Hide Out From the South Beach Scene at This Glam Miami Standby

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Style, but also substance. At this Shanghai-inspired South Beach property, discreet service has triumphed over spectacle for more than 20 years.

Some hotels scream how good they are—The Setai, Miami Beach is far more subtle, seducing guests without raising its voice above a whisper. You feel the understated elegance the moment you step into the lobby, which is a handsome and surprisingly intimate space, given the hotel’s 157 rooms. It’s also soothingly dark, a tranquil cocoon illuminated by dramatic downlights, enclosed with teak-paneled walls and furnished with leather sofas and club chairs. It’s a welcome respite from South Beach’s relentless sun and frenetic pace.

Occupying a landmark 1937 Art Deco low-rise and a newer beachfront 40-story building, The Setai marries vintage Miami glam with Asian heritage. It feels like a puzzling combination of styles until you learn that Shanghai has more Art Deco buildings than just about any city in the world. And it’s a pairing that’s gracefully translated into the hotel’s design, which juxtaposes Burmese teak, Balinese bronze and antique gray bricks imported from Shanghai with characteristic bas-reliefs and graphic elements typical of Art Deco. Promptly at 6 p.m., the oranges reverently set under cloches on pedestals throughout the resort are replaced with flickering pillar candles, part of the nightly turndown service.

Service is warm and professional yet unobtrusive, and your time here is designed to feel less like a hotel stay and more like a visit with a gracious friend. (To encourage genuine exchange, staff don’t wear name tags. Instead, they personally introduce themselves to each guest.) A South Beach fixture since 2004, The Setai attracts guests who prefer to fly under the radar and value time-tested hospitality over flash and novelty. It’s an urban oasis with a calm, low-key vibe that belies its position in the thick of the always colorful, sometimes chaotic South Beach scene.

The Essentials

The Rooms

Ocean views are the focal point of the rooms at The Setai, but the luxe linens and hardwood floors won’t go unappreciated either.

Ninety-one rooms—ranging from studios to Pool Villas—are in the eight-story building, set back from the sea. Decor is minimalist; think satin-finish hardwood floors bordered by slate tile and low-slung wood furnishings with woven cane accents. Spacious one- to four-bedroom suites in the high-rise Setai tower (which has its own entrance and private lobby) have a more modern aesthetic and feature broad balconies with arresting views of the sand and shimmering Atlantic below. Occupying the entire 40th floor, the 10,000-square-foot Penthouse Suite has four bedrooms, five bathrooms, a full kitchen and multiple balconies, including a pool and hot tub.

The Bars and Restaurants

Open for breakfast, lunch, dinner and weekend brunch, Jaya serves dishes inspired by South and East Asian cuisines. There’s indoor seating, but you’ll want a front-row seat in the courtyard for the jaw-dropping five-minute performances by aerialists and contortionists that happen several times throughout dinner service. For something more low-key, try Ocean Grill—the rare Miami hotel restaurant where guests can dine next to the Beachwalk, almost close enough to touch the sand. The open-air eatery, open for lunch and dinner, is casual yet sophisticated, with a galaxy of crystal chandeliers suspended from the rafters.

Also available to guests is Japón, a dinner-only, indoor-outdoor restaurant where the contemporary Japanese menu includes a remarkable truffle hot pot with sushi rice, wild mushrooms and a poached egg that’s finished at your table with kimchi miso. (Japón’s private dining room and bar, The Kyoto Room, accommodates up to 16 diners in an intimate cloister decorated with a hand-painted gold-leaf ceiling and antique Asian art.) In addition to the see-and-be-seen Lobby Bar, there are two other bars—and specialty cocktails from one are available at the others. Make sure to try any of the four Setai Coconuts (but the Coco Vanilla, with vanilla vodka and pineapple juice, gets our vote).

The Standout Feature

The courtyard transforms into an Asian Night Bazaar every evening, featuring DJs and acrobatic performances.

Nothing says “The Setai” like the hotel’s courtyard, a serene transitional space between the lobby in the Art Deco building and The Setai tower. Designed for both dining and lounging, it’s anchored by a reflecting pool lined with lush palms that stretch through the timber pergola toward the sky (there’s a retractable roof for inclement weather). Outdoor seating for Jaya and Japón restaurants surrounds the pool, which, during the nightly Asian Night Bazaar, features visiting DJs and acrobatic performances on integrated wood “islands.”

The Location

Oceanfront on Collins Avenue, between the South Beach and Mid-Beach neighborhoods, The Setai is walking distance from the shops on pedestrianized Lincoln Road and a quick drive from SoFi’s (south of Fifth Street) bars and restaurants. Guests are removed from the busiest part of South Beach on the Collins Avenue side. But they’re still very much part of the scene, as evidenced by the constant stream of walkers and runners on the Beachwalk at the hotel’s rear.

The Time to Go

Summertime in Miami brings steamy mornings and afternoon thunderstorms, but also fewer crowds and less competition for reservations at the city’s hottest tables. Fall through spring is the high season, with more comfortable (and still a touch balmy) temperatures.

The Vibe

Don’t miss a chance to try the Chili Passion Martini, one of the most popular drinks on the property.

What are people drinking? The Chili Passion Martini (chili-infused vodka and passion-fruit rum) is a classic that’s poured here more than 25,000 times a year. And since it’s offered at all The Setai’s bars and restaurants, there’s no excuse not to try one for yourself.

What’s on the speakers? The resort’s soundtrack is sexy and sophisticated, a seamless blend of tropical house and ambient EDM that channels a relaxed summertime vibe. Every evening, a visiting DJ spins of-the-moment bangers for diners at Japón and Jaya.

The perfect spot for your social media post: Tell me you stayed at The Setai without telling me you stayed at The Setai by posting a photo of the iconic arrangement of more than 500 crimson roses that stands proud in the center of the lobby.

The souvenir you’re taking home with you: Signature baseball caps featuring The Setai’s twin-palm logo are complimentary for every guest but not available for purchase—they’re the ultimate “once you go, you know” memento.

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