LaQuinta Airport East Miami Shuttle Warning

[abitaturbodog]

We stayed at this hotel 2 weeks ago pre-cruise. We booked because of the good reviews on CC, free parking and shuttle to the port. The hotel was okay...a little sketchy, dark hallways and pizza fliers under the door, but the room was clean and you could bounce a coin off the bed.

 

The free parking was fine, we returned to our car and found it sitting where we left it in the same condition we left it.

 

The shuttle was the only problem. We drove down from SC so I called the hotel at 4:00 from the road to confirm our late arrival and schedule our space on the port shuttle. I was told, "No problem, we'll take care of that when you check-in." However, when we checked-in at 10:30pm, the only spaces left on the shuttle was for 1:30. (Their first shuttle left at 10:30am) Getting to the port after 2:00 just wouldn't do it for my fam.

 

So, if you are checking in late to this hotel , be warned that you will be put on a later shuttle.

 

We ended up taking a taxi ($24 for the 4 of us) to the port.

I found a discount code on this board that saved us 25% off our reservation, so the price of the taxi was water under the bridge. IT was "USTBLE".

[Plant]

From what I've experienced and read about, none of the hotels anywhere let you sign up for the shuttle to the port until after you've checked in.

 

As you said, the price of the room made up for the earlier taxi drive.

 

I've read many of your informative posts and I'm a little surprised that this would be a "problem" for you :).

 

We've stayed at LQAE in Miami and didn't have dark hallways (maybe there was a power outage?). We liked the pizza flyers! We ordered from one of them (we came in late), and had a nice meal!

[BlueHerons]

Another great point as to why you shouldn't chose a hotel on whether or not they have a shuttle.

[abitaturbodog]

Another great point as to why you shouldn't chose a hotel on whether or not they have a shuttle.

 

Very true. The lesson I learned was that the free parking is what's important, not the shuttle.

 

The room and taxis cost us exactly what it would have cost to park at the port parking lot, so it's all good.