The best hotels in Miami
From retro chic to urban luxury.
An avant garde art district
Arlo Wynwood
If you have an artistic side, Arlo Wynwood is the perfect choice – not simply because the hotel has lovely decor with a refined design and colorful murals, but because the Wynwood district has a reputation as the art district in Miami. Make a circuit of all the galleries nearby and, whatever you do, don’t miss the Museum of Graffiti, which is located on a side street. After you’ve gotten your fill of all the art, you can wrap up the evening at one of Wynwood’s trendy clubs.
Beautiful, green oasis
Mayfair House Hotel & Garden
Located in Coconut Grove, one of Miami’s most walkable suburbs, Mayfair House Hotel & Garden is the ideal starting point for exploring the city on foot. It’s also quite family-friendly. When you return to the hotel, you’ll enjoy the lush surroundings, with fountains, plants, intriguing architecture, and artsy decor. The rooms are spacious, with a unique style that’s anything but monotonous.
A small beach town vibe
Esmé Miami Beach
What was once an artist colony is now an elegant, sophisticated boutique hotel featuring eclectic, mission-style decor and a “secret” rooftop terrace that’s become a popular watering hole (yes, there’s also a small pool with lounge chairs here). The hotel is located on Española Way, a busy two-block-long stretch known for its historic Mediterranean-style buildings, restaurants, and shopping. Thanks in part to the Esmé, the area’s evolved into one of the hipper places to hang out.
High fashion and art deco
Dream South Beach
What could be better than staying in an art deco hotel? Two art deco hotels, of course! Dream South Beach gave two venerable art deco institutions, the Tudor Hotel and the Palmer House, a fashionable facelift and the results speak for themselves! The hotel, which is located next to the former home of the late design icon, Gianni Versace, is just 50 meters from the beach while the decor runs the gamut from 70s retro to modern Moorish. Throw in the art deco elements and it’s absolutely picture perfect!
Modern urban style
citizenM Miami Worldcenter
CitizenM hotels always have a youthful, urban vibe, with lightning-fast WiFi, smart home functionality, and cool decor – citizenM Miami Worldcenter is no exception. Every guest receives a convenience kit, a water bottle, and a welcome drink, and if you stay there, you can relax on their private beach in South Beach. The hotel is located just north of downtown and you can get to the water in just minutes.
Chic and modern but retro
The Vagabond Hotel
Back in the day, the Vagabond was known far and wide as a favorite haunt of the Rat Pack (Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, and Sammy Davis Jr.). The hotel reopened after an extensive renovation, with 42 chic guest rooms that almost all face the pool area. We’re talking full-tilt retro here – with a color scale featuring the pastel whites, turquoises, and oranges of days gone by – but with a modern style that appeals to today’s young travelers.
Smart living downtown
YOTEL Miami
If you’re looking for affordable accommodations with a playful, high-tech design and modern conveniences, YOTEL in downtown Miami is the perfect choice. While the rooms are small by American standards, their patented SmartBed feature allows you to convert the bed into a couch to free up space. The same building also houses YOTELPAD, an apartment hotel with accommodations for up to six people.
The hotel that’s a social gathering place
THesis Hotel Miami
THesis Hotel doesn’t consider itself to be an ordinary hotel, but rather a meeting place where guests can exchange ideas and expand their cultural horizons. With 245 guest rooms and a convenient location close to Coral Gables, South Miami, and Coconut Grove, it’s a fantastic place to stay when you’re in the city. The rooms are chic and urban-inspired, featuring a soft gray and earth tone color palette. Several of them are even designed to accommodate wheelchairs, caregivers, and hearing-impaired guests. Make sure you visit their restaurant, Mamey, where Chef Niven Patel serves up the latest taste sensations based on fresh ingredients from his farm.
A cabin in South Beach
Life House, South of Fifth
The former home of an artist, Life House features beautifully decorated rooms with a strikingly minimalist style and a personal touch. The hotel is just a stone’s throw from the Atlantic in a part of South Beach that’s laid-back and not too crowded. After enjoy the swimming and sunbathing, make sure you check out their Pretty Swell café and try the trademark watermelon salad. Like all Life House hotels, South of Fifth is a locally rooted lifestyle hotel that’s adapted to the surrounding neighborhood.
A suite-only hotel
SLS LUX Brickell
The luxurious SLS LUX Brickell is an 84-room suites-only hotel. It’s the place to go if you want to pamper yourself with exquisite decor, panoramic views, tantalizing poolside drinks, and rejuvenating massages in the hotel’s signature spa. Guests can even borrow an opulent Lincoln house car to get around the local area!
An iconic classic
Hotel St. Michel
The historic Hotel St. Michel is a stately, ivy-covered property in Coral Gables that was built in 1926. The 28 unique rooms make the boutique hotel a popular destination for travelers, especially after the current owners restored the hotel to its former glory. While you’re there, don’t miss the on-site Italian restaurant, Zucca, which offers over 2,000 different varieties of the finest Italian wines.
A new downtown luxury hotel
The Elser Hotel Miami
Enjoy breathtaking views of the water and take in Miami’s vibrant cosmopolitan atmosphere at The Elser. As the hotel is located in the heart of the downtown area, there are plenty of nearby attractions, including Bayfront Park with its modern Ferris wheel, the Pérez Art Museum Miami, and the Arsht Center, which features live performances by the Afro-Cuban ensemble Buena Vista All Stars. The Elser, which opened in 2022, is a lifestyle center featuring both upscale apartments and a luxurious, modern hotel. Close to the popular design district, it also has a pool with a gorgeous view of the harbor where you can chill off after a long shopping excursion.
Text by Daniel Björk