Which of these Hilton brand Miami hotels?

[kendallison]

We have enough Hilton rewards points for a free nights stay at one of these Hilton hotels for our pre-cruise. We are not arriving at MIA until 10:45 PM and heading for the ship the next day around 11:00 AM. So, we don't need a nice pool, nice shopping area, etc. We just need a nice clean room. Here are my choices...

 

Doubletree Biscayne Bay

Embassy Suites Miami Airport

Hilton Miami Airport

Hampton Inn & Suites Miami Airport South- Blue Lagoon

 

Any comments good or bad about the above? I have read mixed reviews on all of them so I'm hoping for some good CC input. The ones by the airport have a free airport shuttle to the hotel and the Embassy and Hampton have free breakfast.

[The Viking]

I will take the one that costs the least amount of points for just a few hours of rest..

[kendallison]

The ones listed are all the same amount of points.:)

[Havana Daydreamin]

We stayed at the Hilton Miami Airport a few years back. It was VERY enjoyable...rooms were top notch in cleanliness.

 

The area is gated so it is secure to take a later night walk to work out the kinks after flying. There were nice sitting areas to pass the time while waiting to head to the port also.

 

I would recommend this setting. But the choice of course is always up to you.

 

Have a good trip!

[SherriZ366]

Unless they have renovated, we were not impressed with Embassy Suites when we stayed there in 2003. It was not as nice as other Embassys but it was clean. We would stay there if we got a good deal depending on other properties' prices. However, the Concierge was great -- he got us and some fellow Cruise Critic folks a wonderful van to the ship. He also had good dinner renovations. I also would not recommend their restaurant.

[CAT GIRL]

We stay exclusively at Hilton properties to acquire points. While I

haven't stayed in the Miami hotels in particular I will say that if given

a choice we always stay at an Embassy Suites. The two room

suites are more spacious than the Hilton rooms. I know you're coming

in too late for the happy hour but you gotta love the made to order

full breakfast they provide.

Don't forget to provide your airline partner number at checkin so

you can double dip.

[leoandhugh]

Ihave stayed at Embassy Suites all over the country, and the one at MIA is without doubt the worst I have found anywhere. It was not clean, the lobby was a mess at all hours of the day, and the mattresses on the beds must have seen twice their expected life. Cant tell you anything about the others you have to choose from and with your late arrival time, staying downtown at the Doubletree has no real advantage it might have had otherwise.

[Geema]

Hampton Inn Blue Lagoon. Excellent.

[Ladylouwho]

We stayed at the Miami Airport Embassy Suites last summer (2006) before our cruise on the Navigator. There is a free shuttle the hotel runs from the airport to hotel. The hotel is literally only a few minutes from the airport. We got in fairly late as well. The rooms were fine. Since it was late, their restaurant was not serving dinner so the shuttle driver ran us over to the Bennigan's nearby and told us to call him when we were ready to be picked up. He was prompt and the service was free of charge (We tipped him, of course!) We then had breakfast in the morning (No charge) and hopped on our pre-arranged transport to the pier at 11 am the next day. It is just a short ride to the pier.

 

Our rooms (we had two) were clean and comfortable. Would recommend to anyone for just an overnight.

[SUSIEK]

Doubletree Biscayne Bay is closest to the port. My next choice would be Hampton Inn Blue Lagoon.

[jtwisconsin]

We were just at the Embassy Suites Miami Airport for our Majesty cruise. It was by far the worst Embassy Suites we have ever been at.

 

The rooms were extremely musty and humid and in serious need of updating and repair. The plumbing for the bedroom sink sprung a leak in the middle of night and flooded the carpet, plaster was falling off the walls around the elevators, and the public areas were extremely dirty.

 

This was a last minute booking with very little available for us during Spring Break, and I trusted that this Hilton hotel would be as nice as the others. What a mistake. Take a look at some of the other reviews at tripadvisor.com and you will see what I mean. Don't make the same mistake we did. :mad:

[Host Jacquelyn]

Tell me more about the Double Tree Biscayne Bay... we have pretty much decided on it for our pre-cruise stay, and want to hear opinions.

[jakeil7]

We have enough Hilton rewards points for a free nights stay at one of these Hilton hotels for our pre-cruise. We are not arriving at MIA until 10:45 PM and heading for the ship the next day around 11:00 AM. So, we don't need a nice pool, nice shopping area, etc. We just need a nice clean room. Here are my choices...

 

Doubletree Biscayne Bay

Embassy Suites Miami Airport

Hilton Miami Airport

Hampton Inn & Suites Miami Airport South- Blue Lagoon

 

Any comments good or bad about the above? I have read mixed reviews on all of them so I'm hoping for some good CC input. The ones by the airport have a free airport shuttle to the hotel and the Embassy and Hampton have free breakfast.

 

I have stayed at the Hilton Miami Airport (right next to the Hampton, actually). It is a very nice place, if a hair on the old side. For a cruise, it sorta stinks that it isn't near anything (you do have the morning after all) but for a decent place to sleep it fits the bill nicely

[bouhunter]

Don't forget to provide your airline partner number at checkin so

you can double dip.

 

I think you only "double dip" when paying for the room.

Also, when paying, you can change your preferences at Hilton to get an additional 50% point bonus instead of miles. Depends on where you're at in each program and which is best for you, points or miles.

 

You can get into some of the Hamptons in MIA for around 100-150.00, might want to consider that instead of burning points for somewhere just to sleep for the night. Not sure what the rate would be at the ones you mentioned, but personally I won't use points for a room under 200.00. I'd rather save them for the real nice places when we can save some serious money staying for free:D We did a 3 night stay at the Hilton Marco Island recently that would have cost almost 1,000.00 and used points for it. Save those points up and make the most of them!:)

 

If you check tripadvisor.com you'll find lots of reviews of the properties you mentioned the Hilton and Hampton Blue Lagoon sound very nice.

[kendallison]

Thanks for your replies! I wish that Embassy Suites didn't have such awful reviews since it would be a bigger room (4 of us). I'll take a smaller room over a dirty room anyday though! I think I'll go with the Hampton Inn... great reviews, free airport shuttle, and free breakfast. :)