press101

We're going to Miami for a few days with our 4 year old the last week of February, but most of the hotels mentioned here as nice or good for families seem to be booked already. We wanted a place with a nice pool and near the beach. We're looking at the Albion or The Hotel of south beach, but both say they are a few blocks from the beach. I assume that means it's public beach--can anyone tell me if that'll be crowded and unpleasant? There's also the Wyndham and Bal Harbor Beach house--are those in more isolated areas? Anyone else have other good ideas? Can't really spend more than $225. Thanks

missjanna

The Albion and the Hotel will not be more than 2 blocks to the beach, as most hotels in South Beach are either on Ocean Drive (across the street from the beach), Collins Ave (one block back) or Washington St. (2 blocks back). A lot of the hotels don't have pools because the beach is right there, and some of the ones that do have pools, end up being small pools.

February is high season for Miami, so chances are the beach could very well be crowded. The Wyndham and Bal Harbor, are further up the beach, around the 40's if I remember, and should not be as crowded. You might also want to look into Priceline for getting a better rate.

GoTravel

There is no part of Miami Beach that is isolated.

With a 4 year old, I would think you would want to stay on the beach. I can't imagine having to schlep beach stuff and the four year olds stuff to the beach. The Hotel is probably innappropriate just because it is so close to party central and the walls are thin. Also, the pool is very cool (rooftop) but it isn't family friendly. The Albion for the same reasons. South Beach isn't the most kid friendly place in Florida.

The Wyndham Miami Beach is around 44th and Collins, is oceanfront, and is just far enough outside South Beach that the restaurants and attractions are a very short ride. That area is Mid Beach. The pool is very large and the hotel is quite lovely.

I would stay at the Bal Harbour Beach House in a skinny minute. Bal Harbour is beautiful and rich. The mall, The Shops at Bal Harbour is probably the ritziest mall in the country. The Beach House was also redone by Ralph Lauren.

sam

I downloaded the program www.travelaxe.com and it will do a search of all the travel websites for the dates you are looking for in the City you are looking for, and gives you pricing comparisons, etc. I've used it a few times and it seems reliable.

press101

Thanks for the feedback. I hesitated about the Wyndham because I'd heard it was kind of run down. Are there decent places to eat mid-beach, or near Bal Harbor? I'm not sure I want to have to drive a half hour for each meal!

GoTravel

Traffic is very conjested in Miami Beach. I sound like a broken record but my favorite restaurant in Miami Beach is The Forge and it is in Mid Beach.

Bal Harbour has excellent restaurants.

The Wyndham is a very nice hotel. The inside sort of reminds me of the inside of The Plaza Hotel in NYC. Chandeliers, intricate tilework, marble, etc.

MoniqueU

We loved the hilton Fontainbleu. It had great pools a kids club nice rooms and the beach in front was great. I would stay there again. The water play area with slide and lazy river really kept the kids busy.

press101

Unfortunately it looks like the Fontainbleu, Loews and Sonesta were all sold out for the days we are there, which is why we're trying to choose between the wyndham and the albion. When people say the albion isn't appropriate for kids, does that mean that it's noisy, or that people there won't be child friendly?

GoTravel

press, what are you not understanding about the Albion not being kid friendly?

It is in the middle of South Beach at Lincoln Road Mall. It is noisy and there is a lot of pedestrian traffic.

People don't go out in South Beach until after midnight. The clubs don't open until 10 PM.

No one will be mean to your child or unfriendly to your family.

There are just other places up the beach that may be a little more appropriate. This is my opinion. Your four year old may handle some things better than other four year olds.

The Albion itself is not child unfriendly.

press101

Just came across a good deal at the Raleigh, which sounds nice. Has anyone stayed there?

Tandoori_Girl

I'm not sure I understand what you mean by not kid friendly, gotravel. If you're referring to topless women, that four-year-old will not notice the difference. And noise is what four-year-olds like, they sleep through it, no problem. Press will be inside her room with her four-year-old when the four-year-old goes to sleep, not out at 10P and later with all the other South Beachers.

Sorry but I don't know the Raleigh.

GoTravel

TandooriGirl, in a lot of the hotels that have been renovated, they did not do any structural changes and the walls are very thin. Noise travels and I've spent a couple of nights in hotel rooms where I would not stay again just because of the noise.

Not kid friendly because it can be very loud and rowdy. Have you ever gone to South Beach and accidently found yourself in the middle of a huge conference?

I stand by my statement that South Beach is not kid friendly. I spend a lot of time there during the year as I have family there. It isn't just going topless but the atmosphere.

In case someone is wondering, we stay in hotels because my sis lives in a two bedroom condo and sometimes it is easier.

If press wants to go anyway, more power to him/her just don't say I didn't give you a heads up and that is about all I have to say for this thread.

Tandoori_Girl

ouch. this post isn't very post friendly. but then I too have thin walls.

Press, as a mom I took my child places where I wanted to go. I knew that if I was happy, then I could make my child happy. But I don't think I would be happy in any hotel room with thin walls either.

As an aside, based on GoTravel's replies, I'm absolutely positive he/she does not have children. I took my son to South Beach, and I think it's fine up to about age ten. Then you'll want to go elsewhere because there's nothing for them to do and they will drive you crazy.

Good luck.

lakers

I stayed at The Raleigh a couple of weeks ago. I thought it was very nice (I posted a trip report if you want any specific info), and it does have a great pool and beach area, but I do not think it is "child-friendly". Admittedly I don't have children, but based on my childhood memories, part of what made one vacation place more fun than another was whether there were other kids to play with. I saw 5 kids total during the 4 days I stayed there (over a long weekend). One child was about 10 and he was alone with his parents - he looked bored stiff each time I saw him. A woman with 4 young children came to spend the day at the pool one day (I don't think they were staying at the hotel), and her kids had a good time b/c they were playing together, but they were pretty out of place since otherwise the atmosphere was quiet outside by the pool. On Sundays, The Raleigh hosts a "beach party" and they encourage non-guests to come for the day to enjoy the party - it is not wild by any means, but the hotel sets up a number of temporary outdoor bars for the party which gives you a sense of the atmosphere - not exactly child-friendly. The indoors is no better from a child-friendly perspective - the lobby is quite dark, you'll see a lot of 20s/30s aged people sitting on couches in the lobby sipping martinis. It has a "sexy" vibe, not a "family-friendly" vibe (and of course that doesn't mean people will be unfriendly to you there, it just means that you won't find many guests in similar situations as yours). We peeked a number of the surrounding hotels just for fun, and the Loewes was the only one that seemed "child-friendly" to me - there were a ton of families out at the pool and in the lobby area. Admittedly this was my first visit to South Beach, but I have been to other parts of Miami Beach a number of times, and I definitely agree with GoTravel's viewpoint re: other parts of Miami being more kid-friendly on the whole than South Beach.

GoTravel

TandooriGirl, my post wasn't meant to offend you and if it does, I apologize.

I had a bad experience in South Beach with my then 11 year old stepdaughter in either 2000 or 2001. It was the year Urban/Hip Hop Beach weekend over Memorial Day Weekend.

That and the above post explains my non-kid friendly take on South Beach.

Tandoori_Girl

I'm difficult to offend but thanks for your remarks of concern, Gotravel. I was merely trying to discern what you meant. I think lakers got to the bottom of it quite nicely.

Press, you're going to have a hard time finding a place in Miami for three weeks from now, kid-friendly or not.

press101

Thanks again for the elaboration. We have a reservation at the Raleigh, and my child is pretty shy around other kids, so that won't ruin his trip, or ours. Just wanted to make sure the Raleigh wasn't a 24-hour party zone. I'll let you know how we do.