James Hotel - Near Miami Beach Convention Center

We liked our stay here last year, but after this visit I won't come back. The rooms were over 80 degrees because the AC units didn't work, and the central air vent was taped over so only a sliver of air came through. The shower was dirty, and its handle had to be rubber-banded to the stopper to stay up. The power kept surging and going out on our floor. The rooms weren't suitable to stay in, so I left and booked an Airbnb. I'm sure the electrical problems alone are unsafe and major code violations. The manager was extremely rude and passive-aggressive. I raised all these issues and she dismissed them, blaming housekeeping for the dirty shower and the city for the power problems. She also said the rooms were hot because I'd mistakenly booked for two instead of four, though AC units are rated by square footage, not number of people. She refused my refund request for unusable rooms, so I'll pursue one through other means. Stay away. This was easily the worst hotel experience of my life. The hotel has gone downhill fast, and it isn't worth any price. I'd give it zero stars if I could.

I chose this hotel because a colleague attending the same conference had booked here. The lobby was very nice and unusual, and the location was convenient for the convention center and lots of restaurants. The bathroom was clean, and the room had a microwave, fridge, and a tiny TV. But the room was as basic as it gets, with very old furniture, no tissues, an uncomfortable bed, and four small pillows that were a joke to sleep on. I can't see why the owner hasn't done a serious renovation. Even the front desk handed me a physical room key. Retro or outdated, you decide.

I accidentally made this reservation and canceled within minutes, with about 12 days still left before check-in. The hotel wouldn't offer any flexibility or even a partial refund, which was extremely disappointing. Policies are one thing, but I expected some basic customer service and understanding. A lot of reasonable hotels might show consideration when someone cancels right away. Here they stuck to rigid policies instead of treating a customer with respect. Customer service doesn't seem to be a priority, so I'd urge other travelers to be careful before booking.

This was a horrible experience, and I hope I never have to see this hotel or return to Miami. It left a lasting scar on my young son's heart and mine. When we arrived, my son already felt something was strange about the lobby, but I didn't pay much attention. We got there around noon and the front desk manager said we couldn't check in until 2:30. She charged me $10 cash to store a bag but had no receipt when I asked. She also copied my credit card, which made me feel uncomfortable and unsafe. That had never happened to me at another hotel. We checked in at 3:00 PM. The mattress sagged badly on one side, with collapsed springs, so I asked to change rooms because I couldn't sleep on it. The front desk staff member said there were no other rooms and that all the mattresses were the same. Later, while I was showering, my son looked around the hotel and found other empty rooms upstairs. I went back to ask again, and they threatened to call the police, saying the police would handcuff me and my son would be taken away if I kept complaining. The staff and manager did call local police. Four officers made us leave, saying I was trespassing. My son was terrified and cried. Afterward I asked for a refund, but the hotel said I'd booked through Expedia and needed to seek it there. The local police seemed clearly biased toward the hotel. One officer, E. Santana, was especially vicious and had a terrible attitude. I'm not picky. I just wanted basic cleanliness and working facilities, but the online photos didn't match the actual place at all. It was far below a basic standard. There was a dusty old table, a dirty, worn sofa, yellow stains on the mattress, a high-pitched noise when the shower ran, and worn flooring. Even if they offered to pay you to stay, you'd hesitate. My advice: don't book a hotel that won't refund you, one rated below three stars, or one without first reading reviews. I later found many other customers had similar bad experiences. This place keeps operating despite terrible conditions and service, without consequences. It's a disgrace to Miami, and I hope this post helps someone. Stay away.