• MAYFAIR HOTEL AND SPA, 3000 Florida Ave., Coconut Grove, 305-441-0000; www.mayfairhotelandspa.com. Summer rates from $139.

Opened in 1984, the Mayfair was one of South Florida's first true urban hideaways -- but its to-the-street facade made it seem mysterious and somewhat foreboding. No more. A new wine bar trimmed in Tuscan stone near the entry offers a cozy welcome; the Jurlique Spa welcomes day visitors as well as hotel guests. The fire pit and curvy poolside banquettes at the new Cabana One club have transformed the rooftop into a popular nightspot that evokes Mykonos on a summer eve. The heart of the hotel remains its lush, open courtyard garden, Babylon-meets-Bali filled with fountains, orchids and bamboo. Contemporary guest rooms have been updated but retain one of the hotel's most distinctive features: private balconies with hot tubs.

• RIVIERA SOUTH BEACH, 2000 Liberty Ave., Miami Beach, 877-762-3477; www.rivierahotelsouthbeach.com.

Near the Bass Museum of Art a couple of blocks from the sand, the Riviera South Beach opened in January with a trendy electic decor inspired Hollywood legend Dorothy Draper. Limited facilities include a leafy courtyard, small bar and rooftop sundeck. The star here is the 54 roomy suites with gourmet kitchens and separate living and dining areas, two flatscreen TVs and iPod stations. Residents get 50 percent off nightly rates through June 23, from $125.

• SOUTHERNMOST RESORT, south end of Duval Street and South Street, Key West; 1-305-296-6577; www.southernmostresorts.com. Southernmost Hotel from $99, Southernmost on the Beach from $169, La Mer and Dewey House from $198.

This ever-popular group of lodgings ranging from upscale B&Bs (La Mer and Dewey House) and the value-conscious Southernmost Hotel has a new cousin. Southernmost on the Beach, opened in February, features 80 upscale suites, waterviews, yoga on the beach and an oceanfront pool bar.

• THE PALMS RESORT, 3025 Collins Ave., Miami Beach; 305-534-0505; www.thepalmshotel.com. Summer rates from $125.

The new Essensia gourmet restaurant, lush garden plantings and an Aveda spa that actually lets in light -- a shockingly novel concept in South Florida -- give The Palms Resort a welcoming new island ambiance. The lounge has been repositioned by the restaurant -- and away from a space used for meetings -- with a contemporary look that is both fresh and comfy. The 243-room beachfront resort remains family friendly without feeling like a romper room. Many guest rooms have been renovated, updating decor and transforming bathrooms from a single tiny room to two separate spaces; all should be completed by year's end.

• Z OCEAN BEACH, 1437 Collins Ave., Miami Beach; 877-227-6963; www.zoceanhotelsouthbeach.com. Summer rates from $150.

Opened in 2007 as a luxury Regent condo-hotel in the heart of the action and later renamed Hotel de Soleil, this 79-room hotel is now a Crowne Plaza (which means you can earn and redeem Intercontinental points here.) Rooms are large, rooftop suites roomy and chic with hot tubs and decks. Table 8 restaurant is here, too. Ocean views are blocked by a condo tower in some rooms; the hotel's beach club offers drink service and complimentary chairs.

-- DOUG HANKS, JANE WOOLDRIDGE