Hotel Victor

One of the older Art Deco properties on Ocean Drive, the Hotel Victor, across the street from the beach, offers breezy outdoor terraces with attractive modern beach-house decor. Natural fabrics, unfinished wood, and neutral tones throughout -- even in the elevator -- lend an easygoing vibe to the entire property, particularly the spacious sun terrace, with its ample wicker seating and pretty views of the ocean. The lobby has Art Deco panache, with high ceilings and tropical accents, while hallways are lined with pale linen-and-wood benches, and edgy black-and-white photography on the walls. Out front, the property feels very Miami, with its boxy, bright-white facade and silver-lettered signs, shaded by tall palm trees. The privately owned restaurant, Sugar Factory, has tables on the front sidewalk shaded by bright-red umbrellas, allowing guests to soak up the local atmosphere. The overall vibe is somewhat youthful, and the hotel draws mainly couples, but families and solo travelers eager to take in the lively South Beach scene pass through as well.

Hotel Victor sits on Ocean Drive amid other stylish Art Deco properties, great restaurants, and the sort of cafes that call for people-watching all day long. This is the core of Miami's nightlife -- or at least one of it's cores -- and the road gets extremely lively at night. Many of the hotels lining the street have open-air bars, clubs, and restaurants that face the road and go hard well into the night. The Art Deco District Welcome Center is a three-minute walk from the hotel, and is worth a visit for architectural heritage insights. Gianni Versace's former mansion, the Villa Casa Casuarina, is almost next door, a one-minute walk from the hotel (the property is now a boutique hotel and home to a restaurant). The Design District and the Lincoln Road Mall are within a five-minute bike ride (the hotel provides bikes) or a 20-minute walk. The Venetian Pool is a half-hour drive away, and the Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts of Miami-Dade County, host to opera and ballet performances, is a 15-minute drive from the Victor. Miami International Airport is 20 minutes away by car. 

The 91 rooms at the Hotel Victor combine sophistication with a casual beachy vibe. As in other areas of the hotel, rooms are decorated in neutral colors, with natural fabrics and weathered wooden accents. The style feels fresh and modern, thanks to bold black trim, light wooden furniture with Scandinavian minimalist lines, and subtle quirks, like the belt motif on the fabric headboards. Standard King Superior Rooms have partial ocean views or pool views, and all rooms have air-conditioning, minibars stocked with Dean & DeLuca products, iHome docks, safes, 46-inch flat-screen TVs, and digital Do-Not-Disturb notifications. Other standard features include desks and custom bathrobes, while many rooms have California king-size beds made up with custom linens. Bathrooms include distinctively patterned white marble tile and walk-in showers or shower/tub combos with rainfall showerheads, Gilchrist & Soames products, and hairdryers. Most King Suites have balconies with infinity-edge hot tubs, while Bungalow King Deluxe Rooms on the second floor have direct pool access and private terraces with outdoor rainfall showers. Penthouse Suites with private rooftop terraces and hot tubs are available. Some rooms will pick up noise from neighboring hotels and bustling Ocean Drive outside.

Hotel Victor's outdoor pool, which overlooks Ocean Drive and the beach, is lined with wood-canopied daybeds, and has a poolside bar serving cocktails. The property is also home to two privately owned restaurants: Sugar Factory restaurant serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner (plus room service), and stays open late on weekends; Sushi Couture Mikassa serves lunch and dinner. Breakfast is not included in room rates. Vue Bar and Lounge, in the lobby, is great for cocktails and socializing. The fitness center has a good selection of cardio and weight machines, and guests can head to the subterranean SpaV for the coed Turkish hammam, Vichy shower, and several treatment rooms for massages. Bikes are available for guests' use, as are iPads for up to an hour a day. The Victor has 6,000 square feet of indoor and outdoor event space, as well as 24-hour concierge service, a business center, and free Wi-Fi throughout. Beach towels are available for free as well, though technically this service is covered by the hotel's daily resort fee (which also includes fitness center access). Wi-Fi is free throughout the property.