Shelborne South Beach

You’d think the last mid-century Art Deco hotel on Miami Beach’s Collins Avenue would have been discovered decades ago, but apparently they’re a renewable resource. The Shelborne South Beach dates back to 1940, and had a good run in the postwar years, but it’s only recently — after a lengthy period of renovation — that it’s joined the ranks of the city’s contemporary-style boutique hotels.

The rooms are quietly stylish, in a restrained palette of white, blue, and earth tones, and while they start out fairly cozy, the junior suites verge on the extravagant, and the townhouse and penthouse suites are luxurious indeed. Among the hotels in this part of Miami Beach, this is one of the more down-to-earth, and that’s entirely to its credit — some of its near neighbors reach truly astounding heights of opulence, but here a balance is struck that keeps the Shelborne desirable but still attainable.

To that end, the restaurants, run by a pair of Top Chef alums, keep things accessible. Root & Bone serves upscale, inventive Southern fare, while the Oasis Beer Garden, down by the pool, serves barbecue and fresh seafood. Shelborne Cafe is there for breakfast straight through to happy-hour cocktails, the Oasis Garden & Grill delivers food and cocktails straight to your cabana, and the Drawing Room is the craft-cocktail nightspot.