Esmé Miami Beach

Character and identity

Set on Española Way, South Beach's restored 1920s pedestrian paseo, Esmé spreads 145 rooms across eight connected buildings, each layered with neo-Spanish-Mediterranean detail. The lobby sets the register: crimson carpet, Moroccan benches, brass and dark green, Moorish flourishes carried through to gothic florals, leopard-print curtains and pale pink bathroom tile in the rooms. Dining is genuinely a draw, with Tropzeon for Andalusian gin and tapas, The Drexel for Mediterranean, the speakeasy El Salon for cocktails, and an all-day rooftop bar beside a compact plunge pool flanked by peach-striped daybeds. Service skews young and friendly rather than polished.

Who's it for

Bottom line

The reason to book here is the food, drink and design narrative across eight historic buildings, not the amenity stack, which is deliberately thin. Couples and design literates should book a Casa Matanza suite for the balcony, extra space and Española Way views; skip the basic Village category. Quieter shoulder weeks suit the boutique scale best.