Clarion Inn & Suites Miami Airport

From the outside, the Clarion Inn & Suites Miami Airport looks like two connected blue and white rook chess pieces, two boxy 1960s towers. Inside, the lobby is large and bland, with a white tile floor punctuated by squares of green and brown. Across from the reception desk is a seating area with a circular bench, a few chairs, and two couches whose brown and red cushions are perennial askew. Despite the uncomfortable furnishings, there are usually a number of guests milling about the lobby, waiting for the airport shuttle. The size of the lobby makes it feel a little underdeveloped and sparse, despite the seating area and a smattering of plants. A small station in the corner of the lobby provides free coffee and tea to guests all day.

The hotel's restaurant, Miro's Cafe, doesn't offer much more in the way of design, with a cafeteria aesthetic thanks to its rows of dark wood tables and red cushioned chairs. The most stylish feature is a fish tank that looks also serves a window into the hallway.

Thanks to its airport location, this Clarion Inn & Suites serves many guests in transit, such as those whose flights have been canceled, who are in between flights, or who are heading out on cruises.

This Clarion Inn & Suites is located across the street from the Miami International Airport, and offers a regular free shuttle back and forth. The hotel also provides shuttles to the harbor for cruises, but for a fee. Downtown Miami is about a 20-minute drive away. Next to the airport, it's not in a high-entertainment area, but there are a few cheap restaurant options along 36th Street, including Ping House Chinese restaurant and Tom's NFL sports bar. 

Compared to the common spaces, the rooms at the Clarion Inn & Suites offer more style. Rooms have a simple, chain-standard aesthetic, with warm grapefruit, beige, or red color palettes and wood furniture. While the Double Full is not in the least bit cramped, upgrading to a Double Queen or King garners a great deal more floor space. All rooms come with a small table, flat-screen TV, coffeemaker, and safe. Double Queen and King rooms also offer a workspace and, in the case of the King Room, a reading chair. Bathrooms are plain and generally clean, though water spots and old, stained tiling may appear; all have shower/tub combinations. While the rooms have some character, the level of the comfort ranges, as some of the beds and chairs could use replacing. 

The Clarion Inn is a budget chain hotel, and, as such, it offers a free (mediocre) hot breakfast daily, free Wi-Fi, and free newspapers during the week. Coffee and tea are available throughout the day in the lobby, and Miro's Cafe serves lunch and dinner as well, though the quality of the food varies. The hotel has a small fitness center with a few cardio machines and one weight machine. The equipment isn't close to new, but is functional. The hotel also has a small business center, a gift shop, and a game room with a few arcade games.