One Of Miami's Trendiest Beach Resorts Offers Vibrant Nightlife, Bold Design, And Upscale Dining

Sultry, sunny Miami Beach is filled with glamorous beachfront hotels that promise guests the ultimate stay in paradise. Many check into the fabulous Art Deco resorts lining world-famous Ocean Drive, but nearby Collins Avenue is home to a smattering of discerning design hotels that boast endless, palm-fringed beaches. One of the trendiest hotels in the area is Faena Miami Beach, an ultra-luxurious, 179-room resort that sits right along the ocean. An exceptional resort property that has spent years as a top pick on Conde Nast Traveler's "Reader's Choice" list, Faena Miami Beach wows guests with upscale dining and vibrant nightlife amid interiors drenched in show-stopping artwork and bold design.

Faena Miami Beach feels right at home in the heart of the Faena District, a Miami neighborhood renowned for its rich arts and cultural scene. The hotel's old-Hollywood vibe combines set-driven design by "Moulin Rouge" director Baz Luhrman and his wife, Catherine Martin, an Academy Award-winning costume and production designer, with surreal art like Damian Hirst's sculptures of a golden woolly mammoth. Guest rooms boast a similar wow-factor, with red, turquoise, and animal print furniture and fabrics capturing the glitzy spirit of Miami. With all this going for it and more, it's not surprising that U.S. News ranked Faena Miami Beach third on its list of "Florida's Best Beach Hotels."

The Faena's bold red color palette is everywhere. It's splashed across loungers and cabanas in the pool area, and it covers the sunbeds and candy-striped umbrellas that dapple the hotel's 100,000 square feet of beachfront. Even at Tierra Santa Healing House, the Faena's 22,000-square-foot wellness center, fun colors and floral patterns are at play, although here they are meticulously balanced with neutrals and white walls for a calming aesthetic.

Faena Miami Beach boasts five restaurants helmed by celebrity chefs renowned for bold, international flavors. James Beard Award-winning chef and Top Chef winner Paul Qui is the culinary mastermind behind the exclusive sushi restaurant, El Secreto Omakase. This six-seat dining experience is hidden away in a decadent, gilded and mirrored jewel box of a space where guests enjoy Tokyo-style sushi served Kyoto kaiseki style. Qui also runs Pao, a contemporary Asian restaurant that fuses Filipino, Spanish, Japanese, and French flavors. Here, guests dine on $200 caviar in a dining room crowned by a soaring golden dome, and presided over by Damian Hirst's stately golden unicorn. You'll also find live music on Friday and Saturday nights.

Argentine chef Francis Mallman, featured in the Netflix series "Chef's Table," is responsible for Los Fuegos, where he celebrates the "ancient art of South American live-fire cooking." Savory plates and grilled Argentine meats are served in upscale surroundings anchored by banquettes upholstered in leopard print and swanky red dining chairs. End your weekend here with Mallman's special Sunday Parrilladas, when cuts like skirt steak, ribeye, and lamb are grilled from noon to 4:00 p.m. One five-star Google review had this to say about the restaurant: "TLDR: Delicious Argentinian food presented in luxurious fashion."

For daytime eats, Campo Casa Faena serves a Latin-infused daily brunch that also includes classics like French toast and smoked salmon. There's also a surf-and-turf heavy dinner menu. You can "rosé all day" at Tree of Life and Sun Bar, the Faena's colorful, garden terrace and bar, where small plate nibbles and specialty, top-shelf cocktails are the order of the day. Sink into Saturday nights here with live music and, if you're feeling extra indulgent, treat yourself to Cuba's finest from the cigar menu.

Miami's reputation as a standout American city for nightlife precedes it, with revelers flocking to the famous nightlife of South Beach to party until dawn. But just a stone's throw from Ocean Drive, Faena Miami Beach promises patrons a more sophisticated after-dark scene at its stylish on-site bars and inside the luxurious Faena Theater – a stylish Old Hollywood-inspired venue. Theater-goers are treated to an array of standout entertainment in this decadent, ruby red venue, including cabaret, "nouveau cirque," live concerts, and special events.

Late-night jazz bar The Living Room is a cozy, convivial space for sipping craft cocktails beneath statement chandeliers. Far from your average Miami party bar, The Living Room strictly enforces an "elegant and polished" dress code, and annoying influencer culture is kept at bay via prohibitive filming and photography rules. Live music from bands to DJs is on tap nightly, with old school tracks taking center stage on "Vinyl Tuesdays." Saxony Bar serves up more DJs and late-night jazz, albeit in a cozy setting. Take note that Saxony Bar is only open from Thursday through Sunday night, and the bar's 3.6 rating on Google has plenty of mixed reviews. The least favorable cite the bar's high prices and mention that "scammers" are a problem. 

To soak up Miami's best weather and score competitive hotel rates, book your stay between March and May, when temperatures hover in the 70s and rates are below peak prices. Faena Miami Beach is just 20 minutes from Miami International Airport, one of the best major airports in America for shopping.