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Boutique hotels

Miami Overview

Florida

Cityscape
Art deco decadence
City life
Miami vices

Miami is a particularly colourful swirl in the great American melting pot; few cities are more diverse and cosmopolitan, and even fewer can boast white-sand beaches and endless days of perfect sunshine, too.

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.

Marvellously Miami

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.

Local knowledge

Taxis
Taxis are relatively cheap and readily available. There are fixed rates for journeys to the airport. If you really want to travel in style, hire a chauffeur-driven vintage Rolls Royce, from $90 an hour at Vintage Limousines of Coral Gables (+1 305 444 7657; www.vintagelimosonline.com).

Tipping culture
Tipping is always expected in restaurants; 20 per cent is not unusual. It’s also the norm to tip a dollar for every drink at the bar. Don’t forget to leave something out for housekeeping to ensure your toiletries get stocked up to the max each day.

Siesta and fiesta
Miami is a serious party town; the venue, the look and the attitude are all important factors to consider if you want to make it past the bouncers. The glitterati migrate to a different venue each night of the week, so check out the local low-down on the hippest hotspots.

Packing tips
Shades are an essential part of the Miami look. Also bring some insect repellent to ward off Miami’s vampire-sized mosquitoes.

Recommended reads
Get Shorty or Rum Punch by Elmore Leonard.

Cuisine
The city has strong Caribbean and Latin influences that are reflected in the cuisine, particularly in places like Little Havana, but you’ll also find choices as diverse as Chinese and Ethiopian. In this city, you are what you eat (and drink); ordering a beer rather than a cocktail in one of the many plush bars will not impress the locals.

Currency
US dollar.

Time zone
GMT -5 hours.

Dialling codes
Dial +1 for the United States; the Miami area code is 305.

Do go/don't go
Winter (December to March) is the peak season here, particularly with US tourists, so you’ll need to book well in advance; same goes for the fortnight around Carnival weekend in October. Miami is in the most southerly state, and enjoys year-round sunshine, so there’s no bad time to go unless you can’t take the heat: summer temperatures usually hover around 30º Celsius and it can feel very humid. June to November is hurricane season, so keep an ear out for any warnings during this time.