I booked a week in advance, I was looking for a nice hotel not too expensive and the agency suggested me the Bal Harbour mentionning was great!!! So i arrived there on January 12th, with my boyfriend. We checked in-late so we didnt really bother about the room. We had a view on the busy street and so-called patial view on the beach! The room was clean, phone was not working, the maid would never clean our glasses or even replace them, bathtub was very slippery and very narrow! The first day we got ripped off with the breakfast, its about 20$, there's nobody that really eat down there. The bar at the pool is also a rip-off, we ordered a mojito for 15$ + tip!!!!!!! The pool was freezing, I got a cold from that! The hotel staff is a compelte turn-off, they are very rude, especially the young guy at night, I even mentionned it to his boos the next day, for example he would say: "What do you want"...How can you tell this to clients...The only good thing was the room service, maybe because we made friends with the chef, we always got what we wanted!!!

Since the weather wasnt too nice during our few days, we ask the hotel staff if they had any excursions or activities they would suggest...So they suggested the Bahamas, the next morning we left by cruise to Bahamas for 3 days/2 nights! When we asked some info about the trip, we were completely mis-informed from the beginning to the end!!! anyhow, we managed to have a good time.

When we came back, it was late at night so we had no choice to go back to this same hotel because all the other hotel were booked because it was soon to-be the super-bowl...

Simple, do not waste a penny at this hotel....it is absolutely not worth it...

This hotel was not as nice as the pictures. The staff was not helpful at all. The first room they gave me had a "do not disturb" sign on the door, as well as, a note from the cleaning staff that the room had not been cleaned because of the "do not disturb" sign. When I went down to the front desk to get a new room the front desk attendent was too busy talking to a friend to bother with me. Several minutes later I told him what happened and he argued with me and tried to get me to go back to that room. When I refused he was very sarcastic and gave me another room. The rooms were ok....the furniture was nice but everything else seemed old and run down. I would not recommend this hotel.

Me and three girlfriends just got back from Miami and we stayed at the Beach House. I was disapointed having stayed there in 2003, I expected some differences but you can tell its under new owners/management. Half the accomodations they advertise are not even there anymore; ie; the screened in porch (gone), the furniture was shabby and needs to be replaced, but Im sure this wont happen because they are turning the hotel into condo's. The front desk staff was clueless and very rude. I do have to say the room we stayed in (a junior suite), was a little worn but it was comfortable. The fitness room was nice but I was terrified because of the location, its on the Lower, Lower Level. The pool area was nice but get out there early if you want a cushion (that "is" needed) for the chairs. Also, if you want your chair pulled down the 30 yards to the beach, that will be $20 bucks (crazy). The drinks/food which include a 18% gratuity, that I argued with them about my last day there, is not worth the bother, walk across the street to Publix and buy your own booze and food, you will thank me. The breakfast buffet a wopping 15 bucks with tax and gratuity ened up being 20, and the one waiter does not deserve an 18% tip. Overall me and the girls had a good time but will not go back to the Beach House at Bal Harbour.

Having last stayed at the Beach House in 2003, I was a little disappointed this time round.

Don't get me wrong. With a pool and beachfront location, this is still one of the best values in the South Beach area (about 4 miles from SOBE). Stay for about 1/2 of what you'd pay for comparable accomodations in SOBE.

Having said that, here are my negative comments. If it's true that they are NOT tearing the place down to put up condos, mgmt should address shortcomings before they get out of control.

-Pool was not heated. They said it needed repair but I saw no signs of repair activity.

-About 1/2 the staff with whom I dealt were unfriendly to extremely rude. One bartender ranked up there with the rudest hotel staff I've ever encountered.

-Some of the physical plant was dirty or in disrepair. If this is the type of stuff that bothers you, stay away. Not major but noticeable.

-The in-hotel store was not well stocked. Looked like they were going out of business.

-The "business center" has one desktop PC which is constantly in use.

Again, still a good deal for this area but not what it once was.