National Hotel, An Adult Only Oceanfront Resort ★★★★

The Pool That Made the National Famous

Architect Roy France opened the National Hotel in 1940, a 14-story Art Deco tower built on a simple design motto: let in the air and sun, because that is what people come to Florida for. The hotel drew socialites and celebrities from the 1950s onward and became part of South Beach's broader revival through the 1970s, eventually earning a place in Historic Hotels of America in 2010. What has outlasted every era of the hotel's history is the pool behind it: a 205-foot infinity-edge lap pool, widely cited as the longest in South Beach, laid out along the full depth of the property rather than squeezed beside it.

Why It Works

We keep sending readers here because two careful renovations, a $12 million restoration in 2014 and a further closure for work in 2021 and 2022, resisted the temptation to shrink the pool for more room space or event capacity. The hotel still organises itself around that one long stretch of water rather than treating it as one amenity among many, and the adults-only policy keeps the deck usable rather than overrun.

Why This Location

The National sits at 1677 Collins Avenue, between the Art Deco crowds further south on Ocean Drive and Lincoln Road's shops and restaurants a few minutes north on foot. The beach itself is directly across Collins Avenue, and the hotel's position keeps it close to both the historic district's sightseeing and Lincoln Road's dinner options without committing fully to either end.

Fast Facts

• Price: €€€ (Premium)

• Vibe: mid-century glamour, pool-first, adults-only calm

• Rooms: 151

• Best For: couples, pool-day regulars, travellers who want South Beach without families underfoot

• Our Favorite Thing About the Hotel: the 205-foot infinity-edge pool, the longest stretch of water on South Beach

• Dining: poolside and oceanfront dining venues on site

• Amenities: adults-only policy, pet-friendly rooms, private parking, billiards

• Attractions: the beach directly across Collins Avenue, Lincoln Road, the Art Deco Historic District

205 Feet of Pool, and the Deck Around It

The pool runs the full depth of the property in a single uninterrupted line, an engineering choice from 1940 that still outperforms most of the shorter, more decorative pools built on South Beach since. Sunbeds and cabanas line both sides rather than clustering at one end, which spreads guests out even on a full day and avoids the single-corner crowding that smaller hotel pools on this strip struggle with. It is the rare hotel amenity that was the headline feature on opening day and has simply never been matched rather than gradually upgraded into relevance.

A Tower Built for Air and Sun

France's design leaned on geometric Art Deco detailing and a tower form that let light and air move through the building rather than trapping it, a philosophy that reads today as an early version of what beach architecture still tries to do. The façade and lobby keep enough of that original 1940s geometry legible that the hotel reads as a genuine piece of the Art Deco Historic District rather than a reproduction of one, even after two rounds of modern renovation.

Before You Book

The adults-only policy is worth confirming before booking a family trip elsewhere in Miami Beach and adding the National as a side stop, since it applies to the property as a whole rather than specific areas. The hotel closed for renovation work as recently as 2021 and 2022, so it is worth checking that any particular wing or amenity mentioned in an older review is still current. Private parking is available on site. Billiards and a handful of indoor lounges give the property something to fall back on when the deck itself is fully booked for the day.