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La Quinta Inn Miami Airport East Review

Paulineh — Mon, 29 Aug 2011 13:44:52 +0000

The La Quinta Inn Miami Airport East is an excellent hotel if you are flying in for a cruise the next day as they have airport shuttle pickup and supply you a bed, breakfast then a shuttle trip to the port for a very reasonable cost.

This is not a flash hotel but a good value one that I found clean and surprisingly quiet in spite of it being near the airport. I can't comment on the pool as it was winter when we stayed there. The shuttle picked us up from the airport and got us to the hotel in a reasonable time but the check in was very slow. They were fully booked that night and as we were late in they had given our upgraded room away but we still got a room and a comfortable bed we just collapsed into. We were given a discount voucher to be used next time but as were from Australia it's not likely we will use it so that was a disappointment.

The breakfast at La Quinta Inn Miami Airport East was adequate with cereal, toast, bagels, juices and a waffle maker to make your own waffles. The seating can get filled though on the weekend so go early. This is especially true when the hotel is fully booked with cruisers all trying to get ready to get the shuttle to the port.

In conclusion La Quinta Inn was satisfactory for our needs and I would stay here again one night pre cruise but for a longer stay I would go to downtown or Miami Beach areas where there are more facilities like restaurants and amusements. For cruisers you cant go past the value. We stayed there in early December 2010.

Riviera Suite South Beach Hotel Miami Review

Paulineh — Mon, 20 Dec 2010 07:16:37 +0000

We stayed at the Riviera Suite South Beach for 2 nights after a cruise from Miami because we wanted to stay in the art deco area, it offered free breakfast and a free shuttle back to the airport.

I liked the lovely rooms in colors of navy and old gold and hardwood floors, skin rugs and leather lounge. There were two large TVs and it had a kitchenette which would be handy if you were staying several days. We had a suite on the second floor facing the side street.

I also liked the Wifi access, the large bathroom and the dining area a the Riviera Suite South Beach. What I didn't like was the subdued lighting and the noise from the room above on the wooden floor (sounded like they were dancing for hours). The lighting was a problem when packing and unpacking my suitcase and even when writing this post and using my netbook. I had to open the curtains to allow more light during the day but at night it was just dark. It might be romantic but not practical.

The location of Riviera Suite South Beach Hotel is on the corner of Lindsey and 20th Streets which means it is a bit of a hike of about 5 blocks across and 2 blocks down to get to Ocean Drive dining. We enjoyed the free happy hour though one night at their sister hotel, The Catalina which was quite pleasant.

The hotel can book your tours and we did the Everglades one morning (see separate review). While we were there the hotel shuttle to the airport which usually runs hourly was only running every 2 hours so check it out when you arrive.

Overall we enjoyed the Riviera Suite South Beach and would recommend it as the suites are lovely, the staff friendly especially the doormen who will go out of their way to help you. Just be prepared to take taxis or walk ( like we did) if you want to eat on the famous Ocean Drive around 11 - 13th Streets.

Hilton Long Beach and Executive Meeting Center

Paulineh — Sun, 31 Jan 2010 06:00:23 +0000

We stayed two nights at the Hilton Long Beach and Executive Meeting Center located at 701 W Ocean Boulevarde before our cruise out of the Port of Long Beach. We got a shuttle from the airport to the hotel and a taxi to the port which is close by.

The room was nice and overlooked the pool, roomy enough for two and we paid a good price of under $100 per night. Have a look at the deals and Compare Data From 100s Of Travel Sites At Once. Search One And Done.

There are not a lot of restaurants nearby although we did have dinner one night at the Daily Grill which was just on the outside of the hotel and we did enjoy that. We did not have breakfasts at the hotel at all so I can’t comment. The hotel has a nice Lobby Bar on the ground floor and which has lovely comfy chairs for a quiet drink after sightseeing all day.

I don’t think I would want to stay in Long Beach more than a few days as there were only limited things to see and do compared with Los Angeles. This is my opinion as a international visitor though. There were a lot of banks on that part of the street so the hotel probably caters to business clientele during the week more than tourists.

Overall we had a good experience here but it probably would be better to choose a hotel closer to the main attractions of the Pike, Shoreline Village, Market Place and the Marina especially if you were only staying the night before a cruise. The free passport buses though make it easy to get around as they even go to the Port of Long Beach and the RMS Queen Mary and stop outside the hotel. You can walk to the pike though from the hotel. We did this and caught the bus back.

Note: The hotel has been renovated since we stayed and so I have not included an image of the room as hey have changed.

Liked: Nice room
Disliked: It was a bit out of the way for restaurants
Tip: Have dinners at The Pike

The Victorian Hotel Travel Review

Paulineh — Fri, 08 Jan 2010 11:02:54 +0000

This hotel travel review is for The Victorian Hotel, which is in Homer Street, Vancouver in Canada. I stayed at this hotel after my cruise to Alaska. I caught a cab to the hotel from the Port, which is fairly close, and got my bags up the steps into the hotel. I stayed in this hotel before and so I booked a room with ensuite this time as I had a shared bathroom the time before (used the women's bathroom) on the third floor and decided to upgrade on this occasion. I was placed on the second floor and my suitcase was taken up for me.

This hotel built in 1989 is very quaint with lovely furnishings, polished floors and lovely rugs. I liked it so much the first time that I decided to stay there again. I left something in the room on my first trip and they posted it to me in Australia. What great customer service is that! The room rates are reasonable with an ensuite room under $100 Canadian and if you want to share a bathroom then it would be about $70 per night.

The breakfast included toast, spread, coffee and juice which was sufficient for me, as I don’t eat big breakfasts anyway. If you like a larger breakfast then there are places nearby. The hotel is located in a great position, in walking distance to Gas Town and Robson Street shopping in the other direction.

In conclusion to this hotel travel review of The Victorian I must add that I would recommend this hotel to anyone who can manage the stairs as it is a great deal for being so central.

Liked: Clean room with lovely furnishings for a very good price
Disliked: Stairs but they were only an small inconvenience
Tip: Walk everywhere - don't miss out on Gastown which is close by