Fodor's Expert Review Catalina Hotel & Beach Club

The Catalina is a fun, budget party spot in the heart of South Beach, attracting plenty of early twentysomethings who value freebies like a nightly drink hour, airport shuttles, fitness classes, two fun pools, and beach chairs over posh digs. It's across the street from the beach, but nobody seems to mind the short walk. Each of the Catalina's three buildings has a distinct feel: the original Catalina (with the smallest, most inexpensive rooms) is an exercise in camp, with red-shag carpets, two-story glass windows, and monumental sheer drapes. The midrange rooms are in the old Maxine Hotel, decorated in rock baroque and featuring a karaoke machine in the lobby. Room 400 here is one of the beach's best values, with a private sundeck overlooking the strip. The most luxurious part of the Catalina is the Dorset Hotel, which now houses the hotel's biggest rooms. Its outdoor restaurant, Maxine's Bistro, overlooks the passersby on this very sexy strip of Collins Avenue, making the Catalina an entertainment complex in its own right.