Grand Beach Hotel

The views and amenities are good, and getting to South Beach is fairly easy on the free trolley or public bus, which costs $2.25 per person. The front desk staff were friendly, and when I had a bathroom problem they sent someone quickly to fix it. Fees and extras were clearly listed online and explained at check-in, so the final bill held no surprises. We had no cleanliness problems: the room was clean at check-in and had been cleaned by the time we returned that evening. Still, this hotel has more potential than it delivers. The property feels dated, especially the bathrooms, and I've seen better for a four-star hotel at this nightly price. The beach had a fair amount of trash on the sand. Guests may be responsible for how public spaces are treated, but the mess should be cleaned within a reasonable time. There's just one hotel restaurant, where the breakfast buffet costs $40 per person. Miami Beach is expensive, but that price for breakfast is ridiculous even for the area.

The team at Grand Beach Miami has been great every time I've stayed or held a meeting there. I've hosted meetings three times now, and the staff are quick, welcoming, and flexible with what our group needs. The rooms and property have always been spotless, and I'll book there again.

The best parts for us were the pool, the beach access, and the room size. The pool’s palm tree layout is hard to beat, and there are plenty of free beach loungers with cocktail service. We chose a south-facing pool-view room, which gave us ocean views on one side and the bay and Miami skyline on the other. My fiancé preferred that, though the ocean-front room I asked to see was breathtaking. Those rooms also seemed better maintained, perhaps because of their higher price. Our room had serious cleanliness and upkeep problems. The tub was gross, and its drain wouldn’t screw in to hold water, which was an issue with our four-year-old. I found hairs in the closets, a clothing tag in front of them, and deodorant under the futon. My feet were dirty within minutes, so I asked the front desk to have the floor mopped while we went out to eat. The dryer’s filter lint hadn’t been cleaned, either. The toiletries, including shampoo, conditioner, and bar soap, had no scent. The bathroom needs renovation, and housekeeping should do a better job. Even so, I’d return for the views, spacious room, pool, and beach.

At the beach, we couldn’t use umbrellas in 85-degree weather because of a supposed “wind liability,” even though there was no wind and nearby hotels had theirs open. Pool chairs were already unavailable by 8:00 a.m., despite many sitting unused, and staff said they couldn’t help. The pools also shut at sunset, around 6:00 p.m., which is absurd. We’d stayed at Grand Beach Hotel before and had good experiences, but this visit was completely different. The rooms were worn, with visible cracks in the showers and unacceptable cleanliness. The restaurant and bar service was the worst I’ve experienced, and the food was terrible. Tips were added in a way that we didn’t notice, so we unknowingly tipped twice all week for awful service. The one employee we found pleasant was the man at the indoor bar. From arrival, the front desk was extremely rude. When we asked for a manager about the name on the bill, the staff member gave us attitude, and the manager did too. Other guests seemed to share our frustrations. I’ve stayed at plenty of two- and three-star hotels that were much nicer, better kept, and better run. I’ll never stay here again. Save your money and stay elsewhere.