Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Hostels
In most hostels, group dorms are segregated by gender and you'll be sharing a bath-
room; occasionally alcohol is banned.
About half the hostels throughout Florida are affiliated with
Hostelling International
be a member to stay, but non-members pay a slightly higher rate. You can join HI by
phone, online or at most youth hostels. From the US, you can book many HI hostels
through its toll-free
reservations service
(
%
888-464-4872)
.
Florida has many independent hostels (
www.hostels.com
); most have comparable rates
and conditions to HI hostels, and some are better.
SLEEPING PRICE RANGES
The following price ranges refer to a standard double room in high season (unless other-
wise noted). Note that 'high season' can mean summer or winter depending on the re-
gion.
$
under $120
$$
$120 to $240
$$$
over $240
Hotels
South Florida is rich in independent accommodation options, but in some towns, such as
Homestead, chain hotels are the best (and sometimes, the only) option. If you're looking to
spend less than $100 a night on a room in Miami, chain hotels are a decent choice.
The calling-card of chain hotels is reliability: acceptable cleanliness, unremarkable yet in-
offensive decor, and a comfortable bed. A TV, phone, air-conditioning, minirefrigerator, mi-
crowave, hair dryer and safe are standard amenities in midrange chains. A developing
trend, most evident in Miami, is chain-owned hotels striving for upscale boutique-style
uniqueness in decor and design. At these hotels you'll often find rooms that aren't much dif-
ferent to the higher range chains, although the external amenities such as spa and room
service will probably be lacking.
High-end hotels overwhelm guests with services: valet parking, room service, newspaper
delivery, dry cleaning, laundry, pools, health clubs, bars and other niceties. You'll find plenty
of boutique and specialty hotels in places like South Beach and Key West. While all large
