Miami Airport Hotel or Miami Port Hotel

[evolutiondob]

I'm having a difficult time deciding whether I should stay in a Miami airport hotel or Miami Port hotel. My children and I are arriving the day before our cruise but, unfortunatley, our flight doesn't get in until around midnight. I was wondering if it would be more convenient to just get a hotel close to the airport and then find our way to the port the following morning when it is light outside or whether I should just catch a cab to the port. My main consideration is how long it will take to reach the hotel after we get off such a late flight.

 

Also, if you recommend staying at the airport, can you also give me an idea as to what hotels to stay in? I'm pretty familiar from reading the board what port hotels are good, but not so much when it comes to the airport hotels.

[firefly333]

I can't tell you what hotels to stay in, but Id stay in a airport hotel. By the port some of the areas are not good and I wouldnt be crazy about going thru them at midnight.

 

I lived in S. Florida for 13 years and heard stories of folks who went down a dead end street accidently and got trapped by a car blocking their exit and were robbed and other stories. Miami per se to me is not as good of a neighborhood in general as say Ft. Lauderdale.

 

Sure, you will be in a cab, but midnight in some area like Little Havanna wouldnt be my choice. Daylight hours are safer for traveling the streets of Miami.

 

Even some who say here their hotel near the port was fine for one night have mentioned going out at night and saying that it was "iffy" if you have noticed.

 

On the other hand if you have a cab take you directly to Bayside, that sounds ok to me too.

 

It depends too on if you are talking about a 3 or 4 star hotel in downtown and intend to stay indoors, Im sure that is fine to travel to at midnight.

 

I cant tell you what to do, but I wouldnt be out and about at midnight in Miami on my own and I consider myself a chance taker. Just know too much probably about things that have happened. (I lived an hour north, but you hear stories). I have a friend who lives in Ft. Lauderdale western area who wouldnt drive down there for events unless one of her boys comes and drives her down and she is only in her 50s, not a old person.

 

There is a reason why cruises out of Miami sell for less imo. Just my opinion as someone who lived in the area.

[firefly333]

Here is a thread on staying at the port...pay toilets in the McDonalds says it all to me!!!!

 

This is what I mean...folks say great hotel, but iffy neighborhood. Stick to tourist neighborhoods during the daylight areas. Like SouthBeach or Bayside.

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=546809

 

Another vote for the Holiday Inn Port of Miami. We had a suite that overlooked the the port. It was so neat to be able to watch the ships from our room. The rate was reasonable compared to other hotels in the area. It was clean and comfortable, nothing fancy. Right across the street is abundance of shopping and restaurants. Beware of the McDonald's behind the hotel though. There are lots of people who will ask you for money. The toilets in that McDonald's are also pay toilets. That is the one and only time so far in my life that I have seen pay toilets in a McDonald's.

[evolutiondob]

Do you know how much and how long of a ride it is from the Miami Airport tot he port of Miami?

[nomarfan5]

We stayed at the La Quinta Inn Miami Airport East on 4/21. Even for an airport hotel, it was a little noisy but the flights stopped by 12:30am. But it was a nice hotel for one night, had a pretty good complimentary breakfast and offered a free shuttle to the port. If you decide to stay here, make sure it is the Airport East. There are other La Quinta's around the airport but they don't offer the shuttle and they did not get good reviews on the sites I checked. I was too busy bouncing around in my excitement so I don't really remember how long the trip to the port was. It didn't seem that long but we did encounter a lot of traffic at the port itself.

[BlueHerons]

For the most part, cheap hotels in South Florida are bad news.

[evolutiondob]

Thanks for all of your responses.

 

I think I'll just stay at an airport hotel. Nomarfan5, I've heard about La Quinta East and I think the free shuttle to the port is a nice bonus. The prices are reasonable and I understand they are only a few minutes from the airport.