The Betsy Hotel, South Beach

The pool

• Rooftop pool
• Ocean + city views
• Full bar with food service
• Second courtyard pool
• Direct beach access

Why it's on the list

Two pools, and the one that matters is the rooftop — a deck looking out over the Atlantic on one side and the city on the other, with a full bar and food service alongside. The beach is a few steps off the lobby, and the courtyard pool downstairs is the quiet alternative when the roof fills up.

The stay

The Betsy is the grown-up one on Ocean Drive — 130 rooms and suites across a pair of joined buildings, orchids and original art in every room, and a literary-and-jazz program that no other hotel on this strip attempts. That matters more than it sounds: Ocean Drive is the loudest address in Miami Beach, and The Betsy is the one that lets you sleep on it. The rooftop deck is the reason to book — pool, loungers, ocean on one side and the skyline on the other, with the bar running food service through the day. At $$$$ you are paying Ocean Drive prices for genuine calm; take it if you want the address without the noise that usually comes attached.