Hotel help! cruising out of Miami

[Mr and Mrs C]

We need a hotel for one night on Jan. 7. We will be driving from Sarasota and friends of ours will be driving from Cocoa beach area, so looking for something that is budget friendly, safe, and having to drive 30-40 mins to the port is not a big deal. (We will be driving from Ontario, Canada the week before). With the exchange on the Canadian dollar I am having a hard time finding something that is in the budget and in a safe area.

 

We do not need anything fancy or new, just clean!

 

We have stayed near the port in the past and it was nice but $280 USD per night, and then you have to add 35-40 % and taxes. We have also stayed near the airport and paid around $100 USD but did not feel very safe there. Wondering is there something in between?

 

Thanks!

[BlueHerons]

We need a hotel for one night on Jan. 7. We will be driving from Sarasota and friends of ours will be driving from Cocoa beach area, so looking for something that is budget friendly, safe, and having to drive 30-40 mins to the port is not a big deal. (We will be driving from Ontario, Canada the week before). With the exchange on the Canadian dollar I am having a hard time finding something that is in the budget and in a safe area.

 

We do not need anything fancy or new, just clean!

 

We have stayed near the port in the past and it was nice but $280 USD per night, and then you have to add 35-40 % and taxes. We have also stayed near the airport and paid around $100 USD but did not feel very safe there. Wondering is there something in between?

 

Thanks!

 

Go to hotwire and book something in Miami downtown, Brickell, South Beach, Coconut Grove, Coral Gables, or Key Biscayne 3 stars or better.

[JohninDC]

I would not choose a downtown hotel if I was driving - the parking fees alone will be about $30 per car. :(

 

Look farther north off of 95 near the Palm Beach airport -- several nice hotels to choose from and you will be about a 90 or so minute drive from the port of Miami. Get up, grab breakfast, get on the road, and you will be on the ship in time for lunch! :cool:

 

Prices in Jan will be high all over south FLA - book something now that you can cancel without penalty, and then keep shopping.

[eandj]

I checked on LMTclub, and there are lots of nice four star places nearer the airport $150-$175.

 

Not sure ...do you need a parking spot for the night? Are you parking at the port? You mentioned driving. That will change recs here.

 

 

You can google "last minute travel club promo codes" and "join" the club for free for good deals with a refundable cancelation policy.

[Mr and Mrs C]

Thanks everyone for the suggestions so far! We will have our own vehicle and will be parking it at the port. We love the convenience of driving right to the ship and then sadly when it's over we start the 24 hour drive home.

[eandj]

Thanks everyone for the suggestions so far! We will have our own vehicle and will be parking it at the port. We love the convenience of driving right to the ship and then sadly when it's over we start the 24 hour drive home.

 

OK. So do what was recommended by John and stay further away from downtown for lowest rates and chains that include parking while a guest. Find a place with free breakfast and head out for the port afterwards. Use tripadvisor to avoid any dives or bad neighborhoods.

[Mr and Mrs C]

I did find comfort inn and suites in Fort Lauderdale on commercial Blvd, it is $96 advance purchase and includes parking and a hot breakfast. Trip advisor reviews were fine but when I checked on cruise critic a few people said it was a sketchy part of town.

[brunello22]

I did find comfort inn and suites in Fort Lauderdale on commercial Blvd, it is $96 advance purchase and includes parking and a hot breakfast. Trip advisor reviews were fine but when I checked on cruise critic a few people said it was a sketchy part of town.

 

 

Not the nicest part of town, so look for a location east of I-95 and US1 (Federal Hwy).

[Vidimom]

May want to look around Boca Raton. We lived there for a few years and it's a great area and only about an hour from the port. We booked the Residence Inn Miami Airport but it may be too expensive for you to consider but they do have secured parking.

[cruisedancemom]

Just stayed at Hampton inn Brickell for one night last week and it was great!

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums mobile app

[Mr and Mrs C]

Just stayed at Hampton inn Brickell for one night last week and it was great!

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums mobile app

 

 

That's were we stayed last time, and yes it was great. However $300 is not in the budget!

[NCEMT]

We stayed at the Cambria Suites in fort lauderdale this past may, nice clean hotel, no free breakfest, bagel place not far up the road that was pretty good. New construction of a hotel right in from but there was no posting of what it was going to be. This hotel is close to 95, and we drove to Miami port in about 30 min parked and got on line.

[dpg9300]

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Review-g34438-d224244-Reviews-Hampton_Inn_Miami_Dadeland-Miami_Florida.html

 

We booked this one with 12,000 HHonors points +$50. It's about a half hour from POM, I believe. It includes free overnight parking and hot breakfast. It's also walking distance from a mall and a Target, in case you forget something.

[bookbabe]

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Review-g34438-d224244-Reviews-Hampton_Inn_Miami_Dadeland-Miami_Florida.html

 

 

 

We booked this one with 12,000 HHonors points +$50. It's about a half hour from POM, I believe. It includes free overnight parking and hot breakfast. It's also walking distance from a mall and a Target, in case you forget something.

 

 

That one sounds pretty good. What's the neighbourhood like around the hotel? Comments in some of the other Miami hotel threads have me a bit nervous...

[brunello22]

That one sounds pretty good. What's the neighbourhood like around the hotel? Comments in some of the other Miami hotel threads have me a bit nervous...

 

The Dadeland / Kendall area is not near anything convenient. The area is very congested, and it is about a 45 minute drive from the port because the traffic is terrible.

Edited July 20, 2016 by brunello22

[bookbabe]

The Dadeland / Kendall area is not near anything convenient. The area is very congested, and it is about a 45 minute drive from the port because the traffic is terrible.

 

 

Thanks. Time to keep looking...

[BlueHerons]

That one sounds pretty good. What's the neighbourhood like around the hotel? Comments in some of the other Miami hotel threads have me a bit nervous...

 

The Dadeland / Kendall area is not near anything convenient. The area is very congested, and it is about a 45 minute drive from the port because the traffic is terrible.

 

This.

 

Good God Dadeland Mall?

 

People shouldn't recommend hotels they haven't stayed in.

 

This isn't a cruise hotel.

[bookbabe]

Thanks for the assistance, everyone. Going with the Hampton Inn Brickell. More expensive, but I think it'll be worth it.

[dpg9300]

This.

 

Good God Dadeland Mall?

 

People shouldn't recommend hotels they haven't stayed in.

 

This isn't a cruise hotel.

 

I have stayed there. I have not driven to the cruise port from there so I wasn't clear on the drive time.

 

I would not recommend a hotel I haven't stayed in any more than I would be rude to a stranger over a hotel recommendation.

 

My apologies, OP, clearly I do not know what a "cruise hotel" is. In my world, a pre-cruise stay requires a clean bed and shower, and that's what I was recommending.

[Host CJSKIDS]

We need a hotel for one night on Jan. 7. We will be driving from Sarasota and friends of ours will be driving from Cocoa beach area, so looking for something that is budget friendly, safe, and having to drive 30-40 mins to the port is not a big deal. (We will be driving from Ontario, Canada the week before). With the exchange on the Canadian dollar I am having a hard time finding something that is in the budget and in a safe area.

 

We do not need anything fancy or new, just clean!

 

We have stayed near the port in the past and it was nice but $280 USD per night, and then you have to add 35-40 % and taxes. We have also stayed near the airport and paid around $100 USD but did not feel very safe there. Wondering is there something in between?

 

Thanks!

 

 

since you are coming over from the West Coast via Alligator Alley and your friends are driving down on the East Coast, you can also stay in the Plantation area.

 

Otherwise, check out the New Homewood Suites in Brickell. They have your night available on lastminutetravel.com for $187.01. On their website it's $224 with the hilton discount. It gives you another option in the Brickell area.

[eandj]

Thanks for the assistance, everyone. Going with the Hampton Inn Brickell. More expensive, but I think it'll be worth it.

 

Great. This is a nice hotel in a good location. Not your typical Hampton Inn. You need to take an elevator up to the check in desk. Very secure. Be sure to check out the artwork in the lobby areas. Very nice breakfast. If you are a Hiltons honors member ( join online) you'll get a drink ticket for their bar.

[Mr and Mrs C]

In reading another thread someone mentioned the clarion inn in Fort Lauderdale. Just checked their pricing and its $112 advance purchase rate. Trip advisor reviews seem fine and a few people on here have said it was ok. The only negative I read was about noise from the highway. Anyone else have any info on this property?

[Host CJSKIDS]

In reading another thread someone mentioned the clarion inn in Fort Lauderdale. Just checked their pricing and its $112 advance purchase rate. Trip advisor reviews seem fine and a few people on here have said it was ok. The only negative I read was about noise from the highway. Anyone else have any info on this property?

 

I can't help you with this hotel as I don't know anything about it but...

 

Another hotel in the Fort Lauderdale area which has great reviews on TripAdvisor is the Doubletree by Hilton Sawgrass. it's on Lastminutetravel.com for $107.40 per night. You do have to pay upfront for it however the cancellation policy is 3 days prior so you would get your money back if you found something else.

 

it's an easily reachable drive for you coming from the West Coast and your friends driving down on the East Coast.

[Mr and Mrs C]

I can't help you with this hotel as I don't know anything about it but...

 

 

 

Another hotel in the Fort Lauderdale area which has great reviews on TripAdvisor is the Doubletree by Hilton Sawgrass. it's on Lastminutetravel.com for $107.40 per night. You do have to pay upfront for it however the cancellation policy is 3 days prior so you would get your money back if you found something else.

 

 

 

it's an easily reachable drive for you coming from the West Coast and your friends driving down on the East Coast.

 

 

Thanks, I'll check it out!