4 Best Hotels in Brickell, Miami and Miami Beach

A lush paradise in the heart of Brickell's city center, this tropical, trendy hotel has impeccable art and design elements plus rooms with floor-to-ceiling windows and views of the twinkling city—even from the bathtubs. The sustainable design of the hotel is LEED certified, making it one of the greenest properties in the area. Dining options include fifth-floor Quinto La Huella, a meat-centric Uruguayan concept, and Sugar, a rooftop bar with some of the city's best sunset views.

At the tip of prestigious Brickell Key in Biscayne Bay, the Mandarin Oriental feels as exclusive as it does glamorous, with luxurious rooms, exalted restaurants, and the city's top spa, all of which marry the brand's signature Asian style with Miami's bold tropical elegance. A luxe lobby features two-story-high windows with sweeping views of Miami. The sumptuous, colorful rooms face either west toward the Downtown skyline or east over Miami Beach and the blue Atlantic. There's also beauty in the details: sliding screens that close off the baths, dark wood, crisp linens, and room numbers hand-painted on rice paper at check-in. Sun worshippers adore the 20,000-square-foot private, bay-front "beach." The property manages to be sophisticated enough for business executives, yet warm and inviting for vacationers.

A favorite of business travelers visiting Downtown's bustling Brickell Avenue, this plush sanctuary offers a respite from the nine-to-five mayhem—a soothing water wall greets you, the understated rooms impress you, and the seventh-floor, 2-acre-pool terrace relaxes you. Inside, a cavernous lobby houses larger-than-life sculptures commissioned by local and Latin American artists. All guest rooms and suites offer city or bay views and a window seating area to enjoy them. Although the pool oasis overlooks Downtown Miami and Biscayne Bay, it's still easy to forget you're in the middle of the city, especially when strolling through the foot-deep wading pool with 24 palm tree "islands" or napping in one of the suspended hammocks. Gym rats rejoice over the beautiful 50,000-square-foot Equinox sports club, complete with complimentary yoga and exercise classes (in fact 100 classes per week!) and plenty of eye candy. The hotel's indoor-outdoor restaurant, EDGE Steak & Bar, is a local dining and happy-hour hot spot for Miami's power players, movers, and shakers.

Formerly the Viceroy, Miami's second W hotel cultivates a brash, supersophisticated Miami attitude, likely stemming from its whimsically decorated guest rooms, floor-to-ceiling marble bathrooms, and the Philippe Starck–designed 28,000-square-foot Iconbrickell Spa. Rooms are available in a host of categories, ranging from 440-square-foot "Wonderful" rooms to a 1,550-square-foot "Wow" suite that has a living room, dining room, and sweeping views of Biscayne Bay. Each room, though, is furnished with a private balcony, a W Signature bed with down comforter and pillows, a safe, Wi-Fi, and a TV. The 50th floor Wet Deck is the W's rooftop pool, offering expansive views of Biscayne Bay and Miami's skyline. Relax in a chaise under an umbrella or sip cocktails in the sun.