Cardozo Hotel South Beach

Me and my wife went there on a second honeymoon and really enjoyed the Cardozo hotel. Beautiful art deco hotel, well kept and clean. The staff was courteous and helpful. We were received by Ivan and Ceeara who invited us a glass of wine and welcomed us which was very nice.

Starting with first impressions. After a very long day of travelling from the UK, I found when I arrived the customer service to be lack lustre. There were two members of staff at the desk; one who was checking me in and the other stood the other side. They continued to converse in Spanish with one another and did not engage me in conversation. It felt a little intimidating, almost as if I was being spoken about. I think improvement in customer service is needed.

The room; clean, comfortable, everything I needed. The shower took a while to warm up and the water pressure wasn’t great. The hotel is noisy. You can hear conversations in corridors and other rooms. I was on the second floor and above me also there was a lot of stomping.

Location; great location. Situated in the heart of ocean drive, very close to the beach, surrounded by lots of restaurants and a vibrant community.

Would I return? Likely yes, but I do think customer service skills need addressing. I found it quite intimidating to be talked over during the check in process and other occasions at the desk.

Have reviewed over 300 hotels all over the world so I am pretty particular and are not easily wowed. We travelled most of the year in hotels on Europe, USA, and Caribbean.
I do not recommend this hotel for many reasons.
1. Some days no hot water, half the time 5 minute wait to get warm water, but never gets really hot.
2. $40 resort fee added to your bill. They said that covered WIFI and bicycles
3. They have 5 bicycles. They said they are not rented often. The first hour is free, she then said that it is a $50/hour charge after that. You can rent bicycles from the CITI bike stands for $24 for the whole day and less per hour.
4. They charge you $100/day for incidentals, but will return money if inspection of room yields no damage. Mini bar items are charged to this, including a small bottle of water for $10.00. Everything is very expensive.
5. Front desk personnel do not welcome you when you enter. Playing with phone, working on computer, no one else there but you walking in or out. Most were young 20 year olds that had trouble understanding and speaking English
6. When I encountered workers in the hotel no one said hello or frankly smiled.
7. Windows dirty with paint on them (see pictures). Asked 5 times to get them cleaned. No action, no feedback, just crickets
8. Rooms very plain with blank walls. No pictures on the walls.
9. It is nice that they play music until after 1100 in front of the hotel. It is very loud. It is like living over a night club. Don’t get a room in front of the hotel if you want to hear yourself think in your room.
10. Every week after I made the reservation I would receive advertisements to buy this or that, or upgrade rooms, etc. A bit annoying. After staying there Facebook advertisements come up a few times a day.
11. If you want to add breakfast to your room you have to do it when you make your reservation. You cannot add in on check in like other hotels.
12. Rooms were clean and cleaned by maids, Hallways were neat.

Service and cleanliness on point. will definitely be back! thanks ciara and delvis for helping us with boarding passes and transportation!

The hotel was good. Our room was larger than expected. The staff were nice. Beds were very comfortable. Cleaners came each day and did a good job.

A few things to consider:

No lobby to sit in but there are tables outside where you can sit.

Our room faced an alley with an area for garbage and it was loud at night and in the morning due to people dealing with the trash.

We were near a housekeeping area and got lots of noise from the staff in the morning. Also try to be far away from the ice machine. It was very noisy early in the early morning one day.

If you borrow a bike bring your own helmet, bell and light if these are things you would like. A bell is very useful as it is a crowded area.

Bring soap for the bathroom sink. It isn’t provided.

Windows didn’t open and no individual control over AC.

For beach chairs, you borrow ones that you carry to the beach.

I was really happy with my stay at the Cardozo. You can tell how clean the place is as soon as you walk in. I especially loved hanging out in the courtyard at night the chairs and lights made it a cool area. The front desk staff was super helpful and even though the girl who checked me in was in training, everything went smoothly. Shoutout to Emma and Kiara for doing a great job!!
Made good use of the bikes, nice touch

Disappointing Stay at the Cardozo Hotel — Much Lower Than Expected

We planned our wedding for the week of October 31st and wanted an intimate celebration with just 20 family and friends. As Miami locals, we walk past the Cardozo almost every weekend during our power walk and have stopped in several times over the years for drinks and food at the Estefan Kitchen. We’ve always admired the charm of the property, so we chose it as the hotel for our six guest couples joining us for the weekend. Unfortunately, the experience fell far short of what we expected — and certainly below the standards the Cardozo projects.

When we arrived on Thursday evening, October 30th, there was no valet on duty. Inside, the front desk attendant (possibly Kimberly) informed us there was no bellman working — and surprisingly, not even a luggage cart available for guest use. We had to carry our own bags through the lobby. This set the tone for a weekend filled with service shortcomings.

On Friday, after our ceremony, our group gathered on the terrace to relax. After sitting for about 30 minutes without being greeted or offered menus, a staff member named Augustina abruptly informed us that the terrace was only for restaurant patrons and insisted we move to the back patio, where smokers congregate. Despite politely explaining that we were hotel guests and had already been seated, her tone was curt and unwelcoming. When we asked for menus, they took nearly an hour to arrive — long after the moment was ruined.

Throughout our stay, we repeatedly encountered poor service. Our room keys stopped working Sunday morning. Although the front desk fixed them, a security guard rudely ordered us and other guests out of the elevator without explanation or courtesy. Again, no valet was available despite signage suggesting otherwise.

Maintenance was also an issue: a screw came loose from the floor, and the shower gel dispenser fell off the wall overnight. We reported both on Saturday morning, but neither was fixed by Sunday checkout.

We also asked the front desk twice to have a manager call us about these concerns. Both times we were told no manager was on duty but that a message would be passed along. We never received a call during our stay. After returning home, we even sent a personal note to Gloria Estefan — but received no response to that either.

The only positive experience was a kind, professional server at the Estefan Kitchen who provided breakfast on Saturday. Beyond that, the stay was consistently disappointing — especially given the Cardozo’s reputation and ownership.

Future guests should know that the restaurant, lobby bar, and front terrace are not accessible to hotel guests unless dining there, despite how the property markets itself. Transparency would help set expectations appropriately.

Our wedding weekend was otherwise beautiful, but the Cardozo was undeniably the low point. The hotel has potential, but it suffers from poor management, inattentive service, and a lack of basic guest care.

If you choose to stay here, significantly lower your expectations.

Travel solo for work a lot and always ask the front desk for bar recs. Chiara recommended medium Cool bar, and it was awesome. Solid drinks and good music, perfect vibe. Also, hit up Call Me Cuban for food. it was fire. Hotel’s in a great spot too, everything’s close. No complaints!

First of all the cleanliness is impecable, that is a huge deal for me. We did have a lil issue at the beginning with our reservation but we worked it out. Chiara who then we got to talk to after resolving things was very kind and helpful and she gave us her email to handle my future reservation herself! those details make one feel special so shout out to her.
loved our stay! will be back

We had such a wonderful time during our recent trip to Miami! From the moment we arrived, the staff made us feel completely welcome. Everyone was so friendly, helpful, and genuinely cared about making sure our stay was perfect.

Our room was spotless, comfortable, and had a beautiful view — the perfect place to relax after spending the day out in the sun. Housekeeping kept everything immaculate, and the small touches throughout our stay really made a difference.

The location couldn’t have been better — just steps away from the beach, great restaurants, and all the energy of South Beach. We also loved how peaceful and well-kept the hotel felt despite being in the heart of everything.

A special thank-you to the entire team for their hospitality and kindness. You truly made our Miami getaway unforgettable. We’re already looking forward to coming back!

We highly recommend this hotel for your next Miami getaway trip. You will absolutely love the hotel, location and the Cardozo team. Simply magnificent!

Beautiful room, friendly staff, close to everything on the strip

I can’t say enough great things about this hotel. I had an issue with my booking agency, completely outside of the hotel’s control, but when the staff found out, they went above and beyond to make it right. They personally delivered a bottle of wine, a VIP card to a local restaurant, and a handwritten note to my room. The staff were incredibly friendly, professional, and genuinely cared about making my stay perfect.

I travel a lot for my job and stay in hotels at least every other week, and the hospitality here is truly next level. The hotel itself was beautiful, comfortable, and welcoming, but it’s the outstanding team that made my stay unforgettable. I will absolutely be back!

10/8/25
|I stayed before and after my Celebrity cruise.
Hotel allowed me to pay for an extra night in advance (Sat-Sun) so that when we disembarked at 8am Sunday - i could check right into my room. First class service - I will only stay here any time I come to South Beach

Good stay

The place is clean, in a great area and good atmosphere.
Foods and desserts of this restaurants are amazing, hoghly recommended

Hospitable Staff, loved all the amenities. The best coffee offered daily to guests. Love towel and beach chairs included. This is our new place

Great history.

Very clean, easy to locate on ocean drive. More info needed on where to go for breakfast. Low shower pressure and only warm water (the building is 100 years old). Very nicely renovated! Language barrier. Would definitely return though!

Everything was fantastic!!

The worst experience trying to get my deposit back. If you want to get sleep the party doesn’t end in the bar downstairs until the next day! I wonder if anyone else has experienced this I would love to know!!!