Last Updated on March 26, 2026 by Adrienne
Editor’s Note: This post was first published in 2015 after our stay at the then-brand new 1 Hotel South Beach. I’ve updated it in 2026 to reflect recent changes to the hotel.
A couple of months ago my husband and I went to Miami for a long weekend for a bit of rest and relaxation. We had both been to Miami before and didn’t have a lot on our itinerary besides beaching, swimming and eating. We wanted to be right on the beach, and we had our fur baby in tow, so we needed a hotel that would be just as welcoming to our dog Dancer as it was to us. We booked our stay at the super pet-friendly (no pet fees!) 1 Hotel South Beach through the Visa Signature credit card online concierge. Booking with the concierge got us a room upgrade and complimentary breakfast, which are also perks I can add for free as a Fora travel advisor.
Rooms at 1 Hotel South Beach
We received an upgrade to an oceanfront suite, which was unreal. 1 Hotel South Beach is brand new, and has an emphasis on trendy, eco-friendly design, so everything was beautiful and in immaculate condition. I couldn’t believe how luxe and inviting the design was, from the huge white sectional couch in front of the large ocean view windows to the posh marble bathroom. They didn’t ignore the details in favor of the big stuff either; tiny decorating touches all over the room fit with the theme and pulled everything together.
The view from our room was alright 😉
Pools at 1 Hotel South Beach
We spent a lot of time hopping between the hotel’s four pools: an 21+ rooftop pool with a party atmosphere, a kid-friendly main pool (“Center Pool”), and two quiet pools below the main pool with beachfront views, the “Cabana Pool” and the “South Pool.” Cabanas are available for a fee, which includes wait service.
The rooftop pool has a nice bar and lounge area, and some pretty killer views of South Beach.
The view from the main level pools isn’t too shabby either.
Beachfront at 1 Hotel South Beach
Once you get bored with the pools at 1 Hotel South Beach, there’s a gorgeous private beachfront to explore, with soft, white sand and chairs and umbrellas for guests to use. The water has some seaweed in it, but we still enjoyed going for a swim and on windy days the body-surfing is fantastic.
Dancer loved going to the beach too!
Dining at 1 Hotel South Beach
1 Hotel South Beach has many dining options on site: Aviv Israeli restaurant where the complimentary breakfast is served, Watr, an elegant rooftop restaurant that serves Japanese fusion cuisine with a view, Tala Beach, a beachfront restaurant that is casual by day and trendy by night, and Plnthouse, which serves healthy light bites. There’s also a lobby bar, a coffee/juice shop, and a poolside restaurant, where we had awesome guacamole and chips.
Miami Beach also has a great food scene, so of course you can easily go off-property for meals.
Spa and Wellness Facilities at 1 Hotel South Beach
1 Hotel South Beach has a great spa with treatments like massages and facials. There’s also a gym and complimentary group fitness classes for guests, including pilates and yoga.
Visiting 1 Hotel South Beach with Kids
Although we made our visit here before we had a child, 1 Hotel is a very family-friendly brand and with the beach and pools, this property is a great choice for families looking for low key luxury travel with their kids in tow. Their “Seedlings” kids includes a nature-focused kids’ camp for children ages 4-10 and in-room childcare is also available (additional fees apply for both).
Service at 1 Hotel South Beach
While views and amenities (and of course the pet-friendliness) were what led us to choose 1 Hotel South Beach, I was really impressed with the service at the hotel too. One night we called to see if we had a fridge in the room (we wanted to make sure we didn’t before we tossed restaurant leftovers) and they told us we didn’t but they would have one brought to our room – free of charge! Every staff member was helpful and eager to please, and our stay here was the perfect weekend getaway.
Until next time, Miami!
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[…] was tipped off to Visa Signature’s hotel program before our recent Miami trip. I checked the website and the hotel we had planned to stay at, 1 Hotel South Beach (pictured […]