Melany Ramsay from The Ritz-Carlton, South Beach, Miami shares her picks around The Magic City.

When friends are in town, I take them for a drink at…

Area 31 Bar & Restaurant at Epic Hotel in Downtown Miami. I don’t recommend the restaurant but the al fresco bar on the 16th floor – with the best views of Miami – is where locals go after work.

For business meetings I always book a table at…

Bistro One LR in South Beach. The food and service are excellent and it has booths that seat up to six people – ideal when you need privacy.

The restaurant that best shows off Miami is…

Ola in South Beach. It’s a Latin American place with a Cuban chef. Its signature roasted Cuban pork is amazing.

A restaurant locals love is…

Lagniappe House in Midtown. I’ve only ever seen locals there. Buy a bottle of wine when you walk in then take it outside to the courtyard with mismatched tables and chairs and enjoy it with a charcuterie plate.

Kick on after dinner at…

Liv at the Fontainebleau hotel. It’s the biggest, wildest nightclub, with internationally known DJs.

My favourite breakfast place is…

The Front Porch Café in South Beach – it has pancakes on its menu until 6pm. We’re not very good at breakfast because people in this city party late and never get up in time. 

For the best coffee in town, head to…

Versailles, a classic old-school Cuban restaurant. It has a window onto the street where you buy the most incredible Cuban coffee. 

If you want to go to the markets, don’t miss…

The Wynwood Art Walk in the Wynwood neighbourhood on the second Saturday of each month. Galleries and museums stay open and food trucks sell everything from empanadas to Venezuelan treats like arepas.

For vintage shopping, make your way to…

Fly Boutique in MIMO District. It has amazing handbags, dresses, jewellery and one-of-a-kind vintage pieces.

The best place for a memento or gift is…

Coco Bella in the Coral Gables neighbourhood. It’s a small shop and has a huge selection of really quirky gifts – candles, wine glasses and kitchen knick-knacks.

Couples looking for a romantic experience should go to… 

The Standard Spa, an art-deco hotel with an incredible spa far removed from all the chaos of South Beach. You also get a day pass to enjoy its pool, which is on the edge of Biscayne Bay.

When it’s raining…

You can spend a whole day at the Sawgrass Mills. It’s a huge factory outlet.

For a great day-trip…

Rent a convertible and head to Key Largo, one of the closest sections of the Florida Keys to Miami. Do a snorkelling tour complete with cocktails on the boat.

Experience the city’s most exciting outdoor experience… 

By renting a jet ski and exploring Miami from the water. You can drive it yourself – it’s really easy and quick to learn.

For the best indoor experience…

Watch a basketball game when Miami Heat are playing. There’s a match every couple of days during the season, which runs from December to April.

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