AQUA HOTEL AND LOUNGE

The Aqua Hotel is a new take on the hip formula with sleek silver lines, playful décor, in wall fish tank and even a surfboard registration desk. Dude] Describing itself as a place where the Jetsons meet Jaws on South Beach, Aqua stands close to Lincoln Road Mall, Ocean Drive's spicy nightlife and, of course, the sandy white beach a block away. Sun worshippers can enjoy the Miami Beach hotel's spa and tanning deck. Cyberspace aficionados can access the Internet via wireless connections in all public areas. Guests can discover the ideal lounging spot on an upstairs deck with teak tables and chairs or they can relax and read in the garden area. For the recreationally inclined, many water sports concessions are available at the beach. Basketball, tennis and volleyball courts are three blocks away, and the Miami Beach boardwalk is perfect for runners and cyclists. An 18 hole public golf course is less than a mile away. Despite having a surfboard registration desk, the Aqua does not have its own restaurant, but several dining options within the surrounding area entice guests nightly. At the hotel, patrons can kick back in The Lounge, a hip lavender and dark wood lobby lounge that offers continental breakfast buffets every morning. Aqua offers 46 guestrooms awashed in bright, colors and textures and festooned with minimalist decor and pop art posters. The rooms also offer stereos, CD players, refrigerators, minibars and premium bedding. The young, hip and well connected hotel staff members are walking encyclopedias about the area's restaurants, nightclubs and recreational activities. They also can arrange access to South Beach's popular restaurants and bars during the September May peak season when gaining entry is hard. So treat them well.