Miami hotels, your experience...

[Sunshine101]

Hi all,

 

Perhaps this should be posted in the Hotel section, but wanted to get some advice from my RCI pals. :)

 

I'm trying to find a hotel for our October cruise. I'd love something by the beach, but dont want to spend 45 min in a taxi to get there. We've stayed downtown once before, but every hotel I seem to read about on TripAdvisor states downtown hotels arent the cleanest, not much dining options around, and the neighbourhood is bad. I'm not categorizing all hotels like that, its just what I keep reading.

 

Anyways, does anyone have any experience with a nice hotel, perhaps by the beach? And how far away would a beach hotel be from the port?

 

Thanks for any help! :)

[MermaidDenise]

Hi,

 

If you really want the beach, Loew's South Beach is wonderful!!! Oceanfront and in walking distance to the Lincoln Road shopping/restaurant area. It is located at the north end of Ocean Drive, so the South Beach nightlife is right around the corner. Emeril Lagassi has a restaurant next to the Loew's which is fantastic, and you might be lucky enough to see him there. It is a ten-minute cab ride from the port and about 20 minutes from the airport.

 

As for a downtown location, you won't find a beach. But, I would highly suggest staying at the Doubletree Grand. This is not your normal Doubletree. It is part of an upscale condo building with a small galleria. It is very common to encounter music/movie/sport celebrities while staying there. It is located right on Biscayne Bay with a beautiful view of the South Beach skyline and this port. Nothing like waking up on the morning of your sailing to see your ship just outside of your window. There are several restaurants in the building and a small grocery. It is a short cab ride to the port and Bayside Market Place.

 

Hope this helps!!!

[SAS21]

Intercontinental was real nice, clean, very upscale & is walking distance to Bayside. You can see the ships from the room window, no balconies. There is no beach though.

[lovetocruiserccl]

Iagree the InterContential is great place to stay. Close to downtown, Bayside and the port.

[Sunshine101]

How were the restaurant options around the Intercontinental?

[Cruising89143]

I prefer the Marriott Biscayne Bay. Five minutes from the port and great view from your bayside room of the port.

[SAS21]

When we were there in November there was only one restaurant open in the hotel (the other was under remodeling) it was pretty pricey and the food was okay. The ship's food was better. Breakfast buffet for two cost $40.00. We did not make it to Bayside when we got to hotel because it was late, but there is a hard rock cafe, bubba gumps and a couple of other places in Bayside for dinner & lunch options.

[negc]

There are a number of good restaurants in Bayside Marketplace which is reasonably close to the Intercontinental, Hyatt, Marriott Biscayne Bay, and across the street from Holiday Inn. Our favorite is Lombardi's.:)

[RobNC2001]

Just got back from a cruise on the Radiance. Spent 2 days in Miami before the cruise and one day after. Stayed at the Pelican Hotel in South Beach. This is a small boutique hotel owned by the Diesel Jeans company. Very fun and eclectic. Great restaurant. Staff couldn't have been nicer. And the beach is right out the front door.

[seaver]

The Savoy in south beach is a great find, Not over the top price wise but a great hotel right on the beach! We are staying there for the 2nd year in a row in April.

[rovers]

Another vote for Intercontinental! My family and I stayed there for 2 nights last summer before a two week back-to-back cruise on Explorer. I only have one word to say - fabulous! It was the best hotelstay I've ever experienced. Everything from the lobbyarea to the rooms and bathrooms were magnificent.

 

On the downside the dining-possibilities could have been better in the area around the hotel. However, we enjoyed a great dinner at the hotel-restaurant the first evening and on the night before departure we went to Hard Rock Cafe (about 5-10 minutes to walk from the hotel).

[tinkerme1]

We stayed at the Intercontinental last April and absolutely loved the hotel. The food/restaurants/bars are very expensive, but it is very easy to reach The Marketplace where nice chain restaurants abound.

 

One note: We found it especially convenient since we flew into Ft. Lauderdale (SW airlines) and rented a Hertz car and drove down to Miami. The Intercontinental was very kind at their rental car desk and said when we were ready to turn the car in, we could do it at the hotel. Very convenient! Now that's service! From the hotel, it is just a short cab ride to the pier.

[CruisinDawn]

You can find all the restaurant info for Bayside at www.baysidemarketplace.com, From Bubba Gumps, Hooters, Hard Rock, Chilis you have it all (Can't think of the name with the big pineapple on top, hehe). I would walk from Intercontinental but nothing further south on that street. Won't go into what we saw when we walked in daylight from the Sheraton (now torn down) just across the bridge behind the Intercontinental but if I had a chance to stay there it would be on my list. We prefer the Holiday Inn since it is directly across from Bayside and on weekend night the police monitor the crosswalks, how much safer can that get :D Have fun planning.

 

BonVoyage

Dawna

[Aubiecruiser]

The Intercontinental has always been my favorite but haven't been to Miami since they started the condo next door. It also used to be the only downtown hotel rated as four * on priceline until recently when the Hyatt was elevated from a three *. Surprise surprise!

Aubie

[LuckiStac13*Majesty*]

The Intercontinental is an excellent Hotel , however since they built a very large high-rise condo right next door, it is very difficult to enjoy the pool area and get any sun. It blocks all of the sun from about 11:00 a.m. on. If you're not a big sun person, I would definitely recommend this hotel!

 

~Stacy