Faena Hotel Miami Beach
by the TopOfHotel team
Faena is sleeping inside a work of art that Hollywood director Baz Luhrmann shaped down to the last detail — from the gold mammoth skeleton to the red-velvet theater — strong on bold, story-rich design and beachfront mood rather than quiet simplicity.
Faena is sleeping inside a work of art that Hollywood director Baz Luhrmann shaped down to the last detail — from the gold mammoth skeleton to the red-velvet theater — strong on bold, story-rich design and beachfront mood rather than quiet simplicity.
In-Depth Review
Rooms and decor
Picture sleeping inside a Hollywood director's film set — that is Faena Hotel Miami Beach. Argentine businessman Alan Faena took the old Saxony building, standing since 1947, and brought it back to life, handing every detail to Baz Luhrmann (director of Moulin Rouge and The Great Gatsby) and his longtime designer Catherine Martin. The result is a hotel that is bold and story-rich in every square inch. The roughly 169 rooms and suites run a red-gold-white palette, with the brand's signature palm-leaf wallpaper and curved Art Deco furniture blended with contemporary luxury. Many rooms open onto a balcony framing the deep blue Atlantic Ocean. The beds are soft and the in-room amenities well chosen. A lot of reviews say the same thing — you walk in and feel like you have stepped into another, beautifully bold world. Anyone who loves brave, characterful color is likely to fall for it on sight.
Food and amenities
If this hotel has a beating heart, it is the curated art scattered through the building. The highlight everyone photographs is the gold-plated mammoth skeleton in a glass case called "Gone but Not Forgotten," the work of famed artist Damien Hirst, standing in the Cathedral garden. The lobby itself is grand with gilded columns, murals telling a South American story, and chandeliers that glitter like a theater. Outside is the private beach lined with red-striped cabanas, staff serving drinks and snacks to your lounger, plus a pool in a palm garden with a deeply romantic feel. Inside you will find the South American-style Tierra Santa Spa, praised in reviews for its treatments and atmosphere. Evenings are never dull thanks to the Faena Theater, a red-velvet room staging cabaret and live music. For food there is Los Fuegos from well-known chef Francis Mallmann, grilling meat over open fire Argentine-style, and Pao serving contemporary Asian food beneath a golden statue. It is all so complete you barely want to leave.
Location and getting there
Faena sits on the beach in Mid-Beach, a zone that is quieter and more private than the bustle of South Beach. Step out the door and you hit the Miami Beach Boardwalk, stretching along the ocean for a morning walk or run. The area feels open and easy — warm sun, cool sea breeze — ideal for anyone who wants a genuinely relaxed luxury beach trip. Mid-Beach has its own run of design-led hotels and stylish restaurants. For nightlife or shopping, a car or taxi reaches South Beach, Ocean Drive and the pedestrian Lincoln Road in about 10 minutes. From Miami International Airport it is roughly a 20 to 25-minute drive. The upside of this spot is the quiet privacy when you come back to rest, while the energy of Miami is still there when you want it. It suits travelers who plan a relaxation-first beach trip with the occasional outing into town.
Things to know before booking
To talk straight and help you decide — the first thing reviews raise most is price and extra charges. Room rates here are already very high, and there is also a resort fee, valet parking, plus food and drink priced to the level. Added up, the bill can run higher than you first planned, so check the fee list clearly when you book. The second is the Mid-Beach location, which is quiet and private but not in the middle of the party district. There is no metro in this zone, so reaching Ocean Drive or Lincoln Road means a car or taxi every time — anyone here mainly for nightlife may feel they travel often. The third is the bold design, red and gold over every square inch, which is genuinely an acquired taste. Some love it, but some reviews find it over the top, or a few rooms not as spacious as the price suggests. If you prefer quiet minimalism, this may not be your style — study the room and common-area photos closely first.
Our take
After reading through hundreds of real reviews, our team sees Faena Hotel Miami Beach as a hotel that sells "film-set design with a story, curated art, and a luxury beachfront mood" with a character that is hard to match anywhere in Miami. If the trip in your head is waking up to walk a private beach, lounging in a red cabana by the pool in a palm garden, photographing the gold mammoth skeleton, then dinner over open fire at Los Fuegos before a cabaret show at the Faena Theater, this is about as perfect a fit as it gets, and it will stay with you a long time. But if you are after quiet simplicity, a walk-everywhere spot in the heart of the party district, or tight budget control, the bold design and fairly high price here may give you pause. Overall we give it 9.0/10 — best for couples and design lovers who fall for brave, story-rich style and want a memory of Miami unlike any other.
Score Breakdown
Assessed by our editorial team from data and real guest reviews
The Honest Verdict — pros & what to know
- The whole hotel was designed by director Baz Luhrmann with Catherine Martin, bold as a film set — a Cathedral lobby with gold columns and murals, plus Damien Hirst's gold-plated mammoth skeleton that everyone wants to photograph.
- A private beach lined with red-striped cabanas and staff who serve you right at your lounger, plus a pool set in a palm garden with a deeply romantic feel.
- Everything is under one roof — the South American-style Tierra Santa Spa that reviewers praise, the Faena Theater with nightly cabaret, and restaurants like Pao and Los Fuegos from chef Francis Mallmann.
- Guests consistently praise the staff as warm, attentive and good at remembering details, which makes you feel like a special guest rather than a room number.
- A Mid-Beach beachfront spot right on the Boardwalk — quieter and more private than South Beach, yet still a short ride from the party district and Lincoln Road.
- Room rates sit very high, and on top of that come extra charges — a resort fee, valet parking, and food and drink priced to match the level. The final bill can run higher than you first expect, so check the fee list when you book.
- The location is Mid-Beach, not South Beach, and there is no metro in this zone. Reaching the Ocean Drive party scene or Lincoln Road means a roughly 10-minute car or taxi ride every time.
- The bold red-and-gold design covers every square inch and is very much an acquired taste — some reviewers find it over the top, and a few rooms are not as spacious as you would expect at this price. Study the room and common-area photos before you decide.
Who It’s For
Match Score by travel style
Amenities
Location & Nearby Spots
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Insider Tips
- Walk in to see Damien Hirst's gold-plated mammoth skeleton 'Gone but Not Forgotten' in the Cathedral garden and photograph the gold-column lobby — it is the hotel's most iconic spot.
- Book a table at chef Francis Mallmann's Los Fuegos for one meal to try the Argentine open-fire grilled meats, and check the Faena Theater show times in advance because seats fill fast.
- Ask for an ocean-view room so you wake up to a full sea view, and budget for the resort fee and valet parking from the start.