Please help me with Miami hotel

[OC Mom]

My mind is spinnng with options and researching is making me nuts, so..... which hotel should we choose?

Looking for a cheap (but not nasty) pre-cruise hotel. Just the two of us. Bonus if it has transfers to the cruise pier etc.

 

Thanks so much:)

[bajalover]

Hi OC MOM, We are staying at Holiday Inn downtown. I chose it partially because it is by bayside and close to the port. I don't think it has shuttles though. Walking to Bayside was a big plus for us. I paid $100.00.

Have you bought your airline tickets yet? I am still watching till the end of the month. I am looking at either Alaska Airlines or American because they have nonstops. Still high though about $375.00 pp. I was hoping to pay about $300.00. We'll see.

[cruizinrican]

I booked at the Summerfield by Wyndam in Miami for our December cruise on the Zenith. I haven't stayed at one of these Summerfield's before but they said it had a full kitchen and one bedroom with playstation in the livingroom. I paid $125 and it includes continental breakfast and parking for our car for the week. No free shuttle, but they do offer some shuttle service for the 3 if us for $25 total.

[OC Mom]

Bajalover,nope, haven't bought our airfare yet. We just paid the balance on our cruise this week and don't have te extra to but the tix this week. Looks like Alaska will be the cheapest for us too. Although I don't think cheap is the word for it;) . We're finding the same rates as you. Gosh it's expensive!! I also only want a non-stop flight (no huge layovers in Texas thank you) and that cuts downon the options. It's also hard because the cheaper flights are in the morning and we can't be off the ship for the 8 am return flights. Looks like LAX is the only choice too.

[bajalover]

I hope things will come down. I will send ya a post if I find anything. What dates are you going? I think it is before me or close to me. We leave 7/23 and return 7/31.

[singleldy24]

I too have stayed at the Holiday Inn by Bayside. Very clean and reasonably priced. Very nice if you have kids that can walk back and forth to bayside shops by themselves. Plus you save on parking at Bayside Shops. I do belive staying at the hotel there parking is free at the hotel and it would probably be under $10 cab ride to the port. One downfall for the hotel the pool is clean but little small.

[signman]

Priceline 3 star downtown is the way to go. Read all about how to do it at http://www.biddingfortravel.com With some luck you'll get the Hyatt for less than $75.

[OC Mom]

Bajalover, we cruise July 3rd, but are flying in on the 2nd. I think the near holiday travel dates aren't helping the price. Thanks for keeping an eye out for me. I'll let ya know if I see anything good also.

[ms.sunburn]

We stayed at the Holiday Inn Bayside from the 14th to the 16th of April before our cruise.

 

Pros:

Relatively cheap for location.

 

Never run out of places to eat because it is directly across from the Bayside Marketplace.

 

Quick cab ride (about $6) to pier. The cabs are always waiting out front of the hotel.

 

One bus ride away from South Beach.

 

Cons:

A lot of the staff were not particularly friendly or helpful, although there were two exceptions--the plumber and one of the doormen.

 

Not the cleanest place I've ever stayed in. Nothing yucky enough to put me off staying there again if the price was right but I'd hate to see it a few years from now.

 

No wireless internet connection. Only dial up.

 

One bus ride away from South Beach.