PRICE:
Frommer's Highly Recommended

A great hotel with little attitude, which recently merged with the neighboring Lily Guesthouse, the Lily Leon Hotel (formerly known as the Hotel Leon) is like a reasonably priced high-fashion garment found hidden on a rack full of overpriced threads. This charismatic sliver of a property has won the loyalty of fashion industrialists and romantics alike. Built in 1929 and restored in 1996, the hotel still retains many original details such as facades, woodwork, and even fireplaces (every room has one, not that you'll need to use it). The very central location (1 block from the ocean) is a plus, especially since the Leon lacks a pool. Most of the spacious and stylish rooms are immaculate and reminiscent of a loft apartment; spacious bathrooms with large, deep tubs are especially enticing. Wood floors and simple, pale furnishings are appreciated in a neighborhood where many others overdo the Art Deco motif. However, some rooms are dark and have not seen such upgrades (we have gotten complaints) and are to be avoided; do not hesitate to ask to change rooms. Service is warm, friendly, and accommodating. We've also gotten complaints about the music coming from the hotel next door, but you have to realize that if you're staying on Collins or Washington avenues, you're going to hear noise: South Beach isn't known for its quiet, peaceful demeanor! The lobby has an informal bar, not to mention a large communal table at which guests -- production crews, fashion photographers, Europeans, and young hipsters -- tend to mix and mingle. Because its entrance is not directly on pedestrian-heavy Collins Avenue, the Hotel Leon remains one of South Beach's most understated, yet coolest, stays.

Copyright: Excerpted from Frommer's South Florida including Miami and Keys, 6th Edition, (c) 2008, Wiley Publishing, Inc.

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