Do you want to know which are the best areas to stay in Miami? The best areas are South Beach, Bel Harbour, and Downtown. Each one has a very different profile. In addition to these there are others that are also a success. Read on and discover them.

First of all, you should know that Miami is divided into two large areas: Miami, which is the city itself and is located on the mainland, and Miami Beach, a group of islands located in front of Miami’s Downtown and connected by several bridges. Miami Beach is the best known and most touristic area and where South Beach is located.

Miami is a tropical paradise of white sandy beaches and turquoise waters, one of the favorite vacation destinations for Americans due to its beautiful scenery, great festive atmosphere and its excellent temperature throughout the year.

The beaches are one of the many attractions of Miami, but it is a cosmopolitan city of contrasts, with a great cultural and leisure offer that has much more to offer travelers.

Miami is an expensive destination that requires a lot of room to book in order to find affordable prices. The most expensive months to stay in Miami run from January to April, coinciding with the peak visitor season, while from June to September you can find the best prices. Even so, even in the low season, the constant influx of tourists makes it difficult to get good-priced lodging if you look at it with little time.

A stay in Miami doesn’t fit all pockets. The price of a double room in a decent but luxurious hotel in a popular area is over $100 a night. To this price must be added a 15% for the fees and taxes that are often not included in the price offered.

For tighter budgets it is necessary to give up quality and location and opt for hostels, where you can find a bed in a shared room from 15 dollars.

The best places to stay in Miami

Miami is not a cheap destination, but it has a great variety of accommodations. Therefore, it is important to be clear on what budget to start looking for a hotel in the most suitable area: it will be almost impossible to find accommodation for less than 60 dollars a night in South Beach while in Coral Gables hopefully we can find a minimally decent hotel for that price.

If you have a budget your choice has to be South Beach. It’s the most interesting place without a doubt. The nearby areas like Bal Harbour and surroundings are also an excellent alternative to sleep in Miami.

If you don’t find accommodation in Miami in this area look in the neighborhoods of the continent starting with Downtown and followed by the Design District and others that you will find explained below.

South Beach

South Beach is located in front of Downtown across Biscayne Bay in south Miami Beach. This district is the image we all have of Miami thanks to television series and movies. It is the most interesting area, the most fashionable and where the main tourist attractions of Miami are concentrated.

Without a doubt, South Beach is the first place to find your accommodation if you want to enjoy the beach, admire its Art Deco architecture, eat in modern restaurants, do shopping marathons, party… you have it all!

It is a district at the forefront of everything where there is an abundance of leisure: fashion boutiques, elegant restaurants, endless possibilities to practice sports, a very active cultural agenda, bars and discotheques very exclusive, and so on. It is impossible to get bored in this area.

A typical day is spent enjoying its magnificent beach, playing volleyball on the sand, or being seen in one of the trendy cafes on Ocean’s Drive. At night, there’s nothing like enjoying the lively atmosphere and visiting some of Miami’s most famous pubs like Nikki Beach. South Beach’s nightlife is legendary (and expensive). Few places in the U.S. will find a more lively night than Miami.

South Beach also has cultural attractions. It is known as the Art Deco District because it has the highest concentration of this architectural style in the world. Much of its colorful buildings have been converted into shops and hotels, where it is a real pleasure to stay.

As it is not necessary to leave South Beach to enjoy the essence of Miami is the most sought after place, and one of the most expensive neighborhoods to stay in Miami. If you want to stay in this area and not ruin you better book several months in advance.

Bal Harbour

Located north of South Beach, the Bal Harbour area is distinguished by a high purchasing power residential neighborhood with a more relaxed atmosphere than its famous neighbor.

Bal Harbour allows you to enjoy uncrowded beaches, have some tranquility, enjoy good state-of-the-art restaurants and exclusive and elegant shops. All this close to South Beach so if your budget can afford it is one of the best areas to stay in Miami.

In addition, its accommodation offer is one of the most important in the city, offering all types of hotels, luxury apartments, and some motels. Some years ago it was possible to find better prices than in South Beach, but now much of the economic hotels that were before have been reconverted into luxury accommodations, leaving less and less options to tighter pockets.

While in South Beach you can practically forget about finding cheap accommodation, in Bal Harbour and especially in its surroundings it is still possible to find a little something that is at affordable prices in the mid-range. However, it takes a lot of searching and time to find a room at an average price.