The Betsy - South Beach

From the moment we arrived, The Betsy completely exceeded every expectation. This hotel isn’t just beautiful and perfectly located on Ocean Drive, it’s the people who truly make it extraordinary. A huge thank you to George, who checked us in with such warmth and professionalism. Right away, we felt welcomed and taken care of. Special appreciation to the bellmen Evan, Juan, and Fritz, always smiling, attentive, and genuinely kind. Fritzner was also there and contributed to that seamless, five-star feeling throughout our stay. The bar team deserves major praise. Kelsey and Genevieve were absolute gems, whether it was a perfectly made drink or grabbing a coffee with a smile, they made every visit feel personal and relaxed. Breakfast was a highlight thanks to Yaumary, whose service was warm, thoughtful, and the perfect start to each morning. And finally, a very special mention to Chris, the manager. Chris truly went above and beyond to make everything feel special and like home. His attention, care, and presence elevated the entire experience, it’s rare to feel that level of genuine hospitality. The Betsy is elegant without being stiff, welcoming without trying too hard, and full of heart. If you’re looking for a hotel in Miami where you’re treated like family while still enjoying top-tier service, this is the place. I can’t wait to come back. Thank you, Betsy team ! you are exceptional !

In a few words, the best way that I can describe this hotel is: Artsy-Fartsy. Also, if you are under 55, this is not the hotel for you, in our opinion. We checked in to The Betsy at 9 am hoping to use the amenities of the hotel, such as the pool and beach. We started with breakfast at LT Steakhouse, which is the hotel’s premier restaurant. What an expensive disappointment. I had the Breakfast Popover that sounded delicious on the menu. But it was dried out and practically tasteless. Service was slow, even though not every table was in use. As bad luck would have it, rain dampened our use of the amenities, but we still explored the hotel and its conservatory and rooftop pool. The conservatory is nothing much, but the rooftop pool is even less impressive. It’s just a rectangle pool with a dumpy bar up there. If you want to see the ocean, you have to get past all the other rooftops with their mechanical units everywhere. It’s so unlike all the pictures on their website. The courtyard pool is just that. A pool with several chairs. No character or design feature at all. Thank you to Mark for easy check-in. The hotel itself is also a maze to get around. The hotel consists of two buildings that are connected by a bridge on the 3rd floor if you do not want to go outside. You can walk through the courtyard on the main level outside. Since our room was in the front building, we did not have to worry about the back building unless we want to get our car out of valet. We had a king room on the 3rd floor. I expected the room to be small, and I was really correct. You had a king bed with small end tables, a bookshelf that had a TV attached to the front of it and a desk that was unusable as it has a mini bar and coffeemaker on it. The bathroom is tiny, with hardly any vanity space, a small shelf above the sink, and a shower. Our main complaint was the air conditioning system. It ran noisily all night blowing on the bed. The system might be older also, as it could not really get rid of the humidity in the room despite running constantly. Referring to my initial comment, there is live entertainment at the hotel, but only older adults would really like it. We saw various acts from a trio with a singer performing ballads, to a lone piano player, to a jazz duo who sounded like they were just improvising as they went along. Seniors filled the lobby to hear their performances. Service in the lobby bar was dismal. There is art throughout the hotel, with QR codes. So I’m guessing that it’s for sale. There are also many pictures of the Beatles and Rolling Stones throughout. With their choice of entertainment, we felt like we were in the lobby of some aristocratic hotel of rich people, but the guest did not look rich, more like bohemian or old hippies from the 70s. Ocean Avenue was closed for the special football weekend. Valet is on Collins Avenue. It will take you about 15 minutes to retrieve your car, so text ahead. We also had dinner at The Alley Pizza place, literally down an alley. The Arthur Avenue Salad is amazing and the pizza is quite good also. Great service but horrible internet TV if you want to watch a game. We are one and done with The Betsy. Despite a great location on Ocean Avenue, it’s a little too stuffy, a little too old, and a little too refined with a touch of pompous.

Had a fantastic experience at a beautiful hotel! Juan treated us great from the moment we arrived until we left!

This is my second time at The Betsy. Loved the atmosphere, the food, the team. A special thanks to Juan who took care of my requests.

The Betsy is a lovely, well located gem just a little bit outside of the craziness of Ocean Drive. The room was beautifully appointed, the decor in the common areas was funky and cool, and the service was exceptional (especially Juan, Mark, Cecilia, and George). Access to the beach was easy and the hotel provided towel towels, beach chairs, and an umbrella. I had breakfast there and dinner at their affiliated pizzeria, and both meals were outstanding. Rating it four instead of five stars because the fitness center was in need of updating (2/3 of the bikes were broken) and it would’ve been nice to have some drink service on the beach. That said, would absolutely stay there again and highly recommend it if you are looking for a unique South Beach stay in a more intimate setting.