If you are wondering which is the best area to stay in Miami the first thing you should know is that it is divided into two big areas, Miami and Miami Beach. The most popular places are Downtown Miami and Miami Beach, especially South Beach. Besides these, there are other interesting places you should know.
Accommodation in Miami is quite expensive as a general rule. It’s a highly valued destination that is visited by thousands of tourists every day. Although it has an enviable hotel floor this influx of tourists makes it difficult to find a good hotel at an affordable price if you don’t book well in advance.
Prices for a minimally decent double room in one of the most popular neighborhoods start at $100. To find something cheaper you will have to give up quality and location.
Prices vary depending on the season. The most expensive one that coincides with the high season goes from January to April, and the cheapest one goes from June to September. In any case, it is advisable to book your accommodation in Miami as far in advance as possible.
The best areas and neighborhoods to stay in Miami
The most popular neighborhood to stay in Miami is South Beach, but it is also one of the most expensive. The rest of Miami Beach is also very popular, as well as the Surfside, Bal Harbour, and Sunny Isles. On the mainland there are also several sought after neighborhoods that are a hit like Downtown among others.
Miami Beach, the best beach area to stay in Miami
Miami Beach is the strip of land off the coast of Miami that forms a bay. It is composed of several islands both natural and man-made. It is the most touristic part of the city, and where you should book your hotel if you want to enjoy good beaches and all its atmosphere.
It is a very long area that extends over several kilometers. It is divided into South Beach, Mid Beach and North Beach. South Beach is the best known and most attractive part. However, the other two areas are also very interesting.
Both Mid Beach and North Beach are quieter areas with much less crowded beaches than South Beach. Of the two, North Beach has the most services and restaurants and some interesting architectural examples.
Miami Beach Hotels
South Beach, the best place to sleep in Miami Beach
Crossing Biscayne Bay from Downtown you reach South Beach, the most famous part of Miami. This district extends from the southern tip of Miami Beach along its fantastic beach for several miles to 23rd St. This neighborhood is undoubtedly the main attraction of the city and “the place to be”.
In addition to its fantastic beach, South Beach offers you as many activities and leisure activities as your body can handle. It is a very chic area packed with shops, restaurants, clubs, bars, pubs and discos. If it is known for anything, it is for its vibrant nightlife, some of the best in the country. It’s impossible to get bored here.
It’s a very lively neighborhood, with a very fun, open-minded, and sometimes a bit bizarre, almost circus-like atmosphere. All kinds of characters that border on eccentricity walk through its streets. Even so, it attracts all kinds of people. It has an important LGTB community, and it is a mixture of tourists, university students, old people, families, and many young and beautiful people.
South Beach is also known as the Art Deco District because it has the largest concentration of Art Deco architecture in the world. Its colorful buildings, many of which have been converted into hotels, are a true marvel that make strolling through its streets a pleasure.
It’s the best area to stay in Miami if you want to get into the essence of the city, enjoy the beach, admire its architecture, take long walks, eat well, go shopping, be amazed by its lively nightlife … in short … if you want to have it all.
Accommodations in South Beach
Surfside, Bal Harbour, and Sunny Isles, a stylish and tranquil alternative to South Beach
These three neighborhoods line up one after the other following the island beach north of Miami Beach. All three are upscale, quiet residential areas without the leisure and movement that characterizes South Beach.
Hotels, motels, luxury apartment towers, restaurants and beaches line Collins Avenue. In theory, the further north you go, especially from Bel Harbour, the cheaper your accommodation becomes.
In theory, because although until a few years ago this area was cheaper than South Beach, today it is increasingly difficult to see significant price differences between these areas.
There used to be a good supply of cheap hotels. Today many of these hotels have been converted into luxury condominiums, leaving fewer and fewer cheap places to stay. These three areas are becoming increasingly exclusive and inaccessible to the middle class.
In any case, all three are a good alternative to South Beach for staying in Miami if you can afford their prices. They are ideal for enjoying beaches that are not crowded, having some peace and quiet, enjoying good restaurants, and the exclusive and elegant shops of Bal Harbour.
Accommodations in Surfside, Bal Harbour, and Sunny Isles
North Miami Beach, cheap accommodation in Miami
Located on the mainland near Sunny Isles, North Miami Beach is a residential area that does not have its own beaches, but has some of the best restaurants and shops in Miami.
In this district is the luxury residential community Aventura, known for its prohibitive condos, the Fairmont Turnberry Isle Resort, and the Aventura Mall.
Hotels in North Miami
Key Biscayne, ideal for staying in Miami with your family
Key Biscayne is a small, secluded and heavily forested island located south of Miami Beach off the coast of Coconut Grove. It is one of the most exclusive and elitist areas of the city, with its homes and mansions valued in millions of dollars.
This exclusive enclave offers its visitors fantastic beaches, some super luxury resorts, world class tennis facilities, a good golf course, bicycle rides, and dense forests for walking and picnicking, as well as good restaurants.
It’s the best area to stay in Miami if you’re looking to get away from the hustle and bustle of the city and spend a few days in a very elegant, safe, beautiful area with excellent beaches.
The offer of accommodation is quite limited, and unfortunately not accessible to most of the mortals.
Accommodations in Key Biscayne
Downtown, to be central
Miami Downtown is located in front of Biscayne Bay west of South Beach. This neighborhood with its skyscrapers is home to many companies and banks, and where you can find the most theaters, museums, and shops.
In addition, it is home to many of the city’s oldest buildings and some of the most important tourist attractions. Here you can find the popular Bayside Marketplace, museums such as the Miami Art Museum, the Miami Heat Stadium, and interesting neighborhoods such as Little Havana or the Design District.
Downtown is a lively place by day where it’s nice to walk around, but not so at night. In the evening, it gets empty and you have to take extreme safety precautions. At night it’s a pretty dead-end neighborhood with the exception of the area located on NE 11 th St which has good discos and a lively nightlife.
The Downtown is a good option to sleep in Miami as it is very well connected to South Beach and the rest of the city. It is also ideal for sightseeing, has very interesting neighborhoods nearby, and its prices are more affordable than those of South Beach.
Downtown Miami Hotels
Little Havana, only if you are passionate about the Latin and Cuban world
If you’ve never been to Cuba, just visit this little neighborhood and you’ll get an idea of what it’s like. Its noises, its flavors and its rhythms will transport you to Havana. In this neighborhood you don’t need to know a word of English to communicate without problems. Everyone speaks Spanish, and even the street signs are in Spanish and English.
Little Havana is ideal for getting to know Cuban culture. Come to Calle Ocho, the heart of the neighborhood, and immerse yourself in its atmosphere with its shops, cafes, tailors, furniture stores, Caribbean restaurants, cigar shops where you can buy good cigars, etc. All this to the rhythm of salsa and merengue that sounds everywhere.
It is also characterized by its ethnic mix with many Caribbean, Hispanic, and also artists and bohemians of all races attracted by its colorfulness and dynamism. At night it has its own nightlife but unless you know the city well it is better to avoid it. At night it is not as safe as other places with nightlife.
It has very few accommodation options and we do not recommend it as an interesting area to sleep in Miami. It is a place to visit during the day but at night it is not so recommended.
Hotels in Little Havana
Wynwood and the Design District, bohemian and artistic zone
Midtown/Wynwood is the neighborhood that extends north of Downtown and includes the Design District, very popular with locals and tourists. It is an area that is having a very positive development and is characterized by its growing art scene.
This neighborhood, with cheap rentals and large lofts, is a magnet that attracts hipsters, artists and art galleries.
The most interesting part of the neighborhood is the Design District (Ne 2nd Av., NE 5t Av. East and West, and NW 36th Street). Many furniture import companies, interior designers, art galleries, architects have established themselves there, and it’s also gaining an important position in Miami’s nightlife.
Its bars, lounges, nightclubs, and restaurants, ranging from super chic and retro to progressive and indie, are turning this area into the base camp for hipsters, South Beach “expats” who can’t stand their prices, and all kinds of artistic bohemian profiles.
It is not one of the areas where there is more accommodation, but it is much more affordable than other more touristy areas. It’s an interesting neighborhood to stay in Miami if you can’t find something that fits in Miami Beach or Downtown.
Accommodations in Wynwood & Design District
Coral Gables, one of the most pleasant areas to stay in Miami
Coral Gables, located south of Downtown and neighboring Coconut Grove, is one of the least known areas among tourists and few consider staying in Miami. However, it is a very pleasant area and worth considering.
This neighborhood was developed in the 1920s. It has a distinctly Mediterranean feel to its architecture, with tree-lined streets leading to beautifully shaped plazas with central fountains.
There are good hotels in Coral Gables, some of the best restaurants in the city, led by renowned chefs, and very luxurious shops that rival those in Bal Harbour.
Accommodations in Coral Gables
Coconut Grove, a lot of leisure and cultural offer
Located just south of Downtown, Coconut Grove is very popular with both locals and tourists looking for its endless leisure offerings. It’s a very hip and hipster area, but at the same time it’s also very diverse.
This neighborhood is bustling with neighborhood festivals, terraces, open-air concerts, museums, exhibitions, and a thousand and one events that give it great cultural and entertainment dynamism.
Coconut Grove is full of restaurants and bars. If you want atmosphere you just have to go to the CocoWalk a huge multilevel complex with shops, restaurants, entertainment of all kinds, and lots of nightlife.
It also has a lot of student atmosphere which gives it an extra life and makes it a very young neighborhood. It is the preferred area for students of Miami University to spend their free time and go out.
Hotels in Coconut Grove
