Hotel at a Glance: Design Suites at Castle Beach

The crisp white facade of Design Suites at Castle Beach fits right in on the barrier island of Miami Beach, and guests will have no trouble finding ways to get close to the water. For one, the hotel is right on the beach. Secondly, there’s a large outdoor pool and sun deck where you can lounge all day long.

• In-room amenities: Each suite has at least two queen-size beds, a kitchenette, cable TV, and free WiFi. Ocean-view suite has a view to the ocean, and bay-view suites have a view to the intracoastal and Miami skyline.
• Kick back in a recliner on the sun deck that surrounds the pool, then grab a drink from the bar to keep you cool while you tan.
• Relax and detox in the soothing steam rooms of the Russian and Turkish baths.
• Pack lightly: You can refresh your clothes using the hotel’s laundry and dry-cleaning facilities, and there’s an onsite convenience store where you can pick up snacks and other vacation essentials.
• Keep up your workout routine at the hotel’s fitness center (but only if you feel like it).
• Onsite restaurant where you can get breakfast, lunch, or dinner
• Valet parking for one car is included with this deal.

Miami Beach, Florida: White-Sand Beaches, Glamorous Nightlife, and Cuban Cuisine

Miami Beach is a small barrier island situated between the Atlantic Ocean and Biscayne Bay, a shallow lagoon that separates the beaches from downtown Miami. People from all over the world come here to enjoy the white-sand beaches, shop the high-end boutiques, and party at the legendary see-and-be-seen nightclubs the city is known for. The red-hot center of this sexy, international social scene is South Beach, a 20-block stretch filled with upscale lounges, rooftop bars, and ultrahip hangouts behind velvet ropes. Lummus Park beach is packed by mid-morning, and the clubs on Ocean Drive and Washington Avenue—many of which stay open until 5 a.m.—vie for the limelight with VIP service, celebrity DJs, and dressed-to-the-nines crowds.

Beyond the fast-paced luxury of South Beach lies Miami Beach’s softer side. A leisurely stroll through the Art Deco District reveals hundreds of beautiful, candy-colored buildings, including Versace Mansion—a 1930 manor modeled after a palace in the Dominican Republic that belonged to Christopher Columbus’s family. The centerpiece of the city’s arts scene, the Bass Museum of Art displays works from Peter Paul Rubens and Sandro Botticelli, and modern-design objects and propaganda arts fill three stories at the Wolfsonian-FIU museum. There’s also a handful of vibrant ethnic enclaves to explore here, and Little Havana is among the most notable. The neighborhood is lined with family-owned restaurants and Caribbean-style marketplaces, making it a great place to discover some of the country’s most delicious Cuban food, from sugary guarapo juice to pastelitos, or Cuban pastries.

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