This story, and several others on Miami, complement the CNNGo TV series. You can see more of the show at cnn.com/gotravel.
If you’re planning a trip to Miami, you have a lot of fun choices to make – which restaurants to try, which beaches to lay out on, which clubs to hang out in, which shops to hit.
But one choice is getting harder to narrow down – where to stay.
That’s because the Miami hotel scene is booming.
The Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau reports the city is expecting a whopping 2,500 new hotel rooms this year alone, with 800 more already on tap for 2016.
Reportedly home to the largest concentration of boutique hotels in the world, Miami has upped its game with new lodgings of every style, brand and price point popping up from downtown to the Design District and beyond.
Here are a few of Miami’s hottest new hotels.
Nautilus, a SIXTY Hotel
Why we care: Coming to trendy Collins Avenue this fall, this 250-room architectural gem is a remake of an iconic Morris Lapidus design.
Multimillion-dollar enhancements include a new outdoor saltwater pool with bar, 24-hour fitness center and play area with hammocks overlooking the beach.
Good to know: It’s the first property from Thompson Hotel Group co-founder Jason Pomeranc’s new SIXTY brand.
The tab: From $275 a night.
Aloft South Beach
Why we care: Open since late May, Aloft’s first-ever resort-style property offers South Beach chic without the puffed-up price tag.
Amenities include an ongoing live music series, on-site restaurant from award-winning chef Stephen Starr and custom raspberry-hued cruiser bikes for exploring the neighborhood.
The tab: From $229 a night.
AC Hotel Miami Beach
Why we care: This new Marriott outpost is buzzing with energy everywhere you turn, from the rooftop pool and happening AC Lounge to the on-site pop-up shops and other communal areas.
The rooms are cool, taking stylish cues from the fashion houses of Milan.
Good to know: The collection of books in the hotel library was curated by noted fashion photographer Nigel Barker and includes his New York Times bestseller “Models of Influence.”
The tab: From $169 a night.
1 Hotel South Beach
Why we care: The superlatives that could be used to describe this months-old beachfront property are many, including “spacious” (the rooms average 700 square feet), “experiential” (the list of activities includes everything from kayaking to stargazing) and “tasty” (Tom Colicchio’s Beachcraft restaurant is set to open there any day now).
Still to come is the 18,000-square-foot fitness center and spa.
Good to know: Green is the name of the game here, from hemp-blend mattresses to a fleet of electric Teslas.
Even the key cards are made of recycled wood.
The tab: From $699 a night.
The Miami Beach EDITION
Why we care: This isn’t the place to go if you want to get your beauty sleep.
That’s because hotelier Ian Schrager has outfitted this “next generation urban resort,” in up-and-coming Mid-Beach, with features like a bowling alley, indoor ice skating rink, outdoor movie screen and all-hours nightclub.
Good to know: Edition’s 70,000 square feet of beachfront is reportedly the most of any hotel in the city.
The tab: From $459 a night.
The Hall
Why we care: Joie de Vivre Hotels expands its reach to South Florida when this boutique South Beach property opens in October in a 1940s-era art deco edifice across from the Atlantic.
Rooms feature bold, beachy colors, wood floors, reclaimed furniture, designer bath amenities by Jonathan Adler, Bluetooth speakers and other fun touches.
Good to know: Former Top Chef whiz Spike Mendelsohn whips up everything from salads to s’mores at Sunny’s, and manages the menu as well at Campton Yard, the hotel’s “backyard playground” complete with bocce ball, shuffleboard and ping pong.
The tab: From $189 a night.
Nobu Hotel at Eden Roc Miami Beach
Why we care: Chef Nobu Matsuhisa, Robert De Niro and Hollywood producer Meir Teper are the trio behind this eagerly anticipated property premiering in late 2015 within the Eden Roc Miami Beach, a fixture on the Miami scene since 1955.
The hotel-within-a-hotel concept mimics that of the popular Nobu Hotel at Caesars Palace that debuted in Vegas in 2013 and aims to achieve the “perfect balance of luxury, fun, craft and theater.”
Good to know: Eden Roc’s Nobu Restaurant and Bar Lounge, which opens in August, slightly ahead of the hotel itself, will be the largest Nobu eatery in the world.
The tab: From $450 a night.
The Langford
Why we care: The wave of new hotels isn’t limited to Miami Beach and South Beach.
The Langford, a 12-story, 126-room beaux arts-style lodging set to open sometime this summer, is located downtown, in the heart of the business and arts district.
Its rooftop bar, Pawn Broker, should be an ideal spot to entertain clients or wind down at night.
Good to know: The Langford is a conversion of the former City National Bank Building, which dates to 1925 and can be found in the National Register of Historic Places.
The tab: From $169 a night.
The Langford, 121 S.E. First, Miami, Florida; +1 305 537 7040
Jill Becker is a freelance Web and magazine journalist based in Atlanta.