Hotel in miami

[TeachersRock]

Those of you who have recently sailed out of Miami, which hotel do you recommend or do you have one to avoid?

 

[PlutoIsHerFav]

Those of you who have recently sailed out of Miami, which hotel do you recommend or do you have one to avoid?

Are you driving or flying? If driving, we stayed at the Hampton Inn in Boca Raton. It worked out perfect. We saved a ton of money and it was a quick drive to the port in the morning!

 

[TeachersRock]

Are you driving or flying? If driving, we stayed at the Hampton Inn in Boca Raton. It worked out perfect. We saved a ton of money and it was a quick drive to the port in the morning!

We are flying into the Miami airport

 

[braysmommy]

Last May we stayed at the Hampton Inn & Suites Miami-Brickell and will be staying there again next month. A few places to eat nearby, CVS and Starbucks within walking distance and a short uber ride to the port.

 

[mmouse37]

Most hotels by the airport will be cheaper but if you are staying more than 1 night prior to the cruise I probably would not stay near the airport. We liked the Courtyard Marriott by the airport. We have stayed there 2 times this year before a cruise and we also stayed at the EB Hotel near the airport. From the EB Hotel we booked and took DCL transfers to the port at $21 pp. From the Marriott Courtyard we took an Uber to the port which cost $15 and change for 2 adults. The airport is about 20-25 minutes to the port. We like the Courtyard Marriott pool better than the EB Hotel pool but the EB Hotel was more upscale inside. Both hotels had shuttles from the airport but the Marriott shuttle was quick and the EB Hotel shuttle took over 30 minutes to arrive at the airport.

The Brickell area is very popular and most hotels nearer the port do not have shuttles from the airport so you have to Uber or taxi to the hotel and then to the port.

MJ

 

[maui2k5]

We are cruising on the Dream out of Miami in Oct and are staying at the Marriott Courtyard by the airport for a few reasons.

1) 2 Queen sized beds
2) We land late in the evening
3) Free with Marriott points

We will take a Lyft/Uber in the morning about 45 min to an hour before our port arrival time and just wait outside until we are allowed in.

 

[goofy4prez]

We are sailing on the Dream in December and staying 2 nights prior at the Intercontinental Miami on Biscayne Bay. For us, it's sentimental since this is the hotel we stayed at years ago when we did our first cruise for our honeymoon back in 86. Also, we prefer upscale hotels when on vacation (not trying to be snooty or elitist), and we love the location too the port, and all the activity in the area. Coincidentally, we have a cruise in March with Regent Seven Seas for 10 nights out of Miami and this is the same hotel RSSC is putting us in the night before.

 

[ladyofthetramp]

We stayed at the EB Miami. Free shuttle to the hotel after you collect your luggage. You just have to give them a call. They upgraded us to a Jr. suite on the 6th floor with a lovely view. Really great bar and restaurant on the property. if you are adventurous, there is a liquor store/cafe two blocks away with some great cubanos that are homemade on the premises for a taste of local fare. Then the bus picks you up the next morning. We had a very nice stay-easy and would do it again.

 

[anjuan]

We're staying at the Hyatt Regency Miami because I can get a great government rate. It looks like it will be about 7 minutes to the port by Uber.

 

[auntlynne]

Stayed at Courtyard by Marriott/ Airport last December. Free airport shuttle (serves 3 Marriott properties in a gated campus.). Found a great Staycation rate, including food credit. Used Lyft to Port of Miami. (Hotel offered a shuttle at ~ $12 pp. ran on a schedule. Sign up at check-in. Beautiful new Sprinter van was too high for me to access; hence, Lyft). I walked about 2 blocks to Cafe 2000 for dinner at a Latin diner. This area is a fairly major thoroughfare. I walked in the Little Havana residential neighborhood nearby. It was a quiet spot bounded by busy streets. Couldn’t find a grocery or drug store nearby / walkable.

Stayed at Hampton Inn & Suites - Brickell in April. No shuttle from airport, I think. (Part of family flew in to MIA, we flew in to FLL and took train down. Repeating FLL train combo again soon). Would stay here again for neighborhood. (I quote Dunkin and Publix as nearby features - I laughed when above poster mentioned CVS and Starbucks, because we all have our points of reference.). We had many dining choices in a multi-block area around the hotel. This area is more of a urban multi-use community. I believe the beach was very close; we didn’t have extra time to explore farther.

Both hotels are typical of their chains. Mid-level offerings. As a pre-cruise hotel, they met our needs. Not a destination resort. Hampton does have a complimentary breakfast, from which I pick and chose items to hold me over until lunch onboard. Courtyard has for-fee breakfast in the bar area.

I had booked at the new Element near the riverfront, not too far north of Brickell. As we rode past it in the way to the Hampton Inn, I was happy with my choice. There are areas of Miami where the homeless are more likely to camp; Brickell is not one of them, neither is the area around the Courtyard.

 

[unrequited23]

We stayed at the Hampton Inn-Blue Lagoon. There were several restaurants, a Publix, a CVS and a liquor store within a couple blocks. The free shuttle from the airport ran on the hour and they could book a shuttle to the port for $11/person with the first pickup time at 11. The only downside was the outdoor pool. It was unseasonably cold last January, so no swimming for the kids when it's 60.

 

[Nicnicnic.nic]

Following

 

[gerberdaisy1234]

We like the The Grand Doubletree. Get a bayside room so you can see the Dream from your balcony when you wake up

 

[auntlynne]

I wrote about the Hampton Inn Brickell, but, again, it’s not showing up. Thumbs up for that hotel.

 

[tj48103]

We enjoyed the Hampton Inn Bricknell. Free breakfast and easy to walk to a place for dinner the night before and to pick up wine and snacks. We took an uber to the port because that was a cheaper option for our party of 5, but they do offer a port shuttle for I think $8 a person.

 

[jenushkask8s]

For our previous Miami cruise, we stayed at the Intercontinental Miami. It is close to the port (you can see the port if you have a bayview room) and a short walk to the Bayside Marketplace.

We are cruising out of Miami in January and will be staying at a hotel on South Beach for a couple of days beforehand because we've never been there and wanted to experience it.

 

[kamcgrory]

For our previous Miami cruise, we stayed at the Intercontinental Miami. It is close to the port (you can see the port if you have a bayview room) and a short walk to the Bayside Marketplace.

We are cruising out of Miami in January and will be staying at a hotel on South Beach for a couple of days beforehand because we've never been there and wanted to experience it.

We wanted to stay at the Intercontinental Miami on a Wed night before our 4 night cruise this January. But they are sold out

 

[ruadisneyfan2]

Last December we had a late arriving flight so we stayed at the EB which we enjoyed. If you're traveling without children, well, let's just say the shower is very romantic.
We cruised out of Miami last week and this time had an earlier flight so we stayed at the Marriott Biscayne Bay. It has nice views overlooking the bay and within 2 blocks of a Publix so we could buy some bottled water. (on sale, 2-6packs for $5) and a great little Italian restaurant called Pizza Pazzo. Very laid back and inexpensive but excellent food. The Publix had a small liquor store attached.
The downside is the the hotel is now under construction in the lobby and exterior pool area. We had no plans to swim so we didn't care but others may find that important to know. We booked a room with a view of the port/bay, hoping to wake up to see the Dream, but our view faced northeast, so we could see the bay but not the port. Uber'ed to the hotel at around $25 +tip and then also to the port which was around $8 +tip. From the waterfront area behind our hotel and from the nearby e could watch other cruise ships sail out that evening, and saw the Virgin ships for the first time. Whew, they are not kidding when they say beauty is in the eye of the beholder. JMHO.

Once we boarded the Dream, we ate lunch at Cabanas, and while eating outside, we had a very clear view of the Intercontinental Hotel. Anyone staying there with a view of the bay should have an excellent view of the ship in the morning.

I'm gifting my niece and her family a Disney cruise in either Dec or March, still deciding, and the Hampton Inn Blue Lagoon has caught my eye for arriving the evening before. It has a free airport shuttle, free breakfast, and a Publix right across the street. It gets good reviews as well as the Hampton Inn East.

 

[ILovePixieDust]

Our absolute favorite hotel in Miami is the Loews Miami Beach Hotel. Love their pool, comfy poolside loungers and proximity to the beach.

 

[BrandyMcD]

We like the The Grand Doubletree. Get a bayside room so you can see the Dream from your balcony when you wake up

When did you stay there? That's what I have booked for March, but the recent reviews look pretty negative. When we did Alaska last summer we booked a hotel where we could watch the ship come in, and we loved it, so that's why the Doubletree caught my eye.