What Area to Stay In
We recommend staying in the Miami Downtown area before a cruise. There are lots of things to do in the downtown area and it is roughly a 15-20 minute drive from the airport.
Getting from the airport to downtown, we suggest using Uber for two main reasons. We found that although most of the taxis have credit card machines, our taxi drivers told us that they only accepted cash. The second reason is that in almost all the places we have visited that allow Uber, it has been the cheaper option. If you currently don’t have the Uber app, you can download it and use our invite code (marykatem75ue) to take your first ride for free (up to a certain amount).
We recommend staying closer to the Port of Miami rather than the airport before your cruise, just in case there are any major delays on embarkation day. Once in Downtown, you are incredibly close to the cruise port! Only a 10-12 minute drive away from the cruise terminals, and you’ll be able to see the docked cruise ships!
Like in any major city, especially when traveling alone or with kids, safety is a major concern when choosing where to stay, your transportation method, and what to do. We were pleasantly surprised with the Downtown area of Miami. Many of the areas we saw seemed clean, modern, and had police patrols. We felt comfortable walking around to nearby sites and shops.
Possible Hotels
The main street in Downtown Miami is Biscayne Boulevard. If you stay on the boulevard, or slightly off, you will be in walking distance to many attractions, shops, and restaurants. There are many hotels to choose from in this area.
Holiday Inn Port of Miami- Downtown
Several people recommend staying at the Holiday Inn Port of Miami – Downtown. It has a pool, restaurant, and is extremely close to the Port! Holiday Inn is a great choice for where to stay in Miami before a cruise.
YVE Hotel Miami
Another possible option for where to stay in Miami before a cruise is the YVE Hotel Miami. The YVE is a modern hotel that is two blocks over from the Holiday Inn and also in the heart of downtown. It lacks a pool, but is often cheaper than the Holiday Inn.
Intercontinental Miami
On our recent trip, we stayed at the Intercontinental Miami. We loved our stay at the Intercontinental! It was extremely clean, and had all the amenities you would expect with the brand. It is quite a large hotel, and we were allowed to check in early as we arrived by 10am.
Our room was the cheapest offering they had, and we had no complaints. It was spacious, clean, and we even had a view. The AC worked extremely well and was completely adjustable. In many reviews regarding Miami hotels, the AC was a primary complaint.
There was an outdoor pool, spa services, and a few onsite bars and restaurants. In fact, there was a giant chess set by the pool!
They even let us store our luggage after the cruise (for a $1 per bag) and we used the spa facilities/changing rooms throughout the day before our flight home! Highly recommend the Intercontinental and staying in downtown Miami!
