Downtown Miami Hotel Options

Let’s just start by looking at some of the basic information about hotels near downtown Miami so that you can choose which one you want to look into even more.

1.  Downtown Miami Marriott – the JW Marriott Hotel in downtown Miami has a lot of good things written about it.  First of all, it has over 1,500 reviews that average out to 4 stars.  Customers mention how comfortable the beds were, how good the location is, and how nice the staff was.  There are 296 rooms and 22 suites, and the average price is $160 per night.  And even though you aren’t right on the beach, if you get a room that is high enough on the beach side, you will still get an amazing view.

2.  Downtown Miami Hilton – the Hilton is another great option for a downtown Miami hotel.  The Hilton is a bit cheap than the Miami Marriott at just $97 each night on average.  But don’t let the lower price fool you because customers still rate this hotel with a 4-star rating.  The rooms are spacious and plenty of amenities like a swimming pool, florist, and gift shop are available.

It seems the Hilton got its lowest rating on value which means that people weren’t happy with what they got in return for the price.  However, overall, the Hilton still rates very highly and is a great option for someone on a budget.

3.  Hyatt Regency in Miami – when it comes to the Hyatt in downtown Miami, you have two options.  The first – the Hyatt Regency Miami – is very close to the beach.  It has plenty of customer reviews on Google, and has an average rating of 3.5 stars.  The second option is the Hyatt Regency in Coral Gables.  This downtown Miami hotel is a bit more inland, but has a better rating of 4-stars.

Other Options Besides Downtown Miami Hotels

One good reason for staying downtown is the excellent downtown Miami restaurants that are literally everywhere.  So if you are big connessiour of local eateries, then you definitely want to check out Garcia Seafood Grille & Fish, La Camaronera Restaurant and Fish Market, and Casa Juancho.

But don’t think that you have to stay downtown to enjoy the nightlife and restaurants of Miami.  There are also some South Beach Miami hotels you can stay in, and since South Beach is only about 6 miles from downtown, there isn’t a large drive involved to get from one place to the other.

Some excellent options for South Beach Miami Hotels are:

• EPIC Hotel
• Four Seasons Hotel
• Mandarin Oriental Hotel

You could also look at some Miami motels as well.  You might want to be a little more choosey with the motel, but there are some excellent options at pretty good deals.

But before you can know where to look, you have to know what you are looking for.  And that is where two important questions come to mind.  1)  Where do you want to stay, and 2) How much do you want to pay?

Let’s tackle the first question first.

Where do you want to stay in Miami?

1.  Cheap hotels around Miami airport – one of the best hotels around the airport is the La Quinta Inn and Suites near the Miami airport.  The reviews for the La Quinta are very good, and there are a lot of them (more than 1,500).  Currently this La Quinta has an average 4-star review which is the highest review rating for any hotels around the Miami airport.

2.  Cheap hotels in South Beach, Miami – naturally, there are people that want to stay in the heart of the action, and they don’t mind paying a little more to do so.  The good news is that there are plenty of hotel options in the South Beach Miami area, so I will mention 3 of the most popular.

• The Palms Hotel South Beach – this hotel is very popular because of its location.  It has more than 5,000 reviews on Google with an average rating of 4 stars.
• The Crowne Plaza Hotel in South Beach is also very popular and rated with 4 stars.  Visitors mainly talked about what a great location this hotel was in and how nice the staff was.
• Finally, the Beacon Hotel on South Beach has over 5,000 reviews with a 4-star rating so you will find plenty of input from people who have already stayed.

Note: some people know that they want to stay on Collins Avenue.  If so, take a look at the Kent Hotel or the Lombardy Hotel.

3.  Cheap hotels in downtown Miami – now if you are in Miami on business or don’t want to be right on the beach, then there are some options for you to stay in downtown Miami.  If you want to stay downtown, I recommend you look at the Hampton Inn Coconut Grove Hotel.  This is the most highly rated of the cheap hotels in Miami downtown area, so you probably won’t go wrong by staying there.

How much do you want to pay in Miami?

This is where the rubber meets the road, if you will.  There are certainly places we would all like to stay, but can we or do we want to pay for them?

Most of the hotels I have reviewed up to this point have been your common 3 and 4 star hotels.  Your certainly not staying in the dumps, but you aren’t paying out the nose for a place to lay your head.  But, if you are of the mind to spend the money on luxury hotels, let me assure you, you will find plenty of options in Miami.

1.  Four Seasons Hotel in Miami – this hotel has a 5-star rating with more than 1,100 reviews, so you know they are doing something right.  You should expect to pay as little as $350 per night during the offseason to as much as $675 during the peak season.

2.  The EPIC hotel – this is another option for a luxury Miami stay.  The EPIC is a beautiful hotel with all kinds of night life and clubs around, so you can be sure there will not be a dull moment.  Also, if you enjoy beautiful architecture, this EPIC hotel is known as one of the most amazing and exquisite luxury hotels in the area.

But remember that cheap isn’t always best; you want to find that elusive combination of low price and excellent value!

The cheapest motels in Miami are usually the chains and franchises. Check the prices online for the Miami Best Western or the Miami Motel 6, which are known for their rock bottom prices. Because these are chains owned by large companies, there is accountability and a brand to protect, so you typically won’t get horrible service or dirty rooms.

I also love the Motel Blu, which provides the best of both worlds: excellent prices but high class. The owners of this Miami motel cater to the crowd who doesn’t have thousands to spend, but who enjoy the finer things.

If you have a specific Miami hotel or motel in mind, your next step will be to book the best room and best price. Try searching the online discount travel sites before you call directly. To search these websites, it’s very simple – just input Miami Beach Motel, for example, in the “Search” box and the search engine does all the work for you, presenting you with a list of all the motels in Miami Beach.

If the online pricing looks great, don’t book yet! I suggest giving the establishment a call. Don’t mention the web pricing; just ask for the best price they can give you over the phone.  Don’t be afraid to ask directly for a discount! After all, there are a hundred just like this Miami motel who are all trying to win your business.

If the phone pricing is better than the online pricing, go ahead and book over the phone. If not, ask what groups they give discounts to. You may be surprised at the groups that get discounts: AAA members, senior citizens, military, government employees, and more.

If you don’t belong to any of the discount groups, I have found that if you’re nice and ask for a discount, they will often give you one anyway. I actually had this happen to me recently at a Miami South Beach motel.

If the phone price still isn’t better than the online pricing, then ask if they match online prices. Many larger chain motels will match or beat the price offered by discount travel web sites.

Why? If you pay $40 to stay at Discount Motel Miami, for example, to a travel web site, the web site makes a $5 commission. If you pay $40 to the Miami motel directly, they don’t have to pay a fee and keep the entire $40.

Another important few things to consider when shopping for the best Miami motel: amenities and location. Is internet a must for you? Make sure they have it! Free breakfast? Is it stale pastries and canned orange juice, or a full buffet? Do lots of research before you book, and you will be happy with your Miami motel choice.