MIA Apt to Aventura Mall (Miami: hotel, rental, resort)

[ananda]

I shall soon stopover in Miami and overnight 1 night.
I arrive 4PM and leave next morning at 9 AM.

Still I would like to do some shopping after arrival at the Aventura Mall (I know what shop Im going to)

Have doubts between renting a car to go in the Mall or taking a cub.
Also have to book a hotel, and my first thought is to do it close to the Airport.
Do you have any alike experience? What would you suggest?

[d40372]

Renting a car at MIA (or, more accurately, actually finding the rental agency when you return the vehicle) can be a pain in the neck because of the perpetual road construction around the airport. That said, I'm cheap, and it would probably be less expensive to rent a car for a day rather than pay cab fare.

As far as where to stay goes...I was going to suggest getting a hotel room in Aventura. I've stayed at the Courtyard, which is right down Biscayne from the mall, and it was perfectly fine. The entire area around the mall is quite safe, and there are some more lavish options (e.g. Turnberry Resort) in that area if that's more your style. But, if you're coming in on a weekday and were to stay in Aventura, you'd be fighting rush hour traffic on 95 coming and going. So, that might influence your decision.