Doris you have been a godsend. If Grand Beach Hotel is newer, nicer and in a better and quieter area and close to the mall as well maybe we should just go with that over the Hilton.

We will be going to the function and port on a Saturday and a Sunday so I do not think the distance is an issue at all.

Everyone looking at this if you are okay with this choice shoot me an email please.

Not fancy, but reasonable and fairly good reviews overall.

NGAIRE ASKED ME TO POST THIS FOR HER -

DO NOT book this yet, she needs to check with Regent first. She will post once she has an answer from Regent.

oops...already booked the Hilton Cabana (but it's cancelable). I didn't have any trouble booking. These places are $$ but I guess it is what it is. Are we trying to get a group rate? This makes 3 reservations we have (haha, I always do this as they're all cancelable.) What's with the $25 per day resort fee ?? I have no intention of swimming, "resorting" etc.

Reservation Summary
Thomas Matassa
marciematassa@roadrunner.com Change
24 Mar 2017 - 26 Mar 2017
1 room for 2 adults Change
1 KING BED Non Smoking Room
Price (2 nights x 359.00): 718.00
Resort charge: 50.00
Taxes: 107.52
Room Subtotal: 875.52
AAA STAY AND SAVE
Change
Total for stay: $875.52 USD

Marcie - saw that rate at the Hilton, and went back an hour later to book it and they showed no availability as Ngaire mentioned.

I think she is thinking about the Grand Beach West now, but said not to book yet as she was checking with Regent. As to the resort fee, I think its standard in that area at most hotels, although not sure.

Marcie how did you make a reservation at that Hilton hotel it is not open for booking yet?

OKAY - decision made Grand Hotel Surfside is what we will use. Two Grand Hotels across the street from each other. The rooms look the same to me it is just the beachfront ocean view or the hotel across the street with no ocean view.

EITHER Grand Hotel Surfside WEST (no beach view base about $215 a night)

OR

Grand Hotel Surfside (Oceanside) (Base about $384 a night).

Then the taxes and the resort fee of $25 a day. They all seem to have that resort fee and you cannot get away from it BUT that does pay for your unlimited internet.

Regent wanted us to consider the hotel they were already planning on using in Miami but had not told me the hotel yet and so I wanted to check that out as well. It is a nice hotel the Westin Coral Gables - BUT they anticipate using so many rooms for the Included Luxury Hotel night benefit leaving only 30 rooms for us - not enough. Plus a bit more expensive.

Regent was concerned about staying in Surfside because of the traffic issues but since we are now doing the cocktails on Saturday NOT FRIDAY night it is not an issue.

Getting a group rate. In the past I have found this is not really advantageous. Usually not much less if any at all and it is just easier for everyone to do their own thing. Often a special hits and then the group rate has ramifications if we try to change the rate as it is a "block" that a regular guest booking does not have.

This weekend I will work on an email with details about the event but if you want to make a booking now you can certainly do so.

Thanks Ngaire !! I cancelled the Hilton Cabana and booked the Grand Hotel Surfside West for 2 nights with AAA discount. I figure we'll have 14 days of Ocean views. Looks like a great choice. THANKS!

Check off one more project.

Add June and me, Howell's and Brian McIvor to the ones staying at the Grand Hotel Surfside West.

Thank everyone for the fine efforts in finding this hotel and location. Ditto check off one more project.

We are all arriving on the night of 3/23 from LAX.

Marcie,

Joan and I also booked the hotel. We arrive the 24th.

This is an instance where the AAA discount rate is not the best rate. I suggest you try and change your rate to the default Visit Florida rate which is their standard online rate. It will save you about $27 per night.

Thanks Dave....penny saved penny earned

I'm booked. Arriving the 24th. Haven't seen so many of you in such a long time. It will be nice.

A "Resort Fee" has become standard in Florida - it's like paying for a carry on bag. $25.00 per day is on the lower end of the fee scale. Many run from $35.00 to $55.00.

We are booked at the GB WEST, using the visit Florida rate Dave mentioned. We will arrive on the 24th, can't do air yet. Jet Blue to FLL is only open to Jan 1 at this point.

Only 73 rooms at hotel; king rooms already gone; just double beds for $239.

Yes, no King beds left which is surprising. I booked ours on booking.com and our total for 2 nights is $533.24 (this includes the 11% tax and $25. per night resort fee). It doesn't show it as a "Visit Florida" rate. The nightly rate before taxes and fees is $215.20 which seems like a good price.

Did anyone notice that Ultra Music Festival was in Bayfront Park right near the port? That will sure be fun debarking and embarking 600+ passengers on Sunday. Looks like Regent offices are over by airport; so will have to get on and off the Island.

We are really looking forward to seeing everyone! We have flights into FLL Saturday morning; now just need to wait until flights from Venice open up.

Best price on Hilton Cabana is $359 ($351 advance purchase) or 80,000 points.

You won't have a problem getting to the port on Sunday as there is a new tunnel that goes straight to the port that will cut out all the city traffic.

Great choice in the Grand Beach Hotel.....nicer than the Hilton. All hotels here have a resort tax.

Tunnel from mainland or beach side?

FYI:
Grand Beach Hotel Surfside - West
Just booked the room a few minutes ago.
Had some problems with the on line so called.
Price has gone up $10.00 per night and they
only had 8, ( 7 now that I booked), rooms left
at the lower price and they are all 2 double beds.
Jan and I will arrive on the 23rd so we can play tourist
again on the 24th.

We used this company a few weeks ago and did the Miami to the MAX
which was great, so are doing another tour with the same company.

If anyone is interested in joining us on the 24th
www.miamitourcompany.com
4 hour Everglade tour. ( morning tour)
The bus picks us up at the hotel for the morning tour.

The tunnel is from the city and easy to get on from I95. Just tell the driver to take the tunnel.

Has everyone booked at the Grand Beach Hotel Surfside West?
We have a room at the Grand Beach Hotel Surfside (not the west one) which is quite a bit more expensive, but if you're going to be at a hotel on Miami Beach, I figure why not be on the beach? Be careful when booking, though, there's another Grand Beach Hotel at 4835 Collins (quite a ways further south)--The Grand Beach Hotel Surfside and Surfside West are on the 9400 block of Collins Ave.

Believe everyone has been booking
Grand Beach Hotel Surfside West.
9418 Collins Avenue

This is obvious that a choice has to be made fast. Rooms are very difficult and this far ahead we are hitting problems. Amazing already so few Kings with so many rooms available.

I plan on sending out an email on Monday making this official. If any of you have any other suggestions I am open but getting this many rooms is NOT easy in one hotel. We have over 100 booked on the trip so 50 rooms at this point. The Westin there are 8 rooms on Regent Hotel Program but still we need 42 rooms. I think we will never find anywhere with that many rooms with King beds and a reasonable price point.

At least there is an option with the hotel over the Ocean View Hotel across street for those that cannot get in. I will stay at the Ocean Hotel to make room for others at the Grand Hotel West. I am sure some will stay at his hotel like Peggy. An ocean view is a lovely thing when you live in Texas.

Never anticipated this problem.

Kind of think that Grand Beach Hotel Surfside - West may have other
rooms available just not the lower priced ones.
Feeling I got when talking to the reservation person.

After my post I reread and saw you said "at that price" even a higher price still better rate for that type of hotel than anywhere else. Benefit of looking at LCT you get in first.

I will am just looking at options and I will take a 2 bedroom suite at Surfside West for my staff that has two bedrooms with double beds and 2 sofa beds. That takes care of six of them and does not three individual rooms away from others.

In case we run out of room, I booked Sheraton at 43rd for 10,000 star points with no resort fee. 50 blocks away but should be reasonable.

Also I am still thinking Miramar is convenient to Regent HQ and to port if we take the tunnel. I will make a backup reservation there.

That is always another option. Stay somewhere close by and just meet us at the Grand Hotel for the bus transfer on Saturday for the events. That is just fine.

Many like to be at the hotel where everyone else is staying but that is definitely not necessary. That happened last time we were in Miami also. I always just ask that anyone who is doing that plans on getting there about 30 minutes early as we cannot wait. When it is time for the buses to go we have to leave.

Peggy just saw your post we are staying at the more expensive hotel on the Ocean also - and I know others will do the same thing. When on the ocean it sure is nice to SEE the beach and Ocean.

Marc, I don't think you want to stay at the Sheraton 4 points at 43rd street on Miami Beach.It is too close to the causeway that takes you to the city......it will be crowded and very noisy. Miramar, explain please, that's pretty far.

Ngaire--my thoughts exactly!

Doris, thanks. We are at the Grand Beach Surfside but only for one night. We don't arrive until 1pm on Saturday and board by noon on Sunday. We are not all going to fit in Surfside so just looking at options. Since we only get there in time for the events on Saturday night and then go to ship; might be better to stay at a place up north and get a rental car dropping if off at port. I just like to have a Plan B and a Plan C.

The Grand Beach across the street, the oceanfront hotel has many more rooms, but yes they are higher priced. We may end up moving over there ourselves, but the nice thing is no matter which one you are in, they are the same "complex" as the website says and I think you can use the facilities at either one, including the beach, restaurants, bars, pools, etc. And that does make it nice to be able to go back and forth.

Doris, thanks for all your help and input.

Sometimes it is worth the splurge and that is the nice thing about these two hotels - choices!

When the time gets closer, I will give you a list of restaurants. Some are in walking distance and some a five minute cab ride away. I live 5 minutes away in Bal Harbour so am very familiar with the area.

Noticed that at Grand Beach Hotel Surfside - West
that the price changes.
Thursday - $215.20
Friday - $223.20
Saturday - $239.20
Then there is the daily resort fee of $75.00 and State tax of $74.53

Even though we could have a Regent room for Saturday, we booked the two-room suite at the GH Surfside - West, only way online to get the king bed, and also to be with the LCT group. Sometimes you just bite the bullet....

Happy you will be with us Tim at the Grand Hotel - we will take the Non-Use Hotel credit for the Westin and reduce the invoice accordingly.

Have booked the three bedroom suite at Grand Hotel Surfside West for Laura and I, Jill Glanville and Dick Clarke and Kate Tracy.

Jack

Great idea Jack those turn out to be very reasonable when shared and you have that nice living area as well.

HOPEFULLY TOMORROW - an email will come with some preliminary details. Mostly to advise everyone NOT reading LCT to book the hotel if they are attending.

On that email it does ask that you confirm attendance and the hotel where you have a booking. Everyone who has posted here I have already marked down as attending and the hotel you have selected and if you posted the date I have that also.

You might just email or post here what date you are arriving please if you only posted the Hotel you had booked.