Miami

This coastal playground brims with beach parties, jet skis, yachts and convertibles. The pictures of Miami in travel magazines don't lie – it’s fun, fast-paced, and awash with money, models and a South Beach scene in which celebrities are legion. Just to ensure the only decision you have to make while you're there is which cocktail to try next, let us know what you're interested in and we'll put together bespoke suggestions we know you'll love. Don’t forget that the hurricane season runs from June until September.

'Known as ‘the Gateway to the Americas’, Miami is energetic, diverse and heavily infused with that colourful Latin spirit. To experience this first hand, head to Little Havana. Located on Calle Ocho, or SW Eighth Street, there is a definite feel that you have stepped off one continent and onto another. Everyone greets each other in Spanish, so it helps to learn a few phrases before you go. For authentic Cuban cuisine, Versailles is the place to visit. Serving up great Ropa Vieja and Cuban sandwiches, it’s a good spot for people-watching. Also check out Maximo Gomez Park (known locally as Domino Park) to see the older generation playing the ancient game and discussing the issues of the day. For cigar aficionados, pay a visit to El Credito Cigar Factory to see world-class cigars being expertly rolled, and pick up a souvenir you know is just going to go up in smoke.'

Matthew Jenkins – travel writer

What we can do for members in Miami

• Arrange VIP entry to an exclusive fashion after-party in South Beach.
• Book courtside seats to see Miami Heat shoot some hoops in a basketball game.
• Hire a convertible to cruise around with the top down, Will Smith-style.
• Charter a yacht and see Biscayne Bay in style.
• Reserve a VIP Sky box at the renowned LIV nightclub.

What we can’t do

• Get your body beach-beautiful with only one week's notice (give us two, and we'll try).

Set your sights

The sun-drenched landscape of beaches, hotels and shops that makes up South Beach (SoBe to locals) is Miami. Then there's the famous art deco strip, with hotels, cafés and bars bearing the geometric shapes and nautical nuances of the style. It's the best collection of this colourful type of architecture in the world. Ask your lifestyle manager about chartering a deep sea fishing trip, and you could be wrestling with gigantic tarpon or barracuda in the waters off the coast. Or take a trip to Everglades National Park. This curious wilderness of swamps, grasslands and humid jungle is home to numerous wild creatures, from crocodiles and manatees to the reclusive Florida panther. For more ideas, just ask.

Seize the day

Take control and see Miami the way you want to.

Brunch: The Front Porch Café is a great place to adjust to Miami time, with a long, lazy brunch of healthy egg white omelettes and salads, or not-so-healthy banana walnut French toast and three-cheese scrambled eggs. Elsewhere, keep an ear to the ground for decadent rooftop brunch parties at some of the best hotels, and ask your lifestyle manager for further recommendations. The spaceship-like Eleventh Street Diner is handy for pre-beach milkshakes.

Morning: If, when you reach South Beach, it transpires you are up for more than just finding a sun lounger and staying put for the day, stroll around the art deco district and its striking pastel-coloured buildings. Ask your lifestyle manager for more information about the area before you fly.

Lunch: On Collins Street, Robert De Niro's Italian AGO restaurant does excellent lunches, including seafood fritto misto, veal-stuffed ravioli and Tuscan vegetable soup. If you're keen to mix with A-listers, Nobu is the place to be seen.

Afternoon: In Miami, boats overtake cars as the number one status symbol. If you don't have your own, speak to your lifestyle manager about chartering one and cruising the bay area or South Beach. Alternatively, take a jet ski past aptly named Star Island. Besides film legends, look out for resident crocodiles and dolphins.

Evening: Most Miami stores stay open until 11pm, so trawl the SoBe boutiques on Lincoln Road. Anthropologie has chic fashion accessories and homewares while Base stocks music, books, accessories and clothing from ascendant designers. Then tackle Collins Avenue for slouchy American classics from Banana Republic and Urban Outfitters.

Nightcap: Dress up for light bites and martinis at the glamorous Rose Bar at the Delano, moving on later to the Bleau Bar at the Fontainebleau – the hotel is a celebrity in its own right.