Waterfront destinations are increasingly popular for travelers seeking relaxing summer escapes, romantic retreats, family vacations or adventurous getaways. We’ve rounded up the ultimate list of hotels with postcard-like water views, blending comfort and natural beauty to make any stay memorable.
Chicago
The Ritz-Carlton, Chicago – Lake Michigan
Set within the landmark Water Tower Place, The Ritz-Carlton, Chicago offers stunning water views of Chicago’s Gold Coast from anywhere on the property. The hotel features 400 sophisticated rooms, suites and luxury accommodations, including Lake View Rooms, where guests can gaze out at Lake Michigan and Navy Pier from their beds. Guests can also soak up lakeside views from the 12th-floor Rooftop at Torali, a chic, casual lounge for handcrafted cocktails, Italian-inspired bites and shared plates.
Florida Panhandle
Hotel Effie Sandestin – Private Beach
The shimmering Gulf and its glistening white sand draw in huge crowds, but the private beach at the exclusive Hotel Effie allows guests to unwind to the sound of crashing waves in luxury beach chairs, where they can request light bites and cocktails from the hotel’s beach concierge. Beach games and water sports are also available for hotel guests to enjoy. The hotel offers 250 guest rooms and suites, some featuring views of the living shorelines of Choctawhatchee Bay, which can also be seen from Hotel Effie’s Ara Rooftop Pool & Lounge.
Sandestin Golf and Beach Resort – The Emerald Coast
Located on the Emerald Coast between Santa Rosa Beach and Destin, Sandestin Golf and Beach Resort features over seven miles of powdery white-sand beaches. Guests can enjoy balconies with panoramic views, relaxing beachfront pools, direct access to the beach and incredible sunsets from this beautiful slice of paradise. Sandestin’s Beachside I & II and Westwinds towers have a range of fully furnished accommodation options, from studios to four-bedroom condos, overlooking the Gulf Coast. The resort also offers select vacation rentals via Homes & Villas by Marriott Bonvoy. Highlights include a coastal 2-bedroom condo at Westwinds and a gulf-front 3-bedroom condo at Beachside II.
The Pensacola Beach Resort – Gulf Coast
The bayfront Pensacola Beach Resort offers exclusive views of pristine beaches along the Gulf Coast. The hotel features 161 guest rooms, including 24 Corner King Executive Rooms with wrap-around balconies that provide panoramic vistas from sunrise to sunset. Guests can also soak up the views at the hotel’s beach bar, The Salty Rose, which serves fresh bites and drinks, beach games and live music on the sand.
Miami & Miami Beach
The Gabriel South Beach
The Gabriel South Beach is a boutique oceanfront property centrally located on Ocean Drive, directly across from South Beach. The property has two pools, including a showstopping, glass-bottom rooftop pool overlooking the Atlantic Ocean. Guests can bask in the suites that embrace the ocean breeze and picturesque views.
The Elser Hotel
The Elser Hotel is a vibrant 49-story luxury tower in Downtown Miami offering residential-style accommodations with unobstructed bay views, floor-to-ceiling windows and walkout balconies. Select studios and multi-bedroom suites showcase panoramic vistas of Biscayne Bay, PortMiami, MacArthur Causeway and South Beach. The hotel’s 19,000-square-foot rooftop pool deck features a 132-foot resort-style pool, private lounge areas, a full bar and a massive hot tub, all with sweeping water and skyline views. Guests can relax on the event lawn or yoga deck, both overlooking the bay. Meeting spaces, including the Biscayne Room, have floor-to-ceiling windows with bayfront views, blending business with a scenic backdrop.
The Betsy – South Beach
The Betsy is a 130-room, family-owned and -operated, boutique oceanfront resort located within South Beach’s Art Deco Historic District, just steps from the shimmering waters of the Atlantic Ocean. The celebrated resort boasts panoramic ocean views from the Rooftop Pool Deck, Oceanfront Deck and Skyline Deck. Select guest rooms, such as the Royal Ocean Suite and the Skyline Penthouse, also offer oceanfront views.
The Goodtime Hotel
The Goodtime Hotel, Miami Beach, a Tribute Portfolio Hotel is a boutique hotel located in a central, historic section of South Beach just a few blocks away from the beach. Designed by internationally acclaimed designer Ken Fulk, the seven-story property spans an entire city block and comprises 266 stylish rooms. Views of the glimmering Atlantic Ocean can be seen from select room categories, including the expansive Arigato Suite, a 1,600-square-foot, ocean-view oasis with a king bed, a living room, an oversized primary bathroom, a half-bathroom and a fully stocked wet bar.
Hotel Continental Miami Beach
Originally established in 1948, the newly renovated Hotel Continental, a Tapestry Collection by Hilton property, is a boutique lifestyle hotel located on Collins Avenue in Miami Beach’s historic Collins Waterfront Architectural District. This five-story, 100-room property offers king and queen suites with partial views of the Atlantic Ocean, placing guests just steps from the beach and scenic waterfront Beachwalk.
Cadillac Hotel & Beach Club, Autograph Collection
Located along the iconic Beachwalk in the heart of Miami Beach’s Mid-Beach neighborhood, Cadillac Hotel & Beach Club, Autograph Collection is a 357-room oceanfront resort inspired by the glamour and sophistication of the 1940s European Riviera. Many of the luxurious suites offer views of the sparkling blue Atlantic, located just behind the hotel. Guests can also take in the ocean breeze at either of the hotel’s two pools.
Florida Keys
The Marker Key West Harbor Resort
The Marker Key West Harbor Resort is ideally located on the Key West Historic Seaport, just steps from lively Duval Street and Mallory Square. Named for Mile Marker 0, the famous Key West photo op that depicts the “end of the road” for U.S. Highway 1, this modern waterfront resort invites guests to escape the mainland mentality with a selection of suites with serene harbor views. Guests can sit out on their balconies and bask in the Key West breeze while enjoying a good book and the calming ambience of the seaport.
Naples
The Perry Hotel Naples
The Perry Hotel Naples is a boutique, 160-room resort featuring world-class amenities, including a ground-level pool, a sophisticated adults-only rooftop pool, a 24/7 fitness center and an upscale fashion boutique. Hotel guests can also enjoy a range of distinctive food and beverage venues, including Tigress, the signature Cantonese-fusion rooftop restaurant from Chef Dale Talde, and Easy Tiger, the seventh-floor rooftop bar from mixologist icon Lynnette Marrero with unmatched panoramic water views. Boasting a modern industrial design with local touches, the hotel overlooks the Cocohatchee River and has direct channel access to the Gulf and Wiggins State Park. The property also has easy access to the river through its nature conservation area and includes an expansive pier, featuring a scenic marina with eight boat slips. Additional highlights include a two-story lobby, a neighborhood coffee bar and a casual tapas eatery.
Address: 12155 Tamiami Trail N., Naples, FL 34110
St. Petersburg
SkyBeach Resort
SkyBeach Resort, a newly reimagined beachfront hotel on the southern tip of St. Petersburg, Florida, offers stunning water views of the Gulf and the iconic Sunshine Skyway Bridge. Formerly the Polynesian-themed Outrigger Inn, the property blends Old Florida charm with modern amenities. Guests can savor creative cocktails and elevated favorites at SkyBar + Grille, a two-story beachfront restaurant, or enjoy vibrant live performances at Azibi Stage, the resort’s beachfront entertainment venue. Coffee lovers will appreciate Paradeco Coffee Roasters, the second outpost of St. Petersburg’s beloved café, serving artisanal coffee in a chic setting. With a state-of-the-art marina featuring 29 boat slips, a private beachfront with cabanas, and two pools, SkyBeach is a love letter to St. Pete’s culture and a premier destination for elevated coastal getaways.
New York City
Arlo Williamsburg – East River
Located in North Brooklyn, with Manhattan just over the bridge, Arlo Williamsburg stands at the nexus of history and history in the making. This eight-story hotel combines the neighborhood’s eclectic style with unmatched service and panache. From the hotel’s Water Tower Bar or ART Rooftop pool, guests can enjoy a variety of social experiences overlooking the East River with stunning views of Manhattan’s skyline just beyond the bridge. Arlo Williamsburg is not just a hotel; it’s the perfect getaway spot for an unforgettable urban adventure encapsulating all that New York has to offer.
Myrtle Beach
The Ellie Beach Resort
The Ellie Beach Resort in Myrtle Beach offers unparalleled oceanfront tranquility, making it a top choice for travelers seeking breathtaking water views. Spacious ocean-view rooms and suites frame the sparkling Atlantic, ideal for family vacations, beach escapes or group getaways. Guests can soak in the beauty of the coast from the resort’s outdoor pool or enjoy year-round serenity at the indoor pool. Dining with a view is a highlight at Ocean Blue, serving American cuisine, and Southern Tide Bar & Grill, a charming spot perched on the Springmaid Pier with stunning panoramas of Myrtle Beach’s iconic shoreline.
