Where to Stay

There is only one place to stay in Miami and that’s South Beach – where all the action happens. In a town obsessed with image hotel choice is an essential clue to who and how cool you are.  The jewel in South Beach’s crown is undoubtedly The Setai (2001 Collins Avenue, +1 305 520 6100, www.setai.com) the less bling, but more elegant home to Miami’s most fashionable and discreet A-listers. To immerse oneself in the party scene The Shore Club (1901 Collins Avenue, +1 305 695 3277, www.shoreclub.com) is the best known hotel on the beach and home to Nobu, Ago and the Sky Bar, it is all about seeing and being seen – here image is definitely king. The Delano (1685 Collins Avenue, +1 305 672 2000, www.delanohotelmiamibeach.com) is an Ian Schrager South Beach fantasy of billowing white drapes, fresh white rooms and high design. The uber-stylish Hotel Victor (1144 Ocean Drive, +1 305 428 1234, www.hotelvictorsouthceach.com) is much talked about, attracting an upmarket sophisticated crowd relaxing and playing in this bijou hotel from the designer behind Paris’ Hotel Costes.

Where to Eat

Miami’s restaurant scene is as much about image as it is about food, sitting next to Paris Hilton is deemed as important as the cooking. For the quintessential Miami experience of glamour, high fashion and fine dining the Blue Door (1685 Collins Avenue, +1 305 674 6400, www.delanohotelmiamibeach.com) at the Delano is a must. For a more intimate and exclusive experience try Casa Tua (1700 James Avenue, +1 305 673 1010) where the illustrious clientele seated at a communal table will tell you all you need to know about Miami life, before disappearing upstairs to the member’s club for cocktails. For something a little more low-key and different try 190 (1650 James Avenue, +1 305 913 1000) at the Albion Hotel, a chilled outdoor setting with DJs spinning in the background and fantastic food prepared by Argentinean chef Alan Hughes. While to be in the centre of everything head to Sushi Samba (600 Lincoln Road, +1 305 673 5337, www.sushisamba.com) where the food is good, the staff beautiful, the customers even more so and the atmosphere electric.

Where to Play

In Miami the party is king, find out what’s happening on which night and you’ll drop straight into the Miami scene. However a few perennial favourites always hit the mark. Mynt (1921 Collins Avenue, +1 786 276 6132) is the current favourite, packed with visiting celebrities and even more glamorous wannabes grinding the night away to the house and R’n’B soundtrack. Attracting a hipper, more rock chic crowd is Snatch (1437 Washington Avenue, +1 305 604 3644, www.snatchmiami.com) where rock’n’roll is the new cool, thankfully leaving behind the house music lounge bars. While if you can venture off the beach Pawn Shop (1222 NE 2nd Avenue, +1 305 373 3511, www.thepawnshoplounge.com) in the Design District is an eclectic mix of design, including a yellow school bus converted into the VIP area – it packs out at weekends with Miami’s top party crowd.

Where to Shop

Stroll up and down Lincoln Road, South Beach’s spiritual home, essentially a fashion catwalk where the clientele assess each other’s wardrobes; home to contemporary fashion and local designers, pop into a range of shops on and off the strip to find something special for the evening ahead. For high international fashion head to Bal Harbour Shops (9700 Collins Avenue, +1 305 866 0311, www.balharbourshops.com), one of the best malls in the country where everyone from Marc Jacobs and Cavalli to Armani and Dolce & Gabbana can be found. If you can’t find what you need here try the Village of Merrick Park, 320 San Lorenzo Avenue, Coral Gables, +1 305 529 0200, www.villageofmerrickpark.com) for an eye watering list of global fashion as well as an Elemis Spa for a post-purchase wind down.

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