Cadet Hotel Rating: 3.0 Pearls

South Beach, Miami, Florida

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Cute garden area

The motto on the Cadet's brochure boasts that it's "The Most Quaint Hotel in the Thriving Miami Beach Art Deco District" -- which is an accurate, if not entirely grammatical, assessment of the place. With classy, 40s-inspired decor -- dark-wood bar, slate-gray furnishings, and marble flooring with an inlaid compass -- this independently owned, two-story, 35-room hotel has an intimacy that most of its counterparts over on Ocean Drive sorely lack. At the Cadet, it's all in the details: The fresh flowers, candles, and seashell motif add to the property's homeyness.

When it opened in 1941, the Cadet, like several other Art Deco hotels, was used by the Air Force to house one of its squadrons -- hence the hotel's name. That group was led by Capt. Clark Gable, who still lives in the hotel's lobby.

Being the "most quaint," however, also means that there's no pool, no views, no sunny veranda. The only outdoor area is the cute little garden off the lobby, with its patio doubling as the breakfast spot (a full-service restaurant is expected to open in the fall of 2010). The hotel also recently opened a sunny patio area with a gazebo and a hot tub in 2009.

Welcome note and strawberries

Like most boutique Art Deco hotels in South Beach, the Cadet is largely a do-it-yourself operation. Don't expect anyone to open the front door for you or help you with your bags. There's no concierge, doorman, or bell staff.

I dealt with two front-desk clerks during my stay, and both were competent but not terribly friendly (though it's worth mentioning that several travelers on TripAdvisor seemed to have more positive experiences). One afternoon, I saw a woman straightening up a bit in the lobby -- fluffing pillows and whatnot -- and struck up a conversation with her. She turned out to be the manager, and much more engaging than her employees.

The best aspects of the service are the fruits of the behind-the-scenes labor. One example is the bowl of welcome strawberries that awaited me upon check-in -- those fruits are literally fruit. Accompanying the fruits/fruit was a personalized letter, printed on high-quality textured paper, welcoming me to the hotel; I received another upon checkout. Throw in the twice-a-day turn-down service and the nightly chocolates left on the bed, and you have the ingredients for some stellar service (not to mention a decent snack).

View on a Larger Map

The Cadet is tucked away a bit, on the corner of 17th Street and James Avenue, which runs parallel to the beach between two of Miami Beach's main drags, Washington and Collins. (The reason James is not also considered a main drag is that it's only three blocks long.) It's a short, three-minute stroll to Ocean Drive and Lummus Park (aka "the beach"), and to the Lincoln Road Mall, which is also great for people-watching.

The swank Delano hotel, two blocks away, is a popular (but expensive) place to grab a drink; there's a number of other high-end clubs and see-and-be-seen hotel lounges nearby. Espanola Way, five blocks south, is a great option for dinner. (It's worth noting, though, that Miami Beach's blocks are longer than many cities', so if high heels or flip-flops are your footwear of choice, you might want to flag down a taxi if you choose the Cadet.)

The beach is just two blocks east -- a three-minute walk. The beach up around 17th Street is just as broad as it is further south, and the sand is just as soft. The difference is that the thing that makes SoBe one of the most famous beaches in the world -- the horde of bikini babes, jacked dudes, topless Europeans, and families with kids, all jumbled together -- is absent up by the Cadet. Then again, all you have to do to join that horde is stroll south a quarter mile or so.

The hotel provides beach towels; for chairs and umbrellas, they can give you coupons for reduced rates (around $10) at one of the countless Boucher Bros. stands that dot the beach.

Mobile snack stands are also scattered along the beach, selling soft drinks and chips. (Note, however, that alcohol is not allowed.)

Finally, it's worth mentioning that 17th Street is near the northern boundary of the concrete path that runs north-south through SoBe, between Ocean Drive and the beach. A wooden boardwalk starts up where the concrete path leaves off. Both of those walkways are excellent for people-watching, but if you're going to the beach from the Cadet and want to do some walking/jogging/biking/rollerblading/people-watching, I recommend heading south from 17th.

Small bathroom in the Queen Bed Room

The rooms are newly renovated (2007), so the furniture is clean and in good condition, and everything works well. At the same time, there's only so much you can do with a building that dates from the first half of the last century. Thus, as at many Art Deco hotels, the rooms, especially the bathrooms, are quite small.

• Small but sufficient standard rooms; enough room on either side of the queen bed to place a few things on the floor and still maneuver without difficulty
• Tiny bathrooms
• Judith Jackson Spa bath products
• Comfortable beds: 100-percent Egyptian cotton linens; Serta Monitor 266 pillowtop mattress
• The TV is a 26-inch Vizio flat-screen and it has about 25 channels, including Encore.
• No matter what room you have, you'll be looking out on a street or another building.

As with so much else at the Cadet, the charm of the rooms is in the details:

• Seashell-garlanded drapes
• Bamboo hardwood floors
• Terry-cloth bathrobes and complimentary soft cotton slippers
• Bedtime chocolates

Charming patio area

• Backyard area with a hot tub and a gazebo
• Free and reliable Wi-Fi, if not super-speedy
• As for parking, there isn't any, at least on the property. Your cheapest bet is at the municipal parking garage, just two blocks away, which is less expensive than the lots next door to the Cadet.

On the other hand, it's further from SoBe's debauchery than most of its counterparts, and hey, the cramped twin-bed rooms could give teens a taste of dorm life.

Room floors could use some cleaning

The Cadet was renovated in 2007, so aside from a few nicks and scratches, everything still looks pretty new. Unfortunately, hardwood floors only stay dust-free for a day or two; after that, you'd better be vigilant with that mop. My room could have used another wipe-down or two, as you can see here. Luckily, the complimentary slippers keep your feet both comfortable and clean.

From the looks of the furniture in the garden, the renovation didn't quite stretch that far. Still, it's old, not filthy. I'd happily sit there.

Breakfast on the patio

The breakfast takes place outside, on the lovely patio. For $8, you get orange juice, coffee or tea, and three types of bread, including a croissant. Evidently the South Beach Diet never reached 17th Street. But like everything else at the Cadet, the pleasures are in the details: The rolls are heated, as is the milk for the coffee, and the meal begins with a piece of coffee cake homemade by the Cadet's owner. And we dare not forget the cute little porcelain duck, um, knife-support thing.