This Resort Was Named the Best in Miami Beach—and It Has an Adults-only Pool, a Champagne Bar, and Dreamy Views

Travel + Leisure

08-07-2025

When it comes to domestic beach getaways, Miami simply has it all: seven miles of public sandy shores, a thriving nightlife scene, a vibrant, diverse culinary scene, and, of course, luxury beachfront resorts galore. With dozens of great hotels to choose from, the options can feel overwhelming. But, according to Travel + Leisure readers, the stays that stand out from the rest have impeccable service and luxurious facilities that offer guests a peaceful respite from the city's high energy.
How Voting Works Every year for our World's Best Awards survey, T+L asks readers to weigh in on travel experiences around the globe—to share their opinions on the top hotels, resorts, cities, islands, cruise ships, spas, airlines, and more. Nearly 180,000 T+L readers completed the 2025 survey. A total of more than 657,000 votes were cast across over 8,700 properties (hotels, cities, cruise lines, etc.). Hotels were classified as either resort hotel, city hotel, inn, or safari lodge based on their location and amenities, and they were specifically rated on the criteria below: Rooms/facilities Location Service Food Value For each characteristic, respondents could choose a rating of excellent, above average, average, below average, or poor. The final scores are averages of these responses.
One of three pools at the Four Seasons Hotel at The Surf Club.
Sofi Perazzo
What Readers Loved
This year's is full of familiar names, including two longtime World's Best Awards honorees, Faena Hotel Miami Beach (No. 2), known for its eclectic design and live cabaret performances, and The Setai (No. 3), which one reader described as '… managed better than any hotel I have ever experienced."
The Standard (No. 10) impressed readers with its stunning spa that offers unique wellness treatments, from acupuncture facial rejuvenation to astrology sessions. 'You absolutely cannot go wrong when staying at The Standard,' gushed one voter, who then called the hotel a 'little slice of relaxation paradise on Miami Beach.'
Acqualina Resort & Residences (No. 4), a Mediterranean-inspired beachside escape in Miami's Sunny Isles Beach neighborhood, stood out from the rest because of its high attention to detail. "This hotel never fails to deliver,' one reader said. 'It is shocking how they can be so on point year after year. Most hotels decline after several years, but this place only gets better.'
Keep reading to see which property made this year's No. 1 spot—and how they stole the spotlight.
The Winner
Four Seasons Hotel at the Surf Club
A guest room with Atlantic Ocean views at Four Seasons Hotel at the Surf Club.
Sofi Perazzo
The building that now houses the Four Seasons Hotel at the Surf Club originally opened its doors in 1930 as a social club and welcomed the likes of celebrities such as Elizabeth Taylor and Winston Churchill. Nearly nine decades later, the property has been transformed into its current incarnation— and according to our readers, it's the No. 1 resort in Miami Beach. Located in Surfside, a posh uptown Miami beach community, the hotel jumped from its No. 3 spot on last year's list to get the gold, finally surpassing some of its fiercest South Beach competitors. Highlights of this property include oceanview suites, three large pools (one is adults-only), and a gorgeous Champagne bar that pays homage to the glamor of the club's early years. Readers also loved its attentive staff and prime beachfront location near some of the best shopping and restaurants in the area. 'This is exactly what I envision a luxury hotel to be,' one reader said.
T+L Reader
This is exactly what I envision a luxury hotel to be.
— T+L Reader
The Full List
1. Four Seasons Hotel at the Surf Club: Surfside, Florida
Reader Score: 96.24
2. Faena Hotel Miami Beach: Miami Beach, Florida
Reader Score: 95.52
3. The Setai Miami Beach: Miami Beach, Florida
Reader Score: 94.34
4. Acqualina Resort & Residences: Sunny Isles Beach, Florida
WBA Hall of Fame honoree. Reader Score: 93.08
5. Nobu Hotel Miami Beach: Miami Beach, Florida
Reader Score: 92.55
6. W South Beach: Miami Beach, Florida
Reader Score: 92.53
7. Loews Miami Beach Hotel: Miami Beach, Florida
Reader Score: 91.73
8. JW Marriott Miami Turnberry Resort & Spa: Aventura, Florida
Reader Score: 91.50
9. The Palms Hotel & Spa: Miami Beach, Florida
Reader Score: 90.50
10. The Standard, Miami Beach: Miami Beach, Florida
Reader Score: 90.00
11. The Biltmore Miami–Coral Gables: Coral Gabes, Florida
Reader Score: 89.09
12. Eden Roc Miami Beach: Miami Beach, Florida
Reader Score: 87.76
13. 1 Hotel South Beach: Miami Beach, Florida
Reader Score: 85.17
14. Fontainebleau Miami Beach: Miami Beach, Florida
Reader Score: 81.57
15. Cadillac Hotel & Beach Club, Autograph Collection: Miami Beach, Florida
Reader Score: 77.88