HotelChatter

1. Gansevoort South
The long-awaited sister to New York's Gansevoort Hotel finally opened in March 2008 and while there has been some drama at the hotel (delays, fires, a criminal chef), the hotel is fully opened and ready for the season.

2. Angler's Resort Boutique Hotel
This year-old small boutique hotel is a block away from the beach on Washington Avenue and room rates can get pricey but the hotel won the Hotel Opening of the Year Award as well as a Traveler's Choice Award on TripAdvisor.

3. W South Beach
The W South Beach is expected to open in March 2009 literally just steps away from the Gansevoort South. Hopefully, W can go beyond their standard hotel offerings to fit in with the colorful and exciting Miami scene.

4. Fontainebleau
A $1 billion renovation on the historic Fontainebleau is set to be officially completed by mid-November. Until then, the resort's Tresor and Sorrento Towers are open with room rates as cheap as $192 a night. But remember, the place is only half-open.

5. Mondrian South Beach
Another long-awaited property will open its doors on November 18th. This hotel will also have residences, an elaborate pool area, an Agua spa, and an Asia de Cuba restaurant. Expect the Marcel Wanders-designed interiors to blow away the boutique hotel competition.

6. Canyon Ranch Miami
Health nuts looking to detox will finally have a place to do so in Miami. From the famous retreat in Arizona comes this sister hotel in the old Carillon Hotel on Collins Ave. The hotel will open on October 16th with 150 rooms, its signature Wellness spa and the spartan, health food menu of its Canyon Ranch Grill.

7. Epic Hotel, a Kimpton Hotel
This hotel overlooking Biscayne Bay will be like a Kimpton Amusement Park with 414-rooms, two swimming pools, 11,000 square feet of meeting space, a poolside lounge and an open-air nightclub. It's tentatively set for a December 2008 opening, although we're skeptical.

8. Cipriani Ocean Resort
This condo-hotel from the Cipriani family, known for their swanky NYC eateries, is on track (we guess) for mid-2009. The hotel will be created out of the old Saxony Hotel and feature 209 suites with water views, beachfront access, a spa, a Cipriani restaurant, three outdoor pools and a ballroom.

9. Tempo Miami, a RockResort Hotel
The Tempo is set to open on April 15, 2009 on the site of the old Eleven Biscayne next to the American Airlines arena and will be more residential than hotel as the hotel's 56 guest rooms are dwarfed by the 300+ residential units. Nevertheless, guests can expect city and bay views, a spa and a restaurant called Amuse.

10. Regent Bal Harbour
When this hotel opened in March, we were kind of put off by its special opening rates of $775 a night. But if it's a luxe stay you are looking for and you have no money invested in Wall Street whatsoever, you should find what you are looking for here. The hotel has killer views, loads of high-tech guestroom amenities and is a few Christian Louboutin heel-clicks away from the ritzy Shoppes at Bal Harbour.

Got a question or a suggestion or even better, a review of these hotels? Send it to us here.

[Photo: Sap Beast]