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InterContinental Miami Hotel
Categories: Event Planning & Services Venues & Event Spaces Event Planning & Services Hotels Hotels & Travel Hotels Venues & Event Spaces, Hotels [Edit]
100 Chopin PlzMiami, FL 33131
(305) 577-1000
- Price Range:
-
$$$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Wi-Fi:
- Paid
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
About This Business:
WannaGo Vacations? Check this deals and let's go: * Punta Cana - 8 Days with air from Miami Only $849 * Cancun - 8 Days with air from Miami Only $799 *… read more »
43 reviews for InterContinental Miami Hotel
Review Highlights
"It's within walking distance to many great restaurants and..."
(in 5 reviews)
"myspa also offers complimentary parking for 4 hours."
(in 4 reviews)
"The front desk is attentive and welcoming."
(in 6 reviews)
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43 reviews in English
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Review from Michael H.
Raleigh, NC
1/24/2012 1 Check-in Here
This is a pleasant hotel that is nestled in the heart of downtown Miami. Friendly and courteous, it's by no means the most chic restaurant in the area but it does what it does solidly. I'm not really a fan of the 1980's concrete decor, but that seems to be par for the course in this part of town, and they do an otherwise excellent job.
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Review from MICHELLE C.
Miami, FL
4/18/2011 3 Check-ins Here
After two events this weekend here and several times before, I am not thrilled about this hotel for events. They are known for being a great hotel and you pay a nice penny to stay here. Sure they have some pretty chandeliers but that is all. They really need to update the place in a bad way. For me it is very old world style and boring.
The servers in the banquet facility were not friendly nor accommodating at all. For this place being high end you could not tell from the treatment you received. In the banquet facility they had plastic covering the carpet, which I thought was so incredibly tacky. Not only was it very tacky but also very dangerous for us ladies in heels. As I walked in my heels would get caught in the plastic and I thought I would fall a few times.
Then oh my I was trying to take pictures of food and wine bottles on the table and the table clothes were hideous. They ruined my pictures. They were what my mother would put on our table in the seventy's, bold fruit, apples, oranges, leaves, oh horrible! Then some of us had white napkins while others had huge pewter napkins that looked like a table runner instead of a napkin.
One night, we had steak. Do you want to know how difficult it was to cut a steak with a butter knife. Really?
If I was having any kind of an event, I would skip this place all together. Then to top it off, valet did have a special for $10 if you were going to an event here. Not bad, cool. After the event all of us decided to wait inside as the line for valet was super long. We waited about forty minutes or so then when the line went down we went out to stand in it and hand over our ticket, pay and get our car. A few friends were behind me in line and got their vehicle way before me.
My friend and I waited over an hour, yes an hour til I finally walked up to the window after I paid and they grabbed my car keys to go get my car. Yes, I paid, gave them my ticket, and they forgot my car. Nice.....
Between the service, decor, valet, this place did not impress! -
Review from Michelle C.
Miami, FL
4/17/2011
I've been to two events here, a retirement party and a interactive dinner/wine auction that was part of the FOOD & WINE FESTIVAL.
They NEED to do something about Valet.
It just can't take that long.
It's unacceptable.
It cost them a star. -
Review from Stephanie L.
Houston, TX
7/26/2011 1 Check-in Here
I stayed here one night for a business trip and it was pretty nice. However, I arrived in Miami around 11am and went straight to the hotel. I was told by the front desk that check-in would begin at 3pm, but if a room opened up by 1pm, I would be allowed to check in early. One of the ladies at the front desk took down cell phone number, she said she would call as soon as a room was ready. So I hung out and ate lunch. Around 2:30pm, I went back to the desk to check if a room had opened up, and of course there were plenty....but no one had called to tell me...great...
I looked on my bed and there was a complimentary spa gift certificate for $30. I was so excited! So I found the pricing information and holy bejeesus. I don't think I've ever seen a more expensive spa. EVER. Freaking ridiculous. For that amount of money I better be pocketing some gold nuggets.
I believe they were doing construction in the rooms either next to me or above me because for awhile I just kept hearing loud thumps and drilling. Since it was the afternoon I didn't complain, but I was just surprised. I didn't think they'd open up rooms near areas of construction because of the noise level, but it wasn't a problem in the evening.
Overall, I thought it was a pretty good place to stay for business (it's walking distance to office buildings), but I didn't find a ton of things to do (maybe I wasn't looking in the right places)?Comment from Arminio R. of InterContinental Miami Hotel 8/31/2011
Dear Stephanie, On behalf of The InterContinental Miami,… More » -
Review from kat g.
Los Angeles, CA
7/6/2011
It all started when my flight landed early and I called to see if I could check-in earlier than 3pm. The gentleman I spoke to said I could check in as early as 12pm. AWESOME! After a little shopping, eating and laying out on the beach I call just to make sure I can still check in at noon and this time the woman on the phone says the hotel is booked and no early check-ins are allowed. I decide to go to the hotel anyway and I'm given a room. AWESOME! Although, the information I received was inconsistent, it ended up working out.
I go to my room, freshen up and read the literature they have on the hotel. There's a happy hour! YAY! I call down to see what time it starts and I'm told, "I think it starts at 5 or 6 and ends around 8." When asking for information I expect to receive accurate information and not an "I think". I end up having to call 3 different people before finding out there wasn't a happy hour that night. Waste of time.
I head down to the pool and see that the last two chairs are empty. My friend asks one of the pool employee's if we can get a fresh chair cover. He says they don't change the cloth/towel like chair covers between uses. Okay. We get two towels a piece on our own, strip off the wet chair covers and use regular towels instead. Not ten minutes later, is there another pool working changing out the chair covers on some other chairs!!
The list goes on and on with the inconsistency. Pedro, the manager did try and fix the situation. He provided us a couple of free drinks due to the happy hour confusion and a continental bfast for the next morning. -
Review from Michelle R.
San Jose, CA
4/6/2011
I rank hotels using a four point, weighted scale based on the attributes of Accommodations, Amenities, Cost, and Customer Service. The Intercontinental of Miami earned a score of 44 out of 100.
My co worker and I shared a very expensive room here recently for a conference. My first impression was that it was probably a force to be reckoned with 15-20 years ago.
The customer service was adequate, but not notable. The service was especially lacking in places such as Starbucks and the poolside restaurant- which bordered on abominable. Three of us ordered the "Hot Dogs with Relish" and the entire lunch took 2 hours because sevice was so sparse. Oh, and we got one packet of relish to share between the three of us.
The only place that was drastically different was the bar area, where the food was delicious, and the service spectacular.
The pool was lukewarm, so we went to lay out on the grass, only to find ourselves in a patch of dead millipedes.
The room itself was adequate also, except for finding a pubic hair in the shower upon arrival, and almost getting shocked by the busted outlet. It was nice that wifi was free because we were attending conference, and it's central location to the Bay Side area was convenient.
I would've overlooked all of weirdness, were I paying Super 8 rates... but for $200 a night, the lack of attention to detail was glaring.
Overall, not horrific, but I've certainly stayed in nicer places for less money. -
Review from Megan w.
7/10/2011
This review is for their Happy Hour at the bar only.
On weekdays at 5:00, they put out a pretty nice help-yourself cheese and bruschetta platter. They also give each group a bowl of trail mix.
They have some nice choices on their wine by the glass menu. I had a glass of Rutherford Merlot from Napa and glass of Layer cake Shiraz from South Australia. Yum! Both were about $11.00, so not really a bargain there.
They also have a very complete liquor selection as well. My bf had a glass is Laphroaig neat, one of his favorite Scotch's. The bartender topped it off for him when he was running low at no charge since I still had a good bit of wine left in my glass. That was much appreciated.
Most of the customers seemed to be guests at the hotel, but in my opinion their cheese platter makes Intercontinental a nice (quiet) Happy Hour option for us locals as well. -
Review from Ian W.
Charlotte, NC
11/7/2011
This place needs updating. I have been staying here for 10 years but other close hotels have leapfrogged it. Nice fitness center and pool deck (limited seating), but rooms have seen their day.
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Review from Jason P.
Houston, TX
4/12/2011
Stayed here for Ultra Music Fest weekend. Conveniently located about a mile from Bicentennial Park-easy walk to the show (since cabbing it is impossible with traffic.)
Nice staff, pricey room service ($28 for a burger and fries), but food was very good. Definitely somewhere I would stay again. -
Review from Matt S.
Charlotte, NC
11/1/2011 2 Check-ins Here
Great rooms and views of the bay......loses points for charging for wifi, terrible restaurant and no self park...$350 for a room and no wife?? my friendly $89 HI Express comps Wifi....
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Review from April C.
Los Angeles, CA
2/12/2011
This hotel is beautiful and has an enviable setting: Bay views, ocean views, city views, Bayside park views... it's 360 degrees of the best vistas in Miami.
On every one of my many entrances and egresses, the door was opened by a friendly doorman. The entrance and lobby are great-looking and full of places to lounge and enjoy the views; walk 100 yards or so to enjoy the bayside walkway. The reception is intuitively located to the left of the skylight-accented lobby, which contains a huge marble sculpture that had to be lowered by helicopter during construction.
Check-in took unfortunately long, since the hotel's computers went down as my group arrived. It became clear after twenty minutes of waiting (and appeasement for everyone waiting, in the form of free drink vouchers... hey, wait, you forgot me! I've been waiting here too!) that the hotel cannot process check-ins without their computers... that's a huge inconvenience to travel-weary guests who want nothing more than to take off their shoes and relax.
Once checked in, I was satisfied with the accommodations. They were pretty nice but not outlandish or luxurious, comfortable and clean but showing some wear. (For example, both the tinted film on the windows and the bathroom door bore the scratched initials of a previous guest.)
I ordered room service, which was more reasonably priced than expected (until I noticed the 20% "room service fee," I thought it was the most inexpensive I'd ever encountered). In addition, the food was excellent. I had a shrimp cocktail and very good Thai beef salad, plus some chocolate chip cookies that totally negated the horrendous travel day I had. The (HD flat-screen) TV had an impressive number of channels to watch.
The next morning, after a great sleep on the comfortable bed, I ordered an hour of internet service ($7.95). After a while, I called down to order another hour (a miscalculation on my part), and the receptionist graciously gave it to us free since 24 hours costs only $13 or something...
The breakfast buffet was pretty good, with a wide assortment of pastries, plus eggs, potatoes, meats, and fruits. In addition, a chef cooked omelettes to order, and it was fun to watch her juggle four at once. Coffee was good.
Check-out was a breeze. I think this hotel is kind of pricey, but I would be happy to stay here again if I happen to visit Miami again (not likely... ugh). The room service and other service touches are what tipped this hotel from three stars to four. -
Review from Richard B.
New York, NY
3/25/2011
I'm sitting on the phone listening to the MOD, ?Marcos?, tell me that I probably should have eaten already when my uneaten room service pizza was removed from my room while I was out. So I'm fuming and writing a review while he tells me that there was bacteria on it. Thanks genius, but where is my pizza?
I'm exercising what little power I have in this review and I will pop to Walgreens a couple of blocks away and stop using the mini bar and bar now, and every time I come here until I feel the insult has been compensated!
I am truly offended. -
Review from Claudia F.
Phoenix, AZ
9/19/2011
I'd probably rate this hotel more like a 3.5 star. The check in process was okay, person checking me in was not very friendly. I was at this place for a conference. I had a few hours to kill, so I decided I would take advantage of some pool time, only to find that there was no one at the pool and the one glass of wine I ordered was $18.00. The good thing about this place is that it's within walking distance to some great restaurants, like Chop House, and shopping area. --- If you are in Miami for the first time, I wouldn't recommend this hotel. I see this hotel more as a Business type hotel. The room was nice, bed was comfortable, but the internet connection was horrible and it cost over 17.00 a day. So with that said you are better off at a hotel that offers a better pool, and at least better internet service.
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Review from Pete K.
Naples, FL
6/12/2011
Pros- They gave us a bay-view upgrade when we mentioned that it was our anniversary. The restaurant in the lobby served very good cheeseburgers and fries. Very clean. Staff always ready to help. Close to Bayside and a park
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Cons- They nickel and dime you to death- $11.99 for Wi-Fi, $34 to park your car A DAY each. And nowhere else to park. Burger was $15 and fries were $5.50,(surprised the condiments were free). Beds were like sleeping on slabs of marble and shower head was more like a kitchen faucet in size and pressure. Pool was closed in evenings. Ice on only the even floors so we had make a road trip just to get ice several times a day.
Summary- We've stayed in much cheaper hotels with greater accommodations in Naples where we are from. If you don't care about money this place might be for you. For us there is no bang-for-your-buck. -
Review from Courtney Allison B.
Atlanta, GA
11/16/2010 3 Check-ins Here
My husband and I recently stayed at the Intercontinental the night before we left on a cruise out of the Port of Miami. It was absolutely amazing. The staff was fantastic, the hotel is gorgeous and the bed was oh so comfy.
Major bonus points for the ease of travel to the Port the next day. Also, the Indigo Bar had a super tasty Lemondrop Martini.
We'll definitely stay here again when we're down in Miami for our next cruise. -
Review from Miriam W.
10/4/2008
For a mere $101 per night (thank you once again, Priceline!), what's not to love?
Upon checking in I kindly asked the front desk attendant if I might be placed in a room on a high floor with a view of the bay. He searched away on his computer and eventually found me a room on the 17th floor with an expansive window overlooking the bay. The room was spacious (all told, it would give my New York flat a run for its square footage) and had a separate tub (which sadly I never had time to use) and shower.
The lobby has plenty of seating and we used it several times as a work area. As well, the business center folks were friendly and didn't charge us to print out our guest lists.
Both The Standard and The Raleigh hotels could learn lessons from the accommodating staff at the Intercontinental. What this hotel lacks in cool factor it more than makes up for with graciousness.Listed in: Have Priceline Will Travel, Miami Hotels
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Review from Claire Y.
Chicago, IL
10/2/2007
Stayed a weekend here while attending a conference in town. From the moment I entered the facility, everything was on-point: staff service, modern-chic decor, spacious design, cleanliness, comfort, amenities, BED... etc. Very work-friendly for business travelers.
Also great was its location - standing just over the bay, overlooking the beautiful water. Very serene, very Zen. Sure, it's not on a beach, per se (if you are looking for a hotel near the "Miami/South Beach," this is not it). But it's only 10-15 minutes away from the busy beach scene. -
Review from Alayne H.
Updated - 3/30/2010 7 photos
I love the location of this hotel. It's within walking distance to many great restaurants and shops. You can stroll or jog along the river walk and take in the activity on the bay; sit in the nearby park and relax; or go over to Bayside and join the tourists from the cruise ships if you are feeling adventurous.
The lobby is beautifully decorated with marble and contemporary furniture. I found the rooms to be very comfortable and nice as well. I had a beautiful view of the bay and I enjoyed watching the sunrise every morning as I got ready to start my day. We held our global leadership meeting here so utilized their conference rooms. The staff provided excellent service - very professional and accommodating. Room temperatures were consistent and the food was good.
I did have a housekeeping issue and one of the bell hops needed an attitude adjustment, but the positives far outweighed these two negatives.1 Previous Review: Show all »
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3/19/2010
While staying at the InterContinental on business, I had the opportunity to get a spa treatment. I… Read more »
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Review from Robert A.
Miami, FL
5/7/2009
This place is great. It is like a serene bat cave without being goofy about it all. It has all the immenities without being pretentious and the robes and treatments are great. Ask for Liz. She does facials, massages and waxes. She is mellow and all business.
Try to go in at least 40 minutes early and do the Steam room or Dry sauna before a treatment. They have a gym too but I never go. -
Review from art s.
5/14/2008 14 photos
I stayed here for a conference that was being held at the hotel, so it was convenient. If I had to do it all over again I'd look for alternatives.
It has nice common areas, decent but dated rooms and the worst shower curtain/rod configuration possible.
The room decor felt like some odd blend of Golden Girls and Arsenio Hall. The work space was poor, with a low set chair that would be better suited in the restaurant than under the desk. And the shower curtain was ridiculous. Whoever conceived the idea of doing a curved, flat shower rod with the short shower curtain hooks is a genius. It took me like 45 seconds to get the thing in place because the friction of moving the curtain was pulling the hooks out of the curtain holes. Just a comedy of errors that is so needlessly stupid it's frustrating.
Room service was good and friendly. On a random note, they have little salt and pepper grinders that you get w/ your meal (see picture). Nice little touch.
And, if you're looking for some casual / quick eats in the area, I recommend checking the reviews of JD N:
http://www.yelp.com/us...
Star scoring scale:
5 = Spectacular
4 = Better than average, really enjoyed it
3 = Average, don't regret it
2 = Disappointing
1 = Abysmal -
Review from Carmen H.
Daly City, CA
1/2/2008 7 photos
Absolutely perfect for me since, when I come to Miami, it's not for the beach but to get on a cruise ship. The port of Miami is less than a mile away. Surprisingly, the hotel does NOT offer a shuttle to the ships as many hotels in other cities do that are in close proximity to the port.
The hotel is right downtown, in the business district, not far from Bayside Marketplace. It's a mile from the Convention Center but South Beach is six miles away. You can get in some rays at the 5th floor pool area and have lunch at the Blue Water Cafe. They feature cocktails, smoothies, salads, and sandwiches. I had a wonderful concoction with shrimp, scallops, and mangoes, seasoned with curry.
The rooms are adequate in size, with comfortable bedding and internet connections. Baths are marble.
Indigo Restaurant offers a good selection of dining choices and has a nice wine list.
On my recent stay, the only complaint I had was that I left information regarding the name of the second guest in my room, explaining that she was arriving later and should be given a key in case I had gone out. The front desk staff failed to put this in the computer. When Sherry arrived, she was delayed for some time while they attempted to reach me.
I got on this hotel through Hotwire and paid only $104 total for my room. Another cruise passenger who also stayed paid $339. I certainly felt like I had gotten a bargain! -
Review from Michael y.
Pompano Beach, FL
9/9/2009 6 photos
Was treated to a biz breky in the club room. I had the croissants, pastries coffee, nova salmon and cheeses. No fresh squeezed OJ
bummer! Decent coffee on nice china.
The rooms had no flat screens and forget plugging in your own DVD player.
I was expecting better quality from a 5 star hotel.
Not like my experience @ the intercon Melbourne, Victoria,au.
I was expecting more. Beautiful lobby, beautiful location
Parking was cheap for downtown Miami, no validating WTF? -
Review from Christine E.
Washington, DC
2/11/2007
Weaknesses-
Location...not exactly "by the beach." If you want to be close to the beach, I've been told to search for hotels in South Beach.
Hotel check-in...I had to wait nearly 2 and a half hours before a room became available.
ATM...it was out of order, so it became a huge inconvenience to get cash for taxi and other activities.
Strengths-
Hotel staff...extremely friendly and courteous
Rooms are nice and spacious for one person. Bed was extremely comfortable! Bathroom was also spacious. Also, nice view of the bay from my room and area to sit by the window.
Starbucks on-site!
Within walking distance to Bayside Park, full of cute shops and restaurants. -
Review from Charles S.
La Jolla, CA
12/1/2009
I like the InterCon! Great location, great rates.
Short visit on business. Super nice desk clerks when I checked in and out. The room was fine. I appreciated that the bed had a light blanket rather than a duvet more appropriate for a Norwegian winter. Didn't have to keep the a/c on full blast. The a/c was quiet and the bathroom was spacious. Never got the chance to use the pool or gym or eat in the restaurant. Starbucks off the lobby was handy and quick.
There are newer fancier and more expensive hotels in downtown Miami. The Intercon is great hotel for the price.
One suggestion for the management: The desk had lovely chair with plush upholstery. Looked good but it didn't work very well if you actually want to use the desk. That's why they invented desk chairs.
And a suggestion for guests: Il Gabbiano Restaurant is only a block away. Don't miss it. -
Review from William L.
South San Francisco, CA
1/2/2009
Among hotel chains, the Intercontinental is at the top of the heap. Every IC I step foot in gives me great expectations. The Intercontinental Miami, however, comes up short.
When you first enter the hotel, you feel like this could be something special. The lobby is HUGE, not to mention gorgeous. The front desk is attentive and welcoming. And the location, right off the water--fuhgeddaboutit.
But as I commenced the journey to my room, I felt let down. The hallway of my floor induced claustrophobia, and its carpet had a cheesy design reminiscent of an off-Strip Vegas casino. My room gave me the same feeling. While it was much better than the Sheraton I stayed at on the first leg of my trip, when you compare it to the room I had at the IC Boston it was smaller and had fewer nice touches. (The IC Boston was downright palatial.) A conventional TV, come on! I needed to use the Internet to check my flight schedule, but both wifi and the wired connection cost $11. (That may be true at every hotel, though.)
Take this review with a grain of salt: I only stayed here for one night. I didn't use the fitness center or pool or try the restaurant. But based on the rooms, I'd say this hotel is due for a makeover. -
Review from A S.
9/28/2009
Rather disappointed with the rooms. The lobby is very fresh and trendy looking but the rooms seem rather tired and old. Stayed on the 34th floor, fantastic views of the bay.
Excellent location, good breakfast buffet but pricey as was the valet parking.
Staff were very efficient and friendly.
Art deco style outdoor pool is sheltered from midday sunshine :-( -
Review from El G.
Beverly Hills, CA
4/5/2011
Absolutely terrible experience. When we arrived it was clearly apparent that someone had smoked about 3 packs of cigarettes in our room. No big deal.....I'll just call down and ask to change rooms. I call down and some random dude comes up and without asking me anything starts spraying a fragrance all over. I'm like, "What are you doing, I don't want you to spray air freshner to try and cover it up, I want to change rooms." He gets all put out and leaves.....the manager comes up and apologizes. He also says he will switch us as soon as possible.....doesn't happen.
Later that night our key stops working (this happens on multiple occasions). Finally, by 3 am we are let into our room. Again, these ********* act like it is our fault that their entry system is terrible.
Next day we remove a couple cokes from the mini-bar to take with us when we go walk around. Housekeeping comes and TAKES the unopened cokes. When we go and talk to the concierge he says, "We can take anything we want".
The last and best part is I leave my camera in the room. I call the next day and get one of the nicer concierges, he tells me, "Yes, we found a camera similar to that. I just have to confirm and call you back". He never calls, so I call back; another concierge answers and says, "No, we haven't found any cameras..." I'm like, "Uh, yes you have". Clearly, the camera was taken by the staff.
DO NOT STAY AT THIS HOTEL.
Only good part of the hotel is the bar....which is well stocked and the bartenders are very nice. -
Review from Shawanda M.
Atlanta, GA
8/23/2009
This hotel is really nice - the lobby is huge and beautiful...the hotel itself...mmmm???
I was expecting something magnificent and didn't really get that. the rooms were nice..the beds were not that comfortable and the sheets sounded like paper everytime you make a move. Our coffee maker was gross and the toilet worked whenever it wanted to.
the staff was pleasant and helpful and the best part, there was a Starbucks in the lobby! The food was not that pleasant. My friend decided to order room service one night and she ordered a sandwich and fries and unfortunately, it left much to be desired. dessert, she ordered a red velvet cake, which looked like a discolored piece of dessert. she ended up sending it back to get the warm brownie with ice cream. That tasted like something you would buy at a gas station. so gross and not warm at all. but the ice cream was pretty good :-)
all in all, our Atlanta Intercontinental is DEFINITELY much better than this one. Because of the staff and the view from our window...i'll give them 3stars. -
Review from Elizabeth S.
Miami Beach, FL
9/9/2009
I had no issues here - stayed here for business a few times and really enjoyed the bar area. Great drinks, although it lost a star because the staff was having a tiff behind the bar and seemed more consumed with fighting with eachother than serving us fresh drinks; but alas this was only one of the nights. Therefore, it recovered nicely. They have these nice little plantain chips that go great with drinks - they're pretty heavy on the liquor, which is always a nice surpise.
Room was nice as well - I really had no issues with filth or bad service when I checked in. All in all, it was a really nice experience for a business trip. Location is nice since it's right on the bay and there are some restaurants within walking distance. It's also right across the street from the metromover, so it gets points for that as well.
Parking is outrageous (like $30 a night). It's probably cheaper just to take a shuttle from the airport if you're here on business and /or don't need a car. Also, you can priceline this for pretty cheap with Name your Own Price. The downside is you're never really guaranteed to get the hotel you want. -
Review from Bonnie P.
Atlanta, GA
10/6/2007
It looks and acts like a nice hotel, but is it? There were definite hairs on the towel next to the bathtub - disgusting! And you can't rely on your room being cleaned before something like 1:30 PM. The mini bar wasn't full when I got there and they attempted to charge me for cashews and a first aid kit when I left (to their credit, they did not resist when I rather menacingly said "no"). I did like the room setup and modern-but-not-austere furniture - two plush purple chairs, a light-colored desk, a nice big bed, and lots of lighting that was easy to find and turn on and off.
Of course, amenities are priced like a nice hotel. Internet costs $9.95, a gin and tonic at the bright blue bar costs $8 and the breakfast buffet is $25. There is a tasteful outdoor pool and poolside bar/restaurant on the fifth floor, with plenty of room for lounging and reading. It's like a wind tunnel out there, but the breeze is always welcome.
As for the location, I thought it was just okay. Pretty view, nothing too interesting going on at night, and $20 cab ride to South Beach or almost anywhere lively. There's a strip mall within walking distance with a food court and lots of little stalls and shops including both chain stores and random things. One random bonus: a movie was being filmed right outside the hotel while I was staying there, and my boss saw Robin Williams! -
Review from Audra M.
NY
4/28/2008
I was just here for a wedding. We spent 2 nights here.
Unlike other reviews, I found the hotel to be very flexible in regards to checking in and out. they were very accommodating.
What I found to be a real problem was that the hotel was quite expensive. We booked 8 months prior and got a wedding rate, so it was better than most, but its can be as much as $400 a night. While I think that is too much, mostly it makes me mad that the internet is extra, the gym (which because of renovations is really just free weights and a couple of cardio machines in empty guest rooms) is $5, the restaurant prices are very high and they add gratuity onto everything. Get a beer? Gratuity already on your bill!
I also thought that the food could have been much better. The breakfast buffet (for $28) was good, but the fruit plate we had send to our room (for $22!) tasted like smoked salmon. sick.
However, the ball rooms are beautiful and the wedding was stunning. I also found the service at the wedding to be excellent.
All in all, for the money and a slightly sub par location, the service and amenities should be excellent. They are not. -
Review from Amber T.
Fort Lauderdale, FL
9/9/2009 1 photo
We enjoyed the views and the classy atmosphere as well as the spa. Great massage and friendly staff.
We did not enjoy checking into our room to find a filthy pillowcase on the bed (like it had been caught under the wheels of the cleaning cart (see pic)) and urine on the toilet. We requested that the room be cleaned while we were out and when we came back to our room late that night, the same nasty sheets were still on the bed!
We did not enjoy the $27 per person breakfast buffet where every "hot item" we tried was stale and room temp. (Except the freshly made omelets, which were delish).
We were at this hotel for a convention and stayed two nights. The biggest gripe from so many of the attendees was the allergy headaches they woke up with each morning due to the musty old feather pillows and feather bed toppers. I had the same problem, with severe allergies in the room (I am allergic to dustmite). I was fine in the rest of the hotel.
Also, getting the lights turned on in the hallway on one of the days took three people requesting multiple times over the course of an hour. I finally took a turn and went to the front desk and asked that they please get the lights turned on. The guy at the front desk laughed at me and jokingly said, "no, we don't do that here.". I didn't think it was funny. We were already over an hour into that days workshops and activities without lights in the hall! Sheesh.
I brought up the issues when we checked out. They gave me a 20% credit on the stale breakfast buffet and told me they "would talk to housecleaning" about the room issues. Meh, we weren't impressed.
Is this review helpful or not? Let me know. Please vote! -
Review from Steve s.
MA
3/29/2009
When I think Intercontinental, I think swanky, upscale and high end...The Intercontinental is nice, but it doesn't blow you away...Service is good, the rooms are good, the location is good and the restaurants are good
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Review from Diana L.
Tampa, FL
11/2/2008
Stayed here with my boyfriend because he was attending a seminar at the hotel. This hotel probably was nice back in the day but now is in some need of TLC. One word to describe...".travertine"...everywhere!
The lobby area was big and had a nice feel. Lots of seating areas, decent lobby bar, and best of all... a Starbucks!
Check-in was easy and convenient.
Getting out of the elevator, on our floor, we noticed that the hallway had a slight musty odor. The carpet, which had a multi-colored abstract pattern, and the large light fixtures in front of the elevators looked very outdated.
Once in the room, at first glance it did not look bad. But the closer we looked, we noticed that the furniture and carpeting looked worn and somewhat dirty. The room felt humid and we eventually found out that the thermostat did not work properly and the AC unit was leaking water onto the carpeting.
We wanted to relax a bit and watch some TV before heading downstairs. The bedding smelled like wet dog! Yuck! ...literally like wet dog! When we left for dinner that evening, we called to make sure they changed the bedding while we were out.
In the bathroom noticed that the shower grout was covered in mildew in several areas. (bathroom shower and flooring all travertine) The blow dryer was the slowest that I have every used. It was terrible getting ready to go out because it took me forever! to dry my hair.
Definitely would not recommend this hotel unless you can get it for an absolute bargain.
PS) Came home with a sore throat and boyfriend ended up getting a sinus infection. Wonder if it was from the hotel? -
Review from Delia S.
New York, NY
4/4/2011
Wifi not free at this big hotel? they charge to print boarding passes. All this for the privilege of 2 giant roaches in my room and a tiny pool with not enough deck chairs. Hmmmf.
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Review from Pheniece J.
Arlington, VA
Updated - 4/13/2009
This is a lovely hotel to stay in if you are in Miami (not South Beach obvs). My BF and I went to Miami to catch a cruise and we stayed over the first night at the InterContinental. The lobby is spacious and bustling, with a restaurant and great decor. The room was spacious and very clean, and the bathroom was AMAZING. Our room was on the 17th floor with a ridiculously awesome view of the bay. Waking up to that (along with our awesome massages at mySpa) made this a memorable trip. The front desk was very very helpful and definitely treated us like valued guests!
Listed in: Pamper Me, Baby
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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4/13/2009
My BF and I arrived at the InterContinental before heading out on a cruise the next day. I mentioned… Read more »
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Review from Josie M.
Philadelphia, PA
4/1/2009
Lovely! Lovely! it was a great place. A real close drive to Miami beach with a lovely view of the city! Beds were absolutely, to die for comfortable and its a beautiful hotel. would definitely stay again.
Listed in: Florida
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Review from Roni D.
Miami, FL
3/3/2010
This review is for the Bar in the lobby of the intercontinental hotel. I really like the laid back yet upscale atmosphere. You get to feel like a tourist in your own town. A definitely must place for hanging out. You also can't beat the friendly service.
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Review from Jordan N.
10/31/2007
I thought this hotel is nice. They've recently renovated some rooms. In Downtown Miami, it's a good option even though Downtown Miami isn't really yet a tourist destination and I doubt it ever would be for a long time, without a beach on site..
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Review from a p.
Saratoga, CA
3/4/2008
Stayed 1 night at this hotel before heading out for a cruise.
We called if we could check in early, they said normal check in is after 4pm,
but we could try calling back at 2pm. No luck with the early afternoon
call either. Ended up going around town first and finally got to the hotel at 5pm.
All the rooms were taken by then and we ended up with a room on the
1st floor (we had requested a quiet room on a higher floor). Oh well...
But what really got me was how the hotel would nickel and dime their customers.
We had 4 pieces of luggage which the bellhop brought to our room.
Gave him the usual tip. But was quite surprised to get two additional
charges in our bill for "porterage -- $6", and "gratuity -- $1". Turns out
these were for using the bellhop service. Felt like we were being double charged. Oh well, just another point against this hotel.
On the positive side, the bed was decent and comfortable.
