opinions on miami please

[julieannbabe]

i was thinking of flying into miami - spending four days there then going up to orlando to see mickey and the crew.

i will be on my own - so what is miami like please?

where would you recommend i stay miami beach or south beach?

thanks.

xjx

 

[JohnnySharp2]

Miami is great, was hoping to go back there on our August holiday but didn't get round to it.
I would stay on South Miami Beach , preferably on Collins Avenue, as you are pretty close to Art Deco, Key Biscayne, Coconut Grove and all the places 'to be seen'.
Great shopping at the nearby Aventura Mall also, as well as Bal Harbour and CocoWalk.

 

[T16GEM]

We did a bit of a road trip to Miami on our last trip and I really liked it there. It was a lot different to how I imagined it to be - I have to say that I liked it there better than the Keys, sorry can't help with hotel info as we just grabbed a motel on the off chance. But I think it's deffo worth a visit.

 

[JohnnySharp2]

Very difficult to advise regarding accomodation, generally it's much more expensive staying on the beach.

However, I can recommend the following:

The Bentley Hotel - Ocean Drive, Miami Beach
The Park Central- Ocean Drive, Miami Beach
Crescent Resort - Ocean Drive, South Miami Beach
Sherbrooke Hotel - Collins Avenue, Miami Beach

 

[julieannbabe]

Very difficult to advise regarding accomodation, generally it's much more expensive staying on the beach.

However, I can recommend the following:

The Bentley Hotel - Ocean Drive, Miami Beach
The Park Central- Ocean Drive, Miami Beach
Crescent Resort - Ocean Drive, South Miami Beach
Sherbrooke Hotel - Collins Avenue, Miami Beach

thanks - there is a three star called the best western thunderbird resort - i think that is on collins ave.
it seems popular with virgin customers.
i will check out the others that you have listed.

xjx

 

[JohnnySharp2]

thanks - there is a three star called the best western thunderbird resort - i think that is on collins ave.
it seems popular with virgin customers.
i will check out the others that you have listed.

xjx

Blimey, the 'Thunderbird', we stayed there on honeymoon in 1990!!

 

[prue]

I would go on tripadvisor as I remember seeing some awful photos last year for the hotel you are talking about.I thought it looked ok until i read the reports!!Unless they have updated the hotel. Look under miami beach and miami. We flew into Miami last October. The airport was an experience! I was shocked...

We stayed in key biscayne for a couple of days which was brilliant. It is a very different view of Florida and definitely worth going to.

Hope that helps.

Prue

 

[natalielongstaff]

we swam with dolphins at the miami seaquarium it was brilliant

 

[julieannbabe]

I would go on tripadvisor as I remember seeing some awful photos last year for the hotel you are talking about.I thought it looked ok until i read the reports!!Unless they have updated the hotel. Look under miami beach and miami. We flew into Miami last October. The airport was an experience! I was shocked...

We stayed in key biscayne for a couple of days which was brilliant. It is a very different view of Florida and definitely worth going to.

Hope that helps.

Prue

really so the thunderbird isn't nice?

oh no!

xjx

 

[JohnnySharp2]

really so the thunderbird isn't nice?

oh no!

xjx

Very difficult for me to say, 16 years since we have been - I would describe it as budget accomodation, to be honest having been to Florida so many times since and got fussier regarding quality of accomodation then I probably wouldn't stay there if we went again.
One thing for sure though the location is pretty good and you are right on the beach and Collins Avenue is ideally placed to see everything Miami has to offer.

Whilst 'Tripadvisor' is extremely useful, if you read all the reviews on there you wouldn't stay anywhere as there is always someone giving a negative viewpoint at some stage.

 

[prue]

Johnny, I agree with you about tripadvisor, however, the people had taken photos and they certainly didnt look like the photos in the virgin brochure!! I dont think it had been done up since your honeymoon!!

I would look at tripadvisor in this case because usually you can count on the top 30!! also compare with fodor/frommer on line.

Will post if I can think of anything extra. My brother in law goes quite frequently so I will ask him for any information this weekend.

prue

 

[JohnnySharp2]

I dont think it had been done up since your honeymoon!!

To be honest it was my first time abroad and I found the whole experience a bit bewildering and cannot really remember much about the interior.
We drove past the hotel a few years later and it was obvious the whole area had changed a lot (for the better).

I think it all comes down to how much Julie wants to pay as some of the beach hotels can be expensive.

 

[mfoz1]

Stayed for one night 3 years ago... was booked to stay for 3 but it was the most run-down, disgusting place I've ever stayed at. My wife had an encounter with a rat near the swimming pool, litter everwhere, dirty caprets, lumpy beds... I could go on (the holiday video is something else to see).

Complained to Virgin afterwards as this is 'no-way' a flagship hotel but they never responded which is not surprising as IMO Virgin have gone downhill over the last few years.

Anyway, Miami is an great City to visit but please don't stay there as it is also out of the way of the interesting bits.

 

[julieannbabe]

Stayed for one night 3 years ago... was booked to stay for 3 but it was the most run-down, disgusting place I've ever stayed at. My wife had an encounter with a rat near the swimming pool, litter everwhere, dirty caprets, lumpy beds... I could go on (the holiday video is something else to see).

Complained to Virgin afterwards as this is 'no-way' a flagship hotel but they never responded which is not surprising as IMO Virgin have gone downhill over the last few years.

Anyway, Miami is an great City to visit but please don't stay there as it is also out of the way of the interesting bits.

thank you for your honest opnion - i appreciate it.

someone took picture of cockroaches inside their room on trip advisor.

lovely.

johnny - those hotels are amazing what you have recommened (you have got great taste) but are way out of my price range - if i was sharing it might be okay but it will just be me.

whats a girl to do?

silly question guys - why is miami so much more expensive than orlando?

thanks,

xjx

(back to the drawing board).

 

[JohnnySharp2]

johnny - those hotels are amazing what you have recommened (you have got great taste) but are way out of my price range - if i was sharing it might be okay but it will just be me.

Hi Julie, yes I can fully appreciate that - I haven't actually stayed in all the one's I recommended but I have had a look around them all.

Miami is expensive because over the years it has become THE place to be seen, expensive restaurants, night-life, designer stores everywhere - plus if you want to stay on the beach it generally costs much more $

However, whilst they are not on the beach itself there are a couple on Collins Avenue that I believe would offer more value for money, I have not stayed at either but have heard good reports about 2 very small family run hotels, one is called the 'Impala' and the other is the 'Atlantica'.

Like I say I cannot comment from experience, but maybe have a look at Tripadvisor perhaps and see if they are on there?

 

[julieannbabe]

Hi Julie, yes I can fully appreciate that - I haven't actually stayed in all the one's I recommended but I have had a look around them all.

Miami is expensive because over the years it has become THE place to be seen, expensive restaurants, night-life, designer stores everywhere - plus if you want to stay on the beach it generally costs much more $

However, whilst they are not on the beach itself there are a couple on Collins Avenue that I believe would offer more value for money, I have not stayed at either but have heard good reports about 2 very small family run hotels, one is called the 'Impala' and the other is the 'Atlantica'.

Like I say I cannot comment from experience, but maybe have a look at Tripadvisor perhaps and see if they are on there?

thanks johnny - i will go check them out on the net.

xjx

 

[JohnnySharp2]

thanks johnny - i will go check them out on the net.

xjx

Actually Julie I have checked on Tripadvisor since and both hotels get good reviews.