Miami is well known for its pulsating nightlife, decadent party scene, and high-end design culture. More surprising is that America’s sexiest city is also a very kid-friendly destination, and it has actually become one of our favorite family vacation spots. But in a place where bottles are more likely to be champagne than baby, finding the right family-oriented hotel is key. So after much trial and error, I’ve developed the below list of the top 5 family friendly hotels in the Miami area.
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5 Family-Friendly Hotels in Miami
1. The Four Seasons Surf Club
Slightly north of Miami in the beach town of Surfside, The Four Seasons Surf Club is one of our all-time favorite hotels for family vacations in Miami. If you don’t mind being outside of the South Beach scene, this new-era glamour hotel is not to be missed.
Originally opened in 1930, the Surf Club was a private club that was a favorite haunt of many Rat Pack celebrities. The Four Seasons kept and restored the original art deco public areas, including the famous Peacock Alley in the lobby and the vintage pool cabanas, but added an ultra-sleek and modern Richard Meier-designed hotel above. The combination makes for one of the most stylistically unique hotels and strikes just the right balance of top-notch service and elegance with family-friendly amenities.
In fact, the Kids For All Seasons complimentary daily kids club here is one of my children’s favorites. It is one of the largest I’ve seen and features a video game center and dedicated arts and crafts area, and its own pet rabbit. The hotel also offers four pools, bike rentals, and a house car for exploring nearby Bal Harbour or venturing into South Beach.
And while the onsite restaurants, Le Sirenuse (yes, that Sirenuse from Positano, and it’s just as good) and Thomas Keller’s Surf Club are decidedly fine dining experiences, they are also family-friendly and they will accommodate children. The Four Seasons Surf Club is the ultimate family-friendly hotel for your luxury Miami vacation.
2. The Loews Miami Beach
The Loews Miami is one of our favorite family-friendly hotels in Miami. While not as luxurious or stylistic as some of the other Miami hotels, we keep coming back to the Loews for its prime South Beach location and incredible family programming. The hotel was recently renovated, with a major focus on families, and they really nailed it.
There is a state-of-the-art kids club, a teen/tween video game lounge, and a zero-entry pool and family cabanas with Apple TV kids programming. There is a daily kids club, as well as complimentary kids pop-up events around the pool, a shaved ice and cotton candy truck, and a family happy hour with drink specials for adults and supervised lawn games for the kids.
The main restaurant even offers iPads and headphones preloaded with kids’ games and movies to keep young diners entertained. One of our favorite perks is the Kids Night Out program available Friday and Saturday nights that allow parents to take advantage of the South Beach nightlife while kids have a pizza and movie night back at the hotel. If you want a family-friendly hotel in a prime South Beach location, Loews Miami Beach Hotel is a great choice for your next Miami vacation.
3. The Ritz Carlton Key Biscayne
The Ritz Carlton Key Biscayne is another family-friendly hotel in Miami. Located on the southernmost barrier island, the Ritz Carlton Key Biscayne is only twenty minutes from South Beach but feels like you are on a Caribbean Island. This is truly a stand-alone resort, with five miles of open beaches, an ocean-front zero-entry pool, three restaurants, a golf program, ten tennis courts and complimentary water sports.
There is also a Ritz Kids oceanography program, developed in partnership with Jean-Michel Cousteau’s Ocean Futures Society, and pop-up kids games and crafts throughout the day. Staying here feels like you are on a private island. Trust me, this is the closest you can come to feeling like you have left the continental U.S., without actually leaving the continental U.S.
4. The One Hotel South Beach
The One Hotel is the most boho chic of the family-friendly Miami hotels and is also primely located in South Beach. Striking just the right balance of style and function, the eco-luxury decor features salvaged woods, in-room glass terrariums, and living plant walls, and the rooms are some of the largest in South Beach offering plenty of space for families.
The infinity family pool (one of two) overlooks the ocean and is one of the most scenic pools that I’ve seen. While adults-only, the rooftop pool has stunning views and great mojitos and is worth a visit (you can drop the kids off at the Seedlings kids camp downstairs). There are seven restaurants on the property, so lots of choices for picky eaters, as well as a boot camp-style gym and a Soul Cycle.
5. The Acqualina Resort
Also North of Miami (just slightly farther than the Surf Club) in the quiet beach community of Sunny Isles is the Acqualina Resort, which is another great option for families. The Mediterranean-style hotel features open, empty white sand beaches and spacious rooms.
There is a daily kids program with a focus on outdoor activities, three pools, an ocean-side soccer field, a basketball court, and family lawn games. Reminiscent of an old-school family camp, they do a great job of organizing family activities throughout the day (soccer tournaments, three-legged races, pool relays, etc).
The main restaurant is Il Mulino of New York fame, and if you ask they will do half portions of pasta for kids. If you are looking for a family-friendly hotel on your next Miami vacation, Acqualina Resort is a great choice.
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About Joanna
Joanna is the Content Creator behind My Candid Closet, an Instagram feed following her detail-obsessed, chronically overdressed day to day life and travels featuring collaborations with fashion and lifestyle brands. She is a passionate mother, a voracious reader, an over zealous coffee table book collection and has a weakness for pink peonies and anything with a monogram. A former Public Relations Executive, Joanna started her Instagram feed to document her own personal style and share her favorite tips and finds. Instagram: @mycandidcloset
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