Alexander Hotel

“Met our basic needs”

I booked and paid for a two BR suite for a week before seeing all the negative reviews so I was extremely worried. Overall, based on our experience, we felt like this place was satisfactory in meeting our needs and I did NOT think it deserves all the negative reviews that said people should absolut… more

I booked and paid for a two BR suite for a week before seeing all the negative reviews so I was extremely worried. Overall, based on our experience, we felt like this place was satisfactory in meeting our needs and I did NOT think it deserves all the negative reviews that said people should absolutely stay away. Things could be better however. Location: It was convenient to all we wanted to do in Miami, not as crowded as South Beach, only 20 min or so driving time from main tourist sites in downtown Miami. Parking: We rented car but did not use the valet option; to save money we parked at the public parking lot just north of the next door hotel (Imperial hotel). It was a quick walk and plenty of spaces available. Public Parking was only like $1/hr so parking during the required hours (8am-6pm) was only $10 opposed to the $40/day it would have cost us to valet park. No charge for overnight parking, you just have to remember to use PayMobile app on your phone to pay for car at 8am to avoid getting a ticket. We chatted with valet staff despite not using service and they were always helpful and friendly. Hotel lobby and front desk staff: Area was clean, smelled pleasant and interactions with staff were positive. Room: We had a 2-BR suite with full kitchen. The rooms were clean, tastefully furnished and beds extremely comfortable, and I am usually picky with beds. With that said, I wholeheartedly agree with other reviews that say the rooms need some fresh paint and better upkeep (scuffed doors, walls and trim, etc). The quality of repairs and craftsmanship of the place was poor (ie. messy tile caulking and repairs), but not unlike other beach places I have stayed at so it wasn’t so bad that I felt like I couldn’t stay in the unit. The kitchen had the bare necessities, did not have all the kitchen needs you would normally find at a timeshare (no knives, no kitchen towel, no measuring cup or strainer, etc) so it would have been problematic if we actually planned to cook full meals. The coffee makers should be standard coffee maker or keurig, not weird espresso machine that spits out an ounce of liquid. Coffee in lobby is outrageous expensive, paid $18 for a small latte and two black coffees. Pool/beach area: Nice and clean. Use of 2 beach chairs included with our stay; this applies to specific rooms only. We did find it a bit ridiculous that they would not let us bring any food or drink out to the pool area or beach. It wasn’t like we were bringing a cooler, but it would’ve been nice to have our own water bottles and a snack or two. Overall, if you are on a budget I would recommend this place since it is not as expensive as other nearby locations. You just have to manage your expectations- this is not a 4 or 5-star hotel. I would book directly with hotel inatead of AirBNB because it appears that your amenities differ from people who book indirectly. I would stay here again.

less