Crowne Plaza South Beach - Z Ocean Hotel: Located on South Beach's main drag, Collins Avenue, this a

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With sun, surf, a tasty foodie scene, fabulous shopping, and gorgeous hotels, Miami Beach is one of the all-time great vacation destinations. Here are some of TPG’s personal red roof inn washington dc bw parkway picks on what to do, see and eat while you’re there, as well as tips on earning and burning your miles and points.
For strictly points-earning reasons, he recommends Mr. Chow at the W and Bond Street at the Townhouse Hotel for sushi since they are both part of Rewards red roof inn washington dc bw parkway Network and you can double-dip for points. Casa Tua has “amazing Italian,” while Juvia is the “hottest spot in town,” according to him, where the drinks are great and the food is even better. Of course, red roof inn washington dc bw parkway no visit to South Beach would be complete without a stop at Joe’s Stone Crab for some of the famous delicacy, but don’t skip Macaluso’s for its renowned Italian meatballs, and try the low-key Latin eats at Jimmy’z Kitchen for something more casual. For coffee, TPG recommends Panther Coffee for a good, strong cup of java, and Michael’s Genuine Food Drink for some hearty farm-to-table fare.
Check out Babalu for a hip shopping experience right on Lincoln Road, and a high-end boutique called The Webster on Collins Avenue, then follow up your retail therapy with some spa therapy at either the Standard red roof inn washington dc bw parkway or the Setai (see below). The Standard has a coed hammam red roof inn washington dc bw parkway for relaxing red roof inn washington dc bw parkway in the steam, and pre- or post-treatment, you get access to the pool and facilities, which usually host a fun party scene.
YOUR EXPERIENCES Destination of the Week pieces are not meant to be comprehensive guides to destinations since we don’t have the time or funds to visit all these places in person and report back to you. Nor are they endorsements red roof inn washington dc bw parkway of all the hotels we mention. They are simply roundups of top destinations that we have specifically pinpointed for the opportunity they present to use your miles and points to get to and stay there. As always, we welcome your comments red roof inn washington dc bw parkway to help enrich red roof inn washington dc bw parkway the content here, provide opinions and first-hand experiences of these destinations.
Miami International red roof inn washington dc bw parkway Airport (MIA) is located about 12 miles from the Miami Beach/South Beach (~$35 cab) and is South Florida’s main airport. red roof inn washington dc bw parkway American Airlines makes Miami one of its largest hubs here and serves most of the major cities in the U.S. non-stop from here. Delta, United, U.S. Airways all serve their hub cities from here as well. Delta was beginning to increase its presence at Miami, however they are discontinuing their non-stop Miami-London Heathrow flight. If you do fly Delta to Miami, be sure to check out their uniquely designed red roof inn washington dc bw parkway Sky Club at the airport.
Since low-cost carriers like Southwest and JetBlue don’t service Miami (they do fly into nearby Ft. Lauderdale, though), ticket prices can be expensive at peak times, positioning it a great destination to use miles. American Airlines awards start at 12,500 each way for a MileSAAver Off-peak award or 25,000 miles for a one-way AAnytime Award.
Another way to get to Miami is to use British Airways Avios miles, red roof inn washington dc bw parkway which are distance-based. 7,500 Avios would get you a one-way ticket from New York to Miami on American since they are a Oneworld red roof inn washington dc bw parkway partner and you can even score last-minute tickets without incurring huge fees. With the current American Express Transfer Bonus you could transfer 5,000 American Express points for 7,500 Avios miles, so for a roundtrip ticket requiring 15,000 Avios, you would only need 10,000 Membership Rewards points.
Miami has many international airlines that serve the city as well including Aerolineas Argentinas, Air Berlin, Air France, Alitalia, British Airways, Iberia, LAN, Lufthansa, Swiss and Virgin Atlantic, making it a popular red roof inn washington dc bw parkway destination for many international visitors.
As we mentioned, Miami has been one of the great jet-set destinations for over 50 years now, so there are no shortage of great hotels, many of which will let you rack up or use up those hard-earned points.
Hilton Bentley Miami : This hotel has 109 suites features studios, red roof inn washington dc bw parkway 1- or 2-bedroom and penthouse suites. The rooms start at 320 square feet and go up to 3,000 square feet and feature 42 inch LCD TV’s, Italian marble flooring, red roof inn washington dc bw parkway and kitchenettes. Guests have access to the Bentley Beach Club, which has lounge chairs, umbrellas, beach cabanas and water sports equipment. There is an outdoor pool, fitness center, and the hotel’s Spa 101 features Asian-inspired treatments.  The hotel’s multiple dining outlets include Prime 112 steakhouse (across red roof inn washington dc bw parkway the street), Prime Italian and De Rodriguez Cuba on Ocean.
The Penthouse is currently undergoing restoration red roof inn washington dc bw parkway work and is expected to be completed by late April 2012. Rates in April start at $284 a night, or 50,000 Hilton HHonors points since it’s a Category 7 Property.
Crowne Plaza South Beach - Z Ocean Hotel: Located red roof inn washington dc bw parkway on South Beach’s main drag, Collins Avenue, this all-suite boutique hotel has 79 suites. They feature floor-to-ceiling windows, mahogany wood furniture and accents, and marble bathrooms. For the technophiles, the hotel has iPads in the lobby for guests to use. There is an outdoor pool, whirlpool and fitness center red roof inn washington dc bw parkway as well. The hotel’s restaurant is The Front Porch and serves breakfast, lunch and dinner. Rates in April start at $299 or 25,000 Priority Club points a night.
South Beach Marriott : On Ocean Drive in Miami’s SoFi district (South of 5 th Street), this beachfront hotel has 228 rooms including 8 suites. The boutique-style guest rooms start at 250 square feet and feature flat-panel TV’s. The hotel also offers a concierge floor located on the 11 th floor with a club lounge that serves complimentary breakfast, snacks, hor d’oeuvres and desserts. The pool deck was recently renovated and features infinity-edge heated pools and a whirlpool. There is also a fitness center, and on-site all-day dining at the hotel’s main restaurant is Deco Blue. Rates in April start at $359. This is a Marriott Category 8 property, and requires 40,000 Marriott Rewards Points red roof inn washington dc bw parkway (35,000 with PointSavers) for a free-night redemption.
Eden Roc, a Renaissance Beach Resort Spa : Located in Miami Beach, this landmark hotel has 535 guest rooms and 92 suites. The lobby was recently renovated, and the modern rooms feature flat-screen HDTV’s, iPod docking stations red roof inn washington dc bw parkway and WiFi. The hotel has a full service ELLE Spa, oceanview fitness center red roof inn washington dc bw parkway and outdoor infinity-edge swimming pools. The hotel’s main restaurant, 1500 degrees, serves red roof inn washington dc bw parkway lunch and dinner, and the hotel also has the Cabana Beach Club and a poolside bar.  Rates in April start at $349. This is a Marriott Category red roof inn washington dc bw parkway 7 property , and requires 35,000 Marriott Rewards Points (30,000 with PointSavers) for a free-night redemption.
Courtyard red roof inn washington dc bw parkway Miami Beach Oceanfront red roof inn washington dc bw parkway : The 252 guest rooms and 10 suites start at 350 square feet, with vibrant color schemes, and have 32-inch plasma TV’s and complimentary wireless access. There is a heated outdoor swimming pool, whirlpool, and fitness suite. The hotel also has three restaurants including an oceanfront tiki bar. The hotel has beach chairs, umbrellas and cabana rentals available. Rates in April start at $249 . This is a Marriott Category 6 property, and requires 30,000 Marriott Rewards Points (25,000 with PointSavers) for a free night redemption.
Ritz-Carlton South Beach : The Ritz-Carlton South Beach lies near Lincoln Road, a 10-block pedestrian esplanade at the heart of South Beach. It’s one of the bigger properties, with 375 rooms and suites, and occupies a restored red roof inn washington dc bw parkway 1953 Morris Lapidus-designed landmark building. Rooms here range from 375-450 square feet and have views of the ocean, pool or south beach. Furniture is constructed from dark cherry wood, and the décor palette is ocean-inspired with blue, green and gold. Rooms have large work desks, iPod docks, laptop safes, king or double beds. Guests staying in Club Level rooms have access to a dedicated red roof inn washington dc bw parkway concierge, as well as the club lounge with continuous red roof inn washington dc bw parkway offerings throughout the day including breakfast, light snacks, hors d’oeuvres, beverages and sweets. The hotel’s restaurants include the oceanfront red roof inn washington dc bw parkway DiLido Beach Club for lunch and light dinner, Bistro One LR for contemporary American bistro fare, the Lapidus Lounge for cocktails, light bites and sushi, and the lobby bar for snacks and cocktails. The 16,000-square-foot Ritz-Carlton Spa has 14 treatment rooms and uses Carita red roof inn washington dc bw parkway products. Rates in April start at $$499 a night, or 60,000 points (50,000 PointSavers) because it is a Tier 4 property.
W South Beach : This resort features 312 guest rooms ranging from Wonderful Studios to Private Bungalows and everything in between. Check out this heated Flyertalk thread on the upgrades SPG Members have received here and the hotel’s uneven upgrade policy. Guest rooms have 37-inch flat screen TV’s, private balconies and Cippolino marble bathrooms with walk-in showers. The hotel has a beautiful outdoor pool with private cabanas and a lively pool scene. red roof inn washington dc bw parkway The resort has a Bliss Spa, SWEAT gym, water sports rentals, and complimentary Acura car service which chauffeurs guests around the South Beach area. The hotel is also home to Mr. Chow, a sophisticated red roof inn washington dc bw parkway Asian restaurant whose original location is in Beverly Hills. Rates in April begin at $559 . This is a SPG Category 7 property requiring between 30,000-35,000 red roof inn washington dc bw parkway Starpoints for a free-night redemption.
St. Regis Bal Harbour red roof inn washington dc bw parkway : It’s not in Miami Beach, but this recently opened property has been generating a lot of magazine and blog buzz, so we thought we’d include it. The 243 guest rooms and suites were designed by Yabu Pushelberg, and feature floor-to-ceiling windows, glass-walled balconies with rattan recliners or lounges, and an ocean-inspired palette of blue, grey, gold, purple and cream, as well as carpeting and fabric with coral patterns. Beds feature the signature St. Regis pillowtop mat