FL Miami Marriott South Beach

[fxrs2001]

Stayed 4 nights in May 2005 in room 528.

Very happy with the hotel and it's ameneties. All but the bar/food pricing (> $8 for one Corona) but that follows suit with the rest of south beach. Very expensive to play there.

Hotel booked thru Priceline for $90.

Rack rate on website was $279 lowest price.

Rack rate posted on room door was $479.

Hotel beds are fabulously comfortable, feather pillows down comforter. They only have king beds or two doubles for all their rooms. We requested a king after booking thru priceline and we got it.

Room has small balcony with two chairs and a table, can see the ocean from most of the rooms as the way the balconies are designed they are angular on the sides of the building. you may have to go to the corner to see the ocean but I did not care.

fridge and safe in room.

iron/ironing board.

hair dryer

Nutrogena shampoo/conditioner/lotion provided.

Maid service was decent, turndown service provided.

in room coffee maker. we never used it and we are coffee fiends - STRONG coffee fiends. There is a Starbucks that is store front next to the hotel, has direct access right off hotel elevatorl. LOVED that!

Rooms are not huge but spacious compared to boutique hotel we stayed in before.

Very curteous hotel staff.

We did get accosted getting out of the taxi by the bellman who pretty much demanded to take our bags to our room. We had to wait a few minutes for him to get up there which irked me a little as we didn't need the help to begin with, just another tip collector. South Beach is all about spending money, from the moment you get there people have their hand out waiting for something. At least the beach is free of peddllers. Well, expect for the beach chair/umbrella rental guys.

$10 per chair (but very comfy), $10 per umbrella - you need it, I am a sun worshipper and I needed it. Towels are free when you show your room key. as many towels as you want.

Short easy walk back to hotel property for restrooms. There are also public restrooms but why use them when the hotel is cleaner and the same distance?

Pool is very nice, never had a problem with getting a chair. hot tub too, we used it once briefly when it was a overcast and cooler.

Nice hammock and shady area with lounge chairs to chill out on.

Beach is short walk over a foot bridge directly behind hotel, most sobe hotels are separated by a street from the beach. Bar service on the beach, albeit expensive bar service.

Also very close, a couple buildings down is Nikki Beach, a trendy club.

It is a short walk to the trendy part of sobe in the other direction. You may need a cab to get to the other end and to some of the night clubs/restaurants.

Asked and got a late checkout at no charge. 1:00 pm. Tried for 1:30 and they said the hotel was booked so they couldn't give it to me - but for some reason it was available if I paid them another $50. no thanks.

Really have nothing bad to say about the hotel and would definitely recommend it unless you want to be right in the middle of all the noise. I would never pay anything near rack rate for it though.

We stayed at Chesterfield Boutique (think that's the name) and while it's cutesy and trendy - I would prefer the Marriott over it.

I am not a chain person and prefer distinct and unique things but I'd still go with the Marriott.