Marina Del Mar Resort and Marina

CAUTION!!! I’m still itching after bed bugs in room 210. I’d already paid through Booking.com, but at check-in they added a “service free” charge, which didn’t make sense. They said it covered the pool, Jacuzzi, and Wi-Fi, even though those were already included in my booking. I had to speak with a manager, and they might return it. The facilities are old, there’s no beach access, and this hotel isn’t worth the money.

The bed was comfortable, and the hygiene products were really nice. But the room was far too expensive for what we got. It was very old, with basic, outdated equipment. Cleaning was approximate, with plenty still dirty and dusty, and the sideboard door was completely broken. There was also an inside door connecting to another room, so we heard our neighbors arguing late at night after a long day. Check the resort fees carefully. We were told everything was included, but when we arrived in the evening the front desk lady still charged us and wasn’t very helpful. We checked again overnight and raised it with the morning shift. The other lady was helpful and cancelled the debit to our card. Still, the price was way too high for this room.

For the price, I give this hotel five stars. We arrived early, and the front desk took my number, then called shortly after to say a room was ready. The room was immaculate and the staff and check-in were wonderful. Some reports mention noise, but it was quiet by 9 p.m. during our midweek stay. The hotel is on a lovely marina, though I’d expect more noise on a weekend.

The canal-side walk was a highlight. We spotted pelicans, iguanas, a manatee, nurse sharks, and lots of fish and birds. We could walk to stores, including Divers Direct next door, and often heard live music from nearby restaurants on some nights. We enjoyed that from our deck. The staff were friendly, the restaurants nearby were fun, and we were sad to leave. We stayed the week after Christmas in a clean, basic but functional two-bedroom suite that suited our family of five and had great views. The location worked well for diving at Rainbow Reef, just a short walk around the canal, and it’s about an hour from Miami airport. We used the pools at the holiday inn more often, though it was nice to have one on site too. Onsite laundry meant packing less. With more time, we probably would’ve taken a cruise on one of the fishing boats docked there, or on the original African Queen boat that often sailed past. We’d stay again in the same room.