All if the above and even provided a shuttle to and from the game at a reasonable price! I highly recommend this hotel if you are going to attend a game at Sun Life Stadium. You also ate in walking distance to the casino and horse race track . Great experience and a great time. ROLL TIDE!

A friend & I stayed here while in town for the BCS National Championship. We chose this hotel based on proximity to Sun Life Stadium. When we arrived we saw fans of both teams everywhere. There was live music in the drop off area. We were given a welcome package of oranges, postcards, chocolate, honey, & a sun visor. There was a vendor in the lobby selling game merchandise & drinks were also available. Right away just a fun, welcoming atmosphere. The rooms were basic hotel rooms but certainly had everything we needed & were clean. The bathroom was well stocked with namebrand toiletries. We did not go to the breakfast area. Legends Sports Bar was nice to grab a drink & enjoy the view but food service was slow. The pool area was clean & relaxing. The minigolf area is nicely landscaped & just on the other side of palm trees from the pool. It is a very short drive to the stadium. When we returned from the game it was very late. We were pleased to see security both in the parking lot & in the elevator. The staff at the El Palacio was very friendly & helpful. We enjoyed our stay.

I returned home (Fort Lauderdale) from a two nights stay for the BCS Championship game. I booked this room a few months ago, not knowing at the time if Notre Dame would be invited to the BCS game. I wanted a place to stay as close to the Sun Life Stadium as possible and your hotel was selected after my Google search. After reading the reviews of the hotel, I was scared for my life, as well as my friends, that also stayed with you from South Bend, Indiana. Reviewers said they were robbed, the hotel was dirty and needed a face-lift; we talked to numerous people that live here who have stayed with you – all with negative remarks. Nothing could have been further from the truth.

Our room was wonderful (#108) and the excitement with StubHub and the Police being right across the hall from our room was incredible. The hot tub was the deciding factor after viewing the room selection and the fact that we could get a ground floor smoking room with a terrace was made to order. The staff was so patient and friendly and even tried to boost our spirits as we were leaving, knowing we were the losing team. I can’t say enough good things about El Palacio.

I am a Hampton Inn lover; these were the best three days we’ve had at a hotel that wasn’t a Hampton. I highly recommend El Palacio.

I was a bit worried after reading some of the reviews, but we had a great 3-day stay at this hotel for the Orange Bowl. We had a standard double room. It was a bit outdated (old furniture, no flat-screen TV, etc.) but our room was very clean and had the basic amenities (TV, HBO, microwave, mini-fridge, hairdryer, iron, alarm). There was plenty of space to hand clothes, but that area is open, with no doors, so anyone who enters sees all the clothing. My biggest disappointment was that I couldn't get the wi-fi to work, even after calling the front desk, and other guests said they had the same problem. It seemed like the cleaning crews were waiting to get clean linens and towels from the laundry, but they were good about bringing more towels to the room when they were ready (still warm from the dryer!).

Some of the common areas are a bit worn-down, for example, there were stains on the hallway carpets. But everything was clean, and there seemed to be plenty of help on hand. The manager was very active, checking in with his workers, staying on top of a busy game day weekend, and talking with guests. Two people were in the breakfast area, keeping everything stocked and clean. I found all the hotel workers to be very friendly and helpful, which is a bit unusual in Miami for the most part. The continental breakfast was above average... there was yogurt and whole fruit in addition to the usual breads & cereals. Plus... real orange juice... not watered down punch.

The hotel charged a "resort fee" which seemed a little silly... there's a standard pool, a couple of basketball courts and a few holes of miniature golf. They also charged extra for the safe in the room, even though they didn't ask whether or not you wanted one.

We didn't eat or drink in the sports bar, but we checked out the great view of the Calder horsetrack. We didn't want to mess with parking or traffic, so we walked to the Orange Bowl in Sun LIfe stadium. It was a long walk.. took us 20-30 minutes ... along a busy road without sidewalks in some parts, but to me it was worth it to avoid paying to park and getting stuck in the post-game exit rush. The neighborhood was just a bit iffy to walk through after dark, but we felt safe because there were so many cars and people around due to the game.