I booked this hotel the night before a cruise. i got to the Miami airport at 5:30 and I went to the hotel shuttle area and waited, and waited, and waited. Finally, after 2 calls to the hotel, the shuttle comes at 6:50. We drive around the airport and pick up other guests. One couple told me they had waited THREE hours for the shuttle. I asked why they didn't take a cab, and they said that there were a hundred people in line for a cab, and that the hotel kept assuring them that the shuttle was on its way. Once I was on the shuttle, I was told that the hotel was 40 minutes away! What??!! It was no where near the airport!
Check in was sloowww-at least 45 minutes. I got into my room after 8:00 p.m. and was starving. It was pouring down rain. I was told at the front desk that there were a few restaurants a 10 or 15 minute walk away. Asked if they had an umbrella I could borrow-no, of course not. Anyway, I wasn't so sure about wondering the back streets of Miami. Also, no lounge on the property and at this point I needed a drink!
Ended up ordering in spaghetti ($30).
The room was large, modern and comfortable.
The next day I was told a shuttle would take guests to the cruise port. Another hour wait and the driver managed to cram a ton of people in his van. Cost was only $15, as the port was not far. I've stayed at La Quinta per-cruise before, but it was booked this time.
This would be very low down on my list of miami hotels. Look elsewhere if you need a shuttle or dinner.

Our family stayed here after our Carnival cruise Feb 16/13. We arrived 3 hours early and they did allow us to store our luggage in another room until our room was available at 3 pm. Our room was on the ground level, was very loud at night, lots of noise from the lobby. Room was very clean, lacking towels!!! The beds are terrible, sleep in a v....very uncomfortable!! The best part of our staying here was the free breakfast in the mornings but you better get there early as seating is minimal. If you are needing a room for a night or two and you are just off a cruise, it will cost you $60 from the port to here....it's far! And if you are planning on going to the Sea Aquarium from here it's $60 each way....too far...there are other places that are a lot closer to the port. South Beach is $60 + to get to by cab from here as well. Nice place, just way out of the way of anything worth seeing!!!

I called to ask about the free shuttle to the Airport and malls. The person who answered the phone didn't speak english, on hold five minutes. I wanted to stay there because of the free shuttle to the airport and malls. I didn't wnat to rent a car for one day.
The airport shuttle only runs once an hour even though they are five miles from the airport. The mall "shuttle" runs once at 10:00am then once at 8:00 PM. Ten hours at one mall is rediculous for a "shullte" . if the airport is only a few minutes away why wouldn't the mall shuttle pick people up on request? They told me to call a cab. I could rent a car for less than two cab rides. Don't advertise a service you don't give. I will never stay there because they over sell their services.