Miami’s Hottest Pool Lounges and Cabanas

There’s perhaps no better place on earth to lounge poolside in style than in Greater Miami & Miami Beach, whether in a lounge chair, daybed or private cabana. From trendy South Beach hotels to luxurious resorts on the mainland, the destination is home to a gorgeous collection of one-of-a-kind hotel pools. And with year-round sunshine, you can throw on your swimsuit just about any day of the year and enjoy an afternoon soaking in an oceanside pool or making a splash in a family-friendly oasis. No matter which of these hotels you choose, expect to find quality service, exclusive lounge spaces and top-of-the-line amenities.

The Biltmore Hotel

A stunning Mediterranean Revival resort in Coral Gables dreamed up by George E. Merrick in the 1920s, The Biltmore Hotel is one of Miami’s most historic hotels. The pool is a true oasis, landscaped with palm trees, hibiscus and bougainvillea and surrounded by lounge chairs, cabanas and Roman-style sculptures. Measuring 23,000 square feet and holding 600,000 gallons of water, the pool is one of the largest in the continental United States. You’ll find a sea of daybeds and private cabanas equipped with teak wood chaises and love seats, banana leaf ceiling fans, lounge chairs, flat-screen TVs, fruit platters, outdoor rain showers and butler service.

Faena Hotel Miami Beach

The brainchild of visionary hotelier Alan Faena, his eponymous hotel is an exquisite Mid Beach escape decorated in a luxuriant color palette of red, gold and animal print. Faena Hotel Miami Beach’s pool scene is as lavish as the hotel’s interior with red cabanas, umbrellas and lounge chairs offering a striking contrast against the aquamarine pools and ocean. At Faena, pool butlers provide impeccable service and always stand ready with refreshments, such as fruit-infused water and small bites, and they will even clean your sunglasses for you. You’re also in good company with contemporary master Damien Hirst’s “Gone But Not Forgotten” sculpture of a gold-dipped woolly mammoth skeleton resting inside a glass case on the pool deck.

Fontainebleau Miami Beach

The Fontainebleau Miami Beach is the storied oceanfront resort where Frank Sinatra held court and parts of the James Bond movie “Goldfinger” were filmed. Designed by architect Morris Lapidus in 1954, the Fontainebleau in Mid Beach oozes Miami Modern style and features one of Miami Beach’s most lavish oceanfront poolscapes. With its 11 distinct pools, you’ll have a choice between the Bowtie Pool (styled after the hotel’s original marble lobby floor design, still intact), the children’s pool with a winding waterslide, or any of the smaller pools across the oceanfront deck. Reserve a day bed, tiki bed or cabana with free Wi-Fi, lounges, a mini fridge stocked with fruit and nonalcoholic beverages, ceiling fans, privacy curtains, a digital safe and butler service. You’ll feel like a VIP when lounging in the hotel’s Arkadia Cabana – a lounge area on its own wooden deck, fully equipped with a daybed, a $600 food and beverage credit and personal attendants.

JW Marriott Miami Turnberry Resort & Spa

When it comes to fun for the whole family, the perfect spot is the Tidal Cove water park at the JW Marriott Miami Turnberry Resort & Spa. The sprawling luxury resort in Aventura has seven twisty-turny waterslides, a lazy river and a FlowRider surf simulator. There’s even a Kids Cove with a splash park designed by local Miami art collective FriendsWithYou. A day pass to Tidal Cove grants you access to the resort’s lagoon-style swimming pool, cabanas, retail shop and multiple dining outlets. Cabanas are scattered all around the park and are equipped with flat-screen TVs, mini fridges with water and soda, and fresh fruit platters, and they can even be decorated by guests for kids birthday parties. For a more tranquil vibe, head to the Cascada pool, tucked away by the Mediterranean-style courtyard with cabanas shaded by lush palm trees.

Kimpton EPIC Hotel

Perched on the 16th floor, the Kimpton EPIC Hotel’s two swimming pools offer panoramic views of Biscayne Bay, the Miami River and the Downtown Miami skyline for a distinctly cosmopolitan feeling. On the pool deck, soak up the rays on a poolside lounge chair or hide away in one of the stylish teardrop-shaped wicker tipis scattered throughout the area. For an intimate, private experience, reserve a cabana that offers daybeds, mini-fridges and gauzy curtains for an idyllic way to spend an afternoon. After a day of lounging, head to Area 31 for fresh, seasonal food from local farms and hand-crafted cocktails.

the goodtime hotel, Miami Beach

Brought to you by superstar musician Pharrell Williams and Miami hospitality kingpin David Grutman, the goodtime hotel has injected new life into South Beach’s Washington Avenue. Its rooftop pool deck spans 24,000 square feet and is lined with pretty pink cabanas, which are available for rent and equipped with custom lounge furniture, charging outlets, fans and music controls for a personalized experience. To be in the middle of the DJ-fueled pool party action, reserve a VIP cabana. If you’re looking for a lounge experience further away, go for the club or pool cabana option. When hunger strikes, head across the way on the same floor to the indoor-outdoor Strawberry Moon restaurant, which serves elevated Mediterranean fare.

Moxy Miami South Beach

Another destination heating up Washington Avenue is the Moxy Miami South Beach hotel with its playful rooftop pool loaded with colorful inflatables in fun shapes, like a purple unicorn, green lime wedge, pink seashell and red lips you can float on in style. For a fun photo op, there’s also an oversized porthole-inspired window on the pool floor overlooking the lobby. The cabanas and lounge chairs can be reserved with a day pass. The adjacent Serena rooftop bar and Mexican restaurant makes for a perfect afternoon lunch. There’s also an eighth-floor rooftop lounge, The Upside, with a small wading pool, lounge areas and panoramic views of South Beach’s colorful Art Deco buildings and the Atlantic Ocean.