Hotel Help PLEASE!!

[moon girl]

Hello,

I know this is last minute but I really need some suggestions for a hotel in the Miami area! We will be returning from our cruise on Saturday the 15th of March. Our return flight is not until the next morning. We would like to go to the beach, have lunch, and just relax. Should we stay near the airport and shuttle to beach or is there somewhere closer to the beach that would have an airport shuttle? Again I know this is crazy to not already have a room booked, but I would appreciate any help. Our budget would be $200 or under if possible. Thanks so much!

[eandj]

You are staying on a SATURDAY night in peak time and your budget might only get you into an airport located hotel. I would not limit your hunt to those offering shuttle service. Just start the hunt... "yesterday".:eek:

 

Beach is not found in the city of Miami. It is found in Miami Beach which includes the famous South Beach. No free shuttles to the airport from there.

 

You could research airport hotels that include trans. to the airport. Check in and try to catch their shuttle to airport after checking in. From the airport you can catch a south beach flier for $2.35 each. A great service. Check it out on miamidade.gov/transit They run pretty often.

 

You really better hunt immediately.

[moon girl]

I know it is ridiculously late! Do you have any suggestions for decent airport hotels? Thanks so much!

[zoncom]

Spend some time on hotel sites/TripAdvisor looking for the smaller older Deco hotels on Collins or Ocean Drive.It is really horrible over by airport. Also nothing over there.

[JohninDC]

Discount hotels near MIA often suggested here, with free MAI airport shuttles include the Springhill suites Medical Center, Comfort Suites North, and La Quinta East; better quality hotels are located in the blue Lagoon area near MIA (Hampton Inn, Homewood Suites, etc.).

 

After check-in you can shuttle to MIA and catch the Airport Flyer bus from there to South Beach for about $2.35 each -- beach, dining, drinks, nightlife, etc. If you do not bus back expect to pay $30-35+ for a cab to your hotel.

 

Good luck! :)

[eandj]

Spend some time on hotel sites/TripAdvisor looking for the smaller older Deco hotels on Collins or Ocean Drive.It is really horrible over by airport. Also nothing over there.

 

 

OP's budget will offer very few choices on a Sat night in March. Those could end up MUCH more horrible than hotels near the airport in the Blue Lagoon area.;)

[BlueHerons]

I know it is ridiculously late! Do you have any suggestions for decent airport hotels? Thanks so much!

 

I would try for South Beach hotels. The airport is a long way from the beach and anywhere fun. Just catch a cab from the beach to the airport the next day.

 

Trying to find a shuttle is going to be a waste of your time.

 

Try these:

 

South Seas Hotel

Pelican

Townhouse

Marseilles

Shelbourne

Courtyard Marriott South Beach (not Miami Beach)

Essex House.

 

Also check out http://www.Oyster.com for South Beach hotels.

 

Good luck and again, don't stay by the airport. It's a crappy area.

[moon girl]

Well...we ended up getting an airport hotel at the Home Wood Suites. So we are definitely planning to go there directly from the port and drop off our bags and then head to the beach. Any of you that are familiar with the area is there a certain spot on the beach that you would recommend? Also any food or shopping places that might be in the area. You guys really make a difference for those of us who are your typical tourists! Thanks so much!

[moon girl]

Also does anyone know how late the airport flyer bus runs on Saturday's?

[JohninDC]

Here is a link to the bus brochure - looks like the last bus on the weekends leaves SB about 11:00 PM (just when the party is getting started! :o): http://www.miamidade.gov/transit/library/airport_flyer_brochure.pdf

 

We;ve stayed at that Homewood Suites - very nice hotel, nice pool area if you have some time after breakfast (which is great) and there is a local strip mall with gorcery, drug and liquor :D stores about a 5+ minute walk away. The hotel can arrange for a shuttle to POM for about $12 per person -- a cab will run on the meter about $30 including the tip.

 

Good luck! :)

[eandj]

Go to this site and you will find all the schedules as well as routes and pricing.

 

http://miamidade.gov/transit

 

 

I think I remember seeing the bus stop around 15 or 16th on Collins. This will get you at the "start" of South Beach and you can just walk down ( smaller numbers) and you'll see everything. Take a look at maps of South beach area. Lumus Park area is lots of beach right on Ocean Drive which is what you see in the movies.;)

 

Head to Lincoln Dr too.. a pedestrian mall street.

 

Start googling and you'll learn fast.;) We rented segways for an hour and had a blast. I think we were the oldest couple that was tooling around the beach. white hair/segways...:D

[BlueHerons]

Well...we ended up getting an airport hotel at the Home Wood Suites. So we are definitely planning to go there directly from the port and drop off our bags and then head to the beach. Any of you that are familiar with the area is there a certain spot on the beach that you would recommend? Also any food or shopping places that might be in the area. You guys really make a difference for those of us who are your typical tourists! Thanks so much!

 

Just a heads up that this is going to be a two hour trip. The hotel is a ways away from the beach and traffic is always bad let alone trying to get there via public transport.

[moon girl]

Thanks so much for all of the advice! Does anyone have any suggestions to help us make the most of our day? If we have to go drop off our luggage at the Homewood Suites and then have a 2 hour commute back to the beach that sounds like a lot of wasted time. Is it possible to leave our luggage at the port after our cruise, go to the beach, then come back and pick up our luggage and go to our hotel? I have no idea whether this would work of not. Anyone with more knowledge about the area than me I would love to hear from you. Thanks again!

[moon girl]

Just thinking again...if we did go drop off our luggage at the hotel and then took a taxi to the beach area, does anyone know what the price for that would be?

[JohninDC]

Just thinking again...if we did go drop off our luggage at the hotel and then took a taxi to the beach area, does anyone know what the price for that would be?

 

I have not been on that bus at that time, but a 2-hour one-way trip sounds like an excessive estimate; if the traffic is that bad a cab will take the about same amount of time -- if there is not a delay on the meter to SB will cost about $32-35+tip each way. If there is a long delay the meter will keep running! :eek:

[BlueHerons]

I have not been on that bus at that time, but a 2-hour one-way trip sounds like an excessive estimate; if the traffic is that bad a cab will take the about same amount of time -- if there is not a delay on the meter to SB will cost about $32-35+tip each way. If there is a long delay the meter will keep running! :eek:

 

I was talking about it will take them two hours to go from the airport to the hotel, drop off luggage, shuttle back to the airport, then get the airport flyer out to the beach.

[JohninDC]

I was talking about it will take them two hours to go from the airport to the hotel, drop off luggage, shuttle back to the airport, then get the airport flyer out to the beach.

 

That sounds about right -- I must have misread your earlier post.

[moon girl]

Okay! I understand now! Thank you guys so much for your help! I can't tell you how much I appreciate it!