Essex House Hotel

Set at 1001 Collins Avenue, the Essex House Hotel occupies a restored 1938 Art Deco building two blocks from Lummus Park and the Ocean Drive beach entrances, putting South Beach's sand within a five-minute walk. The location suits travelers wanting the historic district's architecture without paying Ocean Drive's front-row rates.

Original terrazzo floors and porthole windows remain in the lobby, a preservation detail rare among neighboring properties that gutted their interiors decades ago. Collins Avenue's shops and cafes sit at the door, while Espanola Way's pedestrian strip is a short stroll north.