After reading web reviews, we booked this hotel for one basic reason: budget pricing. We got that, and more.

If your goal is to see south beach and not spend time in your room, yet have a clean, quaint place to stay with excellent eateries near your lodging . . . this is the place.

The Clay is not located on the beach itself (it is a few blocks east), but it is on a street full of retaurants and vendors and music.

The only hassles are the distant parking (a garage a few blocks away) and the late night noise level of the party crowds on the street. (At the same time, it sure was great fun watching everyone!)

When we return to S. Beach, we will stay here again.

I stayed at the Clay last Febr. for the first time. I had a private room and bathroom. It was very clean and confortable and for a good price. The guest are young and it's close to everything in South Beach. You can walk to the beach, clubs or shops. Teriffic place.
I am going back to the Clay Hotel this July, I will stay there again.
I am from Amsterdam The Netherlands. If you have more questions you can email me at: dorffrn@home.nl
Romando

This is a very good place to stay if you are on a budget.

We did not stay very long, but we were pleased with the location.

We rented a room with a shared bathroom. That was unusual, as you have to make sure you lock the OTHER door to the bathroom before you go about your business, then remembber to UNLOCK the other door after you are finished. The bathrooms were clean, however. Quite clean.

The carpets in our room were a bit nasty, to be honest.

And the location was a bit noisy. The restaurant downstairs was blasting music all night long, but then again we were lucky enough to have the corner room, so we got to experience all of the corner activity as well.

Overall, we were glad to have such a budget option at our disposal and we felt very safe the whole time we were there.

I'd recommend this place if you are on your way somewhere else, or if you don't have a lot of money to spend on accomodations.

We stayed at the Clay Hotel for three nights for the Miami boat show in February 2005. We found the Clay Hotel to be as adverstised. Our private room was large and clean and well tended. There is no special decor. The location was just a few blocks from the convention center and two blocks from the beach. The staff was worldly and very knowledgeable. This is not a luxurious spot but a very functional one. It is a great deal for the price. My only complaints were the lack of central areas to congregate and our inefficient, perhaps nonfunctional air conditioner. Keep in mind that some of the rooms ovelooking the street could be noisy, but ours looked over and interior area and was relatively quiet.