Top 10: the best five-star hotels in Miami
An insider's guide to the best five-star hotels in Miami, featuring the top places to stay for luxurious décor, sumptuous suites, elegant restaurants, serene spas and amazing rooftop pools, in locations including Miami Beach and South Beach.
Faena tapped filmmaker Baz Luhrmann and his Academy Award-winning designer wife Catherine Martin as creative consultants on this luxury hotel overlooking the Atlantic Ocean. The result is a theatrical fantasia in red, gold and tiger print, dusted with mind-bending contemporary art. Outside by the pool, a woolly mammoth skeleton dipped in 24-karat gold stands inside a temperature-controlled glass case overlooking the beach, palm trees swaying overhead. It’s a Damien Hirst sculpture entitled "Gone But Not Forgotten". This is a true foodie destination with Los Fuegos, run by legendary Argentinean asado grill master Francis Mallmann.
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A sprawling five-star luxury resort in posh Bal Harbour, the 227-room St Regis Bal Harbour offers unparalleled service and amenities. Celebrity chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten is at the helm of the acclaimed J & G Grill. The award-winning Remède Spa is a retreat for the most discerning traveller. 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. You’ll have to dress up not to be outclassed by the décor. Facilities include two oceanfront pools, a state of the art gym, children’s club and childcare services.
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A seaside retreat in Sunny Isles Beach—just 12 miles north of South Beach and known as the Florida Riviera—the five-star Acqualina Resort & Spa on the Beach is all luxury. In addition to four oceanfront swimming pools, Acqualina Spa by ESPA specialises in “spa journeys” that go beyond a simple treatment. The design is Mediterranean opulence with vaulted ceilings, golden chandeliers, copious marble, Spanish tile and limestone. Rooms are spacious with large balconies offering views of the ocean or the Intracoastal. Views of the glittering Atlantic Ocean by way of the elegant pool deck steal the show.
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A famed five-star resort with a world-class spa and high-end Peruvian restaurant, located the unique island enclave of Brickell Key. At just over 300 rooms and suites, 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. In addition to a lovely pool, the property also enjoys a bayfront beach with cabanas and lounge chairs for relaxation. Spacious rooms include balconies or large terraces and oversized marble bathrooms with soaking tubs.
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The famed London private members’ club’s Miami Beach outpost is found just north of South Beach in lush oceanfront digs. A magnet for celebrities and in-the-know Miami members, the property boasts two pools and the Cowshed spa. The 50 rooms are each individually designed with antique pieces, colourful textiles and a mirrored art deco-style drinks bar. There are enormous balconies (big enough for two sofas) overlooking the ocean in six of the rooms. Cecconi’s, the second US outpost of London’s beloved Mayfair restaurant, operates in the garden under vine-draped pergolas and fairy lights.
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A collaboration between American hotelier Ian Schrager and Marriott International, The Miami Beach EDITION occupies a restored mid-century grand dame on the Atlantic Ocean with food and drink by celebrity chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten and nightlife offerings that include an ice skating rink and bowling alley. The hotel’s design tows the line between sumptuous mid-century glamour and restrained modernity with a sprawling, all-white marble lobby occupying the curvilinear lines of the hotel’s historic bones. It's located on a swiftly developing section of Miami Beach just north of South Beach called mid-beach.
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Looming large as the tallest building in South Beach at 40 storeys, The Setai is a bastion of privacy and tranquility. Expect sweeping views through its glistening glass fa?ade, an Oriental-style design motif, Mediterranean fine-dining restaurant and elegant poolscape. The standard rooms, actually one-bedroom suites, are dark and masculine with teak walls. All measure 786sqft with separate living and sleeping areas, deep black granite bath tubs that you'll never want to leave, rainfall showers, handmade Duxiana king-sized bed and Frette linen. It's in the heart of Miami Beach, just off Collins Avenue.
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Occupying the entire oceanfront block of Collins Avenue, between 23rd and 24th Streets, 1 Hotel is at the nexus of two Miami beaches. The hotel is at the frontier of eco-luxury with a 900-metre 'living wall' composed of 11,000 varieties of local plants crawling up the fa?ade. Nearby, beneath the port cochere, white Teslas (electric cars) are docked in their charging stations. An expansive whitewashed, sun-drenched lobby, composed of natural wood and comfortable canvas sofas, is appropriately elegant. The 15 square-metre main pool, on an elevated plaza, puts the ocean at mesmerising eye level. The narrow rooftop pool is an equally splendid hideaway with 360-degree views.
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All glamour, all the time, the Fontainebleau oozes with it from the moment you set foot on its iconic marble bow-tie floor and gaze up at three glittering chandeliers by Chinese contemporary artist Ai Weiwei. The lobby is anchored by the neon-pulsing Bleau Bar, a buzzing gathering place by day and night. The pool area is equally impressive, with a massive freeform pool and various other small pools, as well as luxurious cabanas in addition to standard lounge chairs. It's located in a section of Miami Beach known as 'Millionaire’s Row.'
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EAST, Miami is a glistening, modern new-build with floor-to-ceiling windows and an East-meets-West design aesthetic, in Brickell City Centre. It’s awash in natural earth tones with high ceilings in the lobby, natural stone walls and brown marble tile floors. While it pays homage to its Chinese roots through clean and spare design, it also draws on Miami’s reputation as a cultural melting pot with international influences ranging from South American cuisine to a Bali-inspired rooftop bar. They’ve tapped local artist Alejandro Mijares to create a mural on the walls of a central staircase. The whole vibe is modern, youthful and luxurious.
