Lexington by Hotel RL Miami Beach

The rooms themselves were fine, but ours had an interior connecting door to an occupied room, and we could hear everything. Reception was especially poor: the staff weren't helpful and didn't really understand what we were trying to explain, except for one woman who speaks Spanish. The fees were high, and there was no breakfast. The location also isn't very convenient for enjoying Miami Beach, since it's far from everything.

Four months after my stay, the hotel charged my account another $375, even though I'm nowhere near Miami and hadn't stayed there since. They made repeated billing errors and showed no apology, compensation, or responsibility for the stress. After the first charge, it took almost two weeks of back-and-forth with staff. They initially refunded only $30, then said they'd return just $336 because of that first refund. I had to send receipts, screenshots, and proof that they kept giving me incorrect information. They still didn't return the full amount, so I had to go through my bank, which took another 30 days. This followed the night manager mistakenly charging over $400 for parking when I was already paying $370+ for the room. He said he'd refunded it immediately, but at checkout I learned no refund had been processed until the GM handled it later. The room was dirty on arrival, with the bed made but the rest clearly not properly cleaned. This was one of the worst hotel stays I've had. A company that knows how to run a property and handle billing should take it over. No one should have money taken from their account at random, especially during the holiday season.

The room was nice, but I found a bug in the sink and another on the wall. What bothers me is being hit with a $33 “resort fee” at check-in, when that should be disclosed when I book and pay. They said it covered two bottles of water and use of a beach chair. I was only there for 12 hours, so I think that fee should be waived for a short stay. And a place calling itself a resort charges that fee but doesn't even serve breakfast. Roadside motels in rural America have continental breakfast. Next time I'll stay at the Holiday Inn next door instead.

The location was good, but the hotel itself was one of the worst I've booked. The room was filthy and outdated, and the bathroom barely had room for two steps. The pool water was ice cold. I've stayed in nicer motels. After two hours I checked out and moved to the Holiday Inn next door, the best choice I made on the trip. Just book the Holiday Inn.