Champagne Taste: Miami's Forbes 5-Star Hotels

In Greater Miami and Miami Beach, the lap of luxury is never too far away, if that’s what you’re after. When it’s time to check in and rest your head on the plushest of pillows, the destination is home to an abundance of fabulous hotels that will cater to your most indulgent vacation whims. In fact, the 2026 Forbes Travel Guide just awarded 5 Miami hotels with its prestigious Five Star distinction.

All of the Miami hotels flaunt over-the-top amenities, exceptional service and decor that ranges from Asian opulence to movie-star good looks. To determine these real-deal ratings, Forbes sends out anonymous inspectors who pay their own way for their stays, ensuring critics experience the hotels as a typical guest would. Cue the Champagne and butlers: These Five-Star hotels in Miami deliver a best-in-class experience.

Acqualina Resort & Residences On The Beach

Acqualina Resort & Residences on the Beach has double bragging rights, earning a Forbes Five-Star accolade for both its hotel and spa. The luxury resort that feels like a private villa on the Mediterranean is located in Sunny Isles Beach, yet close enough to the action of Miami Beach. 

Acqualina is beloved for its large rooms and suites featuring Italian kitchens, marble bathrooms and spacious balconies that overlook the Atlantic Ocean or Intracoastal Waterway. Guests sprawl out on bright red loungers and sofas at the beachfront “living room,” and both families and adults have dedicated swimming pools.

With numerous places to dine, including the Forbes 2026 Four-Star Il Mulino New York, guests never have to leave the resort. Acqualina Spa, a huge sanctuary with its own pool and waterfall hot tub, once again snagged a Five-Star rating, too.

Faena Hotel Miami Beach

It’s easy to understand why the Forbes inspectors continue to be wowed by Faena Hotel Miami Beach, located in the Mid Beach neighborhood of Miami Beach. Forbes loves the hotel’s over-the-top glamour, with a theatrical design that conjures up scenes from a glamorous movie set.

It makes perfect sense, given that filmmaker Baz Luhrmann and his wife, Catherine Martin, designed the hotel. A long red carpet, towering gold leaf columns and fantastical floor-to-ceiling murals greet guests upon arrival in the great hall, dubbed “The Cathedral.”  

Lavish design continues in the guest rooms, where rich velvets mingle with animal prints and surprising elements. Inspectors fawned over the resort’s large amount of remarkable artwork, including a gilded, glass-encased woolly mammoth skeleton by artist Damien Hirst placed in front of the beach.

From the attentive poolside service and butlers on each floor for around-the-clock care, guest experience is another major highlight. Escape to the Forbes Four-Star Tierra Santa Healing House for holistic spa treatments and luxe amenities like a coed wet room and stunning Turkish hammam. 

Both of the hotel’s signature restaurants, Los Fuegos By Francis Mallmann and Pao By Paul Qui, also received Four-Star nods from Forbes.

Four Seasons Hotel At The Surf Club

With its storied history as the beachfront playground of the rich and famous, the Four Seasons Hotel at The Surf Club  gives vacationing guests the opportunity to relive the heyday of glitz and glamour with modern perks. Forbes highlighted its prime location on a pristine slice of beach in Surfside, placing guests near the swanky Bal Harbour Shops  and a short drive to Miami Beach. 

A stay here includes access to 3 pools designated for adults or families, as well as beachside concierge service. While Forbes praises the rooms that feel like beachside bungalows, inspectors suggest spending a night in one of the Cabana Studios, which recall the nostalgia of the old Surf Club days, with lanai decks and luxe amenities.

Forbes also praised the hotel’s spa and on-site restaurants. Once again, Miami Beach Spa at The Surf Club received a Five-Star designation for its tailor-made treatments and no-phone policy, fostering a true sense of tranquility. Lido Restaurant at The Surf Club was awarded Four Stars for standout dishes like the Tagliatelle All’astice with Maine lobster and a breaded veal cutlet. 

The St. Regis Bal Harbour Resort

The St. Regis Bal Harbour Resort is no stranger to Forbes honors. This beachfront beauty in the ritzy enclave of  Bal Harbour immediately impresses vacationers with its gorgeous lobby, which literally glitters with faceted mirrors and crystal chandeliers. Forbes commended the hotel for having the most luxe accommodations in the area, with contemporary, residential-style rooms and oversized balconies that offer incredible views of the ocean.

The St. Regis also gets high marks for its outstanding personalized service, including staff members who write a personal note or deliver a plate of macarons with turndown service, and an in-the-know concierge staff. 

The Spa at St. Regis Bal Harbour also received a Forbes Five-Star rating for its unique treatments and opulent amenities, including heated marble floors and a private couples treatment room with a 2-person soaking tub and rain shower.

The Setai Miami Beach

The Setai Miami Beach maintains its long-standing Forbes Five-Star rating in 2026. The Asian-inspired hotel, which sits oceanfront in South Beach, stands out in a sea of hotels for its calming atmosphere and resemblance to a swanky private residence. 

Guest suites stretch throughout the historic building and a newer tower, and boast amenities like Bose surround sound systems, black soaking tubs and floor-to-ceiling windows that offer sweeping ocean views. 

Vacationers can pick their pleasure at 3 pools kept at various temperatures and cloaked in ultra-privacy, thanks to surrounding hedges. When you’re not lounging by the pool, book a treatment at Valmont for The Spa at The Setai, which Forbes also awarded Four Stars for its posh treatment rooms with private steam rooms and powerful anti-aging treatments.

The Forbes team also praised The Setai’s on-property restaurants, including the inventive Asian cuisine at Jaya, where there’s often live entertainment in the stunning outdoor courtyard, and Ocean Grill, a breezy beachfront restaurant that focuses on seafood.

Forbes Four-Star Hotels In Greater Miami & Miami Beach

Forbes also awarded 6 Miami hotels the impressive Four-Star distinction. They include:

• The Miami Beach EDITION
• Four Seasons Hotel Miami
• The Ritz-Carlton Bal Harbour
• The Ritz-Carlton Key Biscayne
• Trump National Doral Miami

Top Miami hotels that received Forbes Recommended distinction include:

• 1 Hotel South Beach
• The Biltmore Miami - Coral Gables
• The Ritz-Carlton, South Beach
• Fontainebleau Miami Beach
• The Ritz-Carlton, Coconut Grove
• Trump International Beach Resort Miami
• Mr. C Miami Coconut Grove

No matter your hotel style or budget, you’ll find an abundance of great places to stay in Miami.