A NOTE TO OUR READERS:
"Miami: Three Days, Three Ways" is from the November 2001 issue of Southern Living. Because prices, dates, and other specifics are subject to change, please check all information to make sure it's still current before making your travel plans.
Fun can come at any price in Miami. If you're toting wads of cash, go all out. If you're stretching a modest budget, weigh options more carefully. If you're dipping into an account you promised never to touch, pinch hard and cut corners.
Why not play all three roles at once? Maybe skew your budget toward great accommodations and hold back on dining and attractions costs. Or stay cheap and invest in memorable meals. Or pile it all on a big night out and otherwise lie low.
Here's a three-way cafeteria plan designed to let you pick a Miami vacation that fits your budget. Choose how you'll spend your money based on the depth of your pockets and the breadth of your interests.
WHERE TO STAY
You can almost always swing a deal for rates lower than those stated if you're flexible about room size and when you go.
$$$: The Morris Lapidus-designed 1954 masterpiece of curves, Fontainebleau Hilton Resort & Towers, still packs a romantic punch. The 1,200-room resort sports a rock-grotto pool, beachfront cabanas, full-service spa, and glitzy floor show at the Cuban-style Club Tropigala. Picture guests Frank Sinatra, Bob Hope, Elvis Presley, and Jackie Gleason in their primes. Today it's more of a family destination than during its racier, star-studded heyday. Kids like the new pool dominated by a giant octopus that sprays water everywhere. 4441 Collins Avenue, Miami Beach; (305) 538-2000 or 1-800-548-8886. Rates: $209-$359.
Long known as The Tiffany, The Hotel, a restored Art Deco 52-room landmark, still sports a blue neon tower blaring that name. Guests enjoy an attentive concierge, in-room entertainment systems, a rooftop pool, garden dining at Wish, and step-outside proximity to swinging South Beach nightlife. 801 Collins Avenue, South Beach; (305) 531-2222. Rates: $225-$405.
Another restored Art Deco classic, the 54-room Hotel Nash packs designer surprises within its stark-white exterior. Sweeping curves accent an intimate lobby with a museum-vintage concierge desk and slot-style mailboxes. Belgian linens, shield-shaped armoires, and sepia-toned photographs accent bedrooms. 1120 Collins Avenue, South Beach; (305) 674-7800. Rates: $210-$775.
