In an enormous city, there is an enormous range of accommodations: hotel, motel, hostel . . . you name it. The post–World War II “Boom Over Miami” resulted in the iconic South Beach we know so well—miles of beaches lined with swanky Deco hotels. If you dig glam but prefer to stay away from the beach scene, you’ll find equally upscale properties in Coral Gables and Coconut Grove, especially. For those who simply can’t afford the glitz but want to be in the spotlight, Miami Beach offers a slew of affordable hotels, smaller hotels, and motels that accommodate nearly any budget and the main sacrifice you’ll make is a view. Fortunately, the iconic (usually meaning expensive) hotels aren’t the only spots to temporarily call home. A number of affordable hotels and motels still have the same Deco charm without the enormous price tag. Downtown Miami is also a good location to park yourself as it is centrally located to the beach as well as the rest of the city. West Miami generally caters to an airport crowd and there are a number of airport hotels that make early departures easy.
Overview
In this chapter, accommodations are listed alphabetically by location and then name. Keep in mind that the list is not comprehensive and is focused on neighborhoods that visitors are most likely to stay. Even so, not every property is covered and non-chains are highlighted. Additionally, certain areas such as the northern and southern regions of the city are densely residential and offer few accommodations that are not chains. Websites such as www.kayak.com and www.hotels.com are good resources for searching comprehensive listings.