Monte Carlo by Miami Vacations

The beach view and location were great, but the rest of our five-day family stay was disappointing. The room barely blocked the morning light, so it got bright very early. I slept on the pull-out couch, and it was one of my worst nights. Even small movements made it squeak and wake me. The extra bed was uneven, and I could feel the metal bars through the thin mattress. Its support was basically stretched fabric over those bars. The shower had visible limescale and was quite dirty. The toilet needed a plunger to flush. When we asked for fresh towels, we were told there was a washer and we could do them ourselves. For what we paid, the facilities and service were nowhere near adequate.

The Monte Carlo apartments were even better than the photos, which is rare in Miami. The location and amenities were hard to beat, and I especially liked having a Publix just a short walk away. Jenifer, Enrique, the valet boys, and Gonzalo on beach support were all incredibly helpful and accommodating. Honestly, it was the best experience I could've hoped for.

The hotel looked nice inside, but the staff came across as angry and the service was terrible. Our air stopped working for over an hour in weather above 85 degrees. I called more than six times with no answer, so we had to go downstairs ourselves. The woman sent to the room brought an iron. When I tried to explain the problem and asked for help several times, she acted like she didn't understand or speak English. She unplugged something in the box, said, “I’m not maintenance,” and left after saying someone would come soon. The air came back about 10 minutes later, but nobody ever showed up. When we finally got dressed in the 85-degree room and went downstairs, Julia was there. I told her no one had answered and explained the air issue. She rudely said other people were calling too and that they hadn't answered. I pointed out that there were two of them and neither was on the phone. She never apologized, only said other people were more important and maintenance would get to it whenever they could. Julia at the front desk sucks. If you want good service and don't speak Spanish, forget it. High cost, awful customer service.

The broken dryer added to an already frustrating stay. The rooms felt tiny, dated, and neglected, and the unfriendly reception staff weren't much help when problems came up. I left disappointed and wouldn't recommend this hotel. It didn't meet basic expectations.