Miami- Catalina Hotel and Beach Club

[BOAZ5]

We Just need a pre-cruise hotel for one night. We are looking for a clean place to sleep the night before a cruise. We are not planning to be in the room except to sleep. If you have stayed at the Catalina, do you think it was clean? Trip Advisor is hit or miss. I trust Cruise Critic reviews much more than I trust Trip Advisor.

 

I am wanting to see if I understand the Catalina correctly. Will be emailing or calling the hotel to verify the following:

The website says complimentary shuttle:

-We are flying in,spending the night and going to the cruise port. Would the shuttle pick us up at the airport and take us to the port the next morning?

 

The Expedia price is right and includes resort fees. Not a bad price for a night.

 

THANKS!

[BlueHerons]

I don't know anything about the shuttle but have stayed here and it is an excellent value.

 

Tempurpedic beds, blackout curtains, excellent location, rooftop pool, free drinks at happy hour, free beach chairs, etc make this a real value resort with a bit of a luxury feel.

 

I honestly cannot think of one bad thing about the hotel.

 

Like all boutique South Beach hotels, the rooms are small.

 

It's across the street from the beach where all the super lux hotels like The Delano, Ritz-Carlton, SLS, and Setai are located.

 

Yes, stay here.

 

Just a heads up, South Beach is very expensive. Midtown Manhattan expensive.

[fishywood]

I presume you found the shuttle information on this page of their website (scroll to bottom):

 

http://www.catalinahotel.com/free-stuff.html

 

Their airport shuttle picks up/drops off once per hour outside Concourse G. If you are flying in on American which lands at Concourse D or E you will have a long walk to that pick up point. The shuttle is shared with six other hotels operated by the same ownership so how quick you get to the Catalina depends on how many other arrivals the others may have. Does not appear to be any provision for hotel-provided transportation to the port or elsewhere; contacting the concierge in advance to see if and for how much they can arrange it is a good idea.

[capriccio]

If there is no airport to hotel shuttle you might consider the Miami Airport Flyer Express Bus (http://www.miamidade.gov/transit/bus-airport-flyer.asp) for $2.25 per person. It runs every 20 minutes from early morning ( 6 am) to late night (11:40 pm). My son got married at a hotel in South Beach last fall and many of the guests used the Airport Flyer with no complaints whatsoever.