Miami Hotels- Embassy Suites or Blue Lagoon?

[kellance13879]

Hey all! Looking for some opinions on Pre cruise miami hotels. Looking at embassy suites cruise and sail package for $234 (which has a free happy hour, and good breakfast) or Hampton Inn Blue Lagoon cruise and sail package for $269... does anyone have any recommendations?

 

Or any preferences on other hotels. I hear hampton inn bicknell is nice but it seems like they dont have a free airport shuttle and that is a requirement for us!

 

thanks!!

[JohninDC]

ES at MIA is very isolated - your options are the on site restaurant ($$) or delivery pizza/Chinese

 

Hampton Inn Blue lagoon is across the street from a local strip mall with shopping (grocery, drug & liquor ;) stores) as well as fast food and sit down dining options. I would also look at Homewood Suites and other nearby Blue Lagoon hotels

 

Downtown hotels will not offer shuttles, but a $15-17 Uber will get you there without any hassles.

[Flymia]

Do you just want a bed to sleep in and that is it? $234 seems pretty high for an airport hotel.

 

If the Hampton Brickell has a good rate take it, it is a $20 max Uber ride from the airport, and then a $7-$8 Uber ride to the port from the Hampton Inn On Brickell.

 

If you have a late flight and just want a bed to sleep in, then sure an airport hotel with an airport shuttle is a good choice.

[fishywood]

...they dont have a free airport shuttle and that is a requirement for us!

 

Just curious why it is such a firm requirement to you.

 

If you arrive during the busy time of the day you could find yourself wedged into a hot crowded van with your bags on your laps making multiple pick ups at MIA.

 

If arriving early morning/late evening you could be outside the hotel's shuttle hours. Or if you call to see if they can send the shuttle it may take an hour or more for the hotel to scare up a driver.

 

PortMiami is smack in the middle of the Central Business District. Hotels in such locations do not offer free shuttles. But taxis are cheap and plentiful--and Uber or Lyft even more so. What I'm saying is that "convenient" and "free" are mutually exclusive. And the convenience of a hotel in Downtown Miami or Brickell, combined with real time non stop transportation, outranks free every time.

 

(But again, what time of day you are arriving is a big factor in deciding whether to just stick by the airport. And what time of year as to whether the rates you are quoting are reasonable).

[SMSACE6]

Hey all! Looking for some opinions on Pre cruise miami hotels. Looking at embassy suites cruise and sail package for $234 (which has a free happy hour, and good breakfast) or Hampton Inn Blue Lagoon cruise and sail package for $269... does anyone have any recommendations?

 

Or any preferences on other hotels. I hear hampton inn bicknell is nice but it seems like they dont have a free airport shuttle and that is a requirement for us!

 

thanks!!

 

I have stayed at both. Liked them both for different reasons. My preference of the two is Hampton Inn Blue Lagoon. This based mostly on location, being across the street from a strip mall with Publix supermarket, liquor store, clothing store, restaurants and a block away from CVS and Walgreens.

 

Embassy suites is isolated, nothing to walk to nearby, restaurant on site is just ok and pricey for what it is, but the happy hour is a nice diversion especially since it is isolated.

 

Customer service is nice at both places, rooms also very nice, but Hampton Inn is the better location. Breakfast at both places is more than adequate.

 

I dont know of any downtown or Brickell area hotels that have free shuttle from the airport. I dont do Uber, but found the taxi rates to be reasonable from the airport to downtown.

[kellance13879]

So a little background...

 

My boyfriend and I are from small town maine, leaving from Boston feb 1 to get to Miami around 250pm for a cruise leaving

 

February 2nd

 

Since we are from the good ole rural state of Maine we have never used (or have) Uber/lyft which is why we feel comfortable using free airport shuttles

 

We bought the drink package for our cruise so purchasing alcohol for the cruise is not necessary as we want to make use of what we paid for with our drink package.

 

Thank you all for your replies!! Definitely gives me more to think about [emoji4]

 

 

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[JohninDC]

Watch a couple of You Tube videos - if a dinosaur like me can figure out Uber/Lyft, then you two can figure it out. Look at downtown hotels, especially hotels in the Mary Brickell area (or maybe Coconut Grove) where you can enjoy local dining options and see/experience something of Miami.

 

Have a great cruise! :cool:

[BlueHerons]

Hey all! Looking for some opinions on Pre cruise miami hotels. Looking at embassy suites cruise and sail package for $234 (which has a free happy hour, and good breakfast) or Hampton Inn Blue Lagoon cruise and sail package for $269... does anyone have any recommendations?

 

Or any preferences on other hotels. I hear hampton inn bicknell is nice but it seems like they dont have a free airport shuttle and that is a requirement for us!

 

thanks!!

 

Honestly, it is nuts to stay out by the airport when you can stay downtown for the same price. The airport is a crummy place (Blue Lagoon isn't bad at all).

 

Seriously, follow John's advice about Uber. You'll stay in a much, much better location and have fun stories to tell.

 

There are a lot of fun places downtown for a young couple. By the airport? Notsomuch.

[Lucy Jane]

Ive stayed at both places. Nothing wrong with Embassy Suites, it is like all the other ES’s. It is in the middle of nowhere but if you dont plan on going out it should be fine.

 

 

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[kellance13879]

A taxi is around $30.00. Does the hotel provide a shuttle to the port too? Does it provide a shuttle back to the airport/hotel after you arrive?

 

Uber is crazy easy and safe. Its a lot safer IMO than a random taxi cab and the cars are much nicer 95% of the time. Also, the fares are cheaper and more predictable.

 

I highly suggest staying in Downtown/Brickell area if you are arriving at that time in Miami. You will enjoy your time so much more and get to see the city too.

 

p.s love Maine, my parents have a home in Belfast. What part of Maine are you coming from? Such a great place.

 

Also, if you use Uber and Lyft for the first time you will get discounts. You can find some online or use a referal code (here is mine x753g)

 

 

 

We live about 20 minutes outside of Augusta! But I grew up in rockland not too far from Belfast [emoji4]

 

 

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[kellance13879]

Watch a couple of You Tube videos - if a dinosaur like me can figure out Uber/Lyft, then you two can figure it out. Look at downtown hotels, especially hotels in the Mary Brickell area (or maybe Coconut Grove) where you can enjoy local dining options and see/experience something of Miami.

 

Have a great cruise! :cool:

 

 

 

Hahaha! I will definitely look into the you tube videos!

 

 

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[WFHFLOYD]

Hahaha! I will definitely look into the you tube videos!

 

 

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You guys should definitely stay closer to the Ocean (Atlantic - same one that's in Maine (just kidding you)) You have some time, and there is so much to see in Miami for that one afternoon to be spent at an airport hotel is unthinkable. Get sand in your toes. Try Uber - it's really very easy. Take the hop on hop off if you want an overview. Consider a car rental for 1 day at the airport. It would be cheap and you could return it downtown and get to see lots of stuff (Key Biscayne for example). Lots of options. These are just suggestions, but don't stay out at the airport. Boring. Have fun!!