The Top 5 Best Luxury Hotels of Miami, 2026

Miami’s luxury hotel scene has never been short on hotels calling themselves five-star.

What’s changed in 2026 is a real reckoning with what that label should actually mean —

Forbes ratings, James Beard-nominated dining rooms, and design specific enough that

walking into the lobby feels like arriving somewhere, not just checking in. These five

properties are the ones that earned it.

1. Faena Hotel Miami Beach

Faena doesn’t do subtlety, and it isn’t trying to. Gold leaf, tiger print, and site-specific art by

Damien Hirst and Jeff Koons set the tone before you’ve even reached your room, and the

beachfront woolly mammoth skeleton has become the most photographed object in Miami

Beach that isn’t the ocean itself. The dining program matches the ambition: Los Fuegos by

Francis Mallmann for live-fire Argentinean cooking, Pao by Paul Qui for modern Asian

cuisine, and El Secreto Omakase, an ultra-exclusive six-seat speakeasy tucked away from

the spectacle out front. This is the hotel for travelers who want Miami’s theatrical side

turned all the way up.

2. The Setai

If Faena is the scene, The Setai is the retreat from it. Asian-inspired design, three

temperature-controlled oceanfront pools, and 87 Art Deco rooms in the original building

create a sense of calm that most South Beach properties simply can’t manufacture, no

matter their budget. Forbes awarded it Five-Star status again in 2026, and the discretion of

the service is the real signature here — this is the choice for couples and anyone who wants

genuine quiet layered underneath genuine luxury.

3. Four Seasons at The Surf Club

Technically in Surfside rather than South Beach proper, but no serious list of Miami’s best

can leave it off. The original Surf Club counted Sinatra and Churchill among its members in

the 1930s, and the Richard Meier-designed renovation layered modern sophistication over

that history without erasing it. Le Sirenuse Miami, an outpost of the Michelin-starred Amalfi

Coast original, is one of the strongest restaurants in South Florida — reason enough on its

own to book a table even if you’re not staying the night.

4. Acqualina Resort and Residences

Set in Sunny Isles between Miami and Fort Lauderdale, Acqualina is family-run and

independent, part of the Leading Hotels of the World collection, which gives it a more

personal feel than its scale would suggest. Suites run up to three bedrooms with full

kitchens, making this the rare five-star property that genuinely works for families, not just

couples. Four oceanfront restaurants — including Il Mulino New York for Italian and Ke-uH

for Japanese — round out a property built for longer stays rather than quick weekends.

5. 1 Hotel South Beach

The debut property of the 1 Hotel brand remains the standard-bearer for eco-conscious

luxury done without sacrificing style. LEED Silver certified, with reclaimed wood, driftwood

walls, and hemp-blend mattresses throughout its 425 rooms, the design commits fully to a

biophilic aesthetic without feeling like a compromise. The restaurant lineup punches well

above what the brand’s wellness reputation might suggest: Los Fuegos by Francis Mallmann

again, Pao by Paul Qui, and the same six-seat El Secreto Omakada experience found at

Faena.

Choosing Between Them

The right pick depends on what kind of Miami trip you’re actually taking. Faena for

spectacle and nightlife energy. The Setai for a quieter, more restrained version of South

Beach. The Surf Club for history and one of the best restaurants in the region. Acqualina if

you’re traveling with family. 1 Hotel if design-forward wellness matters as much as the

beachfront. Miami rewards knowing which version of luxury you’re actually looking for

before you book.