Where to stay pre-cruise

[mscloyd]

I have a dilemna about where to stay and hoping someone will have some input. We are cruising the last week of March and have 2-nights pre-cruise in Miami.  We are using hotel points to book our hotel and will need 2 rooms. I originally booked Mariott Biscayne Bay. It looks like a very nice hotel with lots of amenities but the rooms we get with points are basic rooms without a view and doesn't include a free breakfast. Because we will have a very early morning flight, I started looking for something that will give us a little more room to relax, especially the first day. After much research, I ran across the Hampton Inn Miami Wynwood that has nice large studio suites with a view and free breakfast (Using a lot more points than the Mariott though!).  Hotel looks nice and reviews are good but I can't find anything that confirms if it is a safe location, if it convenient for our plans, and if there are good restaurants nearby. While in Miami we plan to go to Bayside Marketplace for lunch and a boat tour on day 1, maybe the 2nd day go to Little Havana and an Everglades tour. Would welcome anyone who knows about the Hampton Wynwood. 

Edited October 4, 2022 by mscloyd

[Noxequifans]

Suggest looking at reviews on sites such as TripAdvisor. Some of the negative reviews are of concern.

[Dock B]

Since you have a “very early morning flight,” might want to keep in mind that a free breakfast might not even be available as early as you need to leave for the airport.

 

If that’s the case, see if a hotel you select is near a coffee shop or bakery (we’ve done this) and walk there the afternoon prior to grab a pastry; a grocery would allow you to get yogurt and/or juice too.

[Flymia]

Hampton Inn Miami Wynwood is not really in Wynwood, that area is more known as Midtown/Edgewater. Anyway, it is not a dangerous area, but not a walkable area you would find in Downtown/Brickell. I highly suggest Hampton Inn Brickell. Great area, very walkable. Wynwood and Midtown both have great dining, but you'll want to drive/rideshare to places and then walk around there. 

 

Everglades you will need a car or tour. Little Havana you can do rideshare or use one of the hop-on-hop-off bus tours. 

 

Bayside is nice to walk around, but I there are much better places to enjoy a meal. 

[mscloyd]

Thank you Flymia, Hampton Inn Brickell would have been my first choice but it is sold out and has been for awhile. I have stayed there and thought it was a great hotel in a great location.  I have also stayed at the Holiday Inn Port of Miami across from Bayside Marketplace.  Location was great for that particular trip because we arrived very late, but the location allowed us to walk across the road in the morning and take a quick boat cruise before heading to port. Yes, we plan to take a tour for the Everglades. I have been reading numerous reviews on the Hampton Inn Wynwood. The positives far outweigh the negatives and I find there are always people who don't like something or other. Every single hotel has some negative reviews but when you see the same complaints over and over that's when it is most concerning.... But, none of the reviews really discuss whether it is a good location to base pre-cruise. Sounds like you don't think it would really be a very good location. We do like having the option to walk to restaurants nearby. 

 

Dock B, we arrive in Miami 2 days ahead, so the breakfast would be the following 2 mornings and not the day of arrival.