Miami’s top hotels go toe to toe with the best resorts anywhere in the world. Five properties hold Forbes Travel Guide’s Five-Star rating — Acqualina Resort & Residences, Faena Hotel Miami Beach, the Four Seasons Hotel at the Surf Club, the Setai Miami Beach, and the St. Regis Bal Harbour Resort — the densest cluster of five-star hotels anywhere in the southern United States. Just behind them sit names like 1 Hotel South Beach, the Edition, the Ritz-Carlton Key Biscayne, and the Mandarin Oriental. This guide sorts the city’s luxury resorts by location, the kind of trip you’re planning, and the one amenity each does better than anyone else, so you can match the right address to the right occasion. For the wider picture, see our complete guide to where to stay in Miami.
The Five-Star Tier at a Glance
Before the property-by-property detail, here’s the quick orientation. Five hotels carry the Forbes Five-Star rating: Acqualina, Faena, the Four Seasons Surf Club, the Setai, and the St. Regis Bal Harbour. Acqualina goes one further with an AAA Five-Diamond award and a Forbes Five-Star spa. Expect roughly $700 to $3,000 a night at this level, with rooms best suited to honeymoons, milestone celebrations, and the kind of trip an expense account underwrites. The signature draws are easy to name — Acqualina’s spa, Faena’s gilded theater and beachfront gold mammoth, and the Setai’s three-temperature pool deck. The most expensive newcomer is the forthcoming Aman, which will price well above the rest of the field.
Acqualina Resort & Residences (Sunny Isles)
At 17875 Collins Avenue in Sunny Isles Beach, Acqualina is the most decorated resort in the area: Forbes Five-Star for both the hotel and its spa, AAA Five-Diamond, and a past nod from USA Today as the country’s number-one waterfront resort. The property spreads across 4.5 acres of beachfront, with three oceanfront pools and a 20,000-square-foot Acqualina Spa by ESPA holding eleven treatment rooms. Four restaurants include Il Mulino New York, and the service model leans on dedicated Guest Experience Managers — “GEMs” — who handle everything from unpacking to dinner reservations. Families get the AcquaMarine marine-biology club to keep younger guests busy. Rates start around $1,200 a night in the winter peak.
Faena Hotel Miami Beach (Mid-Beach)
Faena, at 3201 Collins Avenue in Mid-Beach, is the city’s most theatrical Forbes Five-Star stay — Argentine maximalism turned all the way up, complete with Damien Hirst’s gold mammoth on the sand and Juan Gatti murals running through the public spaces. The 150-seat gilded Faena Theater stages cabaret-style dinner shows, the Tierra Santa Healing House handles the spa, and the whole thing anchors a four-block Faena District. Dining runs to Pao by Paul Qui and, at neighboring Casa Faena, Los Fuegos by open-fire master Francis Mallmann. Rooms start around $900 a night, and it’s an easy pick if romance and spectacle matter more than quiet.
The Setai Miami Beach (South Beach)
The Setai, at 2001 Collins Avenue, brings a calmer, Asian-influenced sensibility to South Beach inside a restored 1936 Art Deco landmark. Its calling card is the trio of temperature-controlled pools — cool, warm, and hot — stacked along a courtyard. Dining spans Jaya for Southeast Asian, Japón for Japanese, and the Setai Grill steakhouse, while the Setai Spa keeps a private hammam. Of the five-star group it’s the quietest and most understated, with rates from about $700 a night.
Four Seasons Hotel at the Surf Club (Surfside)
Built around the restored 1930 Surf Club at 9101 Collins Avenue in Surfside — a spot that once drew Sinatra, Garbo, and the Kennedys — this Four Seasons pairs old-Florida pedigree with serious modern dining. Thomas Keller runs the Surf Club Restaurant, Le Sirenuse Miami brings a Positano import, and Lido handles all-day Mediterranean. Add a 9,200-square-foot Forbes-rated spa and a private, members-style beach club, and you have one of the city’s most polished addresses. Rates begin around $1,000 a night.
St. Regis Bal Harbour Resort
The St. Regis at 9703 Collins Avenue carries the brand’s signature butler service to every floor, alongside three pools, private cabanas, and a 14,000-square-foot Remède Spa. Dining centers on J&G Grill by Jean-Georges and the Greek-leaning Atlantikòs. Next to the Bal Harbour Shops, it’s the most polished choice for travelers who want couture retail a short walk from the lobby. Expect rates from about $1,000 a night.
Beyond the Five-Star Tier
Several properties just outside the Forbes Five-Star list deliver comparable stays for a little less. 1 Hotel South Beach is the eco-luxury option, built from reclaimed materials and crowned by a rooftop pool, from about $650 a night. The Edition Miami Beach channels Ian Schrager’s tropical modernism (and a bowling alley and ice rink downstairs) from around $750. For island calm, the Ritz-Carlton Key Biscayne sits on a gentle beach away from the South Beach crowds at roughly $700, while the Mandarin Oriental on Brickell Key brings Asian-influenced, bay-view luxury closer to downtown for about $700. The grande dame Fontainebleau still impresses with 1,594 rooms and a sweep of pools from around $500, and the W South Beach trades quiet for modern-luxury party energy from about $550.
The headline newcomer is Aman, which is restoring the historic Versailles Hotel in the Faena District on Miami Beach and pairing it with a Kengo Kuma–designed tower. It’s slated to open in 2027 as Aman’s Miami Beach debut and is expected to rank among the most expensive stays in the city, north of $1,500 a night.
Choosing by Travel Style
Honeymoons and romance
For couples, Faena is the most romantic of the group thanks to its theater dinners and over-the-top design, while the Setai is the quietest if you want to disappear. The St. Regis Bal Harbour leans on butler service and private cabanas, and Acqualina is the one to book if a long afternoon in the spa is the point of the trip. Planning a proposal or anniversary? Our romantic Miami guide pairs these stays with dinners and experiences.
Family luxury
Traveling with kids changes the calculus. Acqualina’s AcquaMarine program and the Four Seasons Surf Club’s kids’ club and private beach both keep children happily occupied, the Ritz-Carlton Key Biscayne offers a calmer beach for little swimmers, and the Fontainebleau’s multiple pools work by day before the property’s nightlife takes over after dark.
The Best Spas and In-Resort Restaurants
On the spa side, Acqualina Spa by ESPA leads with its own Forbes Five-Star rating, followed by Faena’s Tierra Santa Healing House, the Remède Spa at the St. Regis Bal Harbour, the Four Seasons Spa at the Surf Club, and the hammam-equipped Setai Spa. Dining is just as much a reason to book: the Surf Club Restaurant by Thomas Keller, Pao by Paul Qui at Faena, Il Mulino New York at Acqualina, Jaya at the Setai, and J&G Grill by Jean-Georges at the St. Regis are all destinations in their own right. If you’d rather build a night around a table than a hotel, our Miami fine-dining guide covers the city’s top restaurants.
When to Book
Timing makes a real difference at this level. The December-to-April peak books out fast, so reserve five to six months ahead. Art Basel week in early December is the extreme case: rates run two to three times normal and the best rooms go eight to twelve months out. Summer, roughly June through September, is the value window, with rates often 30 to 40 percent below winter. Loyalty and travel-program ties help too — Marriott Bonvoy covers the St. Regis, while AmEx Platinum’s Fine Hotels & Resorts, Virtuoso, and Four Seasons Preferred Partner reach most of the five-star field.
Booking Tips That Save Money (or Get You More)
A few habits pay off. Booking through a Virtuoso, AmEx Fine Hotels & Resorts, or Four Seasons Preferred Partner advisor costs the same as the hotel’s own rate but layers on extras like free breakfast, a spa or resort credit, and a room upgrade when available. Going direct still beats the big online travel agencies, since five-star properties will usually price-match Booking.com or Expedia while protecting your perks. Budget for resort fees of roughly $50 to $75 a night on top of the room, watch for three-night minimums during peak season, and check current packages — Acqualina and Faena often run three-night-pay-two promotions in the shoulder season. If these rates stretch the budget, our roundups of beachfront hotels, boutique hotels, and the best hotels in Miami Beach cover strong stays at every price point.
Frequently Asked Questions
What’s the most luxurious resort in Miami?
Acqualina holds the most prestigious awards — Forbes Five-Star for both hotel and spa, plus AAA Five-Diamond. Faena is the most stylistically ambitious, and the Four Seasons Surf Club carries the most historic prestige.
How much do Miami luxury resorts cost?
Roughly $700 to $3,000 a night for the Forbes Five-Star tier in season. Off-season can dip to $400–$700 a night at the same properties.
Are Miami’s luxury resorts kid-friendly?
Acqualina, the Four Seasons Surf Club, and the Ritz-Carlton Key Biscayne all run kids’ programs. The Setai and Faena skew more adult and quiet.
When should I book?
Five to six months ahead for winter, and eight to twelve months ahead for Art Basel week in early December. Genuine last-minute deals really only surface in the summer off-season.
Are there luxury resorts in Sunny Isles?
Yes. Acqualina is the most decorated, and the Trump International Beach Resort and the Estates at Acqualina also offer high-end stays along the same stretch of Collins Avenue.
What is the new Aman in Miami?
Aman is restoring the historic Versailles Hotel in the Faena District on Miami Beach, paired with a Kengo Kuma–designed tower. It’s slated to open in 2027 as Aman’s Miami Beach debut and is expected to be among the most expensive stays in the city, above $1,500 a night.
For a broader directory of the city’s top-tier properties, the Five Star Alliance Miami listings are a useful cross-reference.