Nautilus Sonesta, Miami Beach
The Nautilus in Miami Beach is a true icon of the city’s golden age. Originally built in the 1950s, the property was designed by the legendary Morris Lapidus, often called the “Architect of Joy.” His signature style, which helped define the MiMo (Miami Modern) aesthetic, brought a sense of theatrical flair and optimistic elegance to this oceanfront gem on Collins Avenue.
The hotel is famous for its mid-century charm, featuring a distinct saltwater pool complete with an underwater sound system—a clever touch that remains a standout feature. After years as the Nautilus Sonesta, the property is currently undergoing a $40 million transformation. It is slated to reopen in late 2026 as the flagship property for “The James Hotels,” a new lifestyle brand that aims to blend the building’s historical soul with a fresh, contemporary perspective.
Location-wise, the hotel is perfectly positioned in the heart of South Beach. It sits just blocks away from the vibrant Lincoln Road Mall for shopping and the Miami Beach Convention Center for those visiting for events. For art lovers, the nearby Bass Museum offers a deep dive into contemporary works.
Whether lounging in a private poolside cabana or stepping directly onto the sands of South Beach, the hotel has always served as an intimate urban resort. With the upcoming renovation led by designers Anderson Miller, this landmark will soon re-emerge as a stylish gathering place that honors its legendary Lapidus roots while ushering in a new era of coastal luxury.
Expert reviews
“The recently restored Nautilus, on Collins Avenue, was originally built in the 1950s by the neo-Baroque architect Morris Lapidus. Its contemporary lobby features nods to the era, with semicircular velvet sofas and gilded accents. Behind it is a saltwater pool with a garden leading straight to the beach.”
Featured in New York Times’ 36 Hours in Miami.
“Nautilus by Arlo, located in the heart of South Beach’s Art Deco district on Collins Avenue, flaunts plenty of retro appeal. It boasts a chic oceanfront pool with a walkway shaded by a canopy of bamboo trees, a breezy Mediterranean restaurant and white-washed rooms with mirrored walls and vintage trunks as minibars.”
What guests liked
- Pool area
- Nice hotel
- Friendly staff
- Excellent Wifi
- Top location
- Comfortable beds
Location
Recent guest reviews
9 August 2025
Could be better
Nice location, but pool and beach opens late and closes too early.
Pool staff super nice
Room was very very dirty.
Staff is ok
Beach will close the umbrella on guests heads ( we saw it happening) when time to close comes.
6 August 2025
It was a good hotel but they should’ve downed their stay due to construction and not accommodating the pool.
The property felt very modern it was nice I liked how everything looked.
I didn’t like how small the bathroom was no counter space. There was so much construction at the hotel next to us we could hear jackhammers at our window. The pool was so hot you could barely swim in it and staff did nothing about it.
20 July 2025
Memorial Day 2025 weekend stay
Location was good
(Great beach location on Sunday because we had a great spot to watch Hyundai air show)
Front desk staff was very customer service oriented
Restaurant was good
Nice bamboo walkway to beach and secure door fit hotel guests
Isaac at the beach services was AWESOME - remembered our names all weekend - Kenny excellent too - all that staff worked hard - totally high level of customer service
Loved Nespresso machine in room
There was NO MENTION of the ugly view of construction next door which was half of our "ocean view" room. VERY disappointed with that - couldn't wait to see view and it was just surprising that there was no mention or consideration to us when choosing that hotel and room view.
Also the heavy equipment construction next door vibrated our room in the morning so much you could feel it in the bed - that woke us up.
Didn't think the bathroom was as clean as it should have been - shower had someone else's hair in various spots.
19 June 2025
Excellent location, excellent staff, great facilities.check status of building work nect door before booking
Amazing property but some heavy building work happening adjacent to the hotel which is disturbing at the pool.
The staff were amazing
14 June 2025
It was such a nice experience.
I like how clean the hotel is and how nice the staff is.
We had some problems with the water not heating up, but I called the front desk and they sent someone right away.
19 May 2025
Good stay with a lovely pool area
The hotel backed onto the beach which was great the pool and pool staff were lovely and helpful
The room was dated and bathroom was a little dirty the room did not feel 5*
12 May 2025
We had a great time with our young family
The distance from the beach, the lobby bar
Somewhat overpriced, would have liked to have an umbrella on the beach included in the price (given how expensive it already was, that would have been a nice gesture instead of asking for extras)…
8 May 2025
Good price for the area but definitely not a luxury experience or a hotel you want to spend too much time in.
Amazing location, decent sized rooms, good price to be right next to all the top hotels
The showers are horrible, not enough wardrobe space (even though they so had space in those rooms to add additional wardrobes), staff was so so - some were really nice and helpful and others weren’t so forthcoming
8 May 2025
We absolutely loved it here we had a short walk to the beach the children loved the pool it was not to deep and there’s
We absolutely loved it here we had a short walk to the beach the children loved the pool it was not to deep and there’s a baby pool that’s perfect for little ones the staff are all lovely and great help even putting your towels out when arriving hung at the pool good was fantastic could not fault it also the rooms are so clean
Nothing !!
4 May 2025
Enjoyed the staff and location but expected more for the price. The hotel definitely needs some updates. The bathtub was
Very friendly and accommodating staff
The size of the bathroom and the light was very dark in the bathroom. The common areas were very tired for the price.
27 April 2025
Great location and helpful staff but the pool area was a disappointment.
Great location and access to a private part of the beach were very good. Hotel beach staff were excellent.
The swimming pool area was a bit grubby and needs to be freshened up. The hallways were very dark although the room was bright and airy. The view was awful (a dirty rooftop).
26 April 2025
Thanks and can do better
Location and kindness of the personal
Rooms not so clean. And housekeeping not good
19 April 2025
Overall a great hotel in a beautiful location. Unfortunately the bad weather meant I couldn’t enjoy the facilities. Staf
Great hotel in Miami, wonderful staff, however the rooms are a little soulless
The room really lacked any vibe. It was spacious, but it seemed like wasted space. Luckily other things made up for this, however it was still overpriced
14 April 2025
Nice hotel, great location
Location was excellent and it was a lot cleaner and more comfortable than other hotels I have stayed in in the area.
Did feel it was overpriced for the standard, but that’s what you get in the area
5 April 2025
Good hotel, we will be back! BEWARE of the construction site (probably for 2 years from now)
- Good position
- The pool and the outdoor’s restaurant cannot be used during the day due to very loud noises coming from 2 (!!!) adiacent construction sites
- The staff is VERY kind and professional
- Good service at the beach
- Overall the hotel is good, we will probably come back
4 April 2025
Good location and nice staff
The hotel is in a great
Location with extremely nice staff. Unfortunately we were in a room right by the elevator and heard people talking and having a good time all night long.
4 April 2025
Okay but I’ve had a lot better value for money in other 5 star hotels.
The art deco era of style of the property and its layout.
We had to pay extra for sunbeds for 3 members of our group and the bikes were only free for 2h.
24 March 2025
We had to upgrade our room for a good experience but still not worth the price
Close to Miami Beach and easily accessible
Small rooms
14 March 2025
Decent lodging for central Miami Beach strip
Great location good restaurant
Older facility, paper thin walls, slow elevator, tired interiors
1 March 2025
Great location, attentive friendly staff, ,modern room
Pool, access to the beach, lobby , room , staff , food, location
Dark hallways .Need brighter look
27 February 2025
Too pricey for just for a few nights !
Proximity to the beach
Too much construction on either side of Hotel.
27 February 2025
Adequate and the best cost in expensive Miami Beach
Nautilus Sonesta is a decent hotel. The staff were friendly, the place was clean and had its own style. The aircon worked. It has good facilities. It's location on Miami Beach is great (although drivers beware of the horrendous traffic).
My reservations are around how the hotel features equate to the cost. The room was large but had a questionable layout - mine had a whole section with sofas but a tiny, tiny bathroom. The bathroom could have easily been expanded without losing any of the other room features or reducing its utility. The bar was decent but a little soulless. Not because of the people I don't think - maybe the feeling that it was the lobby. I didn't get a chance to visit the pool.
25 February 2025
Great location, decent hotel in Miami Beach
Location is great
Staff all very friendly
View from room was terrible, no ocean front double queens.
Bathroom is very small with no storage or shelf space
If you have 4 guests you should have 4 lounges at the beach included and not have to pay for etc.
Rented bikes, supposed the get 2 free hours, valet could have helped as he saw us renting them to share a supposed code to get the free hours instead he just watched and told us after the fact with no way to refund us.
20 February 2025
This is a nice hotel with great service but tiny rooms and non-functional elevators.
The beach was great. The staff on the beach was helpful and friendly. Isaac made us feel right at home, remembered our names each day, went out of his way for us. The service overall was very good.
The rooms were small. The two queen room had minimal space. Also, they have two small elevators. One was out of service the entire time I was there. The other was out of service for a few hours one day. I had to walk up and down the stairs to my 6th floor room. I don't mind the exercise but not exactly what I'm looking to do in flip flops and a bathing suit after the beach. Even with two working elevators, there are too many people trying to use them. Kind of a deal breaker for me in the future.
12 February 2025
Miami Beach vibe at its best
Hotel is situated in the heart of Miami Beach so you can't get anything better. Swimming pool, direct access to the beach, valey parking, dinning - all delivered at the highest quality. Comfy beds and spacious room! I like the lobby bar and nice/modern style of decoration inside. IMHO posh ;)
Bathroom is extremely small, no single shelf for a toiletry bag. No proper ventilation so steam covers the mirror and you need to be very careful once shaving :)
Plus through out the whole stay we were given 3 towel in stead of 4 even I had been asking every single day.
6 February 2025
It is a perfectly nice hotel but is absolutely not a five star hotel.
The hotel is a perfectly nice hotel but it is certainly not a five star hotel. Clean and tidy
The coffee was not replenished. The water was not replenished
Hotel facilities
Food & Drink
- - Restaurant
- - Bar
- - Breakfast in the room
- - Snack bar
- - Special diet menus (on request)
- - Kids' meals (additional charge)
- - Wine/champagne (additional charge)
- - Fruits (additional charge)
- - Coffee house on site
General
- - Room service
- - Non-smoking rooms
- - Facilities for disabled guests
- - Family rooms
- - Lift
- - Safety deposit box
- - Heating
- - Non-smoking throughout
- - Air conditioning
- - Designated smoking area
Business facilities
- - Meeting/banquet facilities (additional charge)
Reception services
- - 24-hour front desk
- - Express check-in/check-out
- - Luggage storage
- - ATM/cash machine on site
- - Concierge service
- - Lockers
Activities
- - Fitness centre
- - Golf course (within 3 km) (additional charge)
- - Fishing (additional charge)
- - Massage (additional charge)
- - Windsurfing (additional charge)
- - Canoeing (additional charge)
- - Hiking
- - Cycling
- - Diving (additional charge)
- - Snorkelling (additional charge)
- - Private beach area
- - Beachfront
- - Spa/wellness packages
- - Fitness
- - Yoga classes
- - Fitness/spa locker rooms
- - Beach
- - Bicycle rental
Outdoors
- - Garden
- - Terrace
- - Outdoor pool
- - Sun terrace
- - Outdoor pool (all year)
- - Outdoor furniture
Cleaning services
- - Laundry (additional charge)
- - Dry cleaning (additional charge)
- - Ironing service (additional charge)
- - Trouser press (additional charge)
Parking
- - Parking garage
- - Accessible parking
Pool and wellness
- - Salt-water pool
- - Pool bar
- - Sun loungers or beach chairs
- - Swimming pool
Miscellaneous
- - 24-hour security
- - Key card access
- - Security alarm
- - Smoke alarms
- - CCTV in common areas
- - Fire extinguishers
- - Breakfast takeaway containers
- - Delivered food is securely covered
- - Access to health care professionals
- - Thermometers for guests provided by property
- - Face masks for guests available

More photos

17 August 2025
The lobby was nice and fancy but the rooms are old
Most of the rooms look at the side wall god the adjacent hotel