Is Sunny Isles Beach a good place to stay in Miami?

Sunny Isles Beach is a good base if you want a beach holiday more than a city break. The oceanfront hotels along Collins Avenue sit right on a wide, sandy beach, and many rooms have balconies and kitchens. It suits families, couples who want to relax by the pool and travellers staying for a week or more.

The area is a tall wall of glass towers along the sea, with the beach running in front of them. The Newport Fishing Pier stretches out into the ocean, Haulover Park to the south has a quieter beach and the inlet, and Sunny Isles Boulevard heads west towards the shops and restaurants of Aventura. Most evenings revolve around hotel restaurants and the beach.

The downside is the distance. Downtown Miami, Wynwood and South Beach are a long ride away, buses along Collins Avenue are slow, and you'll want a car or rideshare to see much of the city. There's little nightlife, and the strip of towers can feel more like a resort than a real neighbourhood.

What makes Sunny Isles Beach worth considering is the beach itself. You can step from your hotel onto the sand, swim in the ocean, walk out along the pier at sunset and enjoy far more space and quiet than in South Beach, often with a bigger room for the money.