One of the unassuming hotels in Miami, the Mercury South Beach hotel is not pretentious. Its lobby is attractive but sparse, there’s no humming nightclub connection, and you can’t peruse the pillow menu on check-in because there isn’t one. The pool at the Mercury is unadorned and solemn, and therefore does not aspire to be the next glitterati destination.

The Mercury is an endangered species on the southern end of South Beach. In the positive column, it’s centrally located for some excellent dining (Shoji Sushi, Prime One Twelve) and is within close proximity to a fine neighbourhood bar (The Room). The management dole out weekday passes to nearby Nikki Beach for public yet intimate lounging and snacking on private sand. In addition, all the rooms are suites, so you could conceivably stock up on groceries, take advantage of the plates and utensils in the kitchen – some have stoves – and spend all your money on alcohol.

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