Homewood Suites Blue Lagoon?

[NorthCarolinaBelle]

I am finding this to be the least expensive for two couples. They have a 2 bedroom, 2 bath suite for about $250 before tax. Tripadvisor has good reviews, but has anybody stayed here recently? We will not have a car, so is there anywhere we can walk to for dinner, or is a taxi a not-too-expensive option? I wish we could stay downtown, but the cruise is stretching our budget to the max! Thanks for any help you can give!

[CanWeGoYet?]

If your stay is not on friday or saturday night, they have a free light dinner. At least they did when I stayed there, but it was not recent.

 

Nice place. At the time I stayed, I posted and was told 94th Aero Squadron was close by. Our flight got in too late for it to be open. Here is a link for some more options that look to be a cheap cab ride away. http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=homewood+suites+blue+lagoon+restaurant&source=web&cd=13&ved=0CJABEBYwDA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.mytravelguide.com%2Frestaurants%2Fnear-16961601-United_States_Florida_Miami_Miami_International_Airport_Homewood_Suites_By_Hilton_Miami_AirportBlue_Lagoon_restaurants.html&ei=d6DvT5GeFsXUqgHZgsiOAg&usg=AFQjCNFKfqFIl82TiQZ75gPVTeSCezO8ZA&cad=rja

[NorthCarolinaBelle]

Thanks so much! We'll be there on a Friday night, so no free happy hour :(!

[royalcruz]

I stayed there last year. There is a shopping center a few blocks away (you can easily walk) where they have inexpensive restaurants with table service: Italian, Chinese, Cuban. I went to 94th Aero Squadron on a Friday night but it was so dead that we didn't stay. It's no more than a mile away.

[NorthCarolinaBelle]

I stayed there last year. There is a shopping center a few blocks away (you can easily walk) where they have inexpensive restaurants with table service: Italian, Chinese, Cuban. I went to 94th Aero Squadron on a Friday night but it was so dead that we didn't stay. It's no more than a mile away.

 

Royalcruz, thank you so much! You have provided me with so much valuable info in the past! I had looked at 94th Aero Squadron and thought it looked interesting...does it have a bar atmosphere usually? Is the food good? Or is it just a touristy place? I love to go to non-chain restaurants whenever possible, so if you have a favorite, I'd love to hear it! Thanks again for all the time you spend here helping us out-of-towners!

[miamiyogi]

Royalcruz, thank you so much! You have provided me with so much valuable info in the past! I had looked at 94th Aero Squadron and thought it looked interesting...does it have a bar atmosphere usually? Is the food good? Or is it just a touristy place? I love to go to non-chain restaurants whenever possible, so if you have a favorite, I'd love to hear it! Thanks again for all the time you spend here helping us out-of-towners!

 

Let me try to set your expectations correctly. The 94th is a chain restaurant. There's a 94th in California, a 56th Fighter Group in New York, a 100th Bomber in Ohio, and they also own the Rusty Pelican in Miami among other places across the US.

 

The place is old and has a mild musty aroma to it. The food is decent, the place is largely abandoned during the week. they make most of their money on events and at the Sunday Brunch (which is fair to good).

 

It does have a bar, its pretty quiet at night. A bit pricey. On Friday nights, they'll be a latin lounge singer or pianist or something. Older Latin couples might 'pick up' there on a Friday.

 

Certainly I can understand the need to save money, but there just isn't great dining near your hotel. Sorry. There is a pretty decent place inside of the Sofitel though.

[mondello]

I am finding this to be the least expensive for two couples. They have a 2 bedroom, 2 bath suite for about $250 before tax. Tripadvisor has good reviews, but has anybody stayed here recently? We will not have a car, so is there anywhere we can walk to for dinner, or is a taxi a not-too-expensive option? I wish we could stay downtown, but the cruise is stretching our budget to the max! Thanks for any help you can give!

Thought I've read on T-Advisor that they had a hotel shuttle for short rides nearby, being right across from the airport. Hampton Inn/Suites is also in the Blue Lagoon area and has a shopping center across the street with a grocery store and dining (Italian, Cuban, among others), you may not even need to use a taxi.

[NorthCarolinaBelle]

Mondello, since I first posted, I saw where they had a shuttle to nearby places, too. That will be most helpful! Thanks for the help.

 

Miami Yogi, thanks for the info on the restaurant. I discovered that it was a chain when I googled it this morning. Oh, well. As for the hotel, I'm still hoping to find a deal on a hotel downtown, but at least I have a backup:)

[CanWeGoYet?]

They were very helpful & gladly offered to drive me to a nearby strip mall to get a manicure & do some last minute shopping at a drug store. When I wanted to come back, I just called the front desk & the guy in the shuttle was there to pick me up in a jiffy. During the day though. I asked about being dropped off to a restaurant in the evening & they couldn't do it - shuttle too busy they said with airport runs.

[NorthCarolinaBelle]

They were very helpful & gladly offered to drive me to a nearby strip mall to get a manicure & do some last minute shopping at a drug store. When I wanted to come back, I just called the front desk & the guy in the shuttle was there to pick me up in a jiffy. During the day though. I asked about being dropped off to a restaurant in the evening & they couldn't do it - shuttle too busy they said with airport runs.

 

Thanks for the update. What did you do for supper? Did you take a taxi? We might end up being one of those evening runs to the airport. As of now, the cheapest flight gets into Miami at 9:45 pm. Not what we want, but to save $100 I'll take it.:rolleyes:

[royalcruz]

Royalcruz, thank you so much! You have provided me with so much valuable info in the past! I had looked at 94th Aero Squadron and thought it looked interesting...does it have a bar atmosphere usually? Is the food good? Or is it just a touristy place? I love to go to non-chain restaurants whenever possible, so if you have a favorite, I'd love to hear it! Thanks again for all the time you spend here helping us out-of-towners!

I was at the hotel for a weekend seminar sharing a room with a colleague. We had a car and asked the hotel desk staff (there is no concierge) for a recommendation for a restaurant/bar because neither of us knew the area at all. They recommended the Aero Squadron or the Hilton. We went to Aero Squadron at about 8 PM and there was no one in the bar. There were a few diners in the restaurant. There were only a few people dining, and it didn't look great, so we left. I have been to Aero Squadrons before and the food is fine but nothing special. We then drove up the road past the Homewood about another half mile or more to the Hilton. The restaurant was closed but the bar was open and they served snack foods and had a lounge singer so we hung out there for awhile.

[CanWeGoYet?]

Thanks for the update. What did you do for supper? Did you take a taxi? We might end up being one of those evening runs to the airport. As of now, the cheapest flight gets into Miami at 9:45 pm. Not what we want, but to save $100 I'll take it.:rolleyes:

 

I was there on a weekend night so no happy hour dinner. Even if we had been there sunday -thursday it would have been too late. Flight did not get in til around 10pm. We had bought the sandwich dinner on the plane (not much of a dinner but it was something). I had packed some trader joe asian type box noodles that need to be microwaved. All the rooms have the fridge, microwave & plates, utensils etc set up. So we just had the food I packed & it was enough til morning. Yes I am cheap. :)

[NorthCarolinaBelle]

I was there on a weekend night so no happy hour dinner. Even if we had been there sunday -thursday it would have been too late. Flight did not get in til around 10pm. We had bought the sandwich dinner on the plane (not much of a dinner but it was something). I had packed some trader joe asian type box noodles that need to be microwaved. All the rooms have the fridge, microwave & plates, utensils etc set up. So we just had the food I packed & it was enough til morning. Yes I am cheap. :)

 

Hehe! You're not cheap, you're FRUGAL!:D I'll have to look for those noodle things at TJ's in case we get stuck there late.

[royalcruz]

The hotel does have a few frozen foods for purchase in it's store which is always open because it is connected to the desk. I stayed there alone my second night and had mini eggrolls and popcorn for dinner, lol. They also have lot of delivery menus at the desk, mostly for pizza places.

[NorthCarolinaBelle]

The hotel does have a few frozen foods for purchase in it's store which is always open because it is connected to the desk. I stayed there alone my second night and had mini eggrolls and popcorn for dinner, lol. They also have lot of delivery menus at the desk, mostly for pizza places.

 

Pizza is fine with me! Maybe by the pool? With a beer? :)

[royalcruz]

Pizza is fine with me! Maybe by the pool? With a beer? :)

I'm not sure if they sell beer, but they definitely had wine in the hotel store! Publix sells both and is a few blocks walk.:) Ask the desk for pizza delivery recommendations...one of my colleages ordered from a place that put flyers under the door and said it was awful...she told them at the desk and they said that they never recommend that place.

[NorthCarolinaBelle]

Thanks! I'll be sure and get a name from the front desk if I decide to order!

[miamiyogi]

Thanks! I'll be sure and get a name from the front desk if I decide to order!

 

Jerry & Joe's (Local chain) delivers to that hotel.

If you want to try (I don't like it) Cuban Pizza there's Montes De Oca

And the best pizza in town is Frankie's check if they deliver to you.

 

Italian Delivery: Pasta Factory (no pizza) but for $4.00 they'll bring you a Bud Lite.

[NorthCarolinaBelle]

Jerry & Joe's (Local chain) delivers to that hotel.

If you want to try (I don't like it) Cuban Pizza there's Montes De Oca

And the best pizza in town is Frankie's check if they deliver to you.

 

Italian Delivery: Pasta Factory (no pizza) but for $4.00 they'll bring you a Bud Lite.

 

I'm printing these names and putting them in my cruise folder. Thanks!