The 5 Most Luxurious Hotels in Miami, and the Private Villa Alternative

Search for a six-star hotel in Miami and you will find plenty of claims, but no official rating to back them. No recognized inspection body awards six or seven stars. The highest independent benchmark in American hospitality is the Forbes Travel Guide Five-Star award, granted after anonymous inspections against hundreds of service standards, and in 2026 only five hotels in the Miami area hold it.

Those five are the closest thing Miami has to a six-star tier. Each is exceptional in its own way, and each draws a slightly different guest. Below, they are presented south to north along Collins Avenue, from Mid-Beach to Sunny Isles, followed by a look at where the hotel experience ends and the private villa begins.

Is There a Six-Star Hotel in Miami?

Not officially. Terms like "six-star" and "seven-star" are marketing language rather than ratings, popularized by a handful of hotels in the Gulf in the early 2000s. In the United States, the meaningful benchmarks are the Forbes Travel Guide Five-Star award and the AAA Five Diamond rating, and the hotels below hold the first and, in several cases, both.

Travelers searching for something beyond five stars are usually describing a feeling rather than a rating: complete privacy, service that anticipates rather than responds, and a setting that feels singular. Miami's best hotels come remarkably close. For guests who want that feeling extended to an entire residence, Miami's collection of luxury villa rentals on the Venetian Islands and along Biscayne Bay offers the next step, which we return to at the end of this guide.

1. The Setai, Miami Beach

The Setai occupies a 1930s Art Deco landmark on Collins Avenue, originally the Dempsey-Vanderbilt Hotel, named for the boxer Jack Dempsey, paired with a later glass tower behind it. The interiors draw on Southeast Asian design: dark woods, still water, low light and a calm that feels a world away from the energy of South Beach a few blocks south.

The signature is the pool deck. Three infinity pools overlook the private beach, each kept at a different temperature, from a cool lap pool to a warm family pool. Beach attendants are known for their attention to detail, adjusting loungers, bringing chilled coconuts and keeping the atmosphere quiet.

Best for: guests who want stillness and polished service within reach of South Beach.

2. Faena Hotel Miami Beach

Faena is the most theatrical hotel in Miami, and it is meant to be. Developer Alan Faena created it with filmmaker Baz Luhrmann and costume and set designer Catherine Martin, the creative pair behind The Great Gatsby and Moulin Rouge, and the result is a sweep of red, gold and leopard print that feels closer to a film set than a hotel lobby.

Damien Hirst's "Gone But Not Forgotten," a gilded woolly mammoth skeleton in a glass case, stands between the hotel and the beach. Los Fuegos by Francis Mallmann serves Argentine live-fire cooking, the Faena Theater stages cabaret and live music, and the hotel anchors the wider Faena District, an arts-led neighborhood in Mid-Beach.

Best for: guests who want spectacle, art and an evening scene without leaving the hotel.

3. Four Seasons Hotel at The Surf Club, Surfside

The Surf Club opened in 1930 as a private beach club and became one of the most glamorous addresses in Florida, drawing Winston Churchill, Frank Sinatra and the Rat Pack. Its revival as a Four Seasons kept the original clubhouse by architect Russell Pancoast and added oceanfront towers by Richard Meier, with interiors by the Parisian designer Joseph Dirand.

The atmosphere is quieter and more refined than anything in South Beach. Le Sirenuse Miami brings the spirit of the famous Positano hotel to the clubhouse, Thomas Keller's restaurant serves continental classics, and the cabanas along the beach recall the club's mid-century heyday. Surfside itself is residential and calm, which suits the hotel's understated elegance.

Best for: guests who value design, history and quiet over nightlife.

4. The St. Regis Bal Harbour Resort

The St. Regis sits on nine acres of oceanfront in Bal Harbour, directly across from the Bal Harbour Shops, one of the most exclusive shopping destinations in the country. Rooms and suites look out over the Atlantic through floor-to-ceiling glass, and the resort's own spa holds a Forbes Five-Star rating.

Its defining feature is the St. Regis butler service, a tradition that dates to the brand's New York origins. Butlers handle unpacking, pressing and small requests throughout the stay, and dedicated butlers attend the oceanfront day villas on the beach. Atlantikós brings Greek island cooking to the oceanfront.

Best for: guests who want personal butler service and the best shopping in Miami across the street.

5. Acqualina Resort & Residences on the Beach, Sunny Isles

Acqualina marked twenty years in May 2026, and it has held both the Forbes Five-Star and AAA Five Diamond distinctions for much of that time. The resort sits on a wide stretch of beach in Sunny Isles, north of the busier neighborhoods, with Mediterranean-style architecture and expansive oceanfront suites.

It is the most family-friendly of the five. The complimentary AcquaMarine kids' club runs a marine biology program for children from four to twelve, while adults have Il Mulino New York, recently redesigned, and a spa that has added new signature treatments for 2026.

Best for: families and guests who want space, beach and a little distance from the city.

The Five at a Glance

Where the Hotel Ends and the Villa Begins

Each of these hotels delivers service at the highest level Miami has to offer. Yet there are limits that no hotel can design away. The pool is shared, however beautiful. The restaurant serves other guests. A group of ten or twelve will be spread across several suites and floors. And the butler, however attentive, divides his time across many rooms.

A private villa removes those limits. On the Venetian Islands, a chain of small islands linking Miami Beach to downtown across Biscayne Bay, a handful of residences offer the space, privacy and water access that a hotel tower cannot.

Villa Rosiyo is a newly built residence by the Miami architect Max Strang, with seven bedrooms, more than 100 feet of waterfront and floor-to-ceiling glass framing the bay. Villa Venetia spreads eight bedrooms across three levels, with a pool at the water's edge and a private dock with mooring, so guests can arrive and leave by boat. Casa Savant has a rooftop infinity pool looking toward the Miami skyline and a broad teak dock over the bay.

In each, the experiences a hotel concierge would arrange can be brought to the residence instead: a private chef for dinner on the terrace, in-villa spa treatments, a morning yoga session by the pool. Our full collection of Miami villas includes residences across the Venetian Islands, Miami Beach and the city's other waterfront neighborhoods, each one reviewed in person before it is accepted. For help choosing an area, our guide to the best Miami neighborhoods for a villa stay compares them in detail.

Planning the Season

Miami's high season runs from late autumn through spring, when the humidity drops and the city's calendar fills. Early December brings Art Basel Miami Beach, the most sought-after week of the year for both hotels and villas; our Art Basel guide covers how to plan around it. The winter months that follow are ideal for a longer stay, as we explain in our piece on Miami in winter.

Whether you stay at one of these five hotels or in a private villa, dinner reservations are worth securing early. Our guide to MICHELIN-starred restaurants in Miami lists the city's most celebrated tables.

Commonly Asked Questions About the Most Luxurious Hotels in Miami

What is the most luxurious hotel in Miami?

Five hotels in the Miami area hold the 2026 Forbes Travel Guide Five-Star award: The Setai, Faena Hotel Miami Beach, Four Seasons Hotel at The Surf Club, The St. Regis Bal Harbour Resort and Acqualina Resort & Residences on the Beach. Which is the most luxurious depends on whether you value calm, spectacle, design, butler service or space.

Are there any six-star hotels in Miami?

No. There is no official six-star rating anywhere. The highest recognized benchmark is the Forbes Travel Guide Five-Star award, which these five hotels hold.

Which Miami luxury hotel is best for families?

Acqualina in Sunny Isles is the most family-oriented, with a complimentary kids' club for children aged four to twelve and a wide private beach. For larger families, a private villa often provides more space and privacy than adjoining suites.

Which Miami hotel offers butler service?

The St. Regis Bal Harbour Resort is known for its signature butler service, which is included for guests and extends to its oceanfront day villas.

Is a private villa better than a luxury hotel in Miami?

It depends on the trip. Hotels suit shorter stays and couples who enjoy on-site restaurants and bars. Villas suit groups, families and anyone who wants complete privacy, their own pool and a dedicated team. See our Miami villa collection for residences on the Venetian Islands and beyond.

When is the best time to stay in Miami?

Late autumn through spring offers the most comfortable weather. Early December, during Art Basel Miami Beach, is the busiest week of the year, so book well ahead.