Esme Hotel in Miami Beach

I’m torn while writing this review, because most of our stay here was wonderful. The location is prime and the hotel is beautifully styled. The staff was attentive and friendly.

The problem came with the noise from The Roof and The Bamboo Room (on-site restaurant & bar) on New Years Eve. I know - it’s New Years Eve in South Beach - noise is to be expected. What we did not expect was our room to sound like a DJ was set up right outside our door until 3 am. The bass was rattling items off of the nightstands. This was a level of noise no one could have slept through. Again, I realize noise is to be expected, but I do feel as though we should have been told during check in and maybe asked if we’d like a room on the quieter area if the property… even if it meant paying an upgraded price. We had to be up early the next morning and maybe slept 2 hours.

The Esmé Hotel has a unique vibe with stylish décor, and overall it’s clean, beautiful, and well-kept. The beds are comfortable, and everything in the room worked as expected.

That said, the classic rooms are extremely small. Even for petite guests, it’s easy to bump into things when moving from the bed to the bathroom. The lighting is also quite poor, and although an espresso machine is provided, it’s awkwardly placed and surrounded by items that seem to carry additional charges, which makes it less convenient to use.

The resort (or “village”) fee includes a few amenities: daily drinks at the restaurant (we were offered a choice of beer or wine between 5–6 pm, though the timing was difficult to catch), beach chairs and towels (umbrellas cost about $20 per day extra), and bicycle rentals for up to two hours. Unfortunately, the hotel’s main amenity — the rooftop pool and lounge — was closed for renovation during our stay. At check-in, we were told we were simply unlucky, but later learned that other guests were offered alternative options, which felt disappointing. While the resort fee does provide some perks, it takes effort to uncover and make full use of them, as the information is not always clear.

Overall, Esmé is a nice place to stay with an interesting atmosphere, but be sure to confirm whether the resort fee is already included in your booking. It’s also worth researching in advance what amenities are currently available. Lastly, watch out for extra charges, as the hotel places a large deposit hold on your credit card at check-in.