I visit South Beach every 3 to 6 months and have stayed at all of the 5 star hotels. The Delano proclaims to be the crown jewel of South Beach. All I can say after my stay in June of 2004 is that if the Delano is the crown jewel, I?ll pass and frequent any of the other hotels in South Beach. At all of the other 5 star hotels I have always been treated as if I was a special VIP and welcome to be there. At the Delano I was treated like the uninvited party crasher that the hostess was desperate to get rid of. From being charged a premium for a room above the 9th floor, only to be given a lesser 6th floor room at the original premium price, to being told I couldn't lounge poolside, and ushered to a chair behind the pool bar next to the garbage area, my weekend stay was as unenjoyable as it could possibly be. Never in all of my travels have I been properly dressed in a, conservative by todays standards, dress suitable for dinner and dancing, only to be refused a seat in the main dinning room, but told if I wanted to eat at the Delano I would have to take a seat in the lobby. I might point out the main dinning room was only 1/3 occupied. Nor have I had to shower in the morning without a washcloth because housekeeping took the only one in the room the night before at turn down. The final straw was on the morning when I was getting ready to check out, after being told I could have a late checkout, only to find out that was not the case, I had to kill a small red cockroach who was scurrying across the floor towards my suitcase. I still feel guilty about this because I?m sure the cockroach was as anxious to leave the Delano as I was. I will continue to make frequent getaway visits to South Beach, but I won?t be staying at the Delano ever again. I will take my business back to any of the other 5 star hotels I have stayed at in the past.