Miami Hotel question

[Eager2Travel]

We will be starting a cruise in Miami.  I am trying to decide if we should book a cabin category that includes pre cruise hotel night or do it ourselves,  Does anyone have a suggestion on where to stay for one night that is convenient and comfortable?  We would appreciate any help.

[mrlevin]

JW Marriott in Brickell is very convenient and has lots of restaurant choices nearby.  Would not eat breakfast there as too expensive.

[Eager2Travel]

Thanks mrleven for the suggestion.  I will check it out.  .   Am trying to decide if it is worth $1100 to just let Regent do it.  We  once had a terrible Uber experience in Miami so I am hesitant about using them for transfer.  I   

[RELS]

You can probably get a great hotel and a taxi or even a limo to the port for a lot less than the $1100 that Regent is asking.

 

FWIW, in Dec '22 we stayed at the Hampton Inn Brickell (Nice enough, but not luxe) because of status and took a bus that went from the hotel to all the terminals. When we go again in November, same hotel, but I'll line up different transportation.

[DavidTheWonderer]

Regent's hotel for us was the Biltmore in Coral Gables. A fabulous experience.  I kept thinking that Bogart and Lauren Bacall would walk in to the bar any minute. Beautiful hotel, Regent-class service by the hotel staff, an excellent breakfast buffet in the morning.
Some details for those interested. We winter in Tampa Bay, so drove our own car over to Miami to the Biltmore. From there, the staff handled getting our luggage from the car into our cabin on Splendor. We just drove to the dock the next morning and parked the car in the lot across the street from the dock, and walked over and aboard.  There was a bus from the hotel to the ship but we got to skip it.

Edited September 5 by DavidTheWonderer

[Whinenowine]

If I'm reading the website properly they just posted the hotel for our December cruise out of Miami:  the Hyatt Regency. I'll keep an open mind, but it does not look like a particularly nice hotel (and unfortunately it's a brand where we don't have status).  But given it's just for a night, I'm sure it'll be fine.

[GMIAC]

FYI, we get a hotel room near the port for around $200 and a ride share to the port is about $15. Ride share snafus are rare so the odds are in your favor.

Edited September 5 by GMIAC

[2012_Alaska_bound]

Another Hampton Inn recommendation. Hampton Inn Blue Lagoon. Free shuttle from Airport to hotel. Paid shuttle to cruise port. I prefer using Uber to port. Shopping center with a couple of good restaurants across the street. Included Hampton Inn breakfast is fine for me, since I will be having lunch on the ship.

[GMIAC]

1 minute ago, 2012_Alaska_bound said:

Another Hampton Inn recommendation. Hampton Inn Blue Lagoon. Free shuttle from Airport to hotel. Paid shuttle to cruise port. I prefer using Uber to port. Shopping center with a couple of good restaurants across the street. Included Hampton Inn breakfast is fine for me, since I will be having lunch on the ship.

This.  ⬆️ ⬆️ ⬆️ ⬆️

[cAPS lOCK oN]

We are on Grandeur leaving from Miami in March, cruising with our daughter and son-in-law. We're all in concierge rooms and are getting the pre-cruise hotel. However, our hotel is the Hyatt Regency Coral Gables while theirs is the Biltmore Coral Gables. The two hotels are just far enough apart to make it difficult to get together.

 

Has anyone ever tried to get the pre-assigned hotel changed? Were you successful?

 

[-Lew-]

We decline the pre-cruise hotel and transfer and stay free for three nights at Hyatt Centric Brickell Miami by transferring Chase Sapphire reward points to Hyatt.  We like the hotel and the ability to transfer to the port when we wish.

[Eager2Travel]

Thanks for continuing to provide new ideas.  
We do have a mess of Chase Sapphire points.  I didn’t realize you could transfer the points directly into the hotel.   

I neglected to mention the cost for concierge was for two of us.

I will also check out Hampton Inn.

[KenzSailing]

 

We have been very happy at the Mandarin Oriental, in fact staying there in December.  Just depends on what you're looking for and at what price point.

[mrstanley]

We have stayed twice at The Intercontinental. Took an Uber to the port.

[mj_holiday]

We have stayed twice at the Holiday Inn on Biscayne Blvd.  While not luxurious, it is comfortable and across the street from several restaurant and shopping areas and we could see the ship come in the evening before we boarded.

[GMIAC]

15 minutes ago, mj_holiday said:

We have stayed twice at the Holiday Inn on Biscayne Blvd.  While not luxurious, it is comfortable and across the street from several restaurant and shopping areas and we could see the ship come in the evening before we boarded.

I'm with you. We'll even pick a hotel near the airport with an airport shuttle, because it's just one evening. Then it's a quick ride share to the port the next morning after the (usually included) breakfast. Yeah, I can spend $25,000 on a typical cruise ($395,000 for our 2027 World Cruise!) but won't spend more than $150 for the pre-night hotel.  💸

[Jim Avery]

Have to agree, some things are just stuck in my head as what they are worth.  

Has any of yall stayed at Nobu hotel in South Beach?  Our TA highly recommended it and the restaurant is supposed to be something special.  Guess we will find out.🥃

[GMIAC]

21 hours ago, Jim Avery said:

Have to agree, some things are just stuck in my head as what they are worth.  

Has any of yall stayed at Nobu hotel in South Beach?  Our TA highly recommended it and the restaurant is supposed to be something special.  Guess we will find out.🥃

I can’t think of South Beach without thinking of Joe’s Stone Crab. 

[Wendy The Wanderer]

On 9/5/2024 at 12:45 PM, cAPS lOCK oN said:

We are on Grandeur leaving from Miami in March, cruising with our daughter and son-in-law. We're all in concierge rooms and are getting the pre-cruise hotel. However, our hotel is the Hyatt Regency Coral Gables while theirs is the Biltmore Coral Gables. The two hotels are just far enough apart to make it difficult to get together.

 

Has anyone ever tried to get the pre-assigned hotel changed? Were you successful?

 

Gee, I would take this up with your TA or your Regent rep. Sounds easy to solve.

[ysolde]

We have stayed at the JW Marriott, then just booked an Uber to the port, less than ten minutes away.  Because of our status with Marriott, breakfast was included, and quite good.