Rooms: While the units in the condo-hotel tower are new and large -- many have separate bedrooms and kitchens -- the original building also was stripped to the studs before being redone. Want room service? Boot up your iMac. Each room has one.

Bragging rights: The new Fontainebleau boasts three restaurants headed by chefs of national renown: Alfred Portale's Gotham Steak; Scott Conant's Scarpetta; and Allan Yau's Hakkasan.

Caveat emptor: The nightclub hops, drawing a noisy crowd of local hipters.

Details: 4441 Collins Ave., Miami Beach; 305-538-2000; www.fontainebleauresorts.com

Deals: Rates this summer start at $299 ($249 for weekdays). Ask for the Florida rate, and a spokeswoman says the midweek price drops down to $199 midweek -- plus free valet parking.

IL LUGANO

FORT LAUDERDALE

What's new: Opened in January 2008 as a completely new 105-room, all-suite hotel on the Intracoastal Waterway by Lauderdale-by-the-Sea, Il Lugano recently upgraded its contemporary lobby with a wine bar crafted from Israeli agate. In addition to the 105 hotel rooms, the tower features 26 condos located on separate floors.

Best for: Families or couples seeking space, upscale kitchen facilities and a quiet ambiance.

Public spaces: The sleek but smallish lobby features art-glass chandeliers; otherwise, facilities are limited to a fitness center, pool and mini-cabanas on the manmade beach.

Rooms: All are spacious one- or two-bedroom suites with kitchen facilities and a full-size fridge; all have water views.

Bragging rights: Todd English's da Campo Osteria restaurant opened last November featuring northern Italian cuisine.

Caveat emptor: Grounds are limited; the actual ''beach'' is long walk away. (You'll drive.)

Details: 3333 NE 32nd Ave., Fort Lauderdale; 954- 226-5002; www.illugano.com.

Deals: From June 1-Sept. 30, Floridians booking the Home Suite Home package get a double for $149 a night, plus valet parking and continental breakfast for two. Ask for promo code PROFOD.

MONDRIAN

MIAMI BEACH

What's new: Morgans Hotel Group, the company behind the Delano and the Shore Club, runs this converted apartment building on West Avenue. With 335 condo-hotel units, the Mondrian debuted this year as one of the larger hotels in South Beach. Locals will appreciate a rare view for a Miami Beach hotel -- facing downtown Miami across Biscayne Bay (a body of water the hotel's website oddly describes as ``newly fashionable.'')

Best for: The hip, the stylish, the local who has done South Beach to death and wants a change of scenery.

Public spaces: Designed as a Delano west, the interiors created by design hot shot Marcel Wanders brings a fashionable and bold look to the former apartment complex. The style is described as post-minimalist, and blacks and white dominate the look, along with a dash of Delano-esque whimsy (like chandeliers made to look like bells.) The garden and pool area wind through pathways with occasional ''kissing corners'' hidden away.

Rooms: Each unit comes with a kitchen, and many have balconies facing the bay.

Bragging rights: The hotel features a vending machine where guests can purchase a $68,000 Corvette and other bank-breaking impulse buys. But the location is the most impressive: away from the bustle of Ocean Drive, the Mondrian offers a secluded waterside retreat -- plus a Starbucks across the street.

Caveat emptor: Probably no South Beach hotel is farther away from the beach than the Mondrian.

The 411: 1100 West Ave., Miami Beach; 305-672-2662; www.mondriansouthbeach.com

Deals/rates: For all of 2009, get a free: poolside cabana, bottle of champagne in your room, upgrade to the next room category, and 25 percent off spa treatments. Book online and enter the code PKMOFN. Rates from $345.

THE BETSY

SOUTH BEACH

What's new: After more than a year of renovations, this Ocean Drive curiosity reopened with a shortened name and a vastly improved look. Though most hotels on Ocean reflect South Beach's famous Art Deco style, the 63-room Betsy Ross was designed in the Colonial style. The pillars and Georgian facade remains, as does the original ''Betsy Ross'' sign above the front door. But now the hotel officially goes by the name ``Betsy.''

Best for: Couples looking to live well while staying close to the South Beach action. You're on the quiet end of Ocean Drive, but it's a relative quiet.

Public Spaces: A renovation of the old Betsy Ross, a quaint traditional hotel, added a stunning rooftop deck with low-rise views of the ocean. The lobby and bar -- and new BLT Steak restaurant -- throw off an island plantation vibe, with dark woods and classic furniture.

Rooms: The elegant Caribbean look carries into the rooms, with wooden shutters on the windows and clean bright color schemes. But that didn't stop The Betsy from offering high-tech extras, too. The mirrors have televisions embedded in them, so you can watch the news and shave at the same time. Pretty cool.

Bragging Rights: Look for a poem on your pillow instead of a mint.

Caveat emptor: Not much of a pool deck.

Details: 1440 Ocean Dr., Miami Beach; 305-531-6100; www.thebetsyhotel.com.

Deals/rates: Rates start at $400, but a spokeswoman said the Betsy is not offering any deals this summer.

VICEROY

DOWNTOWN MIAMI

What's new: The Related Group's biggest condo complex, Icon, brought along this boutique hotel as an amenity. Standing where the Sheraton Miami used to be (at the mouth of the Miami River), this lush hotel managed by Kor Hotels styles itself as an urban boutique.

Best for: Anyone who wants to hit the town on newly energetic Brickell Avenue, or who wants to play ''Sex and the City'' for an evening or two.

Public spaces: Go straight to the 53rd floor to check out the rooftop pool deck and lounge. The planes from MIA seem closer than the cars on Brickell as you swim a lap or sip a drink. But you should also visit the massive pool on the 10th floor that's designated for Icon residences. The pool deck ends in a sort of amphitheater of the bay: a glass walked balcony facing Biscayne Bay, 100 feet up in the air.

Rooms: Elegantly attired in the Asian look favored by Kelly Wearstler, the designer who redid the Tides on South Beach and is probably best known as a judge on the Bravo reality-show Top Design.

Bragging rights: The most urban of the new hotels, with skyline views and a chic club feel unmatched by any place you might stay on Brickell or downtown.

Caveat emptor: The hotel sits in the middle of a condo complex, so you risk bumping elbows with co-workers, acquaintances, etc.

The 411: 485 Brickell Ave.; 305-503-4400; www.viceroymiami.com

Deals: Through Sept. 30, Florida residents get free valet parking, continental breakfast and a two-hour rental for a Vespa scooter. Stay at least two nights and get a $50 credit for hotel restaurants. Spa packages with six hours of treatments cost $592 for one night, room included, which the hotel says is a 50 percent savings. Rates start at $255.

W FORT LAUDERDALE

FORT LAUDERDALE

What's new: Easily the boldest Fort Lauderdale hotel yet, this 517-unit resort tries to bring South Beach chic to a beach better known for affordable rooms and an all-American atmosphere.

Best for: Anyone wanting a stylish take on Fort Lauderdale, or the chance to enjoy a South Beach experience at a discounted rate.

Public Spaces: Check out what could be the wildest pool in South Florida: on the third floor, the "human aquarium'' has clear walls, so as you walk up the stairs you'll have a view directly into the water.

Rooms: The showers are a bit naughty: most of them have glass walls facing the rest of the room. The closets are painted a pink designed to match the color of South Florida bougainvilleas. The standard rooms are decent sized, but be sure to ask for an upgrade into a suite. The price isn't that much higher this summer, and some have balconies large enough for a cocktail party.

Bragging Rights: The main restaurant, Steak 954, is by Stephen Starr, who also owns New York's popular Buddakan. Also: the spa hands out brownies.

Caveat Emptor: With more than 500 rooms, this is a big hotel. And the W chain takes pride in being popular hangouts, so avoid if you're looking for a place to have a quiet drink.

Details: 401 N. Fort Lauderdale Beach Blvd., Fort Lauderdale; 954-414-8200; www.starwoodhotels.com

Deals: Florida residents get 20 percent off best rate through December. Rates this summer start at $179.

W SOUTH BEACH

MIAMI BEACH

What's new: After demolishing the old Holiday Inn that once stood on this prime oceanfront location, developers launched a pricey condo-hotel resort operated by W, the Starwood chain designed for travelers who prefer boutique hotels. This 511-unit condo-hotel plans to compete at the top tier of South Beach's lodging market, with its indulgent philosophy and a playful spa.

Best for: Anyone wanting a luxurious beach vacation and who is willing to pay extra to stay in a stylish and fun spot.

Public spaces: This hotel is scheduled to open June 2, so we haven't toured it yet.

Rooms: These will likely be some of the best rooms on South Beach: as condo-hotels, they're large and boast kitchens.

Bragging rights: A rare newly built hotel right on the beach. Also, all W hotels are pet-friendly.

Caveat emptor: This opening has been delayed before, so have a back-up choice if you're booking for early June.

Details: 2201 Collins Ave., Miami Beach; 305-938-3000; www.starwoodhotels.com

Deals: This summer, Florida residents get 20 percent off and free parking. Rates start at $369.

WESTIN

FORT LAUDERDALE

What's new: This Lauderdale icon until recently went by the name of the Sheraton Yankee Trader. But Starwood decided to upgrade the brand and the property, spending $65 million to redo the 433 rooms and public areas into a Westin.

Best for: Anyone wanting an upscale place to vacation in Fort Lauderdale with the reliability of a solid brand like Westin.

Public spaces: The redone pool, with a stone waterfall and a thick cluster palm trees, scores big points when it comes to a shady, beachside oasis.

Rooms: Yankee Trader regulars will appreciate the new bathrooms -- with granite counters and upgraded showers as part of the chain's ''Heavenly Bath'' program. Ask for a ''Heavenly Dog Bed'' too if you're bringing your pet.

Bragging rights: Westin claims to have some of the comfiest hotel beds in the business.

Caveat emptor: You'll have to cross the street to get to the beach.

Details: 321 N. Fort Lauderdale Beach Blvd., Fort Lauderdale; 954-467-1111; www.westin .com/fortlauderdalebeach

Deals: Rates start at $134 (as long as you pay for your stay 21 days in advance). If you buy three nights at the Westin, you'll get a fourth free.

Miami Herald Travel Editor Jane Wooldridge contributed to this report.

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