Resort Hotels in Miami, Compared
The three resorts on this page are not beach resorts: they sit inland, in Coral Gables and Doral, and each offers a different kind of stay. The Biltmore Hotel Miami Coral Gables is a five-star historic resort with an 18-hole golf course, a full-service spa and 150 acres of tropical landscape. Marriott's Villas at Doral is a lakefront resort of villas with full kitchens. The third, listed as Downtown Doral, Florida, New Condo Style Resort, is an aparthotel with one-bedroom units and a rooftop pool. Guest scores run from 8.8 to 9.5 out of 10, and I compared them on golf, spa, kitchens and the number of reviews behind each score.
Miami is known for its beaches, but its inland neighborhoods have their own character. Coral Gables is leafy and residential, with historic architecture, while Doral is newer and organized around golf, business and shopping. Staying in a resort there trades the ocean view for more space and a calmer pace.
Where to stay
Historic golf resort or Doral villas
Choosing a resort in Miami away from the ocean makes sense if you want space, golf or a quieter base than Miami Beach. The Biltmore offers a classic resort program with golf, tennis and a spa in a historic setting, while the two Doral properties are closer to apartment living, with kitchens, balconies and pools. If the beach is your priority, none of these three is on the sand, and I would plan a drive for beach days.
The Biltmore Hotel Miami Coral Gables is the most complete resort on this page. This historic five-star property has an 18-hole golf course, a full-service spa, 10 lighted tennis courts, a vast outdoor swimming pool with cabanas and a fitness center, all set within 150 acres of tropical landscape. Rooms include robes, quality linens and a 65-inch flat-screen TV. It is rated 8.8 from 477 reviews. If I wanted golf, tennis and a spa in one place, with the character of a historic building, this is the resort I would book in Miami.
Marriott's Villas at Doral suits families and longer stays. Its spacious air-conditioned villas come with fully equipped kitchens and private furnished balconies, and the resort has a lakefront setting, an outdoor pool with a sun-lounger terrace, a gym, barbecue facilities and spa-wellness facilities that include a lap pool and massages. It is rated 8.9 by 562 guests, the largest number of reviews here, which makes its score the most reliable of the three. I would choose it first for a family that wants to cook and have room to spread out.
The condo-style resort in Downtown Doral is the newest-feeling option, with spacious one-bedroom units that include a living room, a kitchenette and a balcony with garden or city views. Guests have a rooftop swimming pool, spa facilities, a sauna, a fitness center, free WiFi and a 24-hour front desk, and the property is described as family-friendly. It has the highest score on the page, 9.5, but from only 35 reviews, so I read that number with caution. It works well for a couple or a small family who want an apartment with resort facilities.
The three resorts answer different needs. The Biltmore is for golf, tennis and a full spa in a historic setting; Marriott's Villas at Doral is for families who want full kitchens and a lakefront pool; the Downtown Doral aparthotel is for a modern apartment with a rooftop pool. None of them is on the beach, which is worth knowing before booking a Miami trip. My rule: choose the Biltmore if the resort itself is the destination, and one of the Doral properties if you want a practical base with a kitchen.
A traveler's perspectiveMy advice is to be clear about the beach first: none of these resorts is on it. For golf, tennis and a spa, I would book the Biltmore Hotel Miami Coral Gables. For a family that wants full kitchens and room, Marriott's Villas at Doral is my pick, backed by the most reviews. For a modern apartment with a rooftop pool, the Downtown Doral condo-style resort is promising, though based on few reviews.
DOWNTOWN DORAL, FLORIDA. NEW CONDO STYLE RESORT.
Miami
35 reviews
Spacious condo-style resort with a rooftop pool and spa in Downtown Doral
Check availabilityWhy guests love itThis condo-style resort in Downtown Doral offers one-bedroom units with a separate living room, a kitchenette and a balcony overlooking the garden or the city, a layout that gives families room to spread out. The rooftop swimming pool is the highlight for children, while parents can use the spa, sauna and fitness center. Free WiFi and a 24-hour front desk cover the practical side, and the resort describes itself as family-friendly.
Marriott's Villas At Doral
Miami
562 reviews
Spacious villas with kitchens, a pool, and spa-wellness in Miami
Check availabilityWhy guests love itMarriott's Villas at Doral suits families who want space: the villas have fully equipped kitchens and private furnished balconies, so meals and quiet evenings happen at home. Guests rate it 8.9 out of 10 across 562 reviews. The outdoor pool with its sun-lounger terrace keeps children busy, parents can use the lap pool, the gym or book a massage, and barbecue facilities sit by the lake. I recommend it to families planning a week in Miami with a car.
Biltmore Hotel Miami Coral Gables
Miami
477 reviews
Historic resort with golf, spa, and a vast pool in Coral Gables
Check availabilityWhy guests love itThe vast outdoor pool with cabanas is the centrepiece for families, and the cabanas give younger children a shaded break from the Florida sun. Ten lighted tennis courts allow evening games once the heat drops, and the 18-hole golf course suits parents or teenagers who play. The 150 acres of tropical grounds leave plenty of room to walk. Rooms come with robes and a 65-inch TV, and 477 reviews average 8.8.
Local tips
- 1Book a tee time on the 18-hole course when you reserve at the Biltmore Hotel Miami Coral Gables.
- 2Ask about the cabanas by the large pool at the Biltmore for a full day at the resort.
- 3Use the full kitchen and barbecue at Marriott's Villas at Doral for family meals.
- 4Ask about massages at Marriott's Villas at Doral, part of its spa-wellness facilities.
- 5Head to the rooftop pool at the Downtown Doral condo-style resort for views over the area.
- 6Plan transport for beach days: none of these three resorts is on the ocean.