunset. For massages à deux, the hotel features a dreamy Tierra Santa Healing House spa, and for fun evenings the Saxony Theatre stages cabaret-style musical revues and concerts. There's also a pool and beach service. Read expert review From ￡222 per night Check availability Rates provided by Booking.com
The St. Regis Bal Harbour Resort
Miami, Florida, United States
9Telegraph expert rating
The minute you arrive you're met with a glass of champagne at this sprawling five-star luxury resort in posh Bal Harbour – The St. Regis impresses on many levels. Yabu Pushelberg’s shimmering interiors – think enormous crystal chandeliers, glass walls, high ceilings – conjure up a modern take on Art Deco opulence and the days of grand old hotels, while the rooms all have ocean views from large terraces featuring plush sun loungers. Even better, the beach villas (each with bathroom, wet bar, indoor lounge and dining patio) come with their own butler. Top New York chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten’s J & G Grill has excellent, fresh fare, while the plush St Regis Bar and Wine Vault is the space for cocktails. Read expert review From ￡250 per night Check availability Rates provided by Booking.com
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Fisher Island Club
South Beach, Miami Beach, United States
9Telegraph expert rating
Part of Fisher Island Club's charm is the privacy (it's a members-only residential island located just off the southern tip of South Beach) and with only 15 suites it never feels crowded. Accommodation features polished limestone floors and tasteful traditional furniture (think, tufted leather headboards, sturdy wood furniture and cushy armchairs) infused with modern, clean designs; if you can swing it, an upgrade to a Courtyard Villa is worth it, featuring a lovely private courtyard with an in-ground hot tub and outdoor seating beneath shady palm trees. The beach faces southeast for unobstructed ocean views that feel more Mediterranean than Atlantic, while Spa Internazionale is a beacon of relaxation. Read expert review From ￡613 per night Check availability Rates provided by Booking.com
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Soho Beach House
Miami, Florida, United States
8Telegraph expert rating
A celebrity-studded South Beach enclave for couples who want to see and be seen. The hotel was built by famed Art Deco architect Roy France in 1941, and now features sumptuous shabby-chic interiors – think dark wood finishes, Spanish tile floors, playful Venetian chandeliers, plush jewel-toned and leather-tufted sofas. It's chockfull of exclusive facilities including beach service, a library and Cowshed Spa. In addition to Cecconi's, Soho Beach House also boasts a Mexican restaurant and bar at the rooftop pool, a beach bar in a garden near the ocean and a club floor terrace with a restaurant and bar. Head to the rooftop Ocho Tequila Bar for pre-dinner cocktails at sunset with a creative list of margaritas and mezcal cocktails. Read expert review From ￡192 per night
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The Standard Spa, Miami Beach
Miami Beach, Florida, United States
8Telegraph expert rating
A hotel which represents the ultimate in Miami Beach cool. The Standard Miami Beach boasts one of the hottest poolside scenes in town, along with inspired fitness and wellness programming at its popular spa. The interiors take on a minimalist, yet kitschy Scandinavian aesthetic with sharp angles, wooden furniture and walls covered in woven wool. The overall vibe is hip, breezy and retro. The spacious lobby opens up to a labyrinthine Zen garden with hanging chairs and fire pits hidden amidst the hedges, which further opens up to a zero entry pool where music is piped in underwater. The unique bayside island location also provides some of the prettiest views in the city, creating the feeling of a true retreat. Read expert review From ￡102 per night Check availability Rates provided by Booking.com
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The Miami Beach EDITION
Miami Beach, Florida, United States
9Telegraph expert rating
The Miami Beach EDITION occupies a restored mid-century grand dame on the Atlantic Ocean with clean-lined rooms designed for total comfort and relaxation. The linens – everything from sheets to pillows to towels and fluffy hooded robes – are gossamer soft to the touch and the peek of luxury. The hotel’s sprawling poolscape is one of the nicest on the beach with two swimming pools, a cabana bar with rooftop lounges and a grassy knoll; and nightlife offerings include an ice skating rink and bowling alley. Romantic dinners can be booked at a number of outlets, but Matador Room, with a gorgeous sunken dining room and outdoor terrace, is the marquee fine dining restaurant with menus developed by Michelin-starred Chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten. Read expert review From ￡179 per night Check availability Rates provided by Booking.com
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Four Seasons Hotel at The Surf Club
Surfside, Florida, United States
9Telegraph expert rating
Four Seasons Hotel at The Surf Club is a destination resort nestled into the quiet residential town of Surfside. The hotel marries Old Florida glamour with modern luxury by restoring the original clubhouse, built in 1930, and adding an ultra-modern glass tower by award-winning architect Richard Meier. The common areas exude understated elegance in a palette of creamy limestone and marble with mossy green upholstered chairs, brass accents and a dark wood vaulted ceiling in the original ballroom-turned-champagne bar. The rooms are nothing short of sublime, each with a plush white bed set amidst luxurious finishes like marble, brass and sun-bleached hardwood in a palette of cream and sand tones, and with a pale green accent bench. Read expert review From ￡277 per night Check availability Rates provided by Booking.com
The Plymouth
Miami, Florida, United States
8Telegraph expert rating
The Plymouth strikes boutique hotel gold inside a restored 1940s Art Deco gem, with a louche, subtropical clubhouse appeal. A surprisingly sophisticated indoor bamboo bar opens up to a courtyard pool with a playful black-and-white checkered tile deck and cushy lounge chairs in sun-bleached coral. Whitewashed hardwood floors and heather walls act as a backdrop to furnishings in the rooms, which are soft and traditional, featuring chocolate leather club chairs and hardwood desks and nightstands. Blue Ribbon Sushi Bar & Grill, located just off the lobby, is famed for both its fried chicken, which has a cult following, and super fresh sushi and omakase preparations. Read expert review Check availability Rates provided by Booking.com
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Mandarin Oriental, Miami
Miami, Florida, United States
9Telegraph expert rating
As its namesake implies, the Mandarin Oriental exudes Asian luxury with high-gloss marble, bronze sculptures, dark-wood accents and floor-to-ceiling windows offering stunning views of the bay and the city’s glittering lights. It's situated on a man-made island enclave accessible by a short bridge from the mainland. Peruvian stunner La Mar comes from Gaston Acurio, one of Peru’s most celebrated chefs, and is the hotel’s marquee restaurant. Looking for somewhere to relax à deux? A bayfront beach with cabanas and lounge chairs beckon those seeking to do... not very much. The award-winning 15,000 square-foot spa and fitness centre has a focus on holistic wellness. Read expert review From ￡159 per night Check availability Rates provided by Booking.com
The Setai, Miami Beach
Miami Beach, Florida, United States
9Telegraph expert rating
Looming large as the tallest building in South Beach, The Setai is a bastion of privacy and tranquility. Sleek and chic in dark teak and brick flooring, the hotel gives off an air of discreet luxury inside its grand lobby outfitted with objets d’art and an enormous, manicured bouquet of fresh roses to greet guests. On offer is personalised service where no request is too lavish – staff members have a knack for anticipating your needs before you even realise what they are. You'll find The Setai one block south of Collins Park, in the northern stretches of South Beach – which is a more subdued and sophisticated side of the buzzing area. Read expert review From ￡396 per night Check availability Rates provided by Booking.com