Miami Hotel Penthouse Suites

Got one night in Miami and thousands of bucks to burn? Spend the night on top of the world in one of Miami's poshest penthouses.

By Sara Liss

You just won the lottery. You just won the Super Bowl. You just won a settlement from Microsoft. There are plenty of reasons to stay in Miami's most posh penthouses - if you've got the cash.

With views of the ocean, the bay and the skyscrapers in between, Miami's stock of lavish top-floor rooms are equal parts mesmerizing, indulgent and above all, expensive. Whether you're looking for the ideal party pad or a private hideaway, here's how feel like a high-roller, if only for the night.

Setai
Possibly the most expensive hotel, period, on South Beach, the Setai's penthouse gets you a 6,000 square foot Zen-luxe room with an additional 4,000 square foot ocean front terrace, all for just $30,000 a night. The views from the 40th floor can best be enjoyed from the private "eternity" pool and jacuzzi on the terrace. The four-bedroom, 4-bath suite also includes a Steinway piano, a full-service kitchen and Setai amenities like butler service, Irish linens, a rainfall shower and a Bose surround-sound system. Hey, if it's good enough for Jay-Z and Beyonce, who partied there after MTV's Video Music Awards in Miami, it's good enough for you.
2001 Collins Ave., South Beach; 305-520-6100.

Shore Club
Nobody does a hot night in the tropics better than the Shore Club. After an evening in the hotel's swanky Skybar, head upstairs to the 6,000 square-foot triplex that includes a private elevator, two spiral staircases, a rooftop pool, steam room and sauna, outdoor shower and 360 degree panoramic views of the city and ocean. Stay by yourself for $15,000 a night, or host a swinging soirée for 25 large.
1901 Collins Ave., South Beach; 305-695-3100.

Raleigh
Stay in the room Uma Thurman and hotel-owner Andre Balazs canoodled in two years ago for about $10,000 a night during peak season. The L. Murray Dixon-designed Deco hotel features a two-story penthouse with three bedrooms (one with a wrap-around terrace) and baths, an ocean-view reflection pool and four terraces. The hotel's décor, inspired by "the life of an English gentleman abroad in the tropics," is undeniably dapper. If your bank account can't fund the full fantasy, settle for a drink by the Raleigh's gorgeous, Deco-era pool.
1775 Collins Ave., South Beach; 305-534-6300.

Mandarin Oriental
The Oriental Suite is the largest room the hotel, made truly special by a 20th floor terrace that affords dazzling views of the bay and downtown Miami. A private media room with theater-style seating, a piano, a fireplace and a dining room for eight complete the elegant 2,300 square-foot room. Floor-to-ceiling windows in the bathroom allow you to bathe in grandeur. At $5,500 it is the most luxurious room on the mainland.
500 Brickell Key Drive, Downtown Miami; 305-913-8288.

Sagamore
The "Art Hotel" penthouse lives up to its name with eclectic contemporary art pieces from the hotel owner's collection and a library stocked with art books, all accented with sleek white décor. Three bedrooms, marble floors, and a wrap-around 1,600 square foot terrace make this a perfect spot for Art Basel types. 42" plasma screen TVs and whirlpool tubs round out the amenities in this suite, all yours for just $5,000 a night.
1671 Collins Ave., South Beach; 305-535-8088. 

Bentley Beach Hotel
You'll feel as though you're actually walking on air into the ocean in this 3,500 square-foot presidential suite, tricked out with massive floor-to-ceiling windows. Both bedrooms open up to their own terrace and the full-service European kitchen makes the suite ideal for private dinners. A spiral staircase leads up to a 1,500 square foot split-level rooftop terrace with a private whirlpool overlooking the ocean. Located in the hip South of Fifth neighborhood in South Beach, it's miles away from the fray on Collins Avenue and Ocean Drive. And at these altitudes, the rate - $3,500 a night depending on the season - qualifies as a bargain.
101 Ocean Drive, South Beach; 305-938-4600. 

This penthouse has our toungues Setai-ed.