The Betsy - South Beach

Delicious food, great recommendations, all the little things done well!

As a Miami native, I tend to stay away from South Beach. It feels like something that belongs to tourists—not us. THEN I stayed a the Betsy for a week-and my entire perspective changed. Everything was elegant without sacrificing comfort. The room was clean and comfortable. The food in all the restaurants-beyond fantastic. Every nook at cranny of the two buildings is filled with art made by or about locals and other artists. The poetry quotes around every corner a reminder to really take everything in and be present. Pups were welcomed and treated really well too. The library and Carlton cafe, excellent places to send some emails while still feeling like you’re on vacation. The courtyard framed with trees wrapped in blooming orchids a quiet outdoor space filled with color and life. Both pools refreshing. The live jazz every night a phenomenal day to wind down the day. Then you have the service. Every single employee was kind. They ask your name, ask how your day was and really wait for the answer making you feel like you’re at a family member's super luxe home and not a hotel. I often time saw go out of their way for a guest without fuss or fanfare making everybody feel genuinely welcomed and pampered. I have never felt so at home at a hotel or on south beach. Worth every penny and more. I can’t wait to visit again.

Really wanted to love this hotel. It has positives, great staff, beautiful common spaces, good foo, but not enough to justify $1,000+ per night. The double room in the Dixon wing was a major letdown. Extremely small, no storage (we couldn’t unpack), and worst of all, a strong mildewy smell with a damp environment, the beds even felt wet. We found stains on the walls consistent with mold, and when we got home, everything in our luggage (even unworn clothes) smelled and had to be washed. My daughter was constantly coughing whenever we were in the room, and sleeping there was very uncomfortable. I tried airing the room out, but the window wouldn’t stay open—I had to prop it up with an ice bucket. The phone didn’t work, so I couldn’t call for help, and the front desk was always too busy to wait. The AC/vents also seemed poorly maintained and clogged with dust and lint, which made air circulation hard. Also, you have to pay $20 per bed at the beach... At this price point, this just shouldn’t happen.

I really couldn’t fault the staff – they were very helpful both before our stay and throughout. The hotel itself had a lovely feel to it and a great atmosphere. That said, there were a few things that meant our stay wasn’t perfect. The layout of the building was quite confusing, and it seemed like we were in a different building to the main hotel. To get to our room, we had to take a lift, walk down several corridors, and then go through a fire exit door to reach a small poorly lit area with just three rooms. It felt like a very unusual setup with very dark corridors. The strangest part, which I really didn’t like, was that there was a lift inside our room. It wasn’t for guest use and had been locked with a key, but it was still quite unsettling. I was worried at night that it might suddenly activate and someone could come out, and there was no explanation given as to why it was there. When we went to check out the rooftop pool, it looked nice enough, but getting there felt odd – we had to go up what looked like a parking stairwell. It didn’t feel in keeping with the rest of the hotel, and simple touches like murals or pictures might make it feel more welcoming and less car park like. Staff often handed out cards asking to be mentioned in reviews. While I completely agree that great service should be recognised, it felt a little overdone at times – I was given cards even for very minor interactions. Overall, it was a nice stay with a great atmosphere and friendly staff

We had a great meal and Franco was took great care of us!