Want to wake up to ocean views on your Miami vacation? You can when you stay at the Grand Beach Hotel Surfside. Nestled along the Atlantic shore, this four-star hotel offers vacationers a luxurious respite with contemporary suites, in-house dining, and poolside relaxation. Located in a quiet suburb just north of Miami Beach, your beachfront accommodations are a short stroll to open-air luxury shopping and dining at Bal Harbour Shops and only a 20-30 minute drive to South Beach restaurants and nightlife.
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Why Did My Family Book Grand Beach Hotel Surfside?
For the suites with ocean-facing balconies! When traveling on a family vacation, we prefer to stay together in a two-bedroom suite whenever possible. Though this sometimes limits our choice of accommodations, we’ve found newly constructed hotels — like the Grand Beach Hotel Surfside, which opened in 2014 — often offer various suite layouts ideal for families.
At the Grand Beach Hotel Surfside, guests can book one and two-bedroom suites at the oceanfront East Suites. Across Collins Avenue at the West Suites are one, two, and three-bedroom options.
Take A Look At Our Suite Inside Grand Beach Hotel Surfside
At the East Suites, the 268 suites offer varying views — ocean, pool, or sunset over Miami. As for the 30 two-bedroom suites, balconies have sunset, oceanfront, or partial ocean views. I loved sitting on the balcony in the morning, taking in the sunshine’s reflection on the teal water. Peaceful and serene, it was the ideal beginning to a vacation morning followed by a walk along the beach with my dad.
For our family of three adults, we booked an oceanfront suite with one king and two double beds. Other two-bedroom layouts feature two king beds, a queen and two doubles, or three double beds. Plus, some two-bedroom suites feature queen-size sleeper sofas, accommodating up to six guests.
Contemporary and minimalistic, the suite was airy and light. In addition to the two bedrooms, a sitting area with a TV, private balcony, and three full bathrooms with either a bathtub or walk-in shower completed our 1,078-square-feet suite. You read that right — three full bathrooms! If you spent your childhood sharing a bathroom or bedroom with a messy sibling, I’m sure you understand my excitement over having separate bathrooms on vacation. 😉
Amenities Create Beachfront Oasis
Another reason we booked the Grand Beach Hotel Surfside for our family’s Miami vacation were the amenities. The hotel’s adult-only rooftop pool with views of the ocean was our oasis. Yet I also loved reading under an umbrella on the beach, sipping cocktails at the rooftop and lobby bars, and al fresco dining among palm trees.
Pools
On the beach level, families with children can relax in a sophisticated tropical setting with two pools, hot tubs, and umbrella-covered lounge chairs. Want an adult-only oasis? Head 12 floors up to the rooftop pool and hot tubs! You can sip a mojito from the Sky Bar while looking out to the Atlantic Ocean or the Miami skyline. For absolute relaxation, food and drinks are served at both pool decks.
Outdoor Spaces
Hammocks, lounge chairs, giant chess — the outdoor space at Grand Beach Hotel Surfside offers plenty of ways to unwind.
Beach
From the beach, take in Greater Miami’s beachfront skyline. You can play in the waves or build a sand castle, but beware of jellyfish that wash up along Florida’s Atlantic shore. Included in your resort fee are umbrella-covered lounge chairs with food and beverage service.
Dining
The Grand Beach Hotel Surfside Restaurant serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner with indoor and outdoor seating. You’ll also find coffee, gelato, light breakfast fare, and snacks at Espresso Gelato on the lobby level. For drinks, take a seat at the lobby bar or head up to the rooftop Sky Bar for views of Miami.
Location And Getting Around
Located in the small beachfront town of Surfside, Florida, the Grand Beach Hotel Surfside is sandwiched between Miami Beach to the south and Bal Harbour to the north. About 16 miles away, Miami International Airport (MIA) is the closest airport. Depending on traffic, your ride from the airport could take 30-40 minutes. As an alternative, you could fly into Fort Lauderdale. FLL is about 20 miles away or a 35-45 minute drive.
Once you are at the hotel, you’ll only be a 20-30 minute drive from South Beach, and the valet staff is helpful with hailing taxis for hotel guests.
You can also use ride-sharing apps, such as Uber and Lyft, to hail a ride in and around Miami. Using these apps is my favorite way to get around when I travel. If you’d like to try Lyft, my promo code gets you a small discount (usually $5, but it may vary by city) for your first ride. Don’t forget to connect your Lyft app to your Delta SkyMiles or JetBlue TrueBlue points, too!
Using Uber’s price estimator, I found a ride from Miami International Airport to Grand Beach Hotel Surfside may cost about $26.89 with UberX. A ride from the hotel to South Beach might cost you about $17.17 with UberX.
Haven’t used Uber yet? I invite you to sign up, and give it a try!
Nearby Attractions & Activities
Surfside And Bal Harbour
Rejuvenation Wellness Center Spa (On site) — Book a massage, facial, or other spa treatment to “relax your mind, restore your body, and renew your spirit” during your vacation at Grand Beach Hotel Surfside.
Bal Harbour Shops (.5 mile/.8 km) — Shop and dine at this open-air shopping mall of luxury and designer retailers and upscale restaurants among tropical landscaping.
Miami Beach
South Beach Art Deco Walking Tour (8 miles/12.8 km) — Explore landmark buildings, such as the Versace mansion, as you take in South Beach’s unique Art Deco architecture and hear stories from a local guide. I loved my walking tour with the Miami Design Preservation League. You can also book a guided walking tour of South Beach, its Art Deco buildings, and iconic sights from movies.
South Beach Culinary Tours (8 miles/12.8 km) — Taste the Latin flavors of South Beach on a cultural food and walking tour, sample dishes from five popular South Beach restaurants on a foodie-guided tour, or sip your way through an Art Deco tour with cocktails at four South Beach hotel bars.
Miami
Miami Sightseeing Tours (Varies by tour) — View the sights of Miami by double-decker bus, open-air Jeep, Segway, speedboat, sightseeing cruise, jet ski, helicopter, or airplane.
Miami Design District (9 miles/14.4 km) — Explore this vibrant neighborhood of art, fashion, design, architecture, and dining! You could book a four-hour Miami art tour of the Miami Design District, Midtown, and Wynwood that includes a three-course meal at a celebrity chef’s restaurant.
Wynwood Walls (10 miles/16 km) — See Miami’s street art scene in the hipster-esque Wynwood Arts District, where vibrant murals have been painted on warehouse walls by world-renowned street artists. On a 1.5-hour walking tour of the former warehouse district, stop into art galleries, see street art, and learn about local artists. Want to combine art with food? You could take a 2.5-hour walking tour of Wynwood Walls with tastes of the Wynwood Arts District’s best restaurants.
Little Havana Tours (15 miles/24 km) — Experience the sights, sounds, and flavors of Miami’s historically Cuban neighborhood on a Little Havana food and walking tour, a three-hour culture and food tour, or a bike and food tour.
Vizcaya Museum and Gardens (16 miles/25.7 km) — Wander through this beautiful waterfront villa and gardens.
Sailing Charter (18 miles/28.9 km) — Sail by the Miami skyline, Millionaire’s Row, and/or the Vizcaya estate on a private charter for up to six people.
Nearby Dining
26 Sushi & Tapas (.2 mile/.32 km) — Serving kosher sushi and Latin fusion, this restaurant is only a short walk from the hotel.
Carpaccio Restaurant (.6 mile/.96 km) — Located in the heart of the Bal Harbour Shops, this upscale Italian restaurant serves a variety of pizzas, pastas, the namesake carpaccio, and other Italian-inspired dishes.
Casa Tua Restaurant (6.9 miles/11.1 km) — Al fresco dining in the garden of Casa Tua is a lively yet romantic experience accompanied by Italian food and wine.
Joe’s Stone Crab (9 miles/14.4 km) — Opened in 1913, this iconic seafood restaurant in Miami Beach is the place to dine for stone crab claws and key lime pie. First come, first served rule here, so it’s best to dine on a weekday before 7 p.m. However, waiting for your table at Joe’s bar is part of the restaurant’s legendary dining experience. At a restaurant that has served presidents and celebrities, you never know who you might see. 😉
Things To Know Before Your Stay At Grand Beach Hotel Surfside
Location: 9449 Collins Ave, Surfside, FL 33154
Phone: (305) 534-8666
Website: GrandBeachHotel.com
Parking: Valet
Rates: Average $205 – $744
More Information: Other travelers’ reviews of Grand Beach Hotel Surfside on TripAdvisor
To Make Your Reservation: Visit Booking.com
Would I Stay Here Again?
Absolutely! For families seeking beachfront luxury, the Grand Beach Hotel Surfside offers spacious suites with private balconies and ocean views. A bit removed from the hustle of South Beach, the hotel’s Surfside location is quiet and relaxing for a beach getaway. Yet the dining, nightlife, and cultural attractions of Miami and South Beach are less than 30 minutes away by car.
If you are visiting Florida soon, don’t miss these posts …
- 20 Street Art Photos to Inspire Your Visit to Miami’s Wynwood Walls
- Casa Tua Restaurant Review: Italian Cuisine in Romantic Garden of Miami Beach Villa
- Discovering Florida’s Craft Beer with the Brew Bus
- Five Things to do in Naples, Florida
- Hotel Review: Bellasera Resort in Naples, Florida
- Exploring the Wizarding World of Harry Potter: Hogsmeade
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What a beautiful place! I have it bookmarked for a girls weekend getaway!
This hotel would be perfect for a girls’ getaway!
Such a beautiful hotel and the life-size chess looks like so much fun!
This is gorgeous and looks like so much fun. Thanks for the thorough guide!
Miami is one of the only major areas I haven’t stayed yet, in Florida. I’m definitely adding it to my list.
This is the kind of place I want to stay when I travel with my family. Being on the beach and not too far from South Beach makes it a big win.
I need to win the lottery, so that I can afford to take the whole family for a beach vacation!
I love the option of the adult only rooftop pool!
Pool, beach and mojitos seem like a wonderful combination! The seem like a great place to take the kids!
As a family of five we find suites a must. Ideally, we also look for 2 bedroom suites. This looks like a great place and you cannot beat that beach front location.
UUUUUGGGHHHHH!!! I so NEED this vacation to Miami!!!
The Grand Beach Hotel Surfside looks like a great place to stay for a Miami getaway. I love being so close to the water!