If you’re not staying at a hotel with beach service, you can enter at a number of locations like South Pointe Park or 11th street and Ocean Drive (right across from the famed Versace Mansion) for a livelier beach outing, or head over the bridge to Key Biscayne where locals like to go for a quieter retreat.
Beach day
image credit: Pola Damonte via Getty Images
boat day
Cuban coffee
MIAMI
For discerning travelers who appreciate charm over grand-scale amenities, Life House prioritizes community-driven hospitality in this low-key retreat that feels like an artist’s hideaway. Room types span from light and airy queen suites to luxury bunk rooms making it perfect for families traveling with their brood. Rates start at $170, and Lifehouse also has a sister property in the Cuban enclave of Little Havana.
Lifehouse Hotel
image credit: Lifehouse Hotel
If you want to stay away from the flash of South Beach and bustle of Brickell, opt for a stay at the swanky Mr. C, the boutique hotel concept by the Cipriani family (rates starting at $379) designed with Italian nautical influence. The glitzy property is crowned by its bar and restaurant, Bellini, steeped in sophistication where martinis are served by gentlemen in white tuxedos, and the intimate rooftop pool is the perfect setting for rest and tranquility. Overall the property is nestled in the heart of Coconut Grove for easy walkability among the boho tree-lined streets, showing off a side of Miami that experienced travelers will appreciate.
Mr. C, Coconut Grove
A stay in Miami doesn’t necessarily mean you need to be on a beach. For those that would rather opt for a city-style weekend getaway, EAST is a modernist, sky-high hotel (rates start at $200) in the heart of Brickell – the “FiDi” of Miami. The hotel is home to the popular rooftop bar, Sugar, serving Balinese tapas with panoramic views of Biscayne Bay, and tucked behind heavy doors, you’ll also find the rooftop’s mysterious speakeasy called the Tea Room. A fun bonus is that a quick elevator ride from your hotel room takes you smack in the middle of Brickell City Center, the neighborhood’s open-air mall, offering easy door-to-door access to shopping.
EAST Brickell
image credit: EAST Brickell
image credit: EAST Brickell
image credit: Esme
stucco casitas in this design-lover’s paradise. Its original structure is full of mystery and intrigue, having been the base for Al Capone's gambling syndicate in the late 1920s, and decades later serving as the backdrop for television’s Miami Vice and the movie Birdcage. Esme’s charm extends from its jewel-toned suites to the killer candy-striped rooftop pool, with an impressive restaurant lineup from Mediterranean fare at The Drexel, speakeasy Omakase at Sushi-Bar, and eclectic cocktails at El Salón.
Hidden along the twinkling, cafe-
Esme
The epitome of tropical elegance is the EDITION Hotel (rates start at $349 in the low season, $749 in the high season), the brain-child of Studio54 co-founder Ian Schrager, who created this trendy stay-and-play beachfront getaway, complete with the most Instagrammable neon bowling alley, ice skating rink, and discobox night club making it a convivial stay for couples, friends and families alike. On property you’ll find food offerings by celebrity chef Jean-Georges in addition to casual market dining, a boutique of curiosities, and sumptuous bungalow lounging. Above all, the real reason that will have you coming back is the signature Le Labo EDITION scent that greets you the second you step foot inside, signaling instant vacation mode.
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Miami is the queen of bacchanalia, and it may be the real city that doesn’t sleep. E11EVEN is a high-octane ultra club that literally never closes, so come for a good time and a long time. Pro tip: most people don’t know you can order food inside, but when hunger strikes, order the chicken fingers—they’re the best in Miami.
Reserve Padel has taken the city by storm. A luxurious waterfront club dedicated to the beloved racket sport boasting six glass courts, upscale eateries and epic views of the Miami skyline.
Patrón El Alto on the rocks. A luxury reposado tequila handcrafted from the finest and sweetest 100% Weber Blue Agave and packaged in an elegant azure bottle.
Drinking cafecito is a lifestyle. For the most authentic experience, get your Cuban coffee from Versailles: a Little Havana landmark on “Calle Ocho” (yes, the one you’ve heard Pitbull rap about).
Not many cities can strike the perfect balance of revelry
Mobile apps like Boatsetter make it easy to charter a captained vessel in a matter of minutes, and you can choose a departure harbor closest to you. To do it like a true native, order ahead and bring along Joe’s Stone Crab takeout (a non-negotiable Miami institution) for piles of the world-famous crab claws with a side of hash browns.
Coconut Grove is Miami’s boho-chic jewel boasting beautiful state parks like Vizcaya Museum & Gardens, the CocoWalk shopping complex with charming boutiques, and verdant coastal dining. Must-visits are the newly opened Bayshore Club and Regatta Grove.
