This year’s World’s Best Awards survey was open for voting January 11 through May 10, 2021, as destinations around the world were lifting COVID-19 restrictions. Survey rules have always allowed readers to reflect on their travel experiences over a three-year period. We hope that this year’s honorees will inspire your own travels as you get back out into the world.
Miami offers something for every type of traveler — stunning stretches of soft sand, glamorous Art Deco architecture, a world-class art scene, celebrity-filled clubs, Michelin-starred restaurants, the natural beauty of the Everglades… The list goes on. The best resorts in Miami reflect these diverse tastes.
Ken Hayden Photography/Courtesy of The Setai, Miami Beach
Every year for our World’s Best Awards survey, T+L asks readers to weigh in on travel experiences around the globe — to share their opinions on the top hotels, resorts, cities, islands, cruise ships, spas, airlines, and more. Hotels were rated on their facilities, location, service, food, and overall value. Properties were classified as city or resort based on their locations and amenities.
The resort hotels that line the 35-mile beachfront of the Greater Miami area inspired voters for many reasons. For a guest of the No. 2 Faena Hotel, it was the rich, colorful design: “This hotel is like an elaborate movie backdrop of a bygone era. Probably one of the prettiest and most interesting hotels I have ever stayed at.” A reader who went to the No. 3 Acqualina Resort & Residences, in Sunny Isles Beach, focused on the dining: “The food is delicious, Il Mulino never misses a beat. I never had a bad meal.” And, of course, location often plays a key role: One fan of the No. 11. Ritz-Carlton Bal Harbour, Miami, touted it as an “absolutely gorgeous hotel in the perfect spot.”
But it was the Setai, Miami Beach, that took No. 1. Read on to see why readers voted it their favorite — and which other hotels join it on this year’s list of the best resorts in the Miami area.
- The Setai, Miami Beach
Ken Hayden Photography/Courtesy of The Setai, Miami Beach
Setai’s only U.S. property returned to the top of the list this year after impressing readers on all fronts. Jaya, the resort’s restaurant in its picturesque courtyard, hosts flashy dinner shows and is a celebrity hot spot; there are three temperature-controlled infinity pools; and the beachfront Ocean Grill serves some of the best Maine-lobster spaghetti in the city. All 136 rooms are similarly impressive, whether they’re one of the luxuriously appointed Art Deco suites or one of the oceanfront suites with floor-to-ceiling windows. Readers loved the resort’s amenities, but also commented on how thoughtful the staff is. One called the property “a beautiful oasis of serenity with amazing service.” Another said, “Outstanding staff. They are genuine and their hospitality is amazing.”
Score: 96.41More information: thesetaihotels.com
- Faena Hotel Miami Beach
Courtesy of Faena Hotel Miami Beach
Score: 94.04More information: faena.com
- Acqualina Resort & Residences, Sunny Isles Beach
Courtesy of Acqualina Resort & Residences
Score: 93.00More information: acqualinaresort.com
- Four Seasons Hotel at The Surf Club, Surfside
Courtesy of Four Seasons
Score: 92.65More information: fourseasons.com
- Nobu Hotel Miami Beach
Courtesy of Nobu Hotel Miami Beach
Score: 92.25More information: nobuhotels.com
- The Betsy – South Beach, Miami Beach
Claudia Uribe Touri/Courtesy of The Betsy Hotel
Score: 92.00More information: thebetsyhotel.com
- (tie) Kimpton Angler’s Hotel South Beach, Miami Beach
Courtesy of Kimpton Angler’s Hotel South Beach
Score: 91.53More information: anglershotelmiami.com
- (tie) Soho Beach House, Miami Beach
Courtesy of Soho House & Co
Score: 91.53More information: sohohouse.com
- W South Beach, Miami Beach
Courtesy of W Hotels
Score: 90.67More information: marriott.com
- The Ritz-Carlton Key Biscayne, Miami
Courtesy of Ritz-Carlton
Score: 90.35More information: ritzcarlton.com
- The Ritz-Carlton Bal Harbour, Miami
Courtesy of Ritz-Carlton
Score: 89.89More information: ritzcarlton.com
- Kimpton Surfcomber Hotel , Miami Beach
Courtesy of Kimpton Surfcomber Hotel
Score: 89.57More information: surfcomber.com
- 1 Hotel South Beach, Miami Beach
Courtesy of 1 Hotel South Beach
Score: 89.05More information: 1hotels.com
- The St. Regis Bal Harbour Resort
Courtesy of The St. Regis Bal Harbour Resort
Score: 88.97More information: marriott.com
- The Palms Hotel & Spa, Miami Beach
Courtesy of The Palms Hotel & Spa
Score: 88.93More information: thepalmshotel.com
See all of our readers’ favorite hotels, cities, airlines, cruise lines, and more in the World’s Best Awards for 2021.
This year’s World’s Best Awards survey was open for voting January 11 through May 10, 2021, as destinations around the world were lifting COVID-19 restrictions. Survey rules have always allowed readers to reflect on their travel experiences over a three-year period. We hope that this year’s honorees will inspire your own travels as you get back out into the world.
Miami offers something for every type of traveler — stunning stretches of soft sand, glamorous Art Deco architecture, a world-class art scene, celebrity-filled clubs, Michelin-starred restaurants, the natural beauty of the Everglades… The list goes on. The best resorts in Miami reflect these diverse tastes.
Every year for our World’s Best Awards survey, T+L asks readers to weigh in on travel experiences around the globe — to share their opinions on the top hotels, resorts, cities, islands, cruise ships, spas, airlines, and more. Hotels were rated on their facilities, location, service, food, and overall value. Properties were classified as city or resort based on their locations and amenities.
The resort hotels that line the 35-mile beachfront of the Greater Miami area inspired voters for many reasons. For a guest of the No. 2 Faena Hotel, it was the rich, colorful design: “This hotel is like an elaborate movie backdrop of a bygone era. Probably one of the prettiest and most interesting hotels I have ever stayed at.” A reader who went to the No. 3 Acqualina Resort & Residences, in Sunny Isles Beach, focused on the dining: “The food is delicious, Il Mulino never misses a beat. I never had a bad meal.” And, of course, location often plays a key role: One fan of the No. 11. Ritz-Carlton Bal Harbour, Miami, touted it as an “absolutely gorgeous hotel in the perfect spot.”
But it was the Setai, Miami Beach, that took No. 1. Read on to see why readers voted it their favorite — and which other hotels join it on this year’s list of the best resorts in the Miami area.
1. The Setai, Miami Beach
Setai’s only U.S. property returned to the top of the list this year after impressing readers on all fronts. Jaya, the resort’s restaurant in its picturesque courtyard, hosts flashy dinner shows and is a celebrity hot spot; there are three temperature-controlled infinity pools; and the beachfront Ocean Grill serves some of the best Maine-lobster spaghetti in the city. All 136 rooms are similarly impressive, whether they’re one of the luxuriously appointed Art Deco suites or one of the oceanfront suites with floor-to-ceiling windows. Readers loved the resort’s amenities, but also commented on how thoughtful the staff is. One called the property “a beautiful oasis of serenity with amazing service.” Another said, “Outstanding staff. They are genuine and their hospitality is amazing.”
Score: 96.41More information: thesetaihotels.com
2. Faena Hotel Miami Beach
Score: 94.04More information: faena.com
3. Acqualina Resort & Residences, Sunny Isles Beach
Score: 93.00More information: acqualinaresort.com
4. Four Seasons Hotel at The Surf Club, Surfside
Score: 92.65More information: fourseasons.com
5. Nobu Hotel Miami Beach
Score: 92.25More information: nobuhotels.com
6. The Betsy – South Beach, Miami Beach
Score: 92.00More information: thebetsyhotel.com
7. (tie) Kimpton Angler’s Hotel South Beach, Miami Beach
Score: 91.53More information: anglershotelmiami.com
7. (tie) Soho Beach House, Miami Beach
Score: 91.53More information: sohohouse.com
9. W South Beach, Miami Beach
Score: 90.67More information: marriott.com
10. The Ritz-Carlton Key Biscayne, Miami
Score: 90.35More information: ritzcarlton.com
11. The Ritz-Carlton Bal Harbour, Miami
Score: 89.89More information: ritzcarlton.com
12. Kimpton Surfcomber Hotel , Miami Beach
Score: 89.57More information: surfcomber.com
13. 1 Hotel South Beach, Miami Beach
Score: 89.05More information: 1hotels.com
14. The St. Regis Bal Harbour Resort
Score: 88.97More information: marriott.com
15. The Palms Hotel & Spa, Miami Beach
Score: 88.93More information: thepalmshotel.com
See all of our readers’ favorite hotels, cities, airlines, cruise lines, and more in the World’s Best Awards for 2021.
