5 Best Hotels in Downtown, Miami and Miami Beach

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 flagship restaurant, Edge, Steak and Bar, is a local dining and happy-hour hot spot for Miami's power players, movers, and shakers.

The Miami marriage of Marriott's JW and Marquis brands creates a truly high-tech, contemporary, and stylish business-minded hotel—from the three-story crystal chandelier in the entry to the smart and symmetric guest rooms, rife with electronic gadgets. Spacious rooms offer sweeping views of the Miami skyline or Biscayne Bay from floor-to-ceiling windows. A large, semicircular desk and towering full-length mirrors please both business types and fashionistas. Bathrooms have separate showers and bathtubs. Amenities on-site include a restaurant by celebrity chef Daniel Boulud, a 50,000-square-foot entertainment complex (with an NBA-approved basketball arena, virtual bowling alley, tennis court, and golf school), the Met2 Fitness gym, and the world-class Enliven spa. The outdoor rooftop pool allows for stunning views of the ever-growing Miami skyline and Biscayne Bay. Concierge-floor rooms offer complimentary nonalcoholic beverages, bites, and daily breakfast.

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.

This business-friendly hotel features apartment-style suites for every guest and a sprawling level of amenities, including conference rooms, free Wi-Fi, a cutting-edge gym, and an incredible rooftop pool. Located within a shared-space residential building, X Miami, it's steps from FTX Arena and many of Miami's museums.

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, safe, Wi-Fi, and 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.