Balfour Miami Beach

Pros Location is good. Rooms were clean but small Funky vibe, nice art deco style. Quiet hotel centered a little farther down from all the chaos but still within walking distance of all the fun Cons First thing you notice when you walk in is a terrible moldy smell. It really puts you off. I immediately regretted picking this hotel out of all of em. High rates Unfriendly and unhelpful staff, they don’t want to be there at all and it shows, unfortunately. Bar was always closed so we couldn’t even use up the welcome drink vouchers. Also, parking help was not available and nobody cared about our questions; we were just left to figure it out on our own. Staff should be more help with discussing charges, it’s important for people to know what’s going on with their money and what to expect. It leaves guests feeling uncomfortable and untrusting. These things should be clear to all involved. I have experience with managing vacation rentals and that’s the only reason why I feel obligated to share my feedback. It could have been more pleasant of a stay if we had simply felt welcome. For example, I would never tell a guest to figure it out on their own about parking. I would be upfront about all charges and help guests understand what’s going on. Usually staff can actually help guests know where to park, how much to expect on charges, etc

Very cute hotel with a vintage style set in modern, renovated surroundings. The price was an excellent deal for the quality! At first, we were assigned a regular room, which we found very charming, but the shower was a bit small. We returned to the front desk and, thanks to our Gold status, were upgraded to a superior room. As for the superior room itself, the upgrade gave us more space, especially in the bathroom. The toiletries smelled wonderful, the air conditioning worked perfectly, and it was always refreshing to return from Miami’s heat to a cool room. Even though our room faced the street, there was little traffic, and the excellent soundproofing allowed us to sleep very well. The closet was large and accommodated all our stuff. The hotel’s facilities are great: a beautiful Mediterranean restaurant, a stylish bar, an outdoor seating area, and a pool that turns into a hot tub with loungers. The rooftop also offers seating and stunning views of the sunset and the city. The hotel is just a two-minute walk from the beach, where loungers and umbrellas are provided—a very convenient perk. It is also close to many well-known restaurants and even a Starbucks, which was helpful since the hotel’s coffee shop wasn’t open yet (though it looked very promising). Another plus was their stylish and comfortable bikes which you could easily rent and use to wander around Miami Beach. The staff was professional, though in my opinion, a few more smiles would have made the experience warmer. Overall, I highly recommend this hotel. It feels like a small vintage boutique property with a luxurious touch, a fantastic location, and a great restaurant on site. Thank you for an amazing stay!

This hotel has a serious problem with their staff. Most of the staff was awful. For breakfast, the waiter Fidel had us wait 30 minutes every day and it was not even busy! Don’t get the breakfast included. Big mistake. You’ll get treated like crap. The receptionist at night when we arrived was very unfriendly. She almost threw us the “welcome drink” cards. Rest of the staff was ok. Room was small but all right. Won’t come back there even if the location was great and we really enjoyed the beach towels and chairs.

Charming atmosphere, disappointing execution The property has a cute vibe and stylish décor, and the restaurant serves good food. Unfortunately, the overall experience fell short due to several operational issues. Staff training and coordination are a serious weakness. We encountered repeated challenges with simple requests like getting the pool unlocked nearly an hour after opening, clarifying our reservation details, and ordering at the bar. None of the team seemed aware the hotel participates in the Dis-loyalty program, making it frustrating to use the perks that should have been included. The rooms are small, which is expected for older hotels on Ocean Ave, but the layout and furnishing made the space feel even tighter. There were no drawers in the nightstands, and the large, empty closet was wasted space that could have been fitted with shelving or storage. Poolside amenities also need attention. Much of the furniture was waterlogged and uncomfortable, and the pool itself wasn’t clean. In the lobby, guest seating is nearly nonexistent. It's just one chair and table while the rest of the space is devoted to the restaurant. For a property with such small rooms, more lounge seating for guests would be a welcome improvement. Overall, while the style is appealing, the lack of service quality and functional design made for a “meh” stay.

The hotel location is excellent. The pictures online are a bit deceiving when they show that it is a resort. The rooms and specially the bathrooms are very tiny. Being a water facing hotel with beach access, there are no hooks in the room or and place to dry wet clothes. The worst is the restaurant billing. We stayed for 5 days and paid for breakfast ahead. We got one toast, coffee and and some cut fruit. And they were charging us service fee and hefty gratuity. We ordered some extra food and the bill had lot of extra charges. They reduced it a bit but never provided a final bill. So we don’t know what they charged us for. Be careful. If you eat at the restaurant, pay right there so they do t charge it to your room.accounting is very shady.

We were really happy with our stay. The price isn’t high given the area and we had a lovely time. The staff were all super friendly and helpful throughout the stay. They let us check in early and then keep our bags at the desk on our last day after we checked out. This made the stay feel a lot more expensive that they didn’t nickel and dime you over things. I love the style of this hotel, and the courtyard is so nice and never busy. It has a smaller plunge pool with a nice setup, but when you’re so close to the beach, it’s a no brainer choose the beach. The free umbrella and chairs were a MUST every day. Seriously such a plus!!! 🏖️ Our room had no issues- cute decor, comfy bed, coffee machine, great robes. It’s super nice to stay here and have the restaurant as a quick option for happy hour drinks or an appetizer. Our bartenders and hotel staff were always extremely polite and friendly! Pls sponsor me next time

I had a great stay at The Balfour Hotel. Sophie and Coolie (sorry if I misspelled) were extremely wonderful receptionists. They were very accommodating and the hotel staff overall were very pleasant. The room was nice and cozy and the beach was conveniently located. The on sight restaurant, plunge pool and rooftop were also a great bonus. I would definitely stay again!

greetings, this hotel recently joined to Accor. So status benefits are honored. This hotel is very good for cozy beach staying, but not so good for the business needs. The rooms have very poor amenities, even not include some glass cups , only paper one :) no welcome amenities as well. The beach services are wonderful, you have all the package. Please do not take prepaid included breakfast , it is very poor for its 20$ money. Nearby there is plenty of shops or Burger King in 1 km to get 2x bigger breakfast with some plenty of meat included))

Wow! The Balfour hotel doesn't just have the best location (south of 5th) but it has this small boutique hotel charm we couldn't get enough of. You're served a welcome drink upon arrival (mojito) and the lobby bar has a daily happy hour from 4-8! $10 apps, $5 rotating beer, $10 select cocktails. The hummus is a must order and the truffle fries come with a generous amount of fresh truffle. There's a small pool and bikes you can rent out (first 2h are free!). They even have beach chairs and umbrellas in a prime location included for you to use. This was an amazing stay and this is the best hotel you can pick for your south beach vacation!

The hotel is understaffed. The rooms are so dated and the layout is poorly designed. The tiny bathroom had a narrow entrance that was obstructed by a too large TV that came into the entrance several inches. The sound of the mechanical room was so loud and pervasive that it was very difficult to sleep. the walls are not well insulated, so you can hear everything your neighbors are saying. I would not recommend this hotel.