Bombay fans gently whir overhead, towering columns grace the comfortable seating area, palm trees dot the landscape, and terra cotta floors add casualness to the spacious lobby. A boardwalk at the back of the property overlooks the hotel’s exquisite gardens and ocean. Business and leisure guests enjoy cocktails on the outdoor veranda overlooking the beach.

The 13-story National Hotel was built in 1939, and the lobby contains original period antiques and richly designed wood furnishings. The concierge desk is a precise replica of the original from 1939. In the heart of South Beach, the hotel caters to an upscale mix of corporate and leisure travelers.

This icon of Art Deco architecture was redesigned in early 2008 to incorporate materials and colors from the sea. Furnishings of vintage recreations provide a nod to the hotel’s start in 1936 as the “Grande Dame” of South Beach.

This 788-room oceanfront Loews Miami Beach Hotel comprises the restored, 1930s Art Deco St. Moritz hotel and an adjacent, contemporary, 18-story tower. Giant columns, high ceilings, sky domes with cloud formations, sunken lounge spaces, and marble flooring create a modern Art Deco style in the tower lobby. Clientele includes business types attending on-site conferences, as their families take advantage of the pool, beach, weather, and the Miami scene.

Set on one of the many islands dotting Biscayne Bay, this boutique spa hotel is a playground for adult leisure guests. An expansive Scandinavian-style lobby has terrazzo floors, fabric wall art, beaded drapes, and colorful glass artwork in the windows. A series of rocking chairs overlooks the lushly landscaped, palm-tree-lined outdoor patio.

The Hotel (formerly the Tiffany) has a 1939 edifice and original terrazzo floors, but has been entirely re-envisioned by designer Todd Oldham. The result is colorful, highly stylized, yet comfortable. The jewel-toned lobby has original Deco-era circular windows, and a wooden barrier with palm trees separates the Inner Garden dining room from the reception area. Guests—sometimes famous—come for the details, which include an egg-shaped banquette in green velvet and a mosaic-glass mirror in shades of gold. The Wish bar has a playful Moorish design.

What to expect: The outdoor porch fronting this central South Beach hotel is a perfect perch for people watching. Decked out in classic 1930’s Art Deco style, hotel guestrooms and public areas are infused with aromatherapeutic scents. French doors open from the lobby onto a garden courtyard with spa pools.

Amenity highlights: The garden courtyard features spa pools and a deck with lounge furniture. Mark’s South Beach, the on-site restaurant owned by celebrity chef Mark Militello, was named one of “America’s Best Restaurants” by Gourmet magazine. High-speed Internet access is complimentary in the Hotel Nash lobby.