Any Comments on Howard Johnson at Miami Pier
 

Does anyone have any experience of the Howard Johnson hotel at Biscayne Bay?

<BR>Hi Irvin, <BR> <BR>I would advise the Best Western Marina Park. It is right across the street from Bayside Marketplace the shoppping entertainent, food park and Biscayne Bay sightseeing cruise area. No swimming but hotel has an outdoor pool. <BR> <BR>It is right across the street from the pier but you can not walk there. <BR> <BR>It is reasonable and I book almost all of my customers there. <BR> <BR>You can eat very reasonably and it is open very late. You will have a great time there. <BR> <BR>Paul

Hi Paul, <BR> <BR>Thanks very much for the information. trouble is I had already tried the Best western but it is fully booked for that date. <BR> <BR>I am not familiar with many of the other hotel names in that vicinity except for the really expensive ones which I was hoping to avoid.

Hi Irvin <BR> <BR>I just made reservations at the Clarion which is rated 3 starts by AAA (same as the other big names) but was much less. It's half a mile from the port.

Hi A, <BR> <BR>I have just checked the Clarion as you suggested and, believe it or not, it is laso fully booked for the date we require! Thanks anyway.

After reading many posts here about cruising out of Miami, I don't understand why everyone insists on staying in downtown Miami just to be near the Port. There are limited hotels of nice quality in the area(Intercontinental and Hyatt probably the best choices) and besides Bayside Mall there's nothing to do downtown. <BR>A much better alternative is to enjoy the atmosphere that Miami beach, (whether South Beach or further North) <BR>has to offer: the shops, restaurants, and nightlife, by staying in Miami Beach. <BR>There is a thing called TAXIS that can take you from Miami Beach to the cruise ship piers in about 20 -30 mins....... <BR>Besides, even if you stay downtown,you CAN'T walk to the ship piers - you STILL need a cab to the ships. <BR> <BR>