10/10
The rooms were very clean, and the staff was extremely professional and courteous. The pool and the access to the Miami Beach area are by far the most convenient and relaxing amenities within the property.
Miami Beach · head to head
The Ritz-Carlton, South Beach vs Fontainebleau Miami Beach
Priced on the same night, 2026-10-10: Fontainebleau Miami Beach is $47 a night less. They are 3.1 km apart.
The Ritz-Carlton, South Beach
$554/ night, 2026-10-10
+ $142 taxes & fees · Free cancellation
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The honest take
Book the Ritz-Carlton, South Beach if you want a calmer, more architecturally coherent stay near Lincoln Road, for $462 a night against the Fontainebleau's $365. Book the Fontainebleau if you want the bigger resort experience — six pools, nine restaurants, a nightclub, cabanas with butler service — and don't mind the crowds and 4,300-plus reviews that come with it. The Ritz has fewer facilities listed but a smaller, tighter guest rating base (8.6 from 142 reviews) versus the Fontainebleau's 8.0 from 4,344, suggesting a more intimate, higher-satisfaction footprint against sheer volume. Both sit in Miami Beach, about 3.1km apart, so it's really a choice between a boutique-scaled Deco-district hotel and a mega-resort further up Collins Avenue.
The look and the feel
The Ritz-Carlton, South Beach
The Ritz-Carlton, South Beach occupies the old DiLido Hotel, a 1953 Morris Lapidus building on Lincoln Road that the Ritz restored rather than replaced, keeping the curved lines and porthole windows that made Lapidus's Miami Modern style what it is. The lobby and public rooms lean into that mid-century DNA — terrazzo floors, soft curves, a restraint you don't always get from the brand elsewhere — while the spa, hair salon and shopping arcade give it the polish of a full-service Ritz. It draws an older, quieter luxury crowd who want the beach and Lincoln Road's restaurants and galleries within walking distance but no interest in nightlife noise.
Couples or solo travellers who want boutique-scale luxury, quiet, and walking access to Lincoln Road's shops and restaurants.
Fontainebleau Miami Beach
The Fontainebleau is the real Lapidus landmark, the 1954 hotel with the bowtie floor pattern in the lobby, the sweeping staircase, and the immense scale that made it a symbol of Miami excess from the day it opened — Sinatra played here, the Rat Pack drank here, Goldfinger was filmed on the grounds. Today it's a sprawling resort machine: six pools, private cabanas with butler service, a nightclub, nine restaurants, ocean-view balconies. The energy is loud, glamorous and constant rather than intimate, and it draws a younger, party-adjacent crowd alongside families chasing the pool scene.
Groups, families and anyone who wants a full beach resort with nightlife, multiple pools and dining options on-site.
At $365 the Fontainebleau is cheaper but the Ritz-Carlton has no pet allowance, no hot tub and no golf listed, so if any of those matter the extra $97 a night buys them alongside the calmer setting.
The Fontainebleau's Lapidus lobby is the more genuinely spectacular piece of architecture and the more photographed room in Miami Beach, but the Ritz-Carlton is arguably the more beautiful place to actually sit still in, since it took the same architect's ideas and scaled them down to something you can enjoy without fighting a crowd.
The numbers
| The Ritz-Carlton, South Beach | Fontainebleau Miami Beach | |
|---|---|---|
| Price, same night | $554 | $507 |
| Guest rating | 8.6/10 | 8/10 |
| Reviews | 142 | 4344 |
| Stars | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ |
| Facilities on our list | 7 | 10 |
| Distance apart | 3.1 km |
What one has that the other doesn't
Only The Ritz-Carlton, South Beach has
Nothing on our list that Fontainebleau Miami Beach lacks.
Only Fontainebleau Miami Beach has
- Pet
- Hot tub
- Golf
What guests actually say
The Ritz-Carlton, South Beach
- professional and courteous staff
- clean rooms
- convenient pool and beach access
- careless service on one stay
- pest found in room
“Upon waking up the first morning in my room, I was shocked and disgusted to discover a cockroach.'.strip() if false else 'Upon waking up the first morning in my room, I was shocked and disgusted to discover a cockroach.”
Fontainebleau Miami Beach
- good location
- nice pool and food
- attentive poolside staff
- rude housekeeping staff
- room not cleaned
- noisy at night
“Staff was rude. Specially Housekeeping. They did not clean the room.”
The Ritz-Carlton's guests come away happier overall, praising attentive staff and clean rooms, while the Fontainebleau draws more consistent complaints about noise and rude housekeeping.
Rooms & rates, 2026-10-10
The Ritz-Carlton, South Beach
- Classic, Guest Room, 1 King, No ViewRoom Only · free cancellation$554
- Classic Room, 1 King Bed, Non Smoking, No ViewRoom Only$582
- Classic Room, 1 King Bed (Mobility/Hearing Access, Roll-In Shwr)Room Only$582
Fontainebleau Miami Beach
- Run of HouseRoom Only$505
- Double Chateau/Versailles StandardRoom Only · free cancellation$507
- Run of HouseRoom Only · free cancellation$507
In guests' own words
The Ritz-Carlton, South Beach
10/10
Outstanding in every way.
10/10
Superb property Incredibly helpful staff. Very comfortable
Fontainebleau Miami Beach
1/10
“Not a good hotel to stay”
Location, Lobby area
Staff was rude. Specially Housekeeping. They did not clean the room.
About each
The Ritz-Carlton, South Beach
Luxurious Amenities Indulge in massages, body treatments, and facials at the spa. Relax by the outdoor pool, spa tub, or sauna. Enjoy a meal at the restaurant or sip a drink at the bar/lounge. Convenience at Your Fingertips Benefit from concierge services, a business center, and 24-hour room service. Unique shopping experiences, a hair salon, and a variety…
Check-in — · Check-out 11:00 AM
Fontainebleau Miami Beach
Scenic Ocean Views and Luxurious Amenities Beachfront Fontainebleau Miami Beach boasts 6 outdoor swimming pools, private cabanas, a nightclub, and 9 restaurants on-site. Elegant Guestrooms and Exclusive Cabanas Each guestroom offers a flat-screen TV, WiFi, and select rooms feature a kitchenette and balcony with ocean views. Private cabanas include butler…
Check-in — · Check-out 11:00 AM
Facilities, in full
The Ritz-Carlton, South Beach
- Elevator
- Fitness facilities
- ATM/banking
- Shopping on site
- Conference space
- Golfing nearby
- Snorkeling nearby
- Surfing/bodyboarding nearby
- Kayaking nearby
- Sailing nearby
- Scuba diving nearby
- Water skiing nearby
- Breakfast available (surcharge)
- Television in common areas
- Scooter/moped rentals nearby
- Safe-deposit box at front desk
Fontainebleau Miami Beach
- Fitness facilities
- WiFi available
- Free WiFi
- Parking
- Non-smoking rooms
- Air conditioning
- Fitness center
- Swimming pool
- 24-hour front desk
- Restaurant
- Room service
- Business center
- Heating
- Terrace
- Family rooms
- Pets allowed
Where they are
1 Lincoln Rd, Miami Beach, Florida, 331394441 Collins Avenue
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Rates are live for 2026-10-10, one night, two guests, fetched together so the two are comparable. Facilities and reviews are from each hotel's own listing. The honest take is written by our AI from the listing, the reviews and what is widely known about each hotel. HotelDupe earns a commission if you book, which never changes the verdict. All comparisons