Miami’s best hotels
The Biltmore Hotel
$$$$ Coral Gables
Old-world glamour and rich history permeate the Biltmore as much as the
pricey perfume of the guests who stay here. Built in 1926, it’s the oldest
Coral Gables hotel and a National Historical Landmark — one of only two
operating hotels in Florida to receive that designation. Rising above the
Spanish-style estate is a majestic 300-foot, copper-clad tower, modeled
after the Giralda bell tower in Seville and visible throughout the city. Over
the years, the Biltmore has passed through many incarnations (including
a post–World War II stint as a VA hospital), but it’s now back to its original
splendor. More intriguing than scary is the rumor that ghosts of wounded
soldiers and even Al Capone, for whom the Everglades Suite is nicknamed,
roam the halls here. But don’t worry. The hotel is far from a haunted
house. It’s warm, welcoming, and extremely charming. Always a popular destination for golfers, including former President Clinton (who stays in
the Al Capone suite), the Biltmore is situated on a lush, rolling 18-hole
course that is as challenging as it is beautiful. The spa is fantastic, and the
enormous winding pool is legendary — it’s where a pre-Tarzan Johnny
Weissmuller broke the world’s swimming record.
The Creek
$ South Beach
This funky and arty hostel-like hotel, formerly known as the Banana
Bungalow, is cheap, campy, and quintessentially Miami Beach. Popular
with the MTV set, The Creek is a redone 1950s two-story motel that’s
loaded with amenities and where it’s always spring break. There are three
types of rooms: The Waterway Standard, no frills rooms which face a
narrow canal where motorboats and kayaks are available for a small
charge; the noisier Cabana Room, which opens to the pool deck (which
boasts a serious sound system that the hotel turns off around midnight);
and the Signature Rooms, 18 “altered living spaces” designed by artists and
on the second floor facing the pool deck. I highly recommend the Signature
Rooms that are facing the Intracoastal Waterway in terms of decor and privacy,
something you won’t have if you face out onto the buzzing pool deck.
Shared rooms are available for the uber budget conscious.
David William Hotel
$$–$$$$ Coral Gables
At this sister hotel to the Biltmore, you get many of the same amenities for
a lower price. Guests can even take a shuttle to the Biltmore to play a
round of golf, enjoy the health club and spa, play tennis, or take a dip in
the pool. The luxurious one- and two-bedroom suites are extremely spacious
and have eat-in kitchens for extended stays. For a spectacular view
of Miami, go up to the roof and have a drink by the pool. The hotel, which
has undergone a recent exterior renovation, is directly across the street
from the Granada Golf Course, less than 5 miles from the airport, and only
20 minutes from Miami Beach. Carmen The Restaurant, the culinary brainchild
of chef Carmen Gonzalez, features Post-New-American Cuisine, a sexy
spin on New American Cuisine steeped in exotic Hispanic/Latino influences.
If you want luxury without the price, this is your best alternative in the Gables.
The Delano
$$$$ South Beach
Today, the Delano, a place where smiles from staffers were once as rare as
snow in Miami, is kinder and gentler to its guests (with an emphasis on Band
C-list celebrities and tourists not entirely in tune with the times), which
for some, takes away the whole caché of staying here. But it certainly still
is amusing to look at — with 40-foot, sheer, white, billowing curtains hanging
outside, mirrors everywhere, Adirondack chairs, and faux fur–covered
beds. The rooms are done up sanitarium style: sterile, yet terribly trendy,
in pure white save for a perfectly crisp, green Granny Smith apple in each
room — the only freebie you’re going to get here. A bathroom renovation
recently took place in all the rooms — but they remain small and spartan.
Fontainebleau Hilton Resort
$$$–$$$$ Miami Beach
In many ways, this is the quintessential Miami Beach hotel. Designed by
Morris Lapidus, who oversaw an expansion in 2000, this grand monolith
symbolizes Miami decadence. Since its opening in 1954, the Fontainebleau
has hosted presidents, pageants, and movie productions, including the
James Bond thriller Goldfinger. This is where all the greats, including Sinatra
and his pals, performed in their prime. Club Tropigala is reminiscent of Ricky
Ricardo’s Tropicana and features a Las Vegas–style floor show with dozens
of performers and two orchestras. Rooms are luxurious and decorated in
various styles from 1950s to ultramodern; bathrooms are done up in Italian
marble. In 2001, the hotel underwent a $10 million renovation of its restaurants,
introducing the massive, cruiseship-esque, 150-seat Bleu View
Mediterranean restaurant and cocktail lounge. Meanwhile, the 7,000-squarefoot
Cookie’s World water park brings a bit of Disney to Deco-land, complete
with a water slide and river-raft ride. Along with supervised children’s activities,
the water park is geared to (though not reserved for) the little ones.
The hotel’s size tends to cause problems. The staff is overworked, and
lines in the lobby area are frequently long.