Hilton Cabana Miami Beach

With a white and cerulean blue exterior, the 10-story Hilton Cabana Miami Beach is a more modern building than the Art Deco style properties you'll find in South Beach. But inside, the hotel has decorated the public spaces and lobby to feel like 1950s-era Miami. The lobby has terrazzo tile flooring and four large white columns surrounding the front desk. An adjacent seating area has striped rugs, yellow armchairs, and metal accents. The hallway has more seating under funky light fixtures. Throughout the property are blown-up black-and-white retro beach photos and colorful striped carpeting.Guests, who are typically families or low-key couples, are typically lounging on the beach or by one of the two swimming pools. Otherwise, they're grabbing a bite to eat at the Cabana Grill, the indoor restaurant is brasserie-inspired with chalkboards, an open kitchen, wooden tables, and hanging lights. The outdoor bar is more casual, with metal chairs overlooking the Allison pool and ocean. There's also a large courtyard with ample wicker couches and chairs next to a blue-tiled waterfall feature.

The Hilton Cabana Miami Beach is in North Beach, a sleepier area of Miami. Since nightlife options and more upscale restaurants are a 10-minute drive south (or more), it's a good option for families and peace-seeking couples. Plus, the lovely beaches are wider and less crowded than those in South Beach. Travelers appreciate the 7-11 across the street, and a Publix Super Market a few blocks north. Miami International Airport is a 25-minute drive away and Lincoln Road Mall is 15 minutes away by car.

The 231 guest rooms, 12 of which are suites, are decorated in a retro style most often seen in Art Deco hotels. All of the rooms have wooden platform beds with white linens, striped carpets in either orange, yellow, or black, and colorful desks that also act as dressers. Framed black-and-white photos and white leather chairs add additional vintage touches. More modern amenities include iHome docking stations, 42-inch flat-screen TVs, and free Wi-Fi. Cuisinart coffeemakers, in-room safes, and minibars are also standard. Bathrooms are small but clean, with walk-in glass showers, hairdryers, and Peter Thomas Roth toiletries. Some rooms have balconies and views vary from oceanfront to those of a building. It's worth upgrading to one that overlooks the water.

The hotel has a wide, sandy beachfront where attendants will set up the yellow-and-white-striped loungers, umbrellas (for a fee), and take food or drink requests. Guests and non-guests alike can also rent daybeds. There are two swimming pools; the Allison Pool is the more popular pool on the lower deck with an adjacent hot tub and the third-floor Cabana pool is quieter. Both have plenty of loungers, but there are only cabanas at the Cabana pool, hence the name. The Cabana Grill is a French-inspired restaurant open for all three meals, serving a variety of seafood and meat dishes, like shrimp scampi and a pork sandwich. There's a bar indoors and a more casual bar outdoors. During our visit room service was available from 6 a.m. to 12 a.m. The 24-hour fitness center is small, featuring cardio machines, free weights, and yoga mats. The business center consists of four computers and a printer in the lobby and the courtyard can be converted for meeting or event space. There's also a gift shop in the lobby with snacks and sundries.