I am looking for a cheap stay. Want to be close to south beach and walking distance to the ocean. Has anyone ever stayed here? It is located on Collins Avenue. Hotel webpage says it is a block from beach and close to South Beach area.

The Super 8 you are referring to is at 6600 Collins-- some 4.5 miles from South Beach. I have never stayed there, but this property is not anywhere near The Action. It is on the city side of Collins-- you will simply cross Collins and walk down a side street to hit the sand.

You will spend a lot on cab fare (or parking) back and forth to South Beach, if you plan on spending most of your time there. I know 4.5 miles doesn't sound far, but in a taxi....

Go to priceline and bid. You should be able to get something for $50 a night in South Beach.

Enjoyed my stay at Super 8. It was actually in Miami Beach, 66th Street. It is not near all the action. It was in an area with a lot of construction on new/renovated hotels. If you are looking for a cheap place to stay ($99/2 nights), this is it.

When I was in Miami Beach 2 years ago there were buses running up and down regularly -- Collins Ave or maybe a parallel street. It's a reasonable alternative to cabs for getting down to South Beach, at least in the daytime. There used to be a web site for the buses, though I don't know its URL.

CarolB: Absolutely right-- the buses are a good way to get around during the day and into the early evening. Since the Action in South Beach really starts after 10 PM and goes well into the night (some bars stay open till 5 AM-- one day I stumbled out of one at 5:30, and people were heading for coffee to hit an afterhours club opening at 8!), those that don't stay in South Beach proper will probably use cabs a lot. Luckily, they're not that expensive.