The President Hotel - Miami Beach

The three-story President Hotel's white exterior has classic, Art Deco details, fitting right in with Collins Avenue's iconic architecture. Renovations as late as 2016 have brought out the best of retro elements and added some new features -- including a stylish lobby that pairs terrazzo floors with mid-century-inspired furniture. Halo chandeliers have exposed filament bulbs, and there's a trendy bar along the back wall, which is often bustling. Other than the lobby, though, common space is limited. Guests tend to be tourists looking for lower rates rather than more amenities, and range from the beach-going crowd to the nightclub-ready. 

The President Hotel is situated on Collins Avenue just a block from Ocean Drive and the beach. The hotel is surrounded by other two- and three-story Art Deco buildings, mostly condos, small businesses, and other hotels, putting it slightly beyond the club-bumping and car alarms, but still walkable to nightlife, shopping, and restaurants. The Anthony Bourdain-endorsed, occasionally celebrity-studded, Mac's Club Deuce, for instance, is just around the corner, a two-minute walk, and plenty of Art Deco highlights are an easy jaunt.

• Seven-minute walk to Versace Mansion
• Nine-minute walk to the Art Deco Welcome Center
• 12-minute walk to The Fillmore Miami Beach at Jackie Gleason Theater
• 13-minute walk to Lincoln Road Mall
• 15-minute walk to Miami Beach Convention Center
• 15-minute drive to Jungle Island
• 20-minute drive to Miami Beach Cruise Ship Terminal
• 32-minute drive to Miami International Airport
• 40-minute drive to Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport

The guest rooms all feature one enormous wall mural with a nature-inspired theme. Decor is mostly white -- walls, bedding, and furnishings -- with a mirrored wall that boosts the size perception. Crystal chandeliers hang above the beds, and all have attractive hardwood floors, but there's barely room for the two queen-size beds. Upgrades bring chairs and narrow desks, but not both, unless you choose a Penthouse Suite or a Villa room, located in the annex next door. All units have AC, 32-inch flat-screen TVs, mini-fridges, and safes, but no coffeemakers (Wi-Fi is included in the daily resort fee). The attractive bathrooms have decent-size walk-in showers with mosaic tiling, and come with hairdryers and toiletries. Lackluster views are of the street and neighboring buildings' side walls, but units are still sunny. The quietest rooms are at the back of the hotel. 

This property packs in a few features that not all area mid-range hotels offer -- but there's a daily resort fee attached. It covers a continental breakfast (hot items cost extra), beach towels, daily bottled water, a welcome drink, and Wi-Fi. The lobby makes good use of space, with a small bar serving cocktails and smoothies in the early evening, and a casual, cordoned off dining area where breakfast, lunch, and dinner is served. The only other common space is a small courtyard and a front terrace facing Collins Avenue, set back just far enough from the road for a quiet space that makes a nice people-watching perch. There's no pool or gym -- and like many area hotels, valet parking is offered for a daily extra fee.