Courtyard Marriott Miami Downtown or Springhill Suites East/Medical Center

[hartskys]

We have Marriott points to use. Which hotel is best for the hotel and location the night before our cruise? We would also like to be close to a store where we can pickup a bottle of wine before we board the ship the next day. Thanks:)

[JohninDC]

Downtown will be closer to the port, will save you some in cab fare, and will be walking idstance to dining and shopping; if you are not picky about the selection there are CVS drug stores scattered around downtown where you can pick up wine. Good luck! :)

[hartskys]

Has anyone stayed at the Springhill Suites East/Medical Center in Miami? I called them and they said they have a free airport shuttle and a shuttle to the cruise port. Trip advisor has been off and on for this hotel so just wanted to check and see if any of my fellow cc may have stayed here?

[Keith1010]

I would stay at the Marriott or Marriott Marquis and you will be near places for wine and other items.

 

Keith

[macor]

Keith -- which "Marriott" are you referring to? Also, do you know of any good wine stores near either of these hotels. Thank you.

[Keith1010]

macor, there is a Marriott on Brickell Avenue. It's at 1109 Brickell Avenue Miami, FL 33131. It is about a 5 to 10 minute walk to a Publix and around a 15 minute walk from another Publix and both have a very nice selection of wine.

 

The Marriott Marquis is much newer and is located right near the Intercontinental at 255 Biscayne Boulevard Way Miami, FL 33131. It is about a 20 minute walk from the Publix at Mary Brickell.

 

Keith

[hartskys]

I need to find a category 5 or lower to stay at to use my free hotel voucher that I received during Marriotts promotion. Do you know the area where the medical center Springhill is? I like the free airport shuttle/free breakfast/free shuttle to/from Bayside and a $5 pp shuttle to the port. Would love to hear from someone on here that has stayed there. :):)

[fishywood]

I need to find a category 5 or lower to stay at to use my free hotel voucher that I received during Marriotts promotion. Do you know the area where the medical center Springhill is? I like the free airport shuttle/free breakfast/free shuttle to/from Bayside and a $5 pp shuttle to the port. Would love to hear from someone on here that has stayed there. :):)

 

I know the area as my mom and I have doctors we see in the UM Medical complex. The hotel is very convienent for out of towners with families in the various hospitals (or on trial at the nearby courthouse). On Friday and Saturday nights it would be deserted if not for courting the cruise market. It is just about halfway between the airport and cruiseport so you won't be trapped on a long shuttle ride at one end or the other. There is a Winn-Dixie about a half mile away; walk west to 12 Ave and then over the Miami River bridge. This is NOT a walk you want to make alone after dark, especially on the weekend. Any decent restaurants (Brickell, Wynwood or Biscayne Blvd above the Performing Arts Center areas) are a $15-20 taxi each way--though if the free shuttle to Bayside is available in the evening you can fan out from there. It is a fine hotel if you are flying in late in the day and just want a quick transfer and then to hit the sack, but not much more.

[hartskys]

Ok - thanks we have been going back and fourth trying to decide if we wanted to chance staying at the Springfield medical center due to the sketchy reviews on trip advisor. I do like they have a shuttle that will take you to Bayside and pick you up around 8 or 9:30pm to bring you back to hotel. Do you feel it would be safe coming back in the shuttle to the hotel at that time?

[macor]

Thank you Keith!

[vacruizer]

Is the Marriott Biscayne Bay a possibility with your points? There's a Publix right around the corner you can walk to and a whole complex of restaurants and shops in between the Marriott and Doubletree next door. Plus you have a great view of the cruise port.

[nhtraveler313]

We have Marriott points to use. Which hotel is best for the hotel and location the night before our cruise? We would also like to be close to a store where we can pickup a bottle of wine before we board the ship the next day. Thanks:)

 

I had a category 5 voucher last year and stayed at the Courtyard because of the location. I was by myself and wanted to be able to walk to a restaurant and convenience store. There are several restaurants within a block or two (I had dinner from a very good Italian one.) A CVS is a block away. You can check Google maps to see what all is there.

 

Nothing is within walking distance of the Springhill. And reviewers mentioned it wasn't a safe neighborhood to walk in anyway.

 

I'll be at the Courtyard on a voucher again next month with my DH. We also want to pick up wine, and I found two liquor stores about two blocks away with Google maps. I wasn't looking for wine last year, so don't know about the quality of either store, but I imagine between them and CVS, we'll find something we like.

 

The Courtyard doesn't include breakfast or a shuttle, but there are inexpensive dining options close by, and the hotel is close to the port, so the taxi fare should be reasonable. Besides, I figured if we have to take a taxi to dinner and to a liquor store, it would even out.

[MommaBear55]

I need to find a category 5 or lower to stay at to use my free hotel voucher that I received during Marriotts promotion. Do you know the area where the medical center Springhill is? I like the free airport shuttle/free breakfast/free shuttle to/from Bayside and a $5 pp shuttle to the port. Would love to hear from someone on here that has stayed there. :):)

 

My 2 adult daughters and I stayed there. Lovely rooms, wonderful staff, best free breakfast ever. We came in late, left early so cannot comment on the area. Th shuttle from the airport does stop around 10 pm so we did have to take a cab over from the airport.

[camper49]

My 2 adult daughters and I stayed there. Lovely rooms, wonderful staff, best free breakfast ever. We came in late, left early so cannot comment on the area. Th shuttle from the airport does stop around 10 pm so we did have to take a cab over from the airport.

Were you there for a cruise? If so was there a cruise shuttle?

(we are from Sidney, Maine)

[hartskys]

They told us that they have a cruise shuttle you sign up for when you check in - it's $5 pp. Does anyone know how much a taxi would be from this location to the port for 2 people? (just in case)?

[wallie5446]

There are 8 Marriott's in the Cat 5/6 within 20 miles of the port. We stayed at the Springhill in FLL last yr, very nice, they picked us up at FLL Airport too.

[MommaBear55]

Were you there for a cruise? If so was there a cruise shuttle?

(we are from Sidney, Maine)

 

Love Sidney! Off to Augusta tonight to meet up with some of the kids at Margarita' s

 

Yes, we were there for a cruise. The shuttle was $5. I cannot remember if they run more than one time. It was mid to late morning and got us on the ship nice and early.

[hartskys]

Update...

 

We stayed at Springhill Suites during our cruise a week ago and had a great time. They picked us up from MIA within 15 minutes from when I called (I think they pickup at the top of the hour, we were fortunate because we got in at 2:30). We arrived at the hotel and our room was ready. Very clean and spacious. Staff was great too, no complaints. We wanted to go to Bayside for dinner. They offer a free shuttle there around 6 something but we wanted to go earlier so we took a taxi ($8) and then set-up with the hotel to pick us up when they drop the others off there (free). Next morning breakfast was good and at 10:30 the shuttle was there to take us to the port ($5 pp) but they mentioned this will probably be going up a little.

 

There's a lot of reviews about the neighborhood. It's not a place I would walk around at night but overall I didn't think it was bad at all. We would definitely stay here again.