South Beach Miami week end... ???

[spiky]

Need some advice...

I plan to spend a week end (2 hights in mid january) in South Beach Miami with wife & son , before we leave on a cruise ship.

Nice place to visit but....as far are Hotels are concerned...
Read a lot of more or less good hotels reviews on trip advisor... looks like I'll have to spend 300$ a night to get decent room...

I'm I out of range ....
Any one ever experienced this place before who can lead me correctly

Thx for info

Spiky

 

[EagerBeaver]

Spiky,

I stayed in South Beach last December and amazingly, I was able to book the Hotel Clinton Beach for $75(US)/night on Priceline for a 3 night stay. It's a nice, trendy, new hotel. My room was very small, but newly renovated and ultra trendy. Suitable only for a single guy looking to get laid, which I did. The hotel is 2 blocks from Collins Avenue which is the street that runs along the beach. The Hotel Clinton Beach is on Washington Ave. which though not on the water is a major drag with lots of trendy shops, restaurants and boutiques and the hotel is pretty close to all the action.

I must have gotten lucky because I checked BFT and the Hotel Clinton Beach was not going for less than $150 in the weeks after I stayed there.

I enjoyed South Beach while I was there even though the weather was kinda cool that week. It's expensive as hell though, especially the bars and restaurants, and be prepared to have your wallet take a major hit.

There is a very good reasonably priced Cuban restaurant on Collins Avenue, the name of which escapes me, but not it is not far from the hotel. I was referred to it by the hotel staff which was mostly Cuban Americans. Go there and try the Cuban skirt steak. There is also a very good breakfast cafe on Collins Ave., a bit pricy, called The News Cafe which is where Versace had his last meal before being stalked and shot to death in front of his house which is on Collins Ave. 4 or 5 blocks up the road.

Let me know if you need any other info.

 

[spiky]

Eb

Thnx for info

You were lucky indeed because rooms are approx 300 US $ for ONE night for first jan. week end.

For sure I'ill give a try to this Cuban resto

I'll try to book some thing more reasonnable ( approx 200$ a night) but it looks impossible... I'm from Montreal, I don't think I can do it by priceline..

I'll ask a travel agent to search for me

Thnx again

Spiky

 

[EagerBeaver]

Spiky,

Canadians can use Priceline. Read the FAQ re: nonresidents on www.biddingfortravel.com

Also see the Priceline thread where it is explained how to use PL if you are Canadian. I have numerous Canadian friends that use Priceline all the time. You are going to get hammered on rates in South Beach if you do not use PL.

 

[EagerBeaver]

BD,

I went to Mangos, and paid $10 for a very basic mixed drink. However there is something to be said about the ambience - bikini clad waitresses - that almost justifies the ridiculous premium you pay on drinks.

The Cuban place is not News Cafe, but it is not far away. As I mentioned in my post above, News Cafe, the site of Versace's last meal before being stalked and shot to death, is worth going to.

 

[EagerBeaver]

Great article on CNN.com Travel about the history of South Beach, and how the "Miami Vice" TV show made the area (the movie "Miami Vice" is out today):

http://www.cnn.com/2006/TRAVEL/DESTINATIONS/07/28/travel.trip.miamivice.ap/index.html

 

[bond_james_bond]

Miami Vice is out today!

 

[Techman]

I heard it sucks. Better off buying the box sets of the tv series. Definately worth the money if you're a fan of the series.

 

[bond_james_bond]

Roeper said it wasn't that bad.

http://www.suntimes.com/output/movies/cst-ftr-miami27.html