Pre cruise hotel in Miami/any suggestions?

[thevacationer]

We are cruising out of Miami, May 1. We would like to stay in a reasonable but nice hotel. Any suggestions? Parking or shuttle service not required for us. Would like it to be clean and in a safe area. It does not have to be elaborate. Thanks for any suggestions.

[Crazy4Koko]

We are cruising out of Miami, May 1. We would like to stay in a reasonable but nice hotel. Any suggestions? Parking or shuttle service not required for us. Would like it to be clean and in a safe area. It does not have to be elaborate. Thanks for any suggestions.

 

 

We are flying in two days before our cruise and we are renting a car out of MIA, and actually staying in Kendall at Country Inn and suites. It is north of the airport, but our plan is to check out, drive the car to the airport and hop a cab over to the terminal...

 

 

by the time you get a hotel near the port, you end up spending a bit of cash..I prefer the flexibility of having a car....and Country Inn and suites will serve a nice breakfast the morning we cruise!

[thevacationer]

I checked it out and it looks great. We are renting a car and driving to the port also. Hertz has a rental car office near the port and they will shuttle you to the port when you drop off your car, for no charge. I believe it is the same price if you wanted to drop your car off there instead of at the airport. Thanks for the tip! Do you happen to know how far the port is from the hotel?

[JohninDC]

Check out hotels in the Blue Lagoon area near MIA (Hampton Inn, Homewood Suites and others) - free airport shuttles and shopping and dining options within walking distance (try Casa Juan for great and inexpensive Cuban food :D). Most can arrange for shuttle service to POM for $10 per person, or you can cab it for under $30 per cab. The ride to POM will take about 15 or so minutes.

Blue Lagoon is not close to the port and a long distance from the nightlife of Miami Beach, but if all you want is a clean room, a safe area, dining and shopping options, you've made a good choice. ;) Hotels west of MIA in the Doral area can be even cheaper, but the cost for cabs to POM will rise and could wipe out your savings. :(

If you'd prefer to be downtown close to POM then check out the Intercontinental, Hyatt, Doubletree and Marriott Biscayne Bay. For a cab from MIA to downtown hotels the meter will run about $25+ tip. A taxi to POM the next morning will run about $10.

After your cruise taxis to MIA from POM are a flat rate of $24+tip. Have a good cruise! :)

[Neals6]

We stayed at the LaQuinta Inn Airport East. Free shuttle to the port of miami. Free parking for the seven days that we were on the cruise. Hotel was basic but clean.

[Crazy4Koko]

I checked it out and it looks great. We are renting a car and driving to the port also. Hertz has a rental car office near the port and they will shuttle you to the port when you drop off your car, for no charge. I believe it is the same price if you wanted to drop your car off there instead of at the airport. Thanks for the tip! Do you happen to know how far the port is from the hotel?

 

 

I know that Country Inn is 13 miles from the airport, and according to mapquest, its about 22 miles from the Port.

 

We booked there because we had points to stay for Free two nights, and our rental thru Dollar is dirt cheap,but they were charging a premium to drop off at their cruise terminal location...be cautious about some of those free shuttles...they can keep you waiting. I think I actually checked Hertz, and they said that the wait to the port could be as much as 45 minutes for their free shuttle... I don't know if I have that kind of patience!

[helicopter]

We stayed at the Holiday Inn at the Port (not really at the port). Nice hotel, reasonable price. It is across the street from Bayside (you can walk). Look up Bayside on the internet, lots of places to eat, shopping and tours.

[helicopter]

We stayed at the Holiday Inn at the Port (not really at the port). Nice hotel, reasonable price. It is across the street from Bayside (you can walk). Look up Bayside on the internet, lots of places to eat, shopping and tours.

[Raven Days]

I stayed at the Hampton Inn Blue Lagoon and loved it. Its a very nice hotel not far from the airport. I think for 4 of us to take a cab to the port it was around $25-30.

[sprintfan]

We stayed at the Best Western Premier Miami International Airport on Flagler Street. I believe it is in the East Coral Gables/Little Havana area. We could see jets sitting at the airport from our room on the top floor. It had only been open just over a month when we stayed on Dec. 31. Very nice rooms, very clean. The only drawback was that the elevators seemed to take forever. There were three sets of us (friends/family) and they even arranged it that we had rooms together (and two were adjoining). I think our rooms were less than $100. It was about a 15 minute ride to POM. Next time we cruise, we will try to stay here again.

[ecarbine]

We stayed at the Sofitel, it is a gorgeous hotel, they offered us a complimentary Towncar and driver to take us to the grocery and liquor store, there is a shuttle to the port for $20 or $25 we lovethis hotel.

Itis definately a high end hotel but we got our room for about $80 a night, it is awesome.

[lgerrish]

We stayed at the LaQuinta Inn Airport East. Free shuttle to the port of miami. Free parking for the seven days that we were on the cruise. Hotel was basic but clean.

 

We stayed here too last April, and will be staying here again this April. Friendly people, clean rooms, nice restaurant next door and free shuttle to the port. We also hired the shuttle to take our group to a store to pick up sodas and such. They were very accommodating.

[santacap]

when spending a few days in MIA we stayed at the Nassau Suite and loved it... block from the beach, blocks to everything, separate bedroom, kitchen, secure parking etc. under 200 a night, and it was great, location and everything else considered

[thevacationer]

This is what I absolutely love about cruise critic. You can go from having NO knowledge about a subject to having all kinds of good ideas. Thanks so much to all of you!

[ridethepony]

Courtyard Miami Downtown. Can't get much closer.

[S.S.Oceanlover]

Intercontinental is $109 a night for your date on last minutetravel dot com.:)

 

Bill

[CruisinKelly]

I second the Holiday Inn Port of Miami. It's reasonable and you can't beat the location. I've stayed there twice the night before the cruise. You can request a room with a view of the port and see the ships in the a.m. if you can get one of the rooms. Book it directly on the Holiday Inn site for the best price (sign up for the Priority Club while there to get that price).

[S.S.Oceanlover]

I second the Holiday Inn Port of Miami. It's reasonable and you can't beat the location. I've stayed there twice the night before the cruise. You can request a room with a view of the port and see the ships in the a.m. if you can get one of the rooms. Book it directly on the Holiday Inn site for the best price (sign up for the Priority Club while there to get that price).

 

Holiday Inn is $152 a night for April 30th. If Intercontinental is $109 there's no comparison.

 

You can also walk to Bayside from IC and can see the ships right across the bay from the IC.

 

I watched the Saturday departures from the swimming pool.:)

 

Bill

[cruzin4our10th]

We loved the Intercontiental downtown, this July we're staying at the Holiday Inn. Both are right by the water, downtown park and Bayside Marketplace. Bayside is really nice for something to do the day before if you have sometime to kill . . . various places to eat of varying price ranges and all kinds of shops. Wouldn't think of cruising out of Miami and not being right downtown to see the cruise ships in the morning:D

[JohnStevenGordon]

We are cruising out of Miami, May 1. We would like to stay in a reasonable but nice hotel. Any suggestions? Parking or shuttle service not required for us. Would like it to be clean and in a safe area. It does not have to be elaborate. Thanks for any suggestions.

 

Embassy Suites by Hilton all the way. You get a cooked to order breakfast - they have buffet too. You also have a two hour free cocktail hour from 5 - 7 everynight that it's free for all drinks - yes all drinks.... No limit in the USA.

[elcuchio24]

It really depends on where you want to stay. We have stayed at the hilton and hampton at Blue Lagoon, and they were both good values.

 

At Bayside, the Intercontinental is awesome if you can get a good deal on it.

 

If you want to stay by the airport let me ecco the Embassy Suites-Free shuttle, free two hour happy hour with whatever drinks you want, free and very good breakfast in the morning. $10PP shuttle to the port.

 

If you want to stay at the beach, we have had goodluck with Surfcomber and 4points by Marriott, which are both on collins ave and right on the beach. Have fun researching and finding what works for you!

[tbrenk1973]

Intercontinental is $109 a night for your date on last minutetravel dot com.:)

 

Bill

 

 

I would love to book the IC at $109. Our date is 4/9, one night, 3 rooms. ANy tips on how to do it?

[elcuchio24]

I would love to book the IC at $109. Our date is 4/9, one night, 3 rooms. ANy tips on how to do it?

 

lastminutetravel dot com

 

We booked for sept for 91/night....I think it was 103 TOTAL after tax! It won't show the name, but you can look at the pics and figure it out.

[Harveycm]

Don't stay at the Continental Bayside. Its dirty, and didnt have a flat sheet on the bed! It has a great location but the Holiday Inn one block down has the same! There is a CVS within walking distance, so we bought 12 packs of soda to take on board with us! That worked out perfect, but spend the extra dollars for Holiday Inn. There is a Hard Rock Cafe and Chilis across the street with a great night life and beautiful park!

[S.S.Oceanlover]

I would love to book the IC at $109. Our date is 4/9, one night, 3 rooms. ANy tips on how to do it?

 

Rates for your night at IC is $171

 

Bill