Hotel Riu Plaza Miami Beach

We spent Christmas through New Year’s Day here. Daniella deserves a special thank-you for getting us the best balcony room for watching the fireworks, and for the gift token. The other staff were great and accommodating too. The rooms are a bit dated, though not terrible. They could use some upgrades, especially a sliding balcony door. The back door was difficult to open and took force. The sofa bed had stains and wasn’t clean. Breakfast was good, just don’t expect as much as you’d get in Cancun.

Getting checked in was a mess. We had a reservation and arrived at 7pm, but still spent 45 minutes waiting in the lobby while they dealt with a problem. The manager stood behind the overworked staff and wouldn't help despite the long line. Then he came over to tell us my girlfriend couldn't rest her legs on my lap. We weren't kissing or showing skin, just sitting together, and the comment made us really uncomfortable. The elevators were another problem, with 5-10 minute waits for crowded rides. When we asked to add a night, the desk said they weren't a booking service and told us to reserve online ourselves. That meant we couldn't request the same room, so we canceled the second booking and found somewhere else. One of the worst hotels I've stayed at. The Palms hotel and Spa and the Eden Roc hotel are both far better choices, in my opinion. DO NOT STAY HERE!!!

The beach was clean and beautiful, and the hotel supplied towels for crossing over to spend time there. Since alcohol isn't allowed on the beach, we sometimes came back to the hotel for drinks. The pool was pretty crowded while we were there, but it was fine overall. We stayed two weeks, and the location worked well, with a subway station nearby and several places to get breakfast or lunch. The room was simple and standard, nothing special. It's decent enough, though definitely not luxurious.

The hotel was okay, but it definitely feels old. Don't expect anything complimentary beyond what's in your room. I was told downstairs they only had cappuccinos, and morning coffee would cost $6 a cup. While we were there, a group of about 75 teenagers seemed to take over the beach, pool, and areas inside the hotel, even though the hotel says it doesn't allow that. Absolutely ridiculous.