8 Must-Visit Hotels in Downtown Miami

Hilton’s the Gabriel Miami is one of Downtown’s newest luxury editions. This contemporary bay-front hotel forms part of the sleek, ultra-modern Curio Collection from Hilton, featuring floor-to-ceiling views of Biscayne’s turquoise water, smooth wood flooring and white and beige-gold accents throughout. Art and design play a big role in the hotel’s decor, too, with every ocean-facing suite, meeting room and poolside bar featuring custom-curated fashion photography and coffee table-worthy art books. Though new on the Downtown scene, the location is spot on: major sites such as the AmericanAirlines Arena, the Frost Museum of Science and the Pérez Art Museum are all within walking distance.

When you name a hotel EPIC, you’re setting the expectation bar pretty high. But when the Kimpton group opened its latest South Florida addition, the hotel chain was confident it was a hit in the making. And the group was right: since its opening in 2008, this riverside stay has been featured in several top hotel lists, including Condé Nast Traveler’s Readers’ Choice Awards 2018. The Cheryl Rowley-designed guest rooms feature 9ft (2.8m) beds (this is the home of the Miami Heat basketball team, after all), honey-gold and beige furnishings, and – the pièce de résistance – sleek glass balconies overlooking the Miami River and Biscayne Bay. The two on-site restaurants, Area 31 and Zuma, are lunchtime hotspots for entrepreneurs and celebrities wanting to wow clients with dishes such as Faroe Island salmon, spicy tuna tacos and Wagyu sirloin steak.

If you’re looking for all the glamour of Downtown without the hefty price tag, then Atton Brickell Miami, also known as Novotel Miami Brickell, may be the perfect choice. This sleek, glass-fronted hotel is in the heart of Brickell’s up-and-coming Financial District, where you’ll find some of Downtown’s best shops, bars and restaurants. Many of its 275 rooms – elegantly decorated with geometric wall designs – look over the lush grounds of the Simpson Park nature preserve and the sparkling waters of Biscayne Bay. Like any good Miami hotel, Atton Brickell also has a rooftop swimming pool and cocktail bar, both of which offer sweeping views of Downtown’s skyline and the Bay. The best part? With extremely reasonable room rates, the Atton gives you the biggest bang for your buck around these parts.

Boasting four swimming pools, a rooftop spa and a restaurant by a James Beard Award-winning chef, the SLS Brickell Hotel and Residence stands out for its five-star amenities. But the real reason people come here is for the hotel’s playful design. Thought up by the creative dream team of Jorge M Pérez (from the Pérez Art Museum), Philippe Starck and interior design firm Yabu Pushelberg, SLS Brickell features guest rooms with candyfloss-pink and chrome-white fittings and a bar with animal-print chairs and giant vintage map rugs. The pool areas are no less flamboyant in their design: expect brightly striped lounge chairs, a mix-match of colorful patterned tiling and original artwork by contemporary artists Fernando Botero and Fabián Burgos (including a 10ft/3m aluminum rubber duck). If you do get lucky enough to stay here, don’t miss chef José Andrés’s salt-baked red snapper and deconstructed key lime pie.

Following huge success in Beijing and Hong Kong, Swire Hotels – a Hong-Kong based luxury hotel brand – opened its first North American EAST hotel in Downtown Miami in 2016. And, thanks to its sleek East-meets-West design and smart positioning atop the $1bn (£750m) Brickell City Centre, it looks like this Asian-inspired luxury hotel is here to stay. Paying homage to its Asian roots, the decor is minimalist and ultra-elegant: natural stone, smooth brown marble and intricately carved wooden furniture feature prominently. The rooms – many of which are equipped with a full kitchen, walk-in closet and breakfast bar – boast views of Biscayne Bay and the Miami skyline, as well as walk-in rain showers, wrap-around balconies and plush king-size beds. Head to the hotel’s Uruguayan restaurant, Quinto La Huella, for a flame-grilled rib eye. Or, take the elevator down to Brickell City Centre, where you’ll have your choice of some of Miami’s best restaurants, bars and boutique shops.