Stayed here during a conference and was very happy with the faccility. Beds were nice, staff was great and the location was easy to get around the area from. I had a room that overlooked the pool area and did not have any issues with excessive noise or late nights.

We stayed here pre-cruise for one night. We always stay at Marriott properties but wanted something less-busy than Sobe. The check-in was excellent. Nice greeting, nice valet, nice front desk staff. The room was just fair. I would hardly call it remodeled, but the view of the water was nice. The problems came when we needed our car to go to dinner. The valet was awful. He had an attitude. The car was evidently parked off premises. It took over 20 minutes. Then the car came JERKING down the road to the side. THE VALET COULDN'T DRIVE A STICK SHIFT!!!!!! We went to the car rather than have him bring it around the block to prevent more damage.

That night, there was a heavy smell of cigarette smoke in our room. THIS IS A NON-SMOKING PROPERTY and I'm highly sensitive. Called the front desk. Got a verbal shrug. Nothing was to be done, they said. We called in the morning to complain and still nothing was done. We checked out and complained again. Just a shrug (in person this time).

Then came the wait for the car. I arrived 45 minutes later. We'd have gladly walked to it if they'd tell us where it was but they wouldn't do so.

The last couple of times I stayed in Miami Beach.. we stayed much closer to all of the action on Ocean Blvd and closer to South Beach. But this hotel was perfect! It was just far enough to be away from all the commotion, but a 20 minute walk, 10 minute bike ride or $8-10 cab ride to be part of all the action again. The beach was BEAUTIFUL. No seaweed, not crowded at all. Of course you do have to pay for the umbrellas and lounge chairs but that's expected on South Beach. The pool didn't offer much but I'm not much of a pool person anyways. The Tiki Bar was fun - although maybe a little overpriced but they did have happy hour specials. The room was small and clean - nothing special but satisfactory nonetheless. The restaurant on site, Carabba's, is great too for a cheaper meal on a night that you just want to take it easy. Also, this hotel is a 2 minute walk from the Fontainebleau. Me and one of my girlfriends visited the Spa there (a MUST DO.. absolutely amazing) and were given free pool passes for the next day. I highly recommend this hotel. Great value!

Read a lot of negative reviews here about this hotel but I do feel most are unwarranted. We knew that there was construction going on at the hotel when we booked (Marriott's website does a very good job of advertising this). While it is a bit noisy during daytime hours, it did not bother us at all. There is construction all over Miami / South Beach areas. As a Platinum member, we were upgraded to a corner room (did not have ocean views but it was on the opposite side of construction). Check in process was a breeze - front desk staff was VERY helpful during our entire stay. The valet guys were incredible to deal with - offered free bottled water every time we left and returned to the hotel and always opened the doors for us. The beach staff (Greg and Lee) were awesome and made us feel very welcome everyday. Since construction is going on, they are waiving the $5 chair / umbrella fee at the beach. Chairs are very comfortable and the umbrellas did a great job at providing shade for those of us who wanted it. There is also a server from the Tiki Bar that delivers drinks and food (if you want) all day at the beach. To be honest, I would expect this service from a JW Marriott or Ritz property - but I was floored that a Courtyard did such a good job - and made it look effortless.

Rooms are well appointed, bed was comfortable, and it allowed us to relax when we were in our room - which wasn't much. Did not eat at the Carraba's attached to the hotel. We did walk across the street a few times for breakfast (there is a nice cafe / small grocery store) and that provided good options for breakfast as well as lunch. There aren't too many dining choices close to the hotel. It is a walk to get to South Beach area (about 30 minutes to get to the heart of South Beach). However, you can take the boardwalk and it is a really nice walk right along the beach. We walked down daily and it was not bad at all. Cabs aren't too expensive there - you can catch a cab from the Courtyard down to South Beach for about $10. So you do have options if you do not care to walk.

I would recommend this property for couples, families, and groups. While it is not in the heart of South Beach, it is a nice property. Once the construction is completed, there are going to be some really nice rooms with phenomenal views. I applaud the property for doing the improvements necessary to be competitive. There is no good time to do construction. And there are TONS of other hotels doing the same thing right now. Miami Beach prefers to restore old buildings instead of building new ones - this is a fact of life there. It is the only way that they can maintain the art deco feel of the area. Don't let the bad reviews of construction steer you away from the hotel. We were with a group of 8 people and not one of us complained once about the noise or inconvenience of no pool right now. We didn't go to Miami to swim in a pool (although they do provide access to a pool at another property for free). The hotel is oceanfront and the ocean is spectacular. Hit the beach and let the staff take good care of you. Book with confidence!