There must be some fakes among all the glorious, five-star reviews of this place. The Cardozo has one thing going for it: It is right on Ocean Drive. That's it. But there are many, many hotels on South Beach.

Pros:

On Ocean Drive, close to the fanfare.
Nice little soaps and shampoos (okay...so I'm reaching).
Small, separate closet with security safe -- so at least there was a designated area where you can put a suitcase and other stuff out of sight and out of your way in the small room.

Cons:

Rooms: Many of the rooms are tiny and a bit depressing. Obviously, hanging out in the room isn't a draw when staying in South Beach, but these rooms are adequate at best. My room had a total of one electical outlet in the entire room. I asked the front desk about this and they said all of them are like that (whether they were lying, I don't know -- maybe they just meant the cruddy small rooms like mine). As an aside, I asked them if they had an extension cord I could borrow during my stay; was surprised when they told me that maintenance had a couple but said "no" because "what if they need them for work?" Amateur hour...had to find the local Walgreens about a half mile away and buy one so I could plug in various electronics.

The "desk" in the room was a joke. Tiny rounded thing protruding from wall, with an uncomfortable chair. Basically enough space to lay down your wallet, phone, and a few small items.

Bed: Fair. Don't expect one of those super beds at the better Marriotts, but it was better than a Motel 6 bed.

Climate control: Extremely loud, floor air conditioner under the window. Although it was useful for masking the other noise from outside the room. Kept it cool but I am not sure how effective it would be in summer months, as I was visiting during a mild time of year.

Bathroom: Incredibly small (almost couldn't shut door without wiggling around to get out of the way). Low flow toilet that clogged easily.

Noise: Horrible, at least on the 2nd floor. I apparently was on the hall that is directly above the kitchen for the restaurant. Unbelievably loud -- the sound of pots and pans clanging, cooks yelling, all the noises of a busy, loud restaurant operation just come straight up to the rooms -- probably worse because of this being an old hotel with poor insulation and the hardwood floors.
This was every night, from about 5 p.m. until around 10 p.m. Then of course, late night, you get the all-night partiers and sound just travels in this hotel.

Restaurant: Over-priced, with pushy waiters. I had a standard churasco steak with rice and beans. It was average -- rather plain, nothing to write home about. Would have been okay with a $30 total tab. But $43 total bill for what it was (no alcoholic beverages, mind you - just a Diet Coke) was high. Most steak and seafood entrees were considerably overpriced,

Overall: I would not stay here again due to the negatives cited above. There are several better options nearby for "boutique" type hotels, and there are also better choices for a more upscale experience with better amenities (e.g. Loews Miami Beach Hotel).

I stayed in this hotel in December and it was quite an experience. The location is perfect just across the street from the beach at the heart of the ArtDeco district. From here you can walk around vibrant Miami Beach downtown and experience Cuban and latin american culture. The views are nice, the rooms are perfect size. For the best views, make sure you get a room that faces the street/beach. Staff was friendly. No breakfast included.

perfect views of South Beach, rooms were perfectly comfortble and good shower. Easily accessable to all the shops, bars and restaurants. Food and cocktails at the Cardoza was great. A perfect place to stay in Miami, right on Ocean Drive.

just got back from 4 days in south beach, where we stayed at the Cardozo hotel. having stayed at many of the art deco hotels in south beach, I think the Cardozo is one of the better choices. a lot of the complaints I have read on trip advisor about the Cardozo are made by people that just don't understand where they are staying...sure all the 90 year old art deco hotels have small bathrooms, its not like they have a way to make them bigger...the bathroom at the Cardozo was small but it had been updated and they did the best they could with the space they had to work with...never ran out of hot water either!
we stayed in room 205, this room was dead center, right above the bar...the room was quite. the room had been updated and nothing was broken. the bed was average, ive see worse. the décor was a little sparse, and had wood walls and a wood floor. no art or accessories, I guess they were going for a minimal look...and they succeeded! there was no Gloria estavan books or music in the room that others had mentioned...one night we ask for additional towels, they were there in 2 or 3 minutes. for the price the room was a good deal.
one of the other things I liked was the location, it was close enough to the ocean ave night spots, but far enough away that you couldn't hear the partying late in to the night...the Clevelander, and oceans 10 both have outdoor bars that are very loud, fun to go to, but nice to get away from when you are done partying. there was a guitar playing singer at the Cardozo but he was not overly loud..another plus about the location is there is a parking garage right behind the hotel, its like its part of the hotel, since we always rent a car, we had a convenient place to put it...$20 per day compared to $35 per day plus tip for valet parking...
now about the food and drinks at the Cardozo. I read many reviews about the oversize drinks that were served, however they were not your only choice, regular size drinks are readily available. I also noticed that all the hotel sidewalk cafes were offering the oversize drinks as well...this must be the new thing..
ok, about the food, the café is a leased department, has nothing to do with the hotel..in fact I think all the sidewalk cafes are owned by the same food vender, as all their food taste the same, cost the same, has the same specials and is promoted very aggressivly by pretty girls as you walk by each hotel. it is what it is...not great food, not horrible food... if you want a great meal go a few hotels north to the betsy hotel and eat at blt steak, a five star meal with five star service. we also ate at "Red, the steak house" at 1st. and Washington, ( a 6 dollar cab ride) it is great, also a few doors away from Red, is Milos, also a great choice..both are expensive, about $250 for 2 to eat and drink, but after all if you are on a budget you usually don't go to south beach. we also ate breakfast at a diner named jerrys, its on Collins a five minute walk from the Cardozo. average food and poor service...also had breakfast at the Cardozo, very good and not expensive. so just eat breakfast at the hotel. the room also had a refrigerator, great for stocking your own booze in and doing a little pregaming...
the staff were friendly, helpful and didn't bother you...just what im looking for in a staff. the room was cleaned each day, usually as soon as we left, I always leave a few dollars on the table each day for the maid, and I always get good service...you know that's a crappy job, so don't be a tightwad...
I notice that the tip was included at many places, so be sure to check your bill, according to the servers that's the only way you are going to get a tip from the Europeans, and they far out number the americans.
I think ive covered just about everything, all in all the Cardozo is a better than average choice for south beach, you cant compare these hotels to 5 star hotels in las vegas, these are century old properties, that were never intended to be what they are now, funky little art deco hotels, so just enjoy south beach for what it is.....great weather, an international crowd to people watch, the ocean just a few steps away and a good place to wind down for a few days...a nice little getaway...