We are flying into Miami this Thursday and need to stay at an airport hotel. They are all classified as miami North, or South or West, etc... Is one area better then another, or closer to domestic baggage claim terminal. Thanks in advance.

Can't answer your question but to say that the area around MIA is creepy - we had a flight leaving at 6AM 3 weeks ago and had to return rental car first, so obviously it was dark. I have never been scared returning a rental car until I drove to the Dollar rental car drop off lot, accessed thru some pretty bleak side streets - area looked like the kind of place they find the bodies in crime shows - vacant lots, tractor trailer lots, abandoned cars - but my favorite was the strip club across the street from the lot which was just letting out at 4:45 AM. Wherever you hotel, don't plan on taking a stroll if the area is like I found!

Isn't there Hilton or Marriott right in the airport?

There is a hotel directly in the airport. There is also a group of Marriot hotels of different categories (Courtyard,Fairfield Inn, etc) right by the airport. They would all have shuttle buses and are very near the airport.

None of the hotels that serve airport travellers are in bad areas like where the rental car places are. I looked at the list at biddingfortravel, and the hotels are all fine (I think you are planning on using priceline, is this correct?) Most of the hotels either have restaurants onsite (3-4*), or are near strip malls and places to eat. I noticed that alot of the ones that are classified as 2* (homewood suites, and another suite) are actually pretty nice properties in a very good area (Blue Lagoon - south area)and there is a good Hotel Sofitel there as well. Another nice area is Doral (north and west)(where the Inter-Continental West is). I wouldn't really worry too much about the safety of the location of any of the name-brand hotels.

We have always had great success using Priceline for MIA airport hotels.

How long are you there? If you have no time to get out and explore, the easiest is certainly the Miami International Airport Hotel, right in (above) the terminal. No transportation at all to get there and leave from, and their restaurant which is not exactly world class is decent enough (certainly as good as most of the other options around the airport) and has a great view.

Any reason you have to stay at an airport hotel? Many wonderful areas of Miami are within a 20 minute cab ride of the airport.

Even if I had a 6AM flight out of MIA I would not stay at the airport.

Also check out Coral Gables and Coconut Grove. Dadeland is even better than MIA.

We've stayed at the Sofitel Miami Airport. They have a free airport shuttle. However, we only stay there if it's a quick flight turnaround.
If it's not a quick turnaround, we like to stay at the Hyatt Coral Gables. Nice area (stores/restaurants) to walk around in the afternoon/evening. Not that far from the airport with a cab ride.

I got the AmeriSuites on Priceline and was very pleasantly surprised. There was a strip center behind it that the front desk agent assured me was safe to walk to. It was an international delight. Cuban, Japanese, Mediterrean, etc. I had a FABULOUS meal at the Columbian restaurant. Nothing fancy, just great food. The Hampton Inn is adjacent as well. There is a new Italian restaurant in the other direction. I was a bit worried about staying at an airport location, but thoroughly enjoyed it. Good breakfast buffet too.

The hotel that is right in the terminal at MIA is AWFUL. You are paying for the convenience of being "right there", but I would avoid it if at all possible, and it sounds like you can.

Kay5, just for curiosity, when was the last time you rented a room at the hotel IN the airport?

Wow. Starrsville and I did the same thing . I also got a room at the AmeriSuites on Priceline for something like $60-70 over President's day weekend. It was better than I expected, not at all in a bad neighborhood, and pretty close to the airport. I think the rooms are normally in the $150 range.

I went a couple of weeks ago and was shocked at high season rates. I was happy to get a $99 rate - and the cheapest on the hotel website for that weeknight was $170. I drove down to the Keys one day and worked in Miami one day and was pleased with the accessibility of the hotel location.

Napolean - Jan 2006

sorry, Neopolitan - I didnt have my glasses on and read your name wrong.

Hmm. I'll pull my hand out of my shirt and try again. LOL

Interesting about your recent stay there. I was told it was totally refurbished and is now very nice. I have friends who stay there often as they frequently fly out of Miami very early and go over the night before from Naples. They are such picky people. Their take on that hotel -- "it isn't the Ritz, but it's a lot nicer than the usual Hampton Inns, etc." They enjoy not having to fight traffic in the morning which can be horrendous around the airport, so they swear by this hotel.