Marenas Resort Rating: 4.0 Pearls

Sunny Isles, Miami, Florida

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The Marenas Resort is located in Sunny Isles, about a half-hour drive from South Beach, and right on the beach. Don't confuse the Sunny Isles stretch of Collins Avenue with the far different pedestrian portion in South Beach. Here, it's a busy six-lane road that can only be crossed at a stop light at the end of the long block.

Aside from the beach, there's little to explore on foot around the hotel. A large, unappealing strip mall full of fast-food and casual restaurants sits just down the road, across from the Trump International Beach Resort.

• Publix supermarket, about a 10-minute walk away
• The hotel is approximately 30 minutes by taxi from the Miami International airport and 20 minutes from the Fort Lauderdale International airport. Taxis from either one cost approximately $50.
• A taxi ride down to the clubs costs about $50.

The Classic Ocean View Room

• The standard, Classic room is a cramped 200 square feet, but the bathroom is a bit larger than what you might find in a similarly-priced Art Deco hotel in South Beach
• Larger one- and two-bedroom suites also available (700 to 1,100 square feet); each has a full kitchen and breakfast bar as well as a pull-out queen-size sofa bed in the living room
• Comfortable beds: 250-thread-count sheets; Duvet cover
• Bathrobes and slippers
• All rooms have a balcony; the views from any room are remarkable
• Small, old tube TVs with a CD/DVD player

The beach

• Average pool, overlooking the beach
• Free access to an excellent, 24-hour fitness center -- one of the best in Miami
• Small, full-service spa with free access to its sauna and steam room
• Business center

Since the hotel switched from being an older Le Meridian resort to the Marenas Resort in 2009, little has changed. The rooms and facilities feel a worn, but housekeeping does its best to keep everything as lustrous as possible. I found some basic carpet wear, some smudges on the mirrors, and some scratches on the furniture, but I was generally pleased with the hotel's overall cleanliness.