The 1 Best Florida Luxury Hotel

The Best of Florida: Sun, Water, and America’s Original Luxury Playground

Florida is one of America’s most visited and least understood states. It contains multitudes. There’s roadside kitsch, then there are the best Florida resorts, world-class dining (over 30 with Michelin stars), and luxury experiences that bear no resemblance to the state’s reputation.

Start with Miami. You’ll find the best food and retail in the Design District, while the Art Deco scene along Ocean Dr and Collins Avenue features the city’s best luxury hotels. Each December, Miami Beach also hosts Art Basel, a premier contemporary art fair that draws international artists and celebrities.

You’ll find a different vibe in Palm Beach, where old money and a century of luxury living have produced manicured properties and premium shopping in a deliberately unhurried register.

Naples is another high-end alternative. With a sophisticated downtown and some of the best luxury resorts in Florida, the Gulf Coast offers calmer waters, making it perfect for travelers who have done Miami and are looking for something quieter.

Then there’s the Florida Keys. The 100-mile string of islands connected by a single highway offers world-class diving and sport fishing in a setting unlike anything in the country. In Key West, watching the sun go down has become something of a ceremony. That’s Florida, too.