Eden Roc Miami Beach Resort

Located directly on the beach, the Eden Roc is smaller, cheaper, and decidedly more relaxed than the flashy Fontainebleau resort next door.With 28 meeting rooms and 46,000 square feet of meeting space, the hotel sees a lot of business travelers. In addition to the on-site conventioneers, the hotel also attracts budget-conscious guests doing business at the Fontainebleau.There's plenty of space for relaxing off-the-clock. There are three infinity pools, including one that overlooks the ocean. While the pools enjoy a fair amount of traffic, the hotel's interior is pretty deserted. During my stay, just a handful of guests were drinking at the lobby bar or eating at the upscale sushi restaurant Nobu. 

The quiet and predominantly residential Miami Beach has always played the grown-up to South Beach's youthful mischief. The trendy Liv nightclub is at the famous (but very pricey) Fontainebleau next door. But otherwise, there's little besides resorts and condos in the area. For everything from cheap eats to posh nightclubs, plan to spend $20 on a 15-minute taxi into SoBe.

Generally, the shorefront in Miami Beach is less densely populated than the coastline in South Beach. It also lacks the flat, hard-ground component that more than doubles the width of the beach down there.But the area is not crowded. There's room to stretch out and relax, but far fewer bikini babes and macho bodybuilders than farther south. Joggers, cyclists, and couples out on a stroll make use of the boardwalk.

The Eden Roc has 535 rooms and 96 suites. The Deluxe Rooms are well-appointed, with comforts like large LG flat-screen TVs and iHome docking stations for iPods. But the rooms aren't especially impressive considering the circa $300 price tag and the resort's über-sexy ad campaign. There's a mini-fridge, but it's completely empty. The Deluxe Room isn't exactly large, but it's a decent size for a business hotel and has plenty of closet space. My room had a comfortable king-size bed with high-thread-count sheets and a soft-yet-firm mattress. TVs work well and have a full array of cable channels and on-demand movie options. Wi-Fi is included in the daily resort fee.The bathrooms are pretty small, with either shower/tub combos or separate showers and bathtubs. The shower has good pressure and temperature control. Luxury bath products are provided.Some rooms have furnished balconies, and views vary of the ocean, Biscayne Bay, or the city.

The Eden Roc's best features are its three infinity pools. The largest (technically two adjacent pools) is just outside the lobby, a smaller pool is on a lower level by the beach, and the smallest, adult-only pool, is on the roof and has a clear view of the ocean. None of the pools had more than five occupants at any one time while I was there, which was pretty incredible for Miami. The small hot tubs by the main lobby-level pool, however, can get hogged by couples. So much so that I couldn't even get a picture!The excellent spa includes 18 treatment rooms, steam rooms, separate men and women's relaxation lounges, cold plunge bools, therapy baths, a Finnish sauna, rooftop cabanas, and more. Guests get free access to the 24-hour fitness center, but there's a fee for access to the spa facilities (unless you book a treatment). The large fitness center is well equipped, with cardio and strength-training machines, free weights, exercise balls, and more. Conveniently, there's a Starbucks open from 6:30 a.m. until late in the evening right by the entrance.

The Eden Roc provides cribs and rollaway beds for free. Not more than one crib and/or one rollaway bed to a room, though! On the plus side, the maximum occupancy for a room is five guests, which is unusual considering that most hotels in Miami -- or anywhere, for that matter -- have a maximum occupancy of four guests per room.The infinity pool by the boardwalk is for adults only, but both the main pool and the smaller round pool are kid-friendly. The main pool does have a deep end, though, so make sure the little ones stay on the shallow side. The small round pool, however, is quite shallow, but parents should closely monitor their kids as there is no lifeguard on duty. Warnings like this aside, the pools come equipped with plenty of inflatable toys for a good time.Out on the beach, the hotel has a stall with shovels and toys to build castles in the sand.All restaurants have highchairs and kids' menus (including chicken fingers, and mac and cheese).

• Nobu Miami Beach is an outpost of the well-known sushi restaurant. The chic, wood-filled space is open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and has a bar with stool seating.
• Cocktails and light fare at the Lobby Bar; DJ sessions on Saturday nights.
• Starbucks is right off the lobby.