Hotel recommendations in Miami

[tmjtrans]

We are cruising out in February, flying into FLL and are needing to book a hotel in either FLL or Miami. Any recommendations for a good, inexpensive hotel?

[TrentS]

You'd best hurry up! February is quite full already, prices are way up this year, and the decent, more inexpensive places have been full for months...

 

Downtown Miami hotels, closest to the Port of Miami and Bayside Marketplace... http://www.baysidemarketplace.com/

 

JW Marriott... http://marriott.com/property/propertypage/miajw

 

Hyatt Regency... http://miamiregency.hyatt.com/property/index.jhtml

 

Intercontinental... http://www.ichotelsgroup.com/h/d/ic/1/en/hd/miaha?irs=null

 

Biscayne Bay Marriott... http://marriott.com/property/propertypage/miabb

 

Conrad International... http://conradhotels.hilton.com/en/ch/hotels/index.jhtml?ctyhocn=MIACICI

 

Four Seasons... http://www.fourseasons.com/miami/index.html

 

Mandarin Oriental... http://www.mandarinoriental.com/hotel/526000001.asp

 

Marriott Courtyard (budget priced)... http://www.miamicourtyard.com/

 

Holiday Inn Bayside/Port of Miami (only for the budget minded)... http://www.ichotelsgroup.com/h/d/hi/1/en/hd/miabb

 

MIA Airport area hotels...

 

Hilton... http://www.hilton.com/en/hi/hotels/index.jhtml?ctyhocn=MIAAHHH

 

Hampton Inn... http://www.hamptoninnmiamiairport.com/

 

Homewood Suites... http://homewoodsuites.hilton.com/en/hw/hotels/index.jhtml?ctyhocn=MIABLHW

 

Summerfield Suites... http://www.wyndham.com/hotels/MIASS/main.wnt

 

Sofitel... http://www.sofitel.com/sofitel/fichehotel/gb/sof/0889/fiche_hotel.shtml

 

Fort Lauderdale - SE 17th Street hotels (closest to Port Everglades and FLL)...

 

Renaissance... http://marriott.com/property/propertypage/FLLBR

 

Embassy Suites... http://www.embassysuites.com/en/es/hotels/index.jhtml?ctyhocn=FLLSOES

 

Marina Marriott... http://marriott.com/property/propertypage/FLLFL

 

Holiday Inn Express "Convention Center"... http://www.ichotelsgroup.com/h/d/ex/1/en/hd/fllcc

 

Extended Stay America... http://www.extendedstayamerica.com/hotels/fort-lauderdale-convention-center-marina.html

 

AmeriSuites... http://amerisuites.com/reservations/locationdetail.asp?facid=3929

AmeriSuites is cheaper on Valuetrips... http://www.valuetrips.com/AMS/FL/F17.htm

 

Along I-95, south of FLL...

 

Marriott Courtyard Dania Beach... http://marriott.com/property/propertypage/FLLHT

 

Sheraton Fort Lauderdale Airport... http://www.starwoodhotels.com/sheraton/search/hotel_detail.html?propertyID=1115

 

Holiday Inn Hollywood... http://www.ichotelsgroup.com/h/d/hi/1/en/hd/fllas

 

La Quinta Hollywood... http://www.lq.com/lq/properties/propertyProfile.do?ident=LQ985

[RestintheCat]

Hi Trent,

I've spent way too much time trying to figure out where to stay for just two days in Miami, pre-cruise. I note that you suggest downtown, whereas the local expert on Trip Advisor recommends south beach. I know that we will want to walk south beach and eat at cafes, etc. Is it walkable to get from downtown to South Beach? We're big walkers. BTW, when I last asked for your help, I was thinking Key Biscayne, but since then I've been listening to folks who tell me that South Beach is the only place to be. So now, I'm between downtown and South Beach (or Miami Beach - is that on the fringe of SoBe?). Great hotel room with great bathtub and places to walk and explore -- that's what we're after. Thanks and please make my head stop spinning. Thanks in advance, :) Restin

[TrentS]

Well yes, staying in South Beach is very nice, BUT inexpensive and South Beach do NOT go together! In the winter/spring season the decent South Beach hotels average about $400-800 per night - If you're prepared to pay that much, go for it! BUT do NOT do South Beach on the cheap!!!... The hotels in South Beach are almost all quite old with smaller than average rooms. The decent hotels have been gutted and modernized... The cheap ones have not been and are very nasty! There are a LOT of nasty dumps in South Beach that charge insane prices.

 

No, you can't walk from downtown to South Beach, it's a 10-15 minute drive on average. There are several decent hotels in downtown Miami that will be considerably less expensive if price is a concern, and you can easily take a taxi over and back. Generally if you're only staying one pre-cruise night downtown is a better place to stay IMO, and Bayside Marketplace is an extremely popular place to have dinner and hang out the night before your cruise.

 

If you're staying more than a night, then yes, there's a whole lot more to do in South Beach. Many people love South Beach and won't stay anywhere else, but it's crowded, noisy, and very expensive - Many others don't care for all that and prefer somewhere quieter, but that's something only you can decide. For the average cruiser though, just staying one night pre-cruise, downtown really is the better choice IMO. Most people don't get in until afternoon at the earliest and if you only have one night, as most do, the higher cost of South Beach doesn't really justify the short amount of time you'll have over there.

 

"South Beach" is the southernmost part of the city of Miami Beach. If you're looking at a map, the heart of South Beach is along Ocean Drive, Collins, and Washington Avenues roughly between 5th and Lincoln Road Mall. When looking at South Beach hotels keep in mind that some hotels that call themselves "South Beach" are not in the real South Beach. Generally you don't want to be too far north of the 1700/1800 block or it becomes too far to walk to anything. There are some decent cheaper hotels in the 3000's & 4000's but those are way too far away from the action and you'll need a car or cab to go anywhere.

 

There are a couple of very nice hotels on Key Biscayne, but that's about it. If you just want a nice quiet place to get away from it all Key Biscayne is GREAT, but there's nothing to do on the island other than the hotels.

 

These are South Beach hotels that I know personally to be nice, decent places...

 

South Beach Marriott... http://marriott.com/property/propertypage/MIAMB

 

Loews... http://www.loewshotels.com/hotels/miamibeach/default.asp

 

Marriott Courtyard South Beach (3 blocks from the beach, usually the best bargain on South Beach)... http://marriott.com/property/propertypage/MIACB

 

Royal Palm... http://www.solmelia.com/solNew/hoteles/jsp/C_Hotel_Description.jsp?codigoHotel=5964

 

Hotel Victor (my personal favorite)... http://hotelvictorsouthbeach.com/

 

Ritz-Carlton South Beach... http://www.ritzcarlton.com/resorts/south_beach/default.html

 

Shore Club... http://www.shoreclub.com/

[BlueHerons]

your cruise.

 

.

 

". There are some decent cheaper hotels in the 3000's & 4000's but those are way too far away from the action and you'll need a car or cab to go anywhere.

 

There are a couple of very nice hotels on Key Biscayne, but that's about it. If you just want a nice quiet place to get away from it all Key Biscayne is GREAT, but there's nothing to do on the island other than the hotels.

 

These are South Beach hotels that I know personally to be nice, decent places...

 

South Beach Marriott... http://marriott.com/property/propertypage/MIAMB

 

Loews... http://www.loewshotels.com/hotels/miamibeach/default.asp

 

Marriott Courtyard South Beach (3 blocks from the beach, usually the best bargain on South Beach)... http://marriott.com/property/propertypage/MIACB

 

Royal Palm... http://www.solmelia.com/solNew/hoteles/jsp/C_Hotel_Description.jsp?codigoHotel=5964

 

Hotel Victor (my personal favorite)... http://hotelvictorsouthbeach.com/

 

Ritz-Carlton South Beach... http://www.ritzcarlton.com/resorts/south_beach/default.html

 

Shore Club... http://www.shoreclub.com/

 

As usual, Trent has hit the nail on the head about South Beach. There are quite a few hotels above 25th and 45th on Collins Avenue that advertise themselves as South Beach and are not in South Beach. You could walk to South Beach on the Boardwalk from these hotels but you could not pay me to walk down Collins Avenue because traffic is so heavy.

 

That said, I can add to Trent's list. I stay in South Beach quite a bit and these are my additions.

 

Doubletree Surfcomber

South Seas Hotel

Avalon

Cordoza

The Delano

Courtyard By Marriott South Beach (not on ocean)

The Hotel

 

Ones I have not stayed in but have toured:

 

The Setai (common areas)

The Beacon

The National

Hotel Victor

 

 

Favorites that I've stayed in:

 

The Ritz-Carlton

The Loews

The Shore Club

The Tides

[moonvine]

Uh, is there anything less than $200 a night? Because there is no way I am paying that, even if I have to fly in at midnight and just not sleep before I get on the boat.

[TrentS]

Uh, is there anything less than $200 a night? Because there is no way I am paying that, even if I have to fly in at midnight and just not sleep before I get on the boat.

Well that depends on your date, perhaps in off season if you want to stay in South Beach - But during the winter/spring anything you'll find that cheap will be pretty nasty. You can find decent downtown Miami and MIA airport area hotels for less than $200/night though.

[moonvine]

I'm getting a friend who used to live in Miami to handle it. He has connections still, or so he says. I work with him so if it doesn't work out he will be easy to beat up:)

 

"Less than $200" isn't "cheap" to me. Cheap is less than $40:P.

[TrentS]

Less than $40??? Sorry, even the worst dumps on South Beach aren't THAT cheap! There are some old dumps in other parts of Miami that cheap, but they come with resident crack hos, drug dealers, random gang shootings, lots and lots of cockroaches, and various other creatures. ;)

 

Sure, it's possible to get a deal if you "know" someone. There are also slower times when there are much better prices, and some hotels have "deals" from time to time. Priceline or some of the other discounters are also an option (I'd never go below 4-star with those though). The prices at some places vary quite a bit from day to day, but generally the decent places in South Beach are insanely expensive when you book directly. It's just not a place you want to do on the cheap though, unless you have no standards. It really is shocking just how bad some of the cheap places really are. I've been in many of them and couldn't wait to get home and take a shower - And I didn't even touch anything in them! :eek:

[moonvine]

Well, honestly, for $200 a night like I said I will just fly in around midnight and not sleep. I am not paying $200 a night just for a place to sleep.

 

My friend knows 2 people who actually work in hotels. He said he could get me something clean and comfortable (not fancy) for about $80 a night. Which is about the upper limit of what I am prepared to pay.

 

I'll be glad to get back to crusing out of Galveston:)

[merela]

you can get a 3*hotel room in the Miami airport area for $55 (incl. tax and fees) on Priceline. But you can get Sofitel (a 4*) for $85+taxes on their own website if you don't want to bid on Priceline.

 

I have a Priceline booking for a 3* Wyndam Airport Hotel at $81 ($65+tax and fees). It's a little pricey, but it was still cheaper than if I book through other hotel discounters at the time I made the booking. This particular hotel had accepted bids as low as $40 in the past.

[realtorron]

I bid $72 and won a 1 night pre cruise stay at the 4* Royal Palm on South Beach for the end of January on Priceline. ;)