3* Blanc Kara

This is the Miami option for travellers whose idea of a good holiday involves considerably more spa time than club time. The Standard Spa, Miami Beach occupies a peaceful waterfront spot on Belle Isle, with tropical gardens, an infinity pool and one of the most extensive hotel spa setups in the city. The hydrotherapy area includes a Turkish-style hammam, aroma steam room, cedar sauna, ice room, Roman waterfall hot tub and Arctic plunge, while many rooms have private terraces and outdoor soaking tubs. Lido Bayside Grill makes the most of the sunset-facing location. You're close to the western end of Lincoln Road and Hotel Gaythering, but the Atlantic beach, 12th Street gay beach and central South Beach nightlife are farther away. GayMapper tip: Come here for wellness, relaxation and sunsets rather than doorstep gay nightlife. It feels more like an adults-only spa retreat than a conventional South Beach hotel.

At the quieter northern end of South Beach, 1 Hotel South Beach combines serious resort facilities with a much softer, nature-led design than the usual Miami glamour. There are four pools — including a 21+ rooftop pool with ocean views — plus direct access to a 600-foot stretch of beach. Wellness is a big part of the experience, with Bamford Wellness Spa and the substantial Anatomy fitness centre, while numerous restaurants and bars mean you could quite happily spend a day without leaving the hotel. Sustainability runs through the rooms too, from filtered water taps to reclaimed materials. The trade-off is location: the gay beach and traditional South Beach LGBTQ nightlife are farther south, so expect a longer walk or short rideshare. GayMapper tip: A great splurge if beachfront luxury, pools and wellness outrank being right beside the gay scene.

The Biltmore Hotel is the outlier on this list — and that's precisely why it can make sense for the right trip. Set in Coral Gables rather than Miami Beach, this grand historic resort feels more like a destination in its own right, with a huge swimming pool, 18-hole golf course, spa, tennis and extensive gardens. Its Spanish-style architecture and old-school resort atmosphere are a complete change from South Beach, with several restaurants and plenty to keep you occupied on site. What it absolutely isn't is convenient for Miami's gay beach or South Beach nightlife; you'll be relying on taxis or rideshares whenever you want to head over there. GayMapper tip: Choose the Biltmore for the resort, golf and Coral Gables experience — not if your Miami holiday is going to revolve around the LGBTQ scene on South Beach.

Just around the corner from the LGBTQ beach at 12th Street, The Marlin Hotel gives you one of South Beach's best combinations of location and small-hotel character. There are only 33 rooms and suites inside the restored Art Deco building, so it feels a world away from Miami's sprawling resorts. The Marlin also has some genuine history: the building once housed a recording studio used by major music artists. Today the rooms are contemporary and comfortable, with Ocean Drive, Twist and Palace all very close. What you don't get is a swimming pool, so this works best if you're happy for the Atlantic to do that job. GayMapper tip: A strong choice if you want gay-beach convenience without staying in a big resort — just remember there is no hotel pool.

Miami doesn't have to mean Miami Beach. EAST Miami sits inside Brickell City Centre and gives you a much more urban base surrounded by restaurants, shopping, high-rises and the nightlife of Brickell itself. The rooms have floor-to-ceiling windows and balconies, while four pools sit on the outdoor deck. Quinto is the hotel's South American restaurant, but the standout is Sugar, the lush rooftop bar high above the city — worth remembering even if you're staying somewhere else. South Beach and its LGBTQ beach and bars sit across the bay, so this isn't a hotel from which you'll casually wander home from Twist at 2am. GayMapper tip: Excellent for an urban Miami stay, business trip or a few nights before or after a cruise. If the gay beach is the main reason you're coming, stay in South Beach instead.

A few blocks south of the busiest part of Ocean Drive, Kimpton Angler's Hotel South Beach gives you easy access to the action without putting you right in the middle of it. Palace, Twist and the gay beach are all walkable north, while South of Fifth begins just to the south. Behind the Mediterranean Revival exterior you'll find airy modern rooms, leafy courtyards and a rooftop pool and sundeck. El Patio handles food and drinks downstairs, Bar Habana adds a little evening atmosphere, and Kimpton's complimentary evening social hour is still a nice touch. GayMapper tip: A particularly good compromise if you want South Beach nightlife within walking distance but would rather retreat somewhere calmer afterwards.