The Stiles Hotel South Beach

The Stiles (formerly The Nash) is housed in a four-story historic Art Deco building and is a bit more tranquil than hotels on neighboring Ocean Drive. An awning in the hotel's signature color, vivid yellow, announces that you have arrived. The restaurant's terrace has alfresco seating on each side of the entrance with umbrellas and fans overhead -- a welcoming sight. Yellow seahorses flank the entrance, and inside the lobby is stylish and fresh, with a slight bohemian vibe. The check-in desk is crafted from a tree trunk, and more earthy textures are seen throughout in tables, woven chairs, and other seating. A leather sofa and lounge chairs provide a nice spot for guests to hang out, and a vintage world map stretches across one corner of the room. The Gold Bar is off to the side. The hotel is especially appealing to younger couples looking for a relatively affordable but stylish hotel in the middle of the South Beach action, though of course families are welcome too. 

The Stiles Hotel is situated on Collins Avenue between 11th and 12th Streets in the heart of the Art Deco District. It's a block from the beach, and the neighborhood is packed with shops, restaurants, galleries, bars, and nightclubs. The Wolfsonian Museum is a three-minute walk from the hotel, while the Lincoln Road pedestrian mall and Art Center South Florida are within a 15- to 20-minute walk. Ambitious guests can walk to the Bass Museum of Art in 25 minutes (a trip that takes less than 10 minutes by cab), and Third Street Beach Yoga classes meet a 15-minute walk south of the hotel. The Miami Beach Convention Center is just over a mile away, and Miami International Airport is about 30 minutes away by car. 

Rooms at the Stiles are modern and fresh, decorated in soothing neutral and white shades. Some feature vivid yellow accents on the doors and full-length mirrors, while others are rendered in totally subdued, beachy tones except for an orange ice bucket. Blonde wood furnishings have subtly retro silhouettes, and fabrics throughout pick up on the earthy vibe of the hotel's lobby and are derived from natural fibers. A softly focused beach photograph hangs above the bed. Amenities include free bottled water and Wi-Fi, wall-mounted flat-screen TVs with premium channels, iPod docks, blackout drapes, safes, and irons and ironing boards. Bathrooms also are modern, with floor-to-ceiling tile in soft blue shades, marble countertops, and upscale toiletries. The South Beach humidity has taken its toll, however, and there are a few signs of mildew in the walk-in showers, not unusual in South Beach. Some rooms have furnished terraces, and two even have outdoor showers. Some street-facing rooms may get a bit noisy due to traffic outside, particularly on the terraces, and guests have reported issues with the air-conditioning.

The main restaurant, Primrose, serves inventive Eastern-influenced French and American cuisine in a bohemian setting with bronze banquette seating, book-filled shelves, and an eclectic mix of items decorating the walls. Ingredients are locally sourced, and all three meals are served throughout the day, though none are included with room rates (special bed-and-breakfast packages are available). Guests can dine inside or out and the restaurant gets great reviews. The Gold Bar off the lobby is aptly named, with a bar of shimmering gold and gold behind the bar and on adjacent walls as well. It serves cocktails and small plates. A garden area with plush greenery and three dipping pools is intimate and inviting. Seating options on the stone terrace include lounge chairs and umbrellas, cushioned sofas, and cafe seating for dining or sipping drinks by the pool. Orange towels and blue rugs and cafe chairs add splashes of color. Orange string lights add drama after dark. Wi-Fi is free throughout the hotel, and two beach chairs and towels are included with room rates/resort fees. Valet parking is available, but there is a fee, and the hotel's front desk is staffed 24 hours a day. The service here is worth a special mention as it's frequently cited by guests as a major plus.