The Port of Miami is the busiest cruise port in the world, with around 5 million passengers setting sail from the city each year. If you’re cruising from Miami, you’ll want to arrive in the city the night before your cruise begins and book a pre-cruise hotel stay.
Booking a hotel can be daunting, as it’s easy to be overwhelmed by hundreds of options. Plus, if you’re unfamiliar with Miami, you’ll want to make sure you pick a hotel in a nice location.
To make your hotel planning process easier, we’ve compiled a list of some of the best hotels in Miami. These hotels were recommended to us by Royal Caribbean Blog fans on our message boards or by personal experience our own cruises.
Here’s our list of the best Miami hotels near the cruise port.
Where to stay near the Port of Miami
We don’t recommend picking a hotel based solely on how close it is to the cruise port. You will take a taxi, Uber, or shuttle to the cruise port anyway, so whether the hotel is 2 miles or 5 miles away from the port is irrelevant.
Instead, pick a hotel based on what you’re interested in doing while in Miami. If you are looking forward to exploring South Beach, consider staying at a boutique hotel near the oceanfront. If your flight doesn’t land in Miami until 11PM, on the other hand, staying at a hotel near the airport is a better choice.
In addition, don’t select a hotel based on whether or not it offers shuttles from the hotel to the cruise port. Here’s why:
Let's say you’re traveling with a group of four people and a shuttle from your hotel to the cruise port is $10 per person. You will spend $40 total to reach the cruise terminal. A Lyft or Uber, on the other hand, may only cost around $10-15 dollars total from downtown Miami to the cruise terminal, as it is priced per ride instead of per person.
Keeping this in mind, our hotel recommendations are based in three areas of Miami: downtown, South Beach, and near the airport.
Best hotels in Downtown Miami
Downtown Miami is close to the cruise terminal yet still offers plenty of ways to kick off your cruise vacation. From walking the waterfront marinas to visiting museums, bars, and restaurants, it’s an exciting place to spend the night before your cruise.
Here are some of our top hotel recommendations in downtown Miami:
Intercontinental Miami
Average nightly price: $450
Address: 100 Chopin Plaza, Miami, FL 33131
The Intercontinental Miami is a 4-star waterfront hotel in downtown Miami, and is one of the most raved-about hotels by many cruisers. It is located just steps away from waterfront parks, bars, and restaurants in downtown Miami.
Related: Intercontinental Miami Hotel Review
There are 653 guest rooms available, which include 22 suites, and you can expect to pay around $450 plus tax for a standard hotel room at the Intercontinental Miami.
Hotel amenities include high-speed wifi, a rooftop pool, 24-hour fitness center, complimentary sauna, steam, drench shower, and relaxation room use, and a tech lounge. Breakfast is not included in the standard hotel fare.
Marriott Biscayne Bay
Average nightly price: $280-375
Address: 1633 N Bayshore Dr, Miami, FL 33132
Also located in downtown Miami is the Marriott Biscayne Bay, a 4-star waterfront hotel attached to a mall. The Marriott Biscayne Bay has both standard rooms and suites.
Amenities at the Marriott Biscayne Bay include free wifi, a fitness center, on-site restaurant, convenience store, gift shop, and room service. The hotel’s pool is currently closed for renovations as of December 2022.
DoubleTree Biscayne Bay
Average nightly price: $250-350
Address: 1717 N Bayshore Dr, Miami, FL 33132
Located adjacent to the Marriott Biscayne Bay and also attached to The Grand Retail Plaza Mall is the DoubleTree Biscayne Bay. The hotel has both standard guest rooms and suites.
The DoubleTree’s amenities include connecting rooms, an outdoor pool, spa, on-site restaurant, concierge service, and fitness center.
Kimpton Epic
Average nightly price: $400-600
Address: 270 Biscayne Blvd Way, Miami, FL 33131
The Kimpton Epic is a luxury boutique hotel in downtown Miami, and it’s a nice way to treat yourself before a Royal Caribbean cruise.
Amenities at the Kimpton Epic include a rare spirits bar, cigar lounge, Japanese restaurant, two pools, a spa, and a rooftop dining venue. Every room and suite has a private balcony providing views of Miami and/or the waterfront.
JW Marriott Miami
Average nightly price: $200-400
Address: 1109 Brickell Ave, Miami, FL 33131
Not to be confused with the nearby JW Marriott Marquis, the JW Marriott Miami is a great high-end hotel our team has stayed at a few times.
Located in the trendy Brickell neighborhood, it's close to the cruise port and has walkable restaurants and bars nearby. It's in a great location, close enough to the port, and I find the prices to usually be competitive with other downtown hotels.
The plush accommodations are perfect for anyone with discerning tastes, and it's about a 10 minute taxi ride to the port. Amenities include a pub-style bar and 2 restaurants, plus a heated outdoor pool, a spa and a fitness room. There’s also a business center and 18 meeting rooms.
Hampton Inn Brickell
Average nightly price: $250-450
Address: 50 SW 12th St, Miami, FL 33130
The Hampton Inn Brickell has standard rooms with either one king bed or two queen beds. The hotel also has King or Queen Studio Suites, and connecting rooms are also available.
A hot breakfast is included in the hotel’s amenities, which is always a nice benefit on the morning of embarkation day! Other amenities include an on-site restaurant, fitness center, business center, free wifi, and an outdoor pool.
Comfort Inn & Suites Downtown Brickell
Average nightly price: $170-225
Address: 100 SE 4th St, Miami, FL 33131
With prices between $170 to $225 per night, the Comfort Inn & Suites in downtown Miami offers a nice value for an overnight stay before your cruise. Standard rooms and suites are available.
While not as luxurious as some of the other hotels on this list, the Comfort Inn & Suites provides a nice place to rest your head before boarding your cruise. Free breakfast is also offered at the Comfort Inn & Suites Downtown Brickell.
Best hotels in South Beach Miami
If you’re looking to experience the best of Miami’s party atmosphere, you’ll want to consider spending the night in South Beach. Famous for its beaches and nightlife, South Beach is certainly a fun place to spend time before your cruise begins.
Here are our top hotel recommendations in South Beach:
Gale South Beach
Average nightly price: $300-370
Address: 1690 Collins Ave, Miami Beach, FL 33139
Located in the heart of South Beach, the Gale South Beach is an excellent place to spend the night in Miami. With a rooftop pool, on-site Italian restaurant, and stylish rooms, it makes for a relaxing place to escape the hustle and bustle of South Beach.
Reaching the cruise terminal from South Beach typically takes around 20 minutes.
Kasa El Paseo South Beach
Average nightly price: $200
Address: 405 Española Way, Miami Beach, FL 33139
Kasa El Paseo South Beach is a boutique hotel with influence from Spanish and Mediterranean design. It’s located in the historic district of Española Way and walking distance to shops, restaurants, and bars.
There’s no pool at the hotel, but the beach is a five minute walk away.
Kimpton Surfcomber
Average nightly price: $420 to $520
Address: 1717 Collins Ave, Miami Beach, FL 33139
Recently renovated, the Kimpton Surfcomber is a boutique hotel with Miami’s classic Art Deco design influence. This boutique hotel offers both standard guest rooms and suites, many of which come with views of South Beach’s waterfront.
Amenities include a pool with private cabanas, spa services, a fitness center, weekend yoga classes, backyard games, and a kids beach area with toys.
The Savoy Hotel & Beach Club
Average nightly price: $280 to $430
Address: 425 Ocean Dr, Miami Beach, FL 33139
South Beach has no shortage of boutique hotels, and The Savoy Hotel & Beach Club is another fantastic place to spend a night in Miami. The Savoy is an oceanfront hotel with a large, sprawling pool space in the Art Deco strip of South Beach.
The hotel has two acres of private grounds with unobstructed views of the ocean. All rooms at The Savoy are suites, of which the hotel has 31.
Best hotels near the Miami Airport
If you’re flying to Miami and arriving late the night before your cruise departs, we recommend staying near the airport. You’ll likely be tired after a long flight and hotels near the airport tend to be more affordable than those downtown or in South Beach.
Luckily there are many hotel options near the airport. Here are our top recommendations:
Holiday Inn Express & Suites Miami Airport East
Average nightly price: $165 to $280
Address: 2601 NW 42nd Ave, Miami, FL 33142
The Holiday Inn Express & Suites Miami Airport East offers a comfortable place to stay before your cruise begins. With modern decor and both standard rooms and suites, it’s hard to go wrong with the Holiday Inn.
Breakfast is included in the nightly price. Additional amenities include a pool and fitness center.
Residence Inn by Marriott Miami Airport
Average nightly price: $300 to $430
Address: 1201 NW 42nd Ave, Miami, FL 33126
The Residence Inn Miami Airport is an all-suite hotel located just a seven minute drive from the airport. Studio, 1 Bedroom, and 2 Bedroom suites are available, so this hotel is a nice option for families.
Amenities at the Residence Inn include complimentary breakfast, airport shuttle service, pools, and a fitness center.
Aloft Miami Airport
Average nightly price: $230 to $350
Address: 7220 NW 36th St, Miami, FL 33166
Aloft hotels are known for their modern design and social atmosphere, and the Aloft Miami Airport hotel is a great choice for spending the night near the airport before your cruise.
The Aloft Miami Airport does not have suites, but has guest rooms with either two queen beds or one king bed. The hotel features an on-site restaurant, bar, fitness center, outdoor pool, convenience store, meeting space, and other amenities.
