• Easyopinions nc
• Value for money 7.09
• Location 8.0

Looking for understated luxury at the heart of South Beach right on the Ocean Drive strip? Then you may just have found it at The Tides. Let the soothing neutral tones and natural materials used to create the hotel's unique atmosphere entice you. Under the same umbrella as the Viceroy Miami, designer Kelly Wearstler has done yet another dazzling job. Nothing like the Viceroy Miami, The Tides is a lot tamer and is worlds apart from the other hotels in the area. Elegant and of excellent quality, this Art Deco bijou of a hotel is a great all-rounder if you're looking for a grown-up choice right across the street from the beach. Although it looks fairly conventional from the outset, it has its fair share of celeb guests, like Cameron Diaz and Jennifer Anniston, but the hotel has also starred in Will Smith's 'Miami' music video. Although the hotel is not closed to (well-behaved children), it does remain an adults-only hotel on the whole.

• Easyopinions nc
• Value for money 6.91
• Location 9.05

Casual and small, the Congress Hotel is an original deco hotel located on Ocean Drive. It consists of five different buildings each with a distinctive architecture, which is some of the most emblematic in the area. It has reasonably good quality accommodation and a lovely pool deck looking right onto Miami Beach. The views from the pool are well worth the stay. The Congress is ideal for a wide-ranging clientele, from couples to groups of friends, to families wishing to be based on Ocean Drive and not wanting to stay at some of the larger more impersonal resort hotels.

• Easyopinions nc
• Value for money 6.94
• Location 9.23

If what you're looking for is a party vibe close to the beach, then the Clevelander is for you. Following a million dollar renovation, the hotel is brand spanking new and deserves a look-in for its lively bars out front, even if you're not staying here. Its three outdoor bars are always full with a young trendy crowd looking for old-fashioned burgers and Caïpirinhas accompanied by music blaring over the speakers. Not the best choice if you're after somewhere quiet and relaxing! The 70 year old landmark is renowned for its parties and entertainment all year round. Ideal for holidaymakers looking for a lot of action and very little sleep! It is worth noting that all guests must be over the age of twenty-one.

• Easyopinions 7.00
• Value for money 6.74
• Location 9.42

Essex House is a small hotel that is easily missed if you don't know what you're looking for despite being somewhat of a landmark in South Beach. One of Al Capone's favourite hangouts when the hotel bar used to be a casino back in the 30s, the lobby remains as it was when it first opened and is one of the best examples of South Florida Art Deco around. There isn't much to the hotel today, but the secret is in its enormous lobby fireplace and original Earl le Pan mural painted in 1938. You will find another of his most famous oeuvres at the Hotel Victor (now a Hyatt - see our review of this hotel) on Ocean Drive. The Essex House is particularly popular with the British and is a quiet place to stay, unlike its sister hotel, the Clevelander next door ((see our review of this hotel).

• Easyopinions nc
• Value for money 6.79
• Location 8.52

There isn't much to distinguish it from the rest of the hotels on the Ocean Drive strip, unless you know a little history behind this small boutique Art Deco hotel. Owned by singer Gloria Estefan, the Cardozo was one of the first deco hotels to be saved by the South Beach preservation group, the hotel has become somewhat of a star as it has welcomed various film crews for blockbusters like There's Something About Mary - the 'hair gel' scene was actually filmed here! The good quality accommodation makes up for the fact that apart from the restaurant there are no facilities at this hotel, however you must have the budget to stay here as the rooms are not of the best-value. Ideally located, this hotel could suit a wide ranging clientele for whom accommodation and location are priorities.

• Easyopinions nc
• Value for money 7.05
• Location 8.71

Las Golondrinas is a small, nicely decorated family hotel next to Fifth Avenue in Playa del Carmen. As it offers very few services, this posada is an ideal base from which you can simply enjoy the rest of the lively sea resort village, which is famous for its beaches and shopping facilities.

• Easyopinions 9.00
• Value for money 6.95
• Location 9.17

Quirky, fun, of good quality and with good service, LORDS at Nash comes highly-recommended. Opened at the end of 2010, LORDS, the 'appropriately oriented hotel', is without doubt one of our favourite hotels in South Beach for several reasons. First, because the owner, Brian Gorman, has principles. Behind the fun concept, his aim is to bring affordable accommodation back to South Beach, which he hopes will attract creative types back to the city. His design aim was to "make it very playful, make it all about Miami". Second, because the boutique hotel is very simply an extremely pleasant place to stay. Mixing fun, art and design, Brian has poured all his passion into this hotel, which really comes through in the service and the attention to detail. The hotel is ideal for a wide-ranging clientele, from families to couples looking for a base with quality accommodation to explore the rest of the city from. Overall, a simple refreshing and uplifting hotel, which we feel privileged to have reviewed!

• Easyopinions nc
• Value for money 7.42
• Location 8.96

The Versace Mansion has been converted into a small and very exclusive hotel now known as The Villa by Barton G. As you can imagine, there is nothing ordinary about this little haven of peace, quiet, fashion and flamboyancy! True to Mr Versace himself, Barton G has kept his spirit alive by keeping everything as it was with a few minor alterations. You can rent Madonna's suite (the only one with a bath tub) or Elton John's, both of whom were the designer's very close friends. For those of you who can afford it, this is a beautiful hotel to stay at for its stunning pool with 24 carat gold mosaics and meticulous personalised service. A world-famous landmark worth stopping by for a couple of nights.

• Easyopinions nc
• Value for money 7.43
• Location 7.0

One of Miami's best hotels, The Setai's oriental inspired design sets it apart from other luxury South Beach hotels and makes for a welcome change that is being enjoyed by celebrities across the globe. Sexy, cool, yet discreet, the hotel's unrivalled calm and hushed atmosphere held within its seemingly fortified walls gives the utmost sense of privacy and intimacy. Like no other hotel in Miami, the sophisticated Setai proudly boasts a Leading Hotel of the World label and banks its success on simple, calm and soothing elements throughout, making it a perfect little haven of peace and quiet for guests needing to get away from it all whilst still having access to Miami's buzzing nightlife and beach scene. Although the hotel does welcome families, it is recommended that the children be extremely well-behaved to avoid any steely glares from Miami's high-society.

• Easyopinions nc
• Value for money 7.42
• Location 8.96

The Versace Mansion has been converted into a small and very exclusive hotel now known as The Villa by Barton G. As you can imagine, there is nothing ordinary about this little haven of peace, quiet, fashion and flamboyancy! True to Mr Versace himself, Barton G has kept his spirit alive by keeping everything as it was with a few minor alterations. You can rent Madonna's suite (the only one with a bath tub) or Elton John's, both of whom were the designer's very close friends. For those of you who can afford it, this is a beautiful hotel to stay at for its stunning pool with 24 carat gold mosaics and meticulous personalised service. A world-famous landmark worth stopping by for a couple of nights.

• Easyopinions 8.50
• Value for money 7.41
• Location 5.0

Without doubt one of our favourite hotels, the very stylish Viceroy Miami has it all with interiors by Kelly Wearstler and a spa designed by Philippe Starck that will wow you over and over again. Although a little bit big to be defined as a boutique hotel, everything has been carefully studied to give the same impact design-wise. Throw in the flawless service, the spacious rooms and the incredible food at the Eos restaurant, the Viceroy Miami runs right into our top three hotels in Miami. The hotel is located Downtown, far from the South Beach hubbub, so it isn't the best choice for those of you looking for a hotel centered around a beach atmosphere, but if you plan on hiring a car, the journey is worth it if what you are looking for is excellence from house-keeping to design. For those of you with young families, the hotel is a lot more child friendly than its quirky design lets on. With the longest roof-top swimming pool in Florida, if not the entire United States, kids will be enthralled for hours.

• Easyopinions nc
• Value for money 7.3
• Location 6.0

Cool, sassy and fun, the W South Beach is without doubt one of the highest-profile hotels in Miami and not without good reason. The most impressive aspect of the hotel is its $60 million collection of contemporary art alongside its impressive range of high quality facilities such as its bar, restaurants and pool. It is also located on the beach in a quieter part of SoBe. The hotel is one of the largest in the city and so lacks a little intimacy. A major downer however, is that the rooms severely lack ergonomics and the high quality finish that is expected for the prices charged. Otherwise the gimmicky hotel is fun, young and dynamic and is ideal for a wide-ranging clientele from groups of friends to families and couples.

• Easyopinions nc
• Value for money 7.28
• Location 8.0

Slightly out of place among Ocean Drive's colourful Art-Deco hotels, the upscale ethical and art-loving boutique Betsy (a Small Leading Hotel of the World) is one of our favourite establishments in Miami. Combining colonial cool with contemporary casual, this is the ideal place to stay for a wide-ranging clientele including yummy mummies who thank the bulky doormen with a "Thank you honey-bunny". An attractive hotel that has mastered understated elegance down to a T, has all the facilities you would want on holiday, from a rooftop spa to a renowned steakhouse, a funky chic bar to its very own art collection, the Betsy is one of the more pleasant places to stay in Miami. Located right across from Miami Beach, a stay here is ideal for couples as well as families with a big budget as a stay here does not come cheap.

• Easyopinions nc
• Value for money 7.26
• Location 5.0

This legendary Miami hotel is packed full of history and tales from days gone by. When you see the imposing building, you are taken right back into the past, and you almost expect to see Al Capone and his cronies drinking cocktails at the bar, or even President Franklin Roosevelt drifting past on a gondola along the canals. The Biltmore is a long way from everything, so it is not really the ideal place to stay if you wish to experience the hectic activity of Miami Beach.

• Easyopinions nc
• Value for money 7.24
• Location 5.0

The Fontainebleau is Miami's hotel of legends. Known throughout the world, it was a celebrity haunt in the 50s and 60s. Competition was fierce between the Fontainebleau and the Eden Roc, and it's still not sure which establishment was the more popular among stars. Now it's your turn to be the star, so enjoy a night or two of unadulterated luxury in this sprawling establishment where nothing is lacking.

• Easyopinions nc
• Value for money 7.19
• Location 7.36

This is Philippe Starck's second opus in Miami, following the Delano designed in the 80s. By a strange twist of fate the SLS is the building next door. The SLS is THE place to see and be seen. It is the latest addition to its Los Angeles namesake. SLS is expanding across the country. Soon it will be possible to travel across America from one SLS to another! And life will be designer! Hats off to the artist for this magnificent work of art! It would take just one tiny adjustment to make this a superb hotel - bigger guest rooms.