This is a good example of tripadvisor's ratings system. It doesn't separate out value vs. luxury properties and is a good reason to read a lot of reviews before booking.

Now, I do have to say that for the price this place is great and the location is perfect.

Pros: Location, price, the garden is really nice, walking distance to everything.

Cons: Not a professionally run property in that the room smelled like it had just been cleaned using my grandmother's Amway products, very strong smell throughout our 24 hour stay. The room is large but sparse and missing most of the common amenities (blow dryer, ironing board, etc.).

Overall: If I were traveling on a tight budget this would be my first choice, but with just a few more bucks I'd maybe look somewhere else.

We stayed here recently between stops in New Oeleans and New York. Unfortunately, we didn't end up making it to NY during the hurricane and this is where Villa Paradiso may have shown its true colours. The phone in our room wasn't working (the drain in our shower was also blocked but this was fixed once we reported it) so we had to use the phone in the reception. We desperately needed to make changes to flights, accommodation etc and the staff were not very helpful. We offered to pay a lot of extra money to be able to make an international call but this was not allowed. Understandably, this wouldn't usually be allowed anyway, but we were stuck with some pretty extraordinary circumstances.

On arrival and departure, we also found the staff a little unwelcoming and unhelpful.

Apart from this though, the location can't really be beaten, the rooms have everything you need and it was a nice change from high end hotels on a long trip throughout the US to have more of a "home" like place to stay.

Would consider staying again but can probably find better

Pro: We stayed at the Villa for three nights. It was perfect for us. Location was great and our room was very nice and clean. The price was great. The parking was fine just a block away and convenient. However we never moved the car the whole three days we were there. Everything is with in walking distance. We took the Big Red Bus and did a few tours and the Pirate Duck tour which was a lot of fun.
Con: While the Villa was very clean and nice it lacks kitchen items. Way to few if you wanted to stay in for a meal which we sometimes like to do. It gets very pricey to eat out in south beach.There also was no microwave so we could not even bring home a left over meal for heating up later. And ladies or guys no blow dryer so don't forget to bring one. I have become so use to having a blow dryer where ever we go that I did not think to bring one.
Cannot comment much on the staff we had little doing with them. They did not seem to be around much anyway so in a way it was good we did not need them.
Would recommend the Villa and will go back for sure a little more prepared this time.

We stayed one night on the tail end of our vacation to the Keys. We had a room in the very back of the courtyard which was quiet. The courtyard is very pretty. The room was clean and spacious. This would be a great place to stay if you were going to be there for several days. The location can't be beat. Parking is a little inconvenient, but that is easily overlooked due to the location.