The Room Mate Waldorf creates a sexy, trendy atmosphere that blends in with its hip South Beach location right on Ocean Drive. The small boutique hotel in an historic Art Deco building has direct beach access, a restaurant and bar, 24-hour front desk service, dry cleaning services, and access to VIP club tickets. There are 44 stylish rooms with minibars, stylized modern furnishings, and, in some, bay windows with beach views. However, the area can be congested and rowdy, especially at night. The Edgewater South Beach offers a quieter atmosphere, but for pricier rates.
The Room Mate Waldorf creates a sexy, trendy atmosphere that blends in with its hip South Beach location right on Ocean Drive. The small boutique hotel in an historic Art Deco building has direct beach access, a restaurant and bar, 24-hour front desk service, dry cleaning services, and access to VIP club tickets. There are 44 stylish rooms with minibars, stylized modern furnishings, and, in some, bay windows with beach views. However, the area can be congested and rowdy, especially at night. The Edgewater South Beach offers a quieter atmosphere, but for pricier rates.
The 58-room Bentley Hotel is an upper-middle-range South Beach boutique with affordable rates, a walkable location across from the beach, and mixed reviews. Suites all have small kitchenettes with minibars, Italian marble bathrooms, and safes, plus ocean-view. There's an Italian restaurant on the ground floor, a rooftop pool area, and free access to a private beach club across the street. Guests also receive a ton of extra perks at spots in town, including free food and spa discounts at the Mondrian South Beach. The resort fee covers Wi-FI, chairs and towels at the beach club, and an on-demand shuttle to nearby locations. It's worth considering Gale South Beach, which offers many of the same features but in a more upscale location on the strip.
The 58-room Bentley Hotel is an upper-middle-range South Beach boutique with affordable rates, a walkable location across from the beach, and mixed reviews. Suites all have small kitchenettes with minibars, Italian marble bathrooms, and safes, plus ocean-view. There's an Italian restaurant on the ground floor, a rooftop pool area, and free access to a private beach club across the street. Guests also receive a ton of extra perks at spots in town, including free food and spa discounts at the Mondrian South Beach. The resort fee covers Wi-FI, chairs and towels at the beach club, and an on-demand shuttle to nearby locations. It's worth considering Gale South Beach, which offers many of the same features but in a more upscale location on the strip.
The 186-room Surfcomber is more affordable and casual than most of its swanky neighbors. It comes with a huge, beautiful pool, direct beach access, and a great address on Collins Avenue. Most rooms are small but trendy, with surf-themed decor, bright pops of color, and modern amenities, such as flat-screen TVs, iHome docks, and free in-room yoga equipment. Other highlights include great freebies (bicycle tours, hosted wine hours, bartending lessons), two solid restaurants with bars, a well-equipped fitness center, and in-room or poolside spa services.
The 186-room Surfcomber is more affordable and casual than most of its swanky neighbors. It comes with a huge, beautiful pool, direct beach access, and a great address on Collins Avenue. Most rooms are small but trendy, with surf-themed decor, bright pops of color, and modern amenities, such as flat-screen TVs, iHome docks, and free in-room yoga equipment. Other highlights include great freebies (bicycle tours, hosted wine hours, bartending lessons), two solid restaurants with bars, a well-equipped fitness center, and in-room or poolside spa services.
Across from the beach, in the middle of the all-night Ocean Drive chaos, this cheap party pad offers 50 clean, modern rooms, free Wi-Fi, and a bar that serves fishbowl-size mojitos. For spring breakers who can look past unsettling hallways and small bathrooms, the Colony is an inexpensive stay. Otherwise, check out the Pelican Hotel or Congress Hotel.
Across from the beach, in the middle of the all-night Ocean Drive chaos, this cheap party pad offers 50 clean, modern rooms, free Wi-Fi, and a bar that serves fishbowl-size mojitos. For spring breakers who can look past unsettling hallways and small bathrooms, the Colony is an inexpensive stay. Otherwise, check out the Pelican Hotel or Congress Hotel.
The two-and-a-half-pearl Suites on South Beach Miami doesn't have much to offer in the way of on-site facilities -- there are no restaurant, bar, or pool here -- but it's conveniently located in the center of South Beach, about three blocks from the beach and walking distance to ample dining and nightlife spots. Its 19 sleek, modern studios have kitchenettes with full-size refrigerators (one suite has a full kitchen) and iPod docks, but the views aren't great and there can be a little street noise due to their exterior entry. Better deals can be found up the street at the Nassau Suite Hotel, which includes free breakfast and whose suites all have full kitchens.
The two-and-a-half-pearl Suites on South Beach Miami doesn't have much to offer in the way of on-site facilities -- there are no restaurant, bar, or pool here -- but it's conveniently located in the center of South Beach, about three blocks from the beach and walking distance to ample dining and nightlife spots. Its 19 sleek, modern studios have kitchenettes with full-size refrigerators (one suite has a full kitchen) and iPod docks, but the views aren't great and there can be a little street noise due to their exterior entry. Better deals can be found up the street at the Nassau Suite Hotel, which includes free breakfast and whose suites all have full kitchens.
Separated from busy South Beach by lush gardens, this 46-room art deco hotel is a low-key oasis. There's a top-notch restaurant, free off-site gym passes, and a small, but serene pool. For the price, other hotels offer more features or direct beach access, but the massive, Wallace Tutt-designed rooms are hard to beat.
Separated from busy South Beach by lush gardens, this 46-room art deco hotel is a low-key oasis. There's a top-notch restaurant, free off-site gym passes, and a small, but serene pool. For the price, other hotels offer more features or direct beach access, but the massive, Wallace Tutt-designed rooms are hard to beat.
Owned by Gloria "Rhythm Is Gonna Get You" Estefan, the Cardozo South Beach is across from the beach on vivacious (and noisy) Ocean Drive. Lacking a pool or gym, the Cardozo tries to compensate with a Cuba-meets-Serengeti-meets-Bhutan décor and a restaurant that makes equally little sense.
Owned by Gloria "Rhythm Is Gonna Get You" Estefan, the Cardozo South Beach is across from the beach on vivacious (and noisy) Ocean Drive. Lacking a pool or gym, the Cardozo tries to compensate with a Cuba-meets-Serengeti-meets-Bhutan décor and a restaurant that makes equally little sense.
Directly above the Prime 112 steakhouse, this sleek SoFi boutique hotel on the ever-increasingly hip southern tip of South Beach has only nine beautiful guest rooms, each with a flat-screen TV in the bathroom (among other treats). But given the nearby noise and absence of a pool, the beachfront Hilton Bentley is the better pick.
Directly above the Prime 112 steakhouse, this sleek SoFi boutique hotel on the ever-increasingly hip southern tip of South Beach has only nine beautiful guest rooms, each with a flat-screen TV in the bathroom (among other treats). But given the nearby noise and absence of a pool, the beachfront Hilton Bentley is the better pick.
There's a lot to dislike about the Carlton: the lazy, indifferent staff, the "sensual" odors, the designed-by-Ikea-and-trying-too-hard-to-be-hip decor, as well as the terribly misleading website. But this is the Carlton, not the Ritz-Carlton. If you're just looking for a clean, reasonably priced place near the beach to sunbathe during the day and party by night, you could do worse.
There's a lot to dislike about the Carlton: the lazy, indifferent staff, the "sensual" odors, the designed-by-Ikea-and-trying-too-hard-to-be-hip decor, as well as the terribly misleading website. But this is the Carlton, not the Ritz-Carlton. If you're just looking for a clean, reasonably priced place near the beach to sunbathe during the day and party by night, you could do worse.
The 48-room Avalon is quiet, clean, and classy, despite being in the center of the Ocean Drive hubbub, across the street from the beach. But features are scarce -- no gym, no spa, no pool -- and stylish rooms and free continental breakfasts with fresh fruit don't quite make the steep rates worthwhile.
The 48-room Avalon is quiet, clean, and classy, despite being in the center of the Ocean Drive hubbub, across the street from the beach. But features are scarce -- no gym, no spa, no pool -- and stylish rooms and free continental breakfasts with fresh fruit don't quite make the steep rates worthwhile.