Best hotels in Miami: where to stay, from South Beach to Key Biscayne

Calm behind an Art Deco facade

The Setai combines a restored Art Deco building on Collins Avenue with a tall tower behind, linked by an Asian-inspired courtyard and three pools at different temperatures stepping down towards the beach. The lobby is dark and hushed, and the contrast with the street outside is immediate.

It appeals to couples and design lovers who want South Beach without feeling the party. Rates are high and the mood is restrained, so groups looking for energy should look elsewhere.

Books and a rooftop on Ocean Drive

The Betsy stands on Ocean Drive, across the road from the beach, in a 1940s building with a colonnaded front. It runs its own programme of writers and musicians, has a small library and a rooftop with a pool and ocean views.

It is our pick for a first visit: in the heart of the Art Deco district but with enough personality to be more than a bed. Rooms are not large and Ocean Drive is noisy at night, so ask for a courtyard room if you want to sleep early.

Greenery, sand and a rooftop pool

1 Hotel sits on the beach at the northern end of South Beach and is built with reclaimed wood, plants and natural materials throughout. Its rooftop pool is one of the most popular in the city, and the hotel has its own loungers on the sand below.

It is well suited to travellers who want a modern beach hotel with good food and a strong gym, and who appreciate a hotel that takes sustainability seriously. Weekends are busy, and the rooftop is adults only, so families use the pool downstairs.

Gold, theatre and a mammoth

Faena in Mid-Beach is one of the most theatrical hotels in the United States, with red velvet, gilded columns and its own cabaret theatre. By the pool stands a gold-covered woolly mammoth skeleton by the artist Damien Hirst, and the beach is lined with red and white umbrellas.

It is our pick for romance and for anyone who loves excess done with conviction. Everything is expensive, poolside drinks included. If you prefer calm, Nordic minimalism, Faena will exhaust you.

The 1930s beach club

Four Seasons in Surfside, north of Mid-Beach, is built around the original Surf Club from the 1930s, a private beach club now joined by sleek new towers. The beach in front is broad and calm, and the pools sit among palms and white umbrellas.

It suits couples and families who want peace, excellent service and a quiet stretch of sand. South Beach and its restaurants are a long way off, so plan on taxis in the evening.

River, bay and a rooftop pool

EPIC stands where the Miami River meets Biscayne Bay, between Downtown and Brickell, and its rooms have big windows and balconies facing the water or the skyline. The rooftop pool is large and looks over the bay, and Brickell's restaurants are a few minutes' walk away.

It gets our vote as the value pick and suits travellers who want to experience the city, not just the beach. South Beach is about fifteen minutes by car without traffic, longer at rush hour.

A grand hotel in Coral Gables

The Biltmore opened in the 1920s in Coral Gables, a green residential district south-west of Downtown, and its tower is modelled on a bell tower in Seville. Behind the hotel lies a golf course, and the pool is often described as one of the largest hotel pools in the United States.

It is a good fit for travellers who want history, golf and calm, and who have a car. The beach is a drive away, and the rooms are classic and somewhat uneven in style, so ask for a renovated one.

An island for families

The Ritz-Carlton sits on Key Biscayne, an island south of Miami, with a broad, gentle beach in front and a state park with a lighthouse further south. The hotel has a large pool, a kids' club and tennis courts, and the atmosphere is relaxed and family-friendly.

It takes our family pick: safe, calm and right on the sand. South Beach and the city's restaurants are far away, so it suits those who want to rest and swim more than explore.