We loved staying at El Paseo! Our room was on the top floor of the the new building. Our room had a charming balcony you could open up and stand on to see the lights and activity on Espanola Way. The room was very pretty and had everything you could need; a easy to use safe, good storage, fresh linens, comfy bathrobes, clean bathroom with spacious shower and nice toiletries. The people who worked here were very helpful in making recommendations for local eateries and shopping areas. The common area on the second floor above check in has a delightful little library and this coffee maker that made any type of coffee you can imagine! We still talk about how delicious it was! They have these three cute balconies where you can have coffee and read the paper and just people watch. There are tons of interesting things to see! Overall it was an amazing stay- it was everything you want- Clean, orderly- close to great restaurants and nightlife- and the hotel staff was polite, helpful and respectful. Would definitely stay here again!

As a seasoned world traveler who stays at over 90 hotels every year for the past 30 plus years, and runs a travel business I know about lodgings.

Here is are some bullet points:

1. Its a boutique lodge. I wouldn’t call it a hotel at all. It has NO extras or benefits.

2. It has NO curtains so there is bright light coming in 24 hours a day. No darkness at all.

3. It’s located on a road and on top of a Cuban rest. The noise is deafening. One cannot get any sleep whatsoever. The music blares so loud the room vibrates. Then when the rest. closes the delivery people arrive around 3 am and they crank the music back up. Plus there is a Mexican rest. across the alley way blaring music also. Plus the road is so loud with constant traffic and police cars with sirens on.

4. It has a “resort fee”. A disgrace. It’s NO resort at all. It only gives you slow Wi-Fi.
Legally I don’t know how they can get away with this. A motel 6 offers much more than this place.

5. The charges on this lodge are way to high. So you pay let’s say $175.00 a night PLUS $22.00 in resort fees. It’s a 100% rip off. Where you can stay at a holiday inn or best western for under $100 just down the street. And get much more.

6. Parking is NOT included. If you use the valet they suggest it’s $40-45.00 a night and it’s 50 yards away. If you use a valet without mentioning you’re staying at hotel the cost is $20-30.00 a night.
So this lodge even rips you off on parking.

7. You cannot even unload as you are on a road. They have one car spot. But it’s taken 90% of the time. So you cannot really stop and take your bags to the lodge.
And if it’s raining you will get 100% soaked.
It’s so inconvenient.

8. The location of the lodge is near many restaurants and close to south beach ocean drive relatively. A few blocks away.

Overall there is nothing really positive to say about this lodge.