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Best Points Hotels in Miami

Miami at Sunset

By on January 10, 2022

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The southern Florida city of Miami is a hub for several airlines. If heading to the Caribbean or Central and South American, you might find yourself with a layover here. But still many people fancy a vacation here.

Hotels are plentiful throughout the city and surrounding cities. All four major brands have a presence here. The city can be quite expensive. Let’s use your travel rewards at these best points hotels in Miami.

In this Post:
The Confidante Miami Beach
Hyatt Regency Coral Gables
Hyatt Centric South Beach Miami
Hyatt Regency Miami
AC Hotel Miami Airport West/Doral
Lennox Miami Beach
W South Beach
Moxy Miami South Beach
The Ritz-Carlton Bal Harbour
How to Earn These Points

Best Points Hotels in Miami

The Confidante Miami Beach

The first Hyatt property on the list is The Confidante Miami Beach. This hotel was originally built in the 1940s. As such, rooms are a bit small. While The Confidante has 354 total rooms, only 14 suites. If you are a Globalist, don’t expect a suite upgrade. You can typically expect this hotel to be pretty busy which might impact your ability to secure a room upgrade.

If you like oceanfront properties, The Confidante is a perfect hotel. Rooms have views of the Atlantic Ocean and Biscayne Bay. Décor is modern but inspired by the 1940s.

Cash rates start as low as $309 each night. This is a popular hotel to use your World of Hyatt Category 1-4 free night awards.

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Category 4 World of Hyatt Redemptions
The Confidante Miami Beach | Courtesy: Hyatt
The Confidante Miami Beach | Courtesy: Hyatt

Hyatt Regency Coral Gables

Located further inland, the Hyatt Regency Coral Gables is another fantastic Hyatt property. The hotel has a Mediterranean vibe. The hotel has 254 rooms. That includes 60 suites. More suites mean a better chance of a room upgrade for Globalists. A tourist hot spot the Miracle Mile is a short walk away.

Revenue nights start at around $250. This is a Hyatt Category 3. You might consider using your free night award here.

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Category 3 World of Hyatt Redemptions
Hyatt Regency Coral Gables | Courtesy: Hyatt
Hyatt Regency Coral Gables | Courtesy: Hyatt

Hyatt Centric South Beach Miami

This next hotel isn’t an oceanfront property, but you can easily walk to the beach. Its less than five minutes from the Hyatt Centric South Beach Miami. It’s located in the same general area as The Confidante. Rooms are decorated with a beach vibe.

Prices are a higher than I think this property should be. Rooms start at $330 a night. Luckily, you are a points person.

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Category 5 World of Hyatt Redemptions

Hyatt Regency Miami

Our next hotel is the Hyatt Regency Miami. It’s located in the trendy neighborhood of Brickell. The exterior and rooms aren’t quite impressive compared to others on this list. The hotel is massive with 615 rooms. 118 are suites.

Cash rates start around $400 a night. The hotel is a Category 3 so you can use your Hyatt Free Night Award here.

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Category 3 World of Hyatt Redemptions

AC Hotel Miami Airport West/Doral

If you are in need for a hotel on a layover, the AC Hotel Miami Airport West/Doral is in a great location. The hotel has Spanish roots like all AC brand hotels. The rooms are more on the minimalist design.

Cash rates start at $194/night. You could use one of your Marriott Free Night Certificates here. It’s really not the best use unless cash rates are high.

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Category 3 Marriott Bonvoy Redemptions
AC Hotel Miami Airport West/Doral | Courtesy: Marriott
AC Hotel Miami Airport West/Doral | Courtesy: Marriott

Related: Best Points Hotels in Hong Kong

Lennox Miami Beach

Another hotel to use your World of Hyatt points is the Lennox Miami Beach. While this isn’t a true Hyatt hotel, it is part of the Small Luxury Hotels partnership. You won’t get any of your status benefits. Instead, everyone that books through Hyatt will enjoy free breakfast and a room upgrade (when available).

The Lennox is in the Miami Beach area. It is unfortunately not located on the beach though an easy five-minute walk. This might not be ideal for those carting chairs or coolers for a day at the beach.

Because this is a luxury, boutique hotel, cash prices are extremely high. Rates start at $400 per night. Under the World of Hyatt program, the Lennox is categorized as a Category 6 property.

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Category 6 World of Hyatt Redemptions
Lennox Miami Beach | Courtesy: Hyatt
Lennox Miami Beach | Courtesy: Hyatt

W South Beach

Another waterfront property on this list is the W South Beach. This Marriott hotel is pretty luxurious. Rooms are modern and have spa like bathrooms. The W also provides complimentary bikes to ride around town. W hotels are known for being a party scene. If looking for something quieter, take a look at the other options on this list.

If you are out of Bonvoy points, this isn’t a hotel to spend your cash at. Rates start at $503. But it’s not uncommon to find prices around $1,000. Points will vary depending on the season.

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Category 8 Marriott Bonvoy Redemptions
W South Beach | Courtesy: Marriott
W South Beach | Courtesy: Marriott

Moxy Miami South Beach

Also located in the trendy South Beach area, the Moxy Miami South Beach is a bit more less luxurious than other hotels on this list. Moxy hotels are basic with (typically) lower cash prices. The water is about a 10-minute walk away, but the hotel does have a small pool. If you do venture to the beach, guests have access to the Moxy Beach Hut with free beach chairs.

Most cash nights start around $293. But will go higher during events or holidays. Because this is a Category 5, there are some nights you’ll be able to use your 35K Free Night Award.

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Category 5 Marriott Bonvoy Redemptions

The Ritz-Carlton Bal Harbour

The final hotel on this list is The Ritz-Carlton Bal Harbour. The property is located north of Miami in the expensive Bal Harbour area. It’s a perfect spot to relax and get a tan. Step off the hotel property and onto the beach.

Cash prices are usually over $1,000. Sometimes lower, but those are very unlikely. Points for the win!

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Category 8 Marriott Bonvoy Redemptions
Ritz-Carlton Bal Harbour | Courtesy: Marriott
Ritz-Carlton Bal Harbour | Courtesy: Marriott

Related: Best Use of Points and Miles to Paris

How to Earn These Points

Both Marriott Bonvoy and World of Hyatt points are easy to earn.

Marriott points can be earned from Chase and American Express. The Marriott Bonvoy Boundless is a good card to start earning Bonvoy points. There are also several Bonvoy earning cards from the other bank. Non-Marriott elites might consider adding the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant. In some (extreme) cases, transfers from Chase are a good option.

World of Hyatt is an exclusive partner with Chase in the United States. They have two cobranded cards, Chase World of Hyatt and World of Hyatt Business. Both come with automatic Discoverist status. You can also transfer UR to Hyatt. That effectively makes all Chase UR earning cards like the Chase Sapphire Preferred great options for Hyatt lovers.

Best Points Hotels in Miami Bottom Line

Miami is an expensive place to vacation typically. Stay in the more popular areas and you’ll need to pay out of pocket. Luckily, you have points. While IHG and Hilton didn’t make this list, those are other hotel chains to consider. This is especially true if you have status. Free breakfast can be a real wallet saver if traveling with kids.

Hyatt and Marriott’s overtook this list due their pretty solid award charts. Hotels in other parts of the Miami area should also be considered. Most properties on this list are in trendy tourist areas.

Have you stayed at any of the hotels on this list? Let us know your experience in the comments!

These opinions in this article are the author’s not those of a bank, credit card issuer, hotel, airline or other entity. This content has not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of the entities included within the post.