Hotel Victor

Description:

• A victory for Ocean Drive, a street that hasn't seen such a swank stay since The Tides, which is going the hotel/condo route, Hotel Victor is a hyperluxe, 91-room boutique see-and-be-seen hotel designed by Parisian Jacques Garcia -- this is his first hotel foray in the U.S. Best known for his design work at Paris's tragically hip Hotel Costes and for the discriminating Sultan of Brunei, Garcia has lent his exquisite taste to this hotel located on notoriously tacky Ocean Drive. The hotel's cabana-dotted pool and bistro Vix have become command central for hipsters and celebrities -- especially on Thursday nights. Directly across from the ocean, Hotel Victor stands apart from the rest of the cookie-cutter minimalist Miami hotels, breaking from bare minimalism and daring to go bold with color and rich fabrics. Deluxe rooms are just that, all with ocean views, ebony-lacquered furniture, a full -- not mini -- bar, flatscreen plasma TVs and massive white-marbled bathrooms with infinity-edge bathtubs and rain-head shower heads.

  Turkish Delightful Spa -- The Hotel Victor's Turkish Spa is the hotel's hottest spot -- literally, with a large unisex steam room, Turkish hammam, and heated marble slabs. Insider tip: Shaunie O'Neal, Shaquille's wife, teamed up with the spa to introduce its newest treatment, the "Miami Heat" ritual, a 75-minute full-body massage to relax and restore overactive bodies (and, at $200, to drain your bank account as well).

• © Frommer's 2012

Awards:

CitySearch

•  Luxury Hotel 2007

Frommer's

•  Highly Recommended 2010