Hotel at a Glance: El Paseo Hotel

Though it’s a short walk from the beach and the nightlife on Collins Avenue and Ocean Drive, the street El Paseo Hotel is on looks more like a European village than most visitors’ ideas of South Beach. The boutiques and sidewalk cafés on Española Way stray from the Art Deco District’s style in favor of Spanish- and French-inspired architecture. The narrow cobblestone street is closed to cars, allowing pedestrians to wander between the stucco storefronts.

• Spotlight on the suite: The deluxe one-bedroom has a kitchen and more than twice the space of the standard room; some add juliet balconies.
• Cuban cuisine can be paired with 120 rums from the mojito bar at Havana 1957.
• Hotel history: Its five buildings, which date back to 1925, once housed artists’ apartments and studios.
• What’s nearby: Española Way has nearly 20 dining options, and the hotel’s guests get discount cards good for merchants on the street and a 15% discount at all Espanola Way restaurants and stores.
• A plethora of amenities are included in the waived resort fee, from lounge chairs and beach towels to newspapers, WiFi, wine hour, and more.

Miami’s South Beach: World-Famous Nightlife and Beaches

Just east of downtown Miami, on the barrier island that forms Miami Beach, you’ll find one of the world’s nightlife capitals: South Beach. The clubs along Ocean Drive are legendary for their boisterous, all-night blowouts—and for good reason. With all the rum-soaked mojitos, colorful neon, and celebrity sightings, it can feel like an endless party. Perhaps that’s why the area pops up so often in film and TV shows, including Burn Notice and ­The Birdcage.

The coast of South Beach is known as Lummus Park, which Frommer’s calls Miami’s “best beach for people-watching.” Head across the bay, to South Pointe Park or Bill Baggs Cape Florida State Park, for quieter, more secluded shores.