Miami's Historic Bed & Breakfast Inns

Miami’s coastline is famous for its neon lights and towering hotels, but did you know there are also a handful of bed and breakfast properties?

The area’s B&Bs have a special quality that you just won’t find in a hotel: the option to spend a night in paradise in a place that feels like home.

The Copper Door Bed & Breakfast

Visiting The Copper Door Bed & Breakfast is like walking into a good book that you just don’t want to put down. From the entrance, which is not a copper door but a brightly blue-trimmed glass one (there’s a story there, just ask them), to the original 1940s front desk, to an Art Deco designed lobby and period-popular terrazzo floors, co-owners Jamila Ross and Akino West have a story to share with guests through the spoken word, art and culture.

Located in Historic Overtown, the 22-room boutique property is the only private lodging experience in the area and just minutes from Downtown Miami hot spots. The Copper Door's owners refer guests to local treasures within walking distance, like the historic Lyric Theater (circa 1913), marketplaces of Little Havana and Little Haiti, and the scrumptious seafood at Casablanca Seafood Bar & Grill, located on the Miami River.

While on site, guests are treated to lavish white bed linens, original subway tiled bathrooms and cozy, simply furnished rooms.

“People want to feel like they are Miamians,” said Ross. “What better way to do it than to be a part of a community? We make a strong effort to be an authentic Miami. We’re intimate and personable.”

Ross and West utilize their extensive food and beverage backgrounds to prepare guests a complimentary, scrumptiously curated breakfast that includes seasonal, locally grown foods including papaya, avocado, mangoes, passion fruit and coconut.

“We like being a hidden gem,” said Ross. “We like pleasantly surprising the guest. If they’re getting [only] what they paid for, it’s not memorable.

The Copper Door B&B is located at 439 NW 4th Ave., Miami, FL 33128

Bars B & B South Beach

Undeniably one of the most unique hotels in Miami, Bars B&B South Beach is an Art Deco house that has been converted into a luxurious bed and breakfast.

Located just a few short blocks from the sands of South Beach, this B&B is its own private retreat. Each suite is adorned in fine white fabric, and complemented by mirrored wall accents, diamond lighting and modern art pieces.

Guests can relax in a lush outdoor Asian-style garden—a true respite. This patio and garden features artistic statues, a Zen gazebo and plush lounge chairs.

A stay at Bars B&B comes with complimentary breakfast, a nightly wine and cheese hour, and free parking (always a plus in South Beach). Another plus: a concierge is always on hand to arrange anything you need, including limousine services, yacht/watersports rentals, and restaurant/nightclub reservations at top local hotspots.

Bars B&B South Beach Hotel is located at 711 Lenox Ave., Miami Beach, FL 33139

Selina Miami River

Once Miami’s only bed and breakfast, the property first opened in 1910 as the Miami River Inn. Now reincarnated as the Selina Miami River, this two-story, turn-of-the-century house is located in a leafy neighborhood close to Downtown Miami. There’s free WiFi, a pool and a cute little outdoor bar. Rooms are individually styled and some provide bunk beds and/or balconies. A shared kitchen and library add to the hip yet cozy feel of this bed and breakfast. The Selina River Inn is one mile from I-95, two miles from Pérez Art Museum Miami and eight miles from the bars and restaurants of South Beach. Bayfront Park, Bayside Marketplace and Brickell City Centre are also within two miles.

Selina River Inn is located at 118 SW South River Drive, Miami, FL 33130