Editorial score of 8.9 of 10, the composite average of the three factors above (Rooms, Service, Location). Method at our methodology page. Affiliate disclosure: booking links may earn us a commission at no extra cost to you, and never change our verdict.
Why is the Ritz-Carlton, South Beach worth booking?
The Ritz-Carlton, South Beach is our number eight Miami hotel because it delivers a combination the rest of South Beach tends to split: a building worth being in, a service standard that stays consistent, and a location you never need a car for. The hotel occupies the restored DiLido, a Morris Lapidus oceanfront commission that first opened in 1953 and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, at the head of Lincoln Road. Ritz-Carlton rebuilt it and reopened after a multi-year renovation, based on Lapidus's original design, that was completed in January 2020. The result keeps the curved staircases and MiMo geometry while giving the interiors a calmer, more deco-respectful palette that lets the architecture do the talking.
The other half of the argument is service and setting. The Ritz-Carlton standards, predictable check-in, an empowered front desk and courtesies that arrive without being asked, are delivered here at the level the brand hits at its best properties, and the Club Level adds a genuinely useful lounge and concierge for restaurant access. The location, at 1 Lincoln Road, is the most walkable luxury address in Miami: the Lincoln Road mall is at the door, Ocean Drive and the Art Deco district are a short stroll, and the beach is directly out front. The honest caveat is that at 376 rooms this is a full-scale resort rather than a boutique, and the entry categories are compact by Miami standards.
The architecture is the part that most hotels here cannot buy. Lapidus's DiLido was one of the buildings that defined the Miami Modern, or MiMo, style of the 1950s, and the restoration kept its curved forms and period geometry while calming the interior palette so the bones of the building carry the room. The José Andrés Group dining that now runs the food, from Zaytinya to the oceanfront DiLido Beach Club and the Lapidus Bar, gives the ground floor a genuine reason to visit whether or not you are staying. Taken together, the historic shell, the reliable service and the address turn an ordinary trip into an occasion, which is exactly why the hotel reads so well for a milestone weekend rather than a purely functional stay.
What are the best rooms to request?
Request an ocean-view room with a balcony, and step up to Club Level if the lounge and concierge matter to you. The 376 rooms and suites run from Deluxe Rooms of about 376 square feet up to the 2,500-square-foot Beach Tower Suite, with most categories carrying a private balcony; the ocean-view rooms face directly east, the pool-view rooms look west across the deck. The refreshed bathrooms are finished in white marble with separate tubs and rain showers. The Club Level, reached by its own elevator, adds a private lounge with food presentations through the day and the most useful concierge desk in Miami for restaurant tables, which is worth the premium on a celebration trip.
One honest caveat: the entry Deluxe Rooms are on the compact side for a five-star at this price, and not every category faces the water. If the view and the space are the point of the trip, book an ocean-view room or a suite outright rather than the lead-in rate, and use the Club Level to lift the rest of the experience. Booked that way, the historic building and the service carry the stay comfortably.
For an anniversary, tell the Club Level concierge your timeline a day ahead: they will set flowers in the room, hold a table at Zaytinya or an oceanfront spot at the DiLido Beach Club, and book the spa's couples ritual. Ask for a high ocean-view floor for the widest Atlantic outlook and the quietest nights.
What is the dining and the bar scene like?
Dining is a real strength, and it is now run by the José Andrés Group. Zaytinya brings the group's Eastern Mediterranean small-plates format to South Beach, mezze built for sharing across a long table. The DiLido Beach Club is the oceanfront anchor, an indoor-outdoor pavilion serving ocean-to-table plates with direct beach access, and one of the few genuinely beachfront restaurants in South Beach. The Lapidus Bar pays tribute to the architect with bronze accents, craft cocktails and live music, and works as the social heart of the ground floor. Between the three you can eat and drink well across a full stay without leaving the property.
Does it have a spa and pools?
Yes. The Ritz-Carlton spa remains a centerpiece of the resort, running a full treatment menu that leans on the brand's service standards rather than experimental therapy, with a fitness centre alongside. Outside, the pool deck runs two distinct zones, a family pool and an elevated adults pool, both worked by full beach-and-pool service, with the South Beach sand directly in front. For a stay that alternates between the water, a treatment and a walk down Lincoln Road, the amenity set is well judged for the location.
Signature amenities
At the head of Lincoln Road
South Beach · oceanfront at the head of the Lincoln Road mall
What's nearby
- Lincoln Road Mall
Shops & dining2 min walk - Collins Park & Bass Museum
Art & green space3 min walk - Miami Beach Convention Center
Events8 min walk - Española Way
Historic dining lane12 min walk - Ocean Drive Art Deco
Historic district12 min walk
The Lapidus building, the rooms, the beach club
Hotel
Room
Pool deck
Beach clubHow does the Ritz-Carlton, South Beach compare with Miami's other five-star hotels?
Against the field, the Ritz-Carlton is the walkable, historic-building choice in the heart of South Beach, and the decision comes down to whether you want to be in the middle of it or above it. The Setai, a short walk up Collins, is the quiet, adult, Asian-restraint alternative with three pools and the calmest service in South Beach. Faena Hotel Miami Beach in Mid-Beach is the theatrical flagship with gold leaf and a burlesque theatre, more spectacle for the money. The St. Regis Bal Harbour, fifteen minutes north, trades the location for far more space and full butler service. The Ritz-Carlton's own trade-off is scale and compact entry rooms, balanced by a location nothing else here can match.
| Hotel | Style | Best for | Trade-off |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Ritz-Carlton, South Beach | Restored Lapidus deco resort | Walkability, history, consistent service | Compact entry rooms; large and busy |
| The Setai, Miami Beach | Quiet South Beach five-star | Calm, three pools, service | Restrained; less of a scene |
| Faena Hotel Miami Beach | Theatrical Mid-Beach flagship | Spectacle, dining, romance | Highest rates in the city |
| The St. Regis Bal Harbour | Oceanfront butler resort | Space, butler service, quiet | Away from South Beach; busy resort |
Frequently asked questions
What building is the Ritz-Carlton, South Beach in?
The hotel occupies the restored DiLido, a Morris Lapidus oceanfront building that first opened in 1953 and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Ritz-Carlton rebuilt it and reopened after a multi-year renovation, based on Lapidus's original design, that was completed in January 2020.
How many rooms does the Ritz-Carlton, South Beach have?
There are 376 rooms and suites, from entry Deluxe Rooms of about 376 square feet up to the Beach Tower Suite. Most rooms have private balconies, and the Club Level adds a separate lounge with food presentations through the day.
What are the restaurants at the Ritz-Carlton, South Beach?
The dining is run by the José Andrés Group. Zaytinya serves Eastern Mediterranean small plates, the DiLido Beach Club is the oceanfront ocean-to-table restaurant with direct beach access, and the Lapidus Bar pours craft cocktails with live music in a room that pays tribute to the architect.
Does the Ritz-Carlton, South Beach have a spa and pools?
Yes. The Ritz-Carlton spa runs a full treatment menu and remains a centerpiece of the resort, and there are two oceanfront pools, a family pool and an elevated adults pool, both with beach service. A fully equipped fitness centre rounds out the wellness offer.
Where is the Ritz-Carlton, South Beach located?
The hotel is at 1 Lincoln Road, at the head of the Lincoln Road pedestrian mall on the South Beach oceanfront. Collins Park, the Bass museum, the Convention Center and Ocean Drive's Art Deco district are all within a short walk, making it one of the most walkable luxury addresses in Miami.
Other luxury stays in Miami
#2 · South BeachThe Setai, Miami Beach
#1 · Mid-BeachFaena Hotel Miami Beach
#5 · Bal Harbour