Meanwhile, Ritz-Carlton has become a major presence in Miami in very short order. In no other city worldwide does the company boast three properties in such close proximity -- all are ten minutes from downtown Miami. The new Ritz-Carlton South Beach www.RitzCarlton.com opened in January 2004 after a $200 million restoration of the historic 1950s DiLido Hotel. The oceanfront resort, located in the heart of South Beach's eye-popping Art Deco District, is a showcase for Art Moderne design, with 375 rooms and suites resembling staterooms on a luxury ocean liner. Many of the hotel's original design elements, originally envisioned by Miami Beach visionary Morris Lapidus, have been preserved, including black terrazzo floors. The hotel boasts a 13,000 square foot spa and fitness center, an elevated central pool and an art collection valued at over $2 million.

The Ritz-Carlton Key Biscayne is located just five miles from downtown Miami on the idyllic, laid-back key known for pricey real estate and top-rated beaches. Featuring 402 well-appointed guestrooms and suites overlooking lushly landscaped gardens and the Atlantic Ocean, the Ritz is home to a 20,000 square-foot ocean view spa, which offers a menu of natural therapies guaranteed to restore and relax. A full slate of wellness classes, including Pilates, yoga and aqua-aerobics, is offered and for the even more ambitious, the hotel has an 11-court Tennis Garden and nearby championship golf. Parents can relax while their children are entertained at the Ritz Kids pavilion with their own pool and beach playground.

Five minutes away, the Ritz-Carlton Coconut Grove is an intimate boutique hotel (with only 115 rooms and suites) with an astonishing array of amenities that helped earn it the AAA Five-Diamond Award. Taking personal service to a new level, the hotel staff includes Bow Wow butlers to exercise, feed and provide entertainment (doggie videos, etc) for guests' pets. Bath butlers organize and draw luxurious soaks from a wide array of bath menus, including a gentlemen's bath complete with cognac, and fitness butlers will schedule in-room yoga sessions or have exercise equipment delivered from the hotel's on-site fitness center and spa to guestrooms.

Open in downtown Miami since 2001, the 329-room Mandarin Oriental, Miami www.MandarinOriental.com also recently garnered the coveted AAA Five Diamond Award along with its signature restaurant (5 Star) Azul. Blending cool Asian design aesthetic with sexy touches that reflect Miami's diverse cultural influences, Mandarin Oriental is a perfect fit in a cosmopolitan, sophisticated city. Not content to rest on its laurels, the hotel recently introduced a new private beach at the luxurious waterfront property, the Beach Club.

Here guests can enjoy Oriental-style furnishings, while being tended to by Beach Butlers, who pamper guests with cool towels and mist services. Award-winning Azul boasts floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking Biscayne Bay and a stunning white marble-clad open kitchen and raw bar that provides the stage for the restaurant's Latin/Asian/French cuisine. A deluxe three-level waterfront spa offers the ultimate escape with 17 private treatment rooms that each use natural textures such as bamboo, rice paper, and natural linens.

The Four Seasons Hotel Miami www.FourSeasons.com/miami , a $379 million sleek column that has reshaped the Miami skyline, opened on downtown's Brickell Avenue in late 2003. An urban oasis that is the tallest building south of Atlanta, the Four Seasons offers unparalleled views of Biscayne Bay and the city from a 65,000 square foot roof terrace complete with pools, sundecks and palm trees. This luxurious property encompasses 221 guest rooms, most with panoramic views in complement to its condominium and hotel/condo units. With amenities that include the 40,000 square foot Splash Spa and salon as well as The Sports Club/LA fitness facility and top rated Acqua restaurant, business and pleasure blend daily.

Just a few doors down is the Conrad Hilton www.ConradHotels.com. Opened in summer 2004, this premier luxury hotel for business travelers offers special amenities that include private butlers for guests and spa services brought right to your room.

The nearby JW Marriott Hotel Miami www.MarriottHotels.com/miajw, a 22-story business hotel and meeting center, was designed to meet the demands of today's sophisticated traveler with 300 elegantly and ergonomically furnished rooms and a 24-hour business center.

The luxurious Grove Isle Hotel & Spa www.GroveIsle.com located on Coconut Grove's private island is just minutes away from the city life of Coconut Grove. The only destination of its kind in South Florida, The Grove Isle Hotel & Spa is a private island sanctuary, offering a peaceful respite from the hustle and bustle of Miami. The moment you pass through Grove's gates, you'll feel as though you've been transported to another era; bougainvillea and tropical flowers beckon you along a fragrant path to your own British Colonial island outpost.

Luxury Resorts on South Beach

A mere decade ago, luxury resort hotels were virtually nonexistent on South Beach. As boutique hotels began to signify the Art Deco District's renaissance, the need for accommodation for discerning travelers accustomed to the conveniences and amenities of larger resort properties jump-started a second wave of renovation and development. Today, a perfect balance of elegant small hotels and luxury resorts make South Beach a popular destination for everyone.

Slated to open in Winter 2006, The new Regent South Beach www.RegentHotels.com on Ocean Drive and Collins Avenue, Miami's two most vibrant boulevards, offers 80 plush guest suites, with sprawling sophisticated private terraces accentuating its vistas of the city and Atlantic Ocean. Table 8, the hotel's signature restaurant will make its east coast debut providing outstanding culinary experiences in a relaxed yet grown-up atmosphere.

New to the Miami scene on the southern tip of Ocean Drive, The Bentley Beach Hotel www.TheBentleyBeachHotel.com takes center stage located in South Beach's hottest new landscape - 'SoFi' or 'South of Fifth.' Whether it is the privacy of the Beach Club and pool or graceful attention to detail, The Bentley Beach Hotel combines the international decadence of South Beach with a refreshing sense of chill uniqueness.

The Delano www.Delano-Hotel.com , South Beach's epicenter of cool, is small and exclusive, but teeming with amenities that its celebrity clients crave, including the famed Blue Door restaurant and the rooftop spa, Agua. The Shore Club www.ShoreClub.com, opened in 2000 oozes with chic and Zen-like calm. Remarkable for its clean cutting-edge design, the hotel is home to Nobu restaurant, a sparkling pool and a rooftop spa offering fruit-based treatments.

Sleek and sensual, the Sagamore Hotel www.SagamoreHotel.com offers art and design with exceptional, top-notch service. Simple yet stylish this Miami boutique hotel offers an elegant art collection from local and international artists, which can be seen in the public areas as well as all guestrooms. An ocean front zero-entry infinity edge pool and the Saga Bar and Lounge, are just a few of their hip amenities.

Just a few blocks west, in the heart of the Art Deco district of South Beach, Hotel Victor www.HotelVictorSouthBeach.com captures the glory, beauty and decadence of the 1930's, set against a backdrop of sophisticated Parisian style. Adjacent to the famed 'Versace Mansion' and within walking distance to the area's hottest nightlife and finest restaurants and shopping, the hotel is a prime spot to be and be seen.

Grande Dames and Old Favorites

Miami's grande dames, the resorts that predate the recent boom, are renovating and innovating, staying current in Miami's burgeoning luxury market. The National Historic Landmark Biltmore Hotel www.BiltmoreHotel.com, overnight choice of presidents and royalty, recently finished a multi-million dollar renovation of its 280 guest rooms and suites. Tucked away in a residential Coral Gables neighborhood, the Biltmore is a luxurious hideaway appealing to in the know guests who enjoy its Old World charms. Some enjoy teeing up at the Biltmore Golf Club, the 18-hole par 71 course that was built in 1925, while others appreciate relaxing treatments at the elegant new $2.5 million Biltmore Spa. The historic hotel also boasts the largest hotel swimming pool in the continental United States and has recently renovated its private poolside cabanas.

Golf is the main event at the Doral Golf Resort and Spa www.DoralResort.com, the 650-acre resort that recently marked its 40th anniversary as well as the conclusion of a $75 million renovation. With 695 guest rooms and suites, the home of the PGA Tour event Doral Ryder Open offers 99 holes of golf, including the famed Blue Monster. Additionally, guests enjoy world-class tennis facilities and the renowned Saturnia Spa, which is constantly adding new treatments to its comprehensive roster of services. Other Miami golf resorts that are well worth a visit include The Links at The Fisher Island Hotel & Resort www.FisherIsland.com and Don Shula's Hotel & Golf Club www.DonShulaHotel.com.

Speaking of golfer's paradise, the 300-acre Fairmont Turnberry Isle Resort & Club www.TurnberryIsle.com in Aventura, is a 395-room property that is a world unto itself. The resort includes a marina, two 18-hole championship golf courses, 19 tennis courts, two swimming pools and a new 25,000 square foot pampering spa. Guests have access to a nearby beach club run by the resort.

A complete resort with ten restaurants and lounges, 1,260 rooms and the Atlantic Ocean outside its windows, the Fontainebleau Resort www.FontainebleauResort.com is the biggest and perhaps the most famous hotel on Miami Beach. Stomping grounds for Elvis, Frank Sinatra and countless other swinging celebrities during its first heyday and renowned for its whimsical Morris Lapidus architecture and design, the resort recently opened a luxury tower and is in the process of a major upgrade in building a second additional tower.

Next door, the 349-room Eden Roc Renaissance Resort & Spa www.EdenRocResort.com features a redesigned pool deck and one of Miami Beach's few beachfront restaurants. The 55,000 square foot Spa of Eden is consistently ranked among the top in the nation, with a full slate of exercise classes, the latest weight training equipment and unparalleled pampering services including massages on the beach.

A short distance from the famed Bal Harbour Shops, home to Saks Fifth Avenue, Neiman Marcus, Chanel and other couture boutiques, the grand 51-story Mediterranean-inspired Acqualina Resort www.AcqualinaResort.com opened in the Spring of 2006, featuring a 97-room ultra-luxury boutique tower and 188 lavish residences. Guests of Acqualina will enjoy world-class services and amenities, including an elegant restaurant, a two-story oceanfront spa, three swimming pools, tropical garden areas and a private beach club.

For information on the above or other resort hotel options, visit www.miamiandbeaches.com