The Betsy Hotel, Miami

Location

Located in the centre of South Beach, Miami’s most iconic neighbourhood, the hotel has excellent access to high-end restaurants, swanky bars and upmarket shopping districts. However, most are lured here for one thing only – its beach. Looking out over palm trees onto the sand, whether it’s a morning swim or an evening stroll along the boardwalks, the hotel is ideally positioned.

Accommodation

The hotel is right at home among the stylised neon and fanciful pastel colours of South Beach’s protected Art Deco District. The Betsy has just 61 rooms, all finished with dark walnut wood floors dappled in the Florida sun that creeps through plantation-style shutters. White lacquered cabinetry and in-room libraries complete the holiday retreat theme. Suites come with a separate living and entertaining area while Royal Suites feature 600 square feet of space and views over the Atlantic.

Dining

Winner of Miami New Times’ Best Steakhouse 2014, the hotel’s restaurant, BLT Steak, is the culinary brainchild of celebrated chef Laurent Tourondel. Unsurprisingly, highlights include USDA Prime, wagyu and Certified Black Angus beef steaks. However, the less carnivorously inclined should not be put off as the restaurant has an extensive sushi menu while, thanks to its proximity to the ocean, a wide range of fresh seafood also features. And, only the Americans would think to serve crispy sushi-fish tacos.

Facilities

As a winner of the AAA Four Diamond Award and member of the Small Luxury Hotels of the World group, The Betsy Hotel has an excellent range of amenities. Start your day off with sunrise yoga on the ocean deck and end it sipping cocktails with views over the beach to the Atlantic Ocean. In between, there’s a 24-hour fitness centre, a poolside bar and Miami Beach’s only outdoor spa, with treatments ranging from coconut hot towel facials to full body massages.