Photography courtesy of Acqualina Resort & Spa

On a recent trip to Antigua, we decided to break up our flights a bit and make a stopover in Miami. If you haven’t done this before, it’s worth a try! We were so much more relaxed and ready to soak up the Antiguan sun after spending a day and night in Miami.

The stopover also gave us the luxury of staying at Miami Beach’s fantastic Acqualina Resort & Spa. Just north of South Beach, you get the quality beach time, the stunning views and the warm weather, minus the throngs of tourists at South Beach.

The hotel has a distinctly Mediterranean feel — decked in bright reds, creams and oranges, Acqualina also boasts 4.5 beachfront acres with 400 feet of stunning Atlantic Ocean coastline. If that’s not enough to tempt you to stay at the hotel, it also features 188 residences, 97 hotel rooms and suites, two oceanfront restaurants, and three oceanfront swimming pools, which can make the decision about where to lounge a bit difficult … poolside, or on the beach?

But let’s be honest, we’re definitely spa girls and what grabbed our attention the most was the 20,000-square-foot ESPA. With ocean views, 16 treatment rooms including a private spa suite for two, a private spa pool, saunas and steam rooms, we immediately booked ourselves in for treatments — a massage and a facial, both of which were perfect to help us unwind and ease into our relaxing vacay. Getting on an early flight the next morning wasn’t nearly so difficult.

WHERE TO FIND:
Acqualina Resort & Spa
17875 Collins Avenue, Miami Beach, FL; (866) 748-5324.
acqualinaresort.com