Long before the recession blues rolled in, and “staycation” became a buzzword, Miami has presented vacation opportunities in one’s own backyard. Closer than the Keys, nearer than Palm Beach, we’re talking about a 10-minute drive over the causeway — or a five-minute stroll down the street — to experience real getaways. So many new properties have sprouted in Miami Beach, not to mention along Brickell, that “hotel hopping” is a bona fide sport for 2009. Here, a mere three, to get you started:

The Betsy

Beyond the usual luxury perks expected of boutique hotels, this impressive departure-from-the-norm boasts several rarities: an Ocean Drive address on the street’s sleepier north end, the only surviving example of Florida-Georgian architecture in the area, and cultural programs for the visual arts, music, literature and philanthropy. Think of it as a modern-day salon, inspired by the sort Ernest Hemingway, Gertrude Stein and other Paris expats fueled during the 1920s.

Unlike most South Beach hotels, which can seem quite cold, The Betsy feels like a residence, perhaps because it was co-designed by Ralph Lauren’s personal interiors maven, Diamante Pedersoli. The lobby’s cozy seating vignettes, soft lighting, entertainment and enrichments — from board games to a wide selection of newspapers — invite conversation or sitting down with a good book.

Rooms are anything but Miami minimal, as well. Organic textures like raffia and linen, and unusual color schemes including lavender or ochre, give the vibe of staying at a chic friend’s home in the Hamptons. Tech buffs may never leave the baths, where LCD TVs are embedded in the backlit mirrors. Incidentally, Books & Books has partnered with the property to host author events, book clubs and poetry readings, and at turn down, the hotel’s 60+ guestrooms feature books with bookmarks instead of traditional chocolates.

But even bookworms have needs — to blow off steam, it’s the Lobby Bar — or to take a steam, try The Spa and the rooftop Solarium (open on or before May 15, 2009), for Zen-style lounging. A branch of New York’s BLT Steak serves piping-hot popovers before the main attractions: raw bar platters, gourmet cuts of meat with herbed butter kept warm in cast-iron pans, and artisanal cheeses rolled tableside on an old-fashioned cart.

Canyon Ranch

Arizona’s luxury, wellness and hospitality destination has opened a Miami Beach outpost, where workaholics and pampered princesses, alike, can get the full tune-up. Designed by Arquitectonica and David Rockwell, its six acres of spacious, one- and two-bedroom guest suites with kitchens — plus sunrise and sunset pools, and a 70,000-square-foot spa — will take at least a long weekend to explore.

In the tranquil lobby, a glimpse of the mangrove sculpture, adorned with slivers of agate, helps city stress melt away. Take advantage of health-minded amenities: book a session with a nutritionist; choose from dozens of exercise classes (including yoga) in a spacious room overlooking the ocean; and complete Aquavana — a series of European water and temperature therapies, incorporating crystal steam baths, igloos and saunas, among others — which is the first complete version of its kind in the United States.

Since the spa is open only to residents and hotel guests, an overnight stay is really required to see what made the brand famous. The treatment list is overwhelming: a Muscle Melt Massage, inspired by Thai warriors’ post-battle regimen, uses lemongrass oil and heated pouches of herbs, while the Native American Dream Time combines a steam bath, head massage, rain shower, stones and more.