Westgate Miami Beach

We rented a two-bedroom unit from an owner in February 2005, and we really enjoyed our stay, primarily because the hotel and the surrounding area are so children-friendly. There is a children's pool with a slide and a wonderful playground (trumpline, slide, etc.) right on the beach. My 4-year old son had a blast on that trumpline! The hotel must have been renovated since the time of some of the reviews posted on this site because everything in our room and the lobby was brand new. Our unit had a small fridge and a microwave (no stove) and a regular size jacuzzi tub, which my son also enjoyed greatly. The lobby looked bright and inviting. For the kids, it even has a parrot in a cage. All the public areas looked and smelled great.

The downsides of this resort include the following:

- no soundproofing between the unit walls whatsoever. You could hear your neighbor's TV better than your own. - the staff was unfriendly bordering on rude. The housekeeping requests were not fulfilled until several calls. However, I've stayed in other Miami hotels and observed the same. - In a two-bedroom unit, the living room and the second bedroom are basically the same long room with a sliding door that can be closed to divide the space. This was ok for us, but may be less convenient for some. - If you come to Miami for the attractions (Art Deco, Vizcaya Museum, Metrozoo, etc.), they will all require a drive of at least 25 minutes and up to 1.5 hour. Younger people with no children may prefer a hotel located between 1st and 40th Street, where all the excitement (and noise) is. However, Sunny Isles and other areas above the 40th Street are wonderful for families and there is a good shopping (with prices within reach of a middle class person).

WAY,WAY,WAY outdated in every regard........would never come back again. Much better off paying $200+ for a 2 bedroom at Fort Lauderdale's Marriot.