Mum's first time in USA.WILL FLORIDA DO IT?
 

Hi,it's a Christmas present from her loving daughter/me/. <BR>Can anyone think about a nice place with an access to the beach in the south part of Florida? <BR>I study in N.Y. and before spending Christmas time here,we have a week,which I really want her to remember. <BR>Mum never seen the ocean,so I was thinking about Miami Beach or Naples area. <BR>I've been to Florida once travelling for a month,but as students,we always stayed in the tent.So I truly need your suggestion.I can go up to $40-$45 per night.Not a lot I know. <BR>Thank you for all your help and please excuse my English,I am working on it.

I live in Ft Myers, Florida and love it here. I would maybe suggest a few days in the Miami/Ft Lauderdale area and then come over to the Ft Myers/Naples area. That is assuming you have a car. Remember the public transportation down here is nothing like in NYC. <BR> <BR>The $40 a night will be a problem if you expect to stay on or near the water. Otherwise, you can find some decent deals. <BR> <BR>If you can let us know what you and your mom like to do then I can provide a better answer. Feel free to email me. <BR>Duane

Hi Monika<BR><BR>Naples is a wonderful place to go. My sister and my wife's parents all live there. It is not as commercial as the East Coast of Florida.<BR><BR>Be warned that they never go ocean swimming in Naples in December - the water is too cold!

you gotta be kidding to think you can find anything even remotely clean for your price. But it's nice of you to do something for your mom.

Monika, check out http://www.BiddingForTravel.com. Look at the various Florida topics for info on people's winning bids on Priceline.<BR><BR>In the Florida-Miami topic, some people have gotten 3* hotels at Miami Beach for prices under $50 (some in the $30s). <BR><BR>In the Florida-South (except Miami) topic, there hasn't been nearly as much bidding for the Naples/Ft. Myers area. Not much information, unfortunately.<BR><BR>Anyway, if you're interested in the possibility of using Priceline, be sure to read the Hotel FAQs on the Web site mentioned above--it'll tell you how to make an informed starting bid and how to use free rebids to maximize your chances of a successful bid.<BR><BR>A couple of other considerations, especially considering that with Priceline you don't have control over the specific hotel you get: (1) Some hotels in the Miami area have mandatory resort fees--depending on the hotel you got, you might have to factor the resort fees in. (2) If you have a car, parking is sometimes pretty steep at some Miami hotels.<BR><BR>I have no vested interest in your using Priceline or the Web site mentioned above. You can't pick a specific hotel (only a star rating and a zone) when using Priceline, and previous winning bids don't guarantee you'll be able to get the same or similar hotels for the same price (although it's also possible you could beat the previous winning bids).<BR><BR>I know there are lots of warnings here, but Priceline might be your best chance to find something in the price range you want.<BR><BR>Hope you and your Mom can find someplace reasonable and have a great time! It's a nice thing you're doing...

I just checked expedia.com to see what was out there. There are several hotels in Miami Beach, either on the beach or 1/2 block from the beach for $45 per night. Don't forget the taxes will bring it up another $6 or $7 per night. Try Dezerland, Castillo Del Mar, The New Casablanca (their rooms have kitchens), Catalina Resort or the Fairfax. Have fun!!!

Monika-Many people consider the streach of beach from Orange Beach,AL to Panama City Beach,FL as the finest in the USA.The soft white sand and dunes are VERY appealing!,but at this time of year it's too cool to swim.I would make a trip to this area anytime from May-September....check out FLAUSA.com...and enjoy your trip to the "sunshine state"

For your price range and for a "first timer" to Florida I would actually recommend Hollywood, FL if you are wanting to stay in the Miami area. Hollywood is only about a 20 minute drive from South Beach (Miami) but is MUCH less expensive - you should be able to stay there for the price you are looking for AND be walking distance to the beach. You can rent a car to go to Miami for the day/night but I wouldn't recommend staying there, especially if it is her first time to the states - Miami can be extremely overwhelming both with crowds, crime, & traffic. Hollywood is much more relaxed, friendly, and has a large international clientele, especially in the winter months. Check for privately owned properties vs. chain hotels for your best price & location - I would recommend going to the Hollywood Convention & Visitor's Bureau site for contact info.<BR>P.S. - It is also only a 10 minute drive to Fort Lauderdale.

Why not go for 3/4 days instead of a week? That way you can find a much nicer place to stay.