For more information and to book please visit www.mrandmrssmith.com or let us arrange your whole trip, by calling +44 (0)20 8987 4312 or from the USA dial 1 866 610 3867.
Half of Miami’s population is Hispanic, including a sizeable community of Cuban exiles, which gives the city a fast-paced rhythm and Latin swagger that is as much a part of the Caribbean and South America as it is Florida. Districts such as Coral Gables, Little Havana and Coconut Grove offer the kind of sultry indulgences their names suggest, but it is South Beach (SoBe) that’s the heart of the party scene in a city that takes its hedonism, ostentation and extravagance very seriously. The wide sweep of SoBe sand between the famous candy-coloured art deco beachfront of Ocean Drive and the Atlantic surf is both Miami’s playground and its catwalk. Beyond the bling and bikinis lies a city of stylish restaurants, decadent lounge bars and a burgeoning arts scene offering irresistible Miami virtues and vices in equal measure.
South Beach is famous for its Art Deco architecture, built in the 1920s and 1930s following a devastating hurricane. In the1980s, the buildings along Ocean Drive were painted a kaleidoscope of bright colours, adding extra sparkle to Miami’s main party district.
Our round-up of the hippest hideaways and romantic boutique hotels in Miami
This now-and-Zen Miami hotel combines art deco glamour and Asian style with hip clientele and seamless service – The Setai a serenely stylish base from which to explore buzzing Miami Beach.
Miami’s oceanfront Delano hotel – always a classic South Beach hotspot – has undergone a through primp and spruce recently, revealing sleek Starck lines and a surreal sense of scale, all in full minimal-white glory…
This modern-classic Miami hideaway has a 1930s vibe as glamorous as the South Beach residents who frequent its buzzy bar, pampering spa and ocean-view poolside.
‘Boutique’ may be a bit of a stretch to describe the 335-room South Beach sensation Mondrian Miami, but Marcel Wanders’ sleek and Starck-ish interiors lend the hotel an unexpected air of intimacy.
Maintaining its reputation as the party hotel on South Beach, the Shore Club Miami is the place to see and be seen. Home to Nobu, Skybar and a luxurious poolside area, the art deco hotel is a nocturnal playground for grown-ups.
On a small island off South Beach in Biscayne Bay, André Balazs’ ultra-cool palace of minimalism and wellbeing has pared-down fixtures, streamlined technology and no clutter whatsoever – The Standard Miami's a hip urban oasis.
Addresses don’t get much grander, rooms don’t get much bigger, and cocktails don’t get much tastier: the art deco Tides South Beach hotel on Ocean Drive is old-world Miami at its most glamorous.
A playfully cool South Beach boutique hotel, the Townhouse is a sleek SoBe cocktail of modern minimalist design and traditional comforts, all just a few steps from Miami's white-sand beaches.
A Mediterranean revival-style boutique hotel in the South Beach art deco district, Casa Tua is a welcome rebel among the swaggering ranks of mid-Fifties Floridian retro hangouts. The mood is one of relaxed luxury, with European antiques, crisp white linens and chic home comforts.
Planes, trains, automobiles, or maybe even helicopter – we tell you the best way to go.
January Art Miami (www.art-miami.com) is a major exposition of modern and contemporary art from more than 100 international galleries, held at the Miami Beach Convention Center. Early March The Miami International Film Festival is one of the biggest in the US, attracting international DJs and artists (www.miamifilmfestival.com). The lively Carnaval Miami (www.carnavalmiami.com) is centred on Calle Ocho in Little Havana and includes pageants, parades and concerts. Late March The Miami Music Conference is a major dance music event (www.wintermusicconference.com). June Goombay Festival (www.goombayfestivalcoconutgrove.com) in Coconut Grove is a Bahamian festival of music, parades (junkanoos) and Caribbean food. Late September–Early October The Miami Carnival is one of America’s biggest street festivals, the highlight of which is the carnival parade in early October. There are lots of events in the run-up to the parade, including the International Caribbean Music Festival in Bicentennial Park, which brings a fiesta atmosphere to Downtown Miami (www.crfest.com). December Art Basel Miami Beach is one of the world’s foremost annual art festivals and is centred on South Beach, bringing with it special exhibitions, events and parties. Visit www.artbaselmiamibeach.com for details of the next event.
In the South Beach area, this restaurant on Collins Avenue is great for lunch, especially brunch on Sunday; the pastry chef Hedy Goldsmith has won awards for her desserts, so leave enough room.
On Collins, this famous restaurant at the Shore Club on Collins has the best sushi in town. Celebrities are plentiful – tables are not, though, so book ahead.
This super-swish steakhouse on Ocean Drive is bustling with style and attitude.
On Washington Avenue in South Beach, this is an unassuming local Italian beneath the notoriously decadent Crobar nightclub; it’s only open for dinner.
On Washington Avenue in South Beach, this famous eaterie is an excellent choice; there are no prizes for guessing what’s best to order.
This hotel restaurant on James Avenue in South Beach has fabulously fine Italian cuisine and is set in a romantic Mediterranean villa.
At the Albion Hotel on James Avenue, this restaurant serves delicious dishes in an unusually (for Miami) relaxed atmosphere; it’s great for a lazy lunch.
On Southwest Eighth Street in Little Havana, this place is a true Cuban dining experience and a hub of the exile community.
If you’re in the Design District, try this unusual restaurant on Miami Avenue for fascinating Ethiopian dishes.
This fine restaurant on Almeria Avenue in Coral Gables offers New World fusion cuisine fit for gourmands.
Located on Giralda Avenue, this restaurant introduces a wonderful hint of the Caribbean to its Italian cooking.
This restaurant on Giralda Avenue is an excellent place to sample Latin American dishes.
From the same team who created Sky Bar in LA, this SoBe venue has indoor and outdoor spaces. We love the Garden Red Room, a tropically landscaped outdoor living room where you can lounge on floor cushions and sip Passionata cocktails by the light of the hurricane lamps with the night sky for a ceiling. Open until 2am, Sun–Wed; until 3am, Thurs–Sat. 7pm–5am
1901 Collins Avenue, Miami Beach, Florida
©2009 Mr & Mrs Smith
Member offer
