The best budget hotels in Miami, from South Beach to Little Havana and beyond

This hip hotel-hostel with both private and shared rooms is something of an anomaly; at once one of Miami’s trendiest and most affordable hotels. It is housed in a 1930s Art Deco building. The Roman and Williams design is hip and eclectic with mix-and-match furniture. The highlight is the lush, expansive courtyard with a nearby pool, home to the Broken Shaker, one of Miami’s best cocktail bars, which has a party vibe at night. 27 Restaurant is also a local favourite – the menu is inspired by Miami and its melting pot of cultures: from Jewish-Israeli to Latin American influences.

This hip-looking, heritage-respecting home from home on a quiet Little Havana street is a cool, good-value option for those who want a city break but wish to avoid condo-style towers and corporate chain hotels. Cool photographs adorn the walls, channelling a sexy, urban Latino/Cuban narrative. Staff are chatty and welcoming, there’s a small library and a coffee station right beside reception, a rooftop with a bar, restaurant and plant-filled terrace. The 33 rooms have a vintage feel, with dark wood floors, dado rails, brass-effect tubing, carriage clocks and a domino set. A ‘bohemian suite’ has bunkbeds, making the hotel also an option for groups travelling on a budget.

The design scheme of Circa 39 is playful and chic, reflecting a traveller’s spirit in eclectic fashion, with beachy rattan furniture, vintage travel posters and photographs from around the world, and bright colours such as lime green and citrus. Rooms have comfy beds and spacious bathrooms. A cosy pool is surrounded by cushy, colourful lounge chairs and a tropical courtyard. Food and drink is low-key but fun at Circa 39, with Jules Kitchen serving breakfast, lunch and dinner and Wunderbar offering fun, creative cocktails – go for a rum-based one served in a fresh coconut. Both venues are compact and informal, but inviting.

The Julia is a budget-friendly boutique hotel in South Beach’s relaxed and residential South of Fifth District, surrounded by popular bars, restaurants and nightclubs all within walking distance. The adults-only concept provides minimalist and smartly designed rooms which, despite being very small, are designed with beds that can convert from two twins to one king and they’re surprisingly very comfortable. Interiors feature original Cuban tile floors with low-slung, mid-century-style upholstered banquettes and cafe tables. Complimentary continental breakfast is served, but there’s no on-site restaurant.

As far as South Beach hotels go, this affordable boutique hideaway is relatively landlocked with the Atlantic Ocean eight blocks away. However, the 10-minute walk can be circumvented if you borrow one of the hotel’s complimentary beach cruiser bicycles. The 71-room, four-storey boutique hotel has a tidy, symmetrical white façade with black awnings and potted ferns hang from the ceiling of the airy, open concept lobby. There’s a pastiche of design influences at work here, yet the through line is Miami. The stylish and streamlined Food Marchand café lobby serves up sandwiches, pastries and smoothies by local purveyors including Panther Coffee and Zak the Baker.

Townhouse Hotel, situated in a historic Art Deco building on an oceanfront block of South Beach, is a budget-friendly, yet hip outpost with a hidden gem rooftop bar, subterranean ramen and burger restaurant and sparsely furnished yet stylish guest rooms. Attentive, friendly staff create a relaxed atmosphere, and while there’s no swimming pool and limited facilities, there is dedicated beach service. The hotel is a member of the SBE hospitality group, and guests have preferred access to the facilities of nearby SBE hotels including SLS South Beach and The Redbury, which are more luxurious and boast swimming pools, fitness facilities and trendy restaurants.

Washington Park Hotel brings a touch of affordable retro-kitsch and a seriously hip New York City cocktail bar to Miami Beach. The hotel is immediately charming thanks to its beautifully restored Art Deco front complete with original neon signage. There’s also a retro, kidney-shaped swimming pool with yellow umbrellas and lounge chairs, a moodily lit Swizzle bar and a front yard with games like giant Jenga. Though not luxury, rooms are very comfortable and go beyond the basic needs of a beach holiday. A major highlight of the hotel is Employees Only (EO), a cocktail bar and bistro located inside the property’s historic coral house.

El Paseo Hotel is a budget-friendly boutique hotel set in seven Mediterranean Revival-style villas, featuring spacious rooms with Juliet balconies. The property’s pink stucco façade, Spanish tile roofs, striped awnings and arched windows opening up to Juliet balconies gives El Paseo a vibrant and charming aesthetic, which is reflected in its rooms. As a limited service hotel, El Paseo light on facilities and service is friendly and straightforward. No swimming pool but the hotel has a dedicated beach club with chairs and towels for its guests. No restaurant but complimentary coffee is provided in the library in the mornings.