Need Miami hotel?

[phabric]

We are going on Carnival cruise out of Miami and need hotel for Dec 21.

 

We have never been to Miam area before.

 

Any idea of hotels?

 

If I use Priceline, which area to use?

[JohninDC]

For Priceline choose downtown Miami and 4-stars; check the sticky at the top of this board as well as www.betterbidding.com for help identifying hotels and with bidding strategies.

 

Are you flying into MIA or FLL? :confused: Flying into FLL it is easier (and usually cheaper) to stay there and then shuttle to POM the next day. We like the Embassy Suites 17th st., but there are lots of FLL area hotels to choose from - check

http://www.sunny.org/visitors/cruiseandplay/hotels/

If you are arriving at MIA then you have choices - stay near the airport, stay downtown near the port, or stay in Miami Beach (near the beach :o).

Arriving late and just want dinner and a clean room, 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.

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. Check out the Hyatt, Doubletree, Marriott (at least 3 versions), Holiday Inn & Intercontinental.

Miami Beach is the "Miami" you see in the movies and on TV shows -- it is a separate city from Miami, and the hotels there 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. Fountainebleau, Sagamore & Ritz Carlton are some of the deluxe hotels found there, but you'll find lots of smaller hotels; www.Oyster.com does a great job with their South Beach reviews.

Good luck! :)

[NorthCarolinaBelle]

I'm an Hilton Honors member, so I stayed in a lot of Hampton Inns in the area. And I have a few to recommend you.

 

If its only a overnight thing, no time to see Miami: Hampton Inn & Suites Miami Airport South Blue Lagoon is a great choice. They have a airport shuttle. http://www.hamptoninnmiamiairport.com/

 

If you have sometime to enjoy Miami, Downtown is an excellent choice. It has restaurants, bars and shops and a free monorail - metromover - to go around everything downtown. http://www.hamptoninnmiamibrickell.com/

 

If you have time for Miami, but wants a quieter area, I would go to Coconut Grove. Its a nice quiet area that still have restaurants and shops at CocoWalk for some Miami time. http://www.hamptoninncoconutgrove.com/

 

They all have free breakfast, as most or all Hampton Inns and they all have a cruise package, as lots of place in Miami, with two one-way transports to the Port of Miami and either free parking or a discounted rate for parking if you have a car.

 

 

 

If the cruise package is not available, as is the case with one of the hotels for our dates, how much would it cost to get to the port? Would we go by taxi?

[september2010]

We r also cruising out of Miami but flying into FLL in early December. I am starting to think we would like to go ahead and get near the port so the next day we can just take a taxi to the port.Maybe less stress. What would be a good place to stay that would be easy to get to the port the next morning? I would really like to keep it under 150.00 for 1 night.

[Ontario cruise duo]

We r also cruising out of Miami but flying into FLL in early December. I am starting to think we would like to go ahead and get near the port so the next day we can just take a taxi to the port.Maybe less stress. What would be a good place to stay that would be easy to get to the port the next morning? I would really like to keep it under 150.00 for 1 night.

 

We've done this. Take SAS transportation from FLL airport to downtown Miami for your hotel stay. $15.00 per person. We booked a room through Last Minute Travel and have stayed at the Intercontinential 3 times now. You can see the port from your room (if your able to get a bay view room). In December you should be able to get it for less than $150.00 all taxes included. Need any help, just ask!! Next morning a taxi to the port is $10 - $12!!

[petitcanard]

You could try last minute travel dot com too... today I was able to book the Intercontinental (on the bay at Chopin Plaza) for just under $126 plus tax for Dec 15, for our pre-cruise stay. I just called the 1-888 number and asked for that hotel specifically... the phone rate was almost $20 less than it showed online.

 

Good luck!