Surfside or Bal Harbour: Where to Stay
Surfside or Bal Harbour for a luxury stay? A private villa in a small beach town, or a private residence within St. Regis Bal Harbour. Who each suits, and how to book.
Surfside and Bal Harbour sit side by side at the north end of Miami Beach. Both are quiet, both are on the ocean, and both suit a luxury stay. The real choice is the kind of stay you want: a whole private house in a small beach town, or a private residence within a five-star resort across the street from the Bal Harbour Shops. Here is how we help guests decide, after 5 years of arranging stays in both.
Short answer. Choose Surfside for a family villa, a garden and a walk to shul. Choose Bal Harbour for resort service, the Shops and a residence that is ready the moment you arrive. Still torn? We can hold both while you decide.
Surfside in one minute
Surfside is a small town of low buildings and calm residential streets, with the beach on one side and the bay on the other. Harding Avenue is the main street: cafes, bakeries, kosher restaurants and markets, all on foot. Most days feel slow in the best way. Children ride bikes, families walk to the sand, and the evening crowd is local.
The homes are what bring most of our guests here. Many of the best Surfside houses are Off-market: the owners do not list them publicly, and they are shared on request once we know your dates and your group. See Surfside luxury villa rentals for how that works.
Bal Harbour in one minute
Bal Harbour is a small village of oceanfront towers and bayside homes, with the Bal Harbour Shops at its center. It feels polished and calm: valet at the door, beach service on the sand, and some of the best shopping in South Florida across the street. Haulover Park and the inlet sit just to the north.
Here our guests usually stay in one of two ways. The first is a private residence within St. Regis Bal Harbour, arranged through direct owner relationships, with residences from 1 to 4 bedrooms available on request. The second is a private home, through our Bal Harbour luxury villa rentals. For apartments and condos in the village, see Bal Harbour luxury apartments.
Surfside and Bal Harbour, side by side
| Surfside | Bal Harbour | |
|---|---|---|
| Feel | Small beach town, local cafes, quiet streets | Resort towers, designer shopping, beach service |
| Best stay | A private villa for a family or a group | A private St. Regis residence, 1 to 4 bedrooms, or a villa |
| Space | Bedrooms, pool and garden, all your own | Residence plus the building amenities your residence includes |
| Kosher | Kosher dining on Harding Avenue; villas within walking distance of a synagogue | A few minutes from Surfside; private kosher chef on request |
| Shopping | Boutiques on Harding Avenue | The Bal Harbour Shops, across the street |
| Best for | Families, groups, longer stays | Couples, small families, shoppers |
Who should choose Surfside
- Larger families and groups. A house gives everyone a bedroom, plus a pool and a garden for the children.
- Observant families. We look for Surfside villas within walking distance of a synagogue, kasher the villa kitchen before you arrive, and arrange a private kosher chef or supervised kosher catering.
- Longer stays. After a week or two, a house simply feels more like home than a suite does.
- Guests who like to walk. The beach, Harding Avenue and Bal Harbour are all on foot.
Who should choose Bal Harbour
- Couples and small families. A private residence at St. Regis Bal Harbour gives you a real home, with resort pools, beach service and dining where your residence includes them.
- Shoppers. The Bal Harbour Shops are across the street, and we can arrange private shopping appointments with the boutiques.
- Short trips. Everything is ready on arrival. Shorter stays, including under 30 nights, are possible; dates and length are confirmed with the owner.
- Two couples traveling together. A residence with two or three bedrooms keeps everyone under one roof.
A residence or a villa?
This is the question behind the question. A residence within St. Regis Bal Harbour is a privately owned home inside the resort. You arrive through the same entrance as hotel guests, and you have a kitchen, living space and a terrace over the Atlantic. Residences are available from 1 to 4 bedrooms, including the six Atlantic Suites on floors 5 to 10, each with two bedrooms. We confirm which building amenities come with your residence before you book. LUXTERIA is not affiliated with St. Regis; every residence is arranged with its owner.
A villa is a whole house: your own pool, your own garden, your own front door. In Surfside that usually means a quiet street a short walk from the beach. It suits bigger groups, longer stays and anyone who wants space more than service. Browse our wider luxury villa rentals in Miami to see the range.
If you cannot decide, tell us the size of the group and the one thing that matters most. The answer usually becomes clear in a single conversation.
Kosher stays in Surfside and Bal Harbour
Surfside is a favorite for observant families, and Bal Harbour is a few minutes away. We arrange the parts of the stay that matter most:
- Villas within walking distance of the synagogue you choose, with the walk confirmed before you book.
- Kashering the villa kitchen before you arrive.
- A private kosher chef or supervised kosher catering, for a quiet dinner or a full week of meals.
- Passover villa packages, with the kitchen kashered for Pesach.
- Kosher food on board for a yacht day.
More options are in our guide to kosher villas in Miami.
Getting around
Both towns are easy without a car for daily life. Surfside is flat and walkable, and the beach path connects it to Bal Harbour. For airport runs and dinners in Miami Beach or the Design District, we arrange a chauffeur. Miami International and Fort Lauderdale airports are each a drive of roughly 30 to 45 minutes, traffic depending. Yacht days leave from nearby marinas, so a morning on the water fits easily into either stay.
Can’t decide? Hold both
Send your dates and your group. We can hold a private residence within St. Regis Bal Harbour and share Off-market villa options in Surfside at the same time, so you choose with real availability in front of you. Rates on request. A person replies within 15 minutes, 24/7.
LUXTERIA Concierge has been in Miami for 5 years and has 97 Google reviews at 5.0. As featured in Forbes.
Call +1 305-465-5555, message us on WhatsApp, or use the inquiry form.
Frequently asked questions
Is Surfside or Bal Harbour better for families?
For a larger family, Surfside, because a private villa gives you separate bedrooms, a pool and outdoor space. For a family of three or four who want hotel-style service, a private residence within St. Regis Bal Harbour is often easier. Residences there range from 1 to 4 bedrooms, on request.
How far apart are Surfside and Bal Harbour?
They are next to each other. Bal Harbour begins where Surfside ends, at the north end of Miami Beach, and the drive between them takes a few minutes.
Can I stay within walking distance of a synagogue?
Yes. Surfside and the streets next to Bal Harbour have several well-known congregations. Tell us which synagogue you want, and we look for villas within walking distance of it and confirm the walk before you book.
Are your St. Regis residences part of the hotel?
They are privately owned residences within St. Regis Bal Harbour, arranged through direct owner relationships, not through the hotel. LUXTERIA is not affiliated with St. Regis.
Is there a minimum stay?
It depends on the home. At St. Regis Bal Harbour, shorter stays, including under 30 nights, are possible; dates and length of stay are confirmed with the owner. For villas, we confirm the minimum stay and the house rules for each home in writing before you book.
How do I book?
Send your dates, your group and what matters most by WhatsApp, phone or the inquiry form. A person replies within 15 minutes, 24/7, with options. Rates are on request.
