The Setai or Ritz Carlton South Beach?
 

Can anyone compare these two hotels and recommend which you would choose for a luxury romantic weekend? We will be in Miami on business during the week, and thought we'd move to a great beach hotel and stay the weekend. The rates at these are pretty much identical- both just under $500. For that amount of money, I'd want to get more than a shoebox size room, and some of that cool, South Beach atmosphere we hear so much about. I've seen some reviews of the Ritz, but very little on The Setai. Any thoughts?

I would stay at The Setei in a heartbeat. Where did you find a room there for under $500?

Amazing hotel with a very Asian inspired theme.

I love the Ritz-Carlton but...you can stay at a RC anywhere.

I watched the Setai being built for the past four years.

The beach in front of the hotel has sofas (I've lived on the beach for 20 years and have never seen sofas on the beach before) and extremely lux double chaise lounges for their guests. They are heavy teak looking wood not the plastic ones everyone else uses. They are also heavily padded and have pillows. They also have a nice bar on the beach.

Granted, I've not stayed here, I've only seen the place and it is the most lux hotel I've ever seen.

The rooms have stone tubs and big screen flat TVs.

There are two side by side pools (I think infinity) along with a very nice outdoor bar/restaurant.

Stay here.

europhile, if you stay at the Setai, would you please post a report? I'd love to stay there but haven't been able to find rates during my stays for under $1,000 per night.

Also, the pool are has three side by side identical pools layed out horizontally not two. My husband just reminded me of that.

septembers conde nast traveler magazine compares the 4 seasons, mandarin oriental and setai.

Thanks, everyone. GoTravel- I think I saw that rate on Tripadvisor (where you can check rates of the hotels you are reading about), but I also gtot it through Amex platinum travel services. It does seem like a great rate. I think we'll try it! :-)