Circa 39 is a cleverly located estate that was renovated in 2004 and is now one of the dark horses among the beach hotels of Miami. It’s found ‘mid-beach’, which is Miami’s equivalent of no-man’s-land. In holiday terms, this means a beachside hotel within striking distance (about 15 blocks) of South Beach’s party zone, but just far enough away from the sound of house music and revved-up Hummer engines to ensure a restful night’s sleep.

Circa 39 gets its name from its original construction in 1939, its location on Collins Avenue and 39th Street, and the fact that it was formerly called the Copley Plaza circa 1939. The rates are satisfyingly low for an establishment that offers 86 decently sized rooms (this is a classic Art Deco building so room sizes are all similar), a large pool with massage cabanas and a really stylish bar that is becoming popular with Miami’s in-crowd. The beach is a minute’s walk away, and the location of the hotel means that there will be acres of free sand.

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