Need help finding a Miami hotel

[ShelbyLK]

Hello all,

 

I'm looking to book a cruise for May and we will be cruising out of Miami. I have never left from Miami before, so I'm not sure what's good, bad, etc.

 

Do any of the hotels pick you up from the airport and take you to the hotel for free? Do any of the hotels take you to the cruise port for free? Like I said, I'm new to cruising out of Miami, so I have know idea. I have only cruised out of Fort Lauderdale, and the hotel we stayed at picked us up from the airport, and the next day, took us to the cruise port for free.

 

Any information you have, or opinions, would be great.

 

Thanks in advance!

[JohninDC]

You're in luck as prices should be lower in May compare to the peak between now and Easter.

 

Are you flying into MIA or FLL? :confused: If you are cruising out of Miami it is easier to fly into MIA, but many cruisers save big $$ by flying into FLL. Wherevever you fly into you should plan on arriving at least one day early - you do not want flight delays due to weather or mechanical issues :eek: to ruin the start of your vacation.

 

If your flight is arriving late into MIA and you just want a clean room and dinner then check out hotels in the Blue Lagoon area near MIA (Hampton Inn, Sofitel, Homewood Suites and others) - free airport shuttles and shopping and dining options within walking distance. ;) Most can arrange for shuttle service to POM for $10 per person, or you can cab it for under $30 per cab. The ride to POM will take about 15 or so minutes.

At least one budget motel near MIA, La Quinta East, offers both free airport and cruise shuttles. It is in an unattractive, industrial type area (car dealers, etc.) near the airport, but seems to be good enough for lots of cruisers.

Downtown Miami hotels are closest to POM, but none offer free shuttle from MIA or to POM. A taxi from MIA will cost about $26+tip and another $10-12 cab ride will get you to POM the next day. Some offer rooms with a POM view - a great way to wake up on the day your cruise starts. :D Check out the Hyatt, Doubletree, Marriott, & Intercontinental.

 

Miami Beach is the "Miami" you see on TV shows and in the movies -- it is a separate city from Miami, and the hotels tend to be smaller and more expensive -- they also offer great dining, nightlife and a world class beach. A taxi to South Beach from MIA will run $32+ and another $15 cab will get you to POM.

Decide on what you want and what your budget is and the board members will try to help you find a great deal. Good luck! :)

[ShelbyLK]

Thank you JohninDC, that info. helps a lot.

 

We are not looking for anything special to stay at. We are flying in the day before the cruise, and just want some place to relax and have a few drinks, and something to eat. We don't need any high class kind of place, and we probably won't even leave the hotel until we go to the port the next day. Well, maybe we will leave, we will need to buy some pop and water to take with us.

 

Thanks again for your help, and I will look into LaQuinta East.

[Jayfo]

Without question, it has always been the Holiday Inn Bayside. Book a bayview room and wake up to a view of your ship in the port.

It is directly across the street (walking distance) to an outdoor "mall" type area with food, drinks, dancing & fun.

 

I've done this a few times already and each time it feels like an extra "vacation" on top of our vacation.

 

The next cruise we do will leave out of Ft. Lauderdale, so I will be in the same boat you are in now....searching for a fun place to recreate the fun we have at Bayside Marketplace.

[BlueHerons]

Without question, it has always been the Holiday Inn Bayside. Book a bayview room and wake up to a view of your ship in the port.

It is directly across the street (walking distance) to an outdoor "mall" type area with food, drinks, dancing & fun.

 

I've done this a few times already and each time it feels like an extra "vacation" on top of our vacation.

 

The next cruise we do will leave out of Ft. Lauderdale, so I will be in the same boat you are in now....searching for a fun place to recreate the fun we have at Bayside Marketplace.

 

Unless you can get the Holiday Inn for less than $100, it is a horribly overpriced dump.

 

For less money, go to www.LastMinuteTravel.com and you can usually get the Intercontinental for less money and it is a luxury hotel.

[JohninDC]

 

We are not looking for anything special to stay at. We are flying in the day before the cruise, and just want some place to relax and have a few drinks, and something to eat. We don't need any high class kind of place, and we probably won't even leave the hotel until we go to the port the next day. Well, maybe we will leave, we will need to buy some pop and water to take with us.

 

.

Take a good look at hotels in the Blue Lagoon area -- nice, quiet residential and office park area, shopping across the street (Publix grocery has an okay wine selection, liquor store, drug store, Starbucks, etc.) and several dining options within walking distance. Good luck! :)

[critterchick]

Unless you can get the Holiday Inn for less than $100, it is a horribly overpriced dump.

 

For less money, go to www.LastMinuteTravel.com and you can usually get the Intercontinental for less money and it is a luxury hotel.

 

Unfortunately, "luxury" often means "everything extra will cost you $$" and that was true of the IC on Sunday night. For example, the gym costs $15 per person to use. I swear they would have charged for air if they could have.:p It is in a great location, though.

 

I found the IC to be ok, not really luxurious. Our room was small and faced the pool and high rise condo/apt across the way. It was clean, if a little worn.

 

My only other downtown reference is the Hyatt - the neighborhood isn't quite as nice, but during the day it's fine to walk around and there is a CVS plus a wine store nearby for those last minute purchases (IC has a CVS across the street, too).

 

For one night pre-cruise I would stay again at the Sheraton MIA. Their complimentary airport shuttle runs every 15 minutes. We were upgraded to the club floor, which included breakfast. The beds were really comfy and the staff very nice (I found the IC staff to be a little snotty except in the restaurant). And the well-equipped gym is free to use. The only downside is that there's no place to walk to for those last minute supplies.

[Missiowa]

Without question, it has always been the Holiday Inn Bayside. Book a bayview room and wake up to a view of your ship in the port.

It is directly across the street (walking distance) to an outdoor "mall" type area with food, drinks, dancing & fun.

 

I've done this a few times already and each time it feels like an extra "vacation" on top of our vacation.

 

The next cruise we do will leave out of Ft. Lauderdale, so I will be in the same boat you are in now....searching for a fun place to recreate the fun we have at Bayside Marketplace.

 

Can you walk from your hotel(Holiday inn bayside) to the port? is it really that close? or are their major highways and such?

[JohninDC]

Can you walk from your hotel(Holiday inn bayside) to the port? is it really that close? or are their major highways and such?

 

Although some have reported doing it, walking from downtown to POM is not safe. :eek: POM is an industrial area (cargo ships offloading/loading on the opposite side from the cruise terminals) and the place seems to crawling with taxis. busses and shuttle vans - most of which are ignoring the speed limit. Save yourself the hassel and risk and spend $10 on a taxi from the Holiday Inn to POM. ;)

[ShelbyLK]

Can you walk from your hotel(Holiday inn bayside) to the port? is it really that close? or are their major highways and such?

 

 

 

That's a good question. I don't know anything about Miami. Are there hotels within walking distance to the port? or, do you have to take a cab? How much is the cab? Is the port near downtown, south beach? etc...

I really don't know anything about the POM, where it's located, or what hotel, city, etc. is near it.

 

Sorry, I feel so clueless and helpless, I don't know what to do, what to check out, if the hotel/area is good or bad. Thanks for the previous replies, any info. does help, and thanks for the new replies. I do appreciate any and all information that can be given. Hopefully, I won't feel clueless anymore. lol

[ShelbyLK]

Just a little added note...I think I'm feeling more helpless with the port, not only because I've never cruised out of POM, but I'm setting all of this up for a group of us, of around 12-14 people, and I need everything to be good. I know I can't please everyone all the time, I would just like to try to please most of the group, and try to keep everyone happy.:D

[JohninDC]

That's a good question. I don't know anything about Miami. Are there hotels within walking distance to the port? or, do you have to take a cab? It is not safe to walk from downtown to POM - spend $10 on a cab; you should be able to put 3-4 passengers in each cab, which makes it about $3-4 person.

How much is the cab? Cab from MIA to POM is $24+tip flat rate for the cab - there are minivan cabs that can hold 5 passengers if you do not have much luggage. Cab to downtown hotels from MIA is about $25; cab from MIA to South Beach hotels is about $32

Is the port near downtown, south beach? etc... POM is very near downtown Miami; cab from South Beach to POM is about $15.

I really don't know anything about the POM, where it's located, or what hotel, city, etc. is near it.

 

Sorry, I feel so clueless and helpless, I don't know what to do, what to check out, if the hotel/area is good or bad. Thanks for the previous replies, any info. does help, and thanks for the new replies. I do appreciate any and all information that can be given. Hopefully, I won't feel clueless anymore. lol

You will never make everyone happy - do the best you can or tell them to plan it themselves! :rolleyes: I would establish a hotel budget number ($100/night, $150/night, whatever) and then book the best deal you can find downtown - Doubletree or Marriott, IC and Hyatt would be my first 4 choices. If some want to explore Bayside Market and others want to explore South Beach, they are on their own. Cab to POM first thing the next day, check in for your cruise, and start drinking DOD's before noon! :D

 

Good luck! :)

[ShelbyLK]

You will never make everyone happy - do the best you can or tell them to plan it themselves! :rolleyes: I would establish a hotel budget number ($100/night, $150/night, whatever) and then book the best deal you can find downtown - Doubletree or Marriott, IC and Hyatt would be my first 4 choices. If some want to explore Bayside Market and others want to explore South Beach, they are on their own. Cab to POM first thing the next day, check in for your cruise, and start drinking DOD's before noon! :D

 

Good luck! :)

 

Thank you so much, your information has helped me out a lot. I have just one more question...do you know if any of the above mentioned hotels shuttle you from Miami airport to their hotel?

 

Thanks again for all of the information!

 

Ok...forget that last question, I just re-read what you posted about fares from MIA to the hotels, and it looks like they don't have a shuttle.

Thanks again for your help!

[JohninDC]

Thank you so much, your information has helped me out a lot. I have just one more question...do you know if any of the above mentioned hotels shuttle you from Miami airport to their hotel?

 

Thanks again for all of the information!

 

Ok...forget that last question, I just re-read what you posted about fares from MIA to the hotels, and it looks like they don't have a shuttle.

Thanks again for your help!

 

Sorry - I know of no downtown or Miami Beach hotels that shuttle you from MIA; and none offer shuttles to POM. For "free" shuttles like that you will be at an airport area hotle. Just pack-em into cabs like clowns at the circus! ;)

 

Good luck! :)

[BlueHerons]

Can you walk from your hotel(Holiday inn bayside) to the port? is it really that close? or are their major highways and such?

 

Major highways.

[huxlemo]

On lastminutetravel.com, I found Holiday Inn Port of Miami for $101/night. It was $136 on Holiday Inn's website. So, I think I got a good deal.

[Husky61]

We just stayed in Miami on February 27 at the Residence Inn for $85. Very nice room and free shuttle to the airport.

[negc]

That's a good question. I don't know anything about Miami. Are there hotels within walking distance to the port? or, do you have to take a cab? How much is the cab? Is the port near downtown, south beach? etc...

I really don't know anything about the POM, where it's located, or what hotel, city, etc. is near it.

 

Sorry, I feel so clueless and helpless, I don't know what to do, what to check out, if the hotel/area is good or bad. Thanks for the previous replies, any info. does help, and thanks for the new replies. I do appreciate any and all information that can be given. Hopefully, I won't feel clueless anymore. lol

 

Walking to the cruise terminals from anywhere in downtown Miami is not advisable. Try Priceline and you can get a 3 or 4 star property in downtown Miami for much less than their rack rate or even the special rates that they may offer online. No guarantee which hotel you will get, but the possibilities are pretty limited to several very good properties. No shuttles but the cabfare from any downtown hotel to the ship should be less than $10 for your entire party. When we have used Priceline, our bids of $65 or less have won us the Marriott Biscayne Bay, Downtown Hilton and, for $115 a night we once got the Hyatt Regency Downtown. Prices will depend on the dates of your travel as Miami hotel prices can vary dramatically depending on the time of year.:)