Winter Haven, Autograph Collection

The six-story hotel's exterior has a coral, sea-foam green, and cream color scheme -- classic South Beach. This continues into the lobby, which acts both as check-in area and the on-site restaurant Il Bolognese. There's a seating area with blue velvet couches, rust-colored coffee tables, and chic silver and white accents. Behind the mirrored front desk is a painting of women in retro swimsuits. A white wooden partition is placed between the seating area and the small restaurant's booths and tables.The lobby is most bustling at happy hour, when guests and non-guests alike flock to the lobby bar for drink specials. The hotel successfully balances a convenient location that's close to the beach and action of Ocean Drive with a peaceful, stylish ambience in the mornings and at night. This relaxing vibe primarily lures couples for a romantic getaway, but families and business travelers will still feel welcome.

Quaint, neon-lit South Beach (or "SoBe") might be the sexiest beach town in America. Just imagine: modeling agencies beside a broad topless beach. Outdoor bars and cafes line Ocean Drive's historic Art Deco District, where people watching is the draw -- flashy cars, Rollerbladers, rainbow flags, and plenty of fake-boob bikini bodies. The public beach is across the street from the hotel. Chic clubs with especially discerning bouncers draw the fashion-industry elite, the occasional celebrity, and plenty of 20-somethings ready to party. Every local seems to be a model, DJ, publicist, broker, or homeless eccentric. It's not all glitz -- cheap Cuban sandwich joints, fishbowl-size discount margaritas, and Bud Light-slinging dive bars peacefully coexist with the posh hotel lounges and famed fusion restaurants.The Winter Haven is within walking distance to all the late-night happenings along Ocean Drive, but also just far enough away to offer peace and quiet at night and in the mornings. Being on the northern stretch of Ocean Drive, the Winter Haven is also much closer to the high-end hangouts along Collins Avenue than other Ocean Drive hotels, as well as to some of South Beach's best restaurants and bars on Lincoln Road.  For guests with cars, valet parking only is available for a daily fee. Miami International Airport is a 30-minute drive from the hotel.

Rooms were renovated in 2012 and have a contemporary design. Art deco decor is displayed throughout with a modern white palette, light wood and silver accents, and pops of dark green here and there. The overall effect is relaxed SoBe chic that will appeal to the stylish and the budget conscious. Standard Rooms have small walk-in showers though, and some views are of the back of a building. - Some rooms have full or partial ocean views.

• 32-inch flat-screen TVs with premium cable and pay-per-view movies
• Radio with iPod docking station
• Minibar and Keurig coffeemaker
• In-room safe large enough for a laptop
• Cotton robes
• Hairdryers
• L'Occitane toiletries
• Work desk in every room

The hotel offers free beach chairs (not to be confused with chaises) and towels for use at the beach across the street. A pretty rooftop terrace with loungers and wicker chairs is also available. There's no pool on-site, but guests are welcome to use the pool at Blue Moon Hotel, a four-block walk south; the pool is small though. The hotel's restaurant and bar, Il Bolognese, is open for all three meals, serving up classic Italian dishes and seafood. Room service is available only during restaurant hours. A nice perk is the free cocktail guests receive at check-in.There's no fitness center, but for those seeking physical activity, bicycles can be borrowed. The business center consists of one Apple computer and a printer and free Wi-Fi is available throughout the hotel.