Best Western Hotels in Miami: Where to Stay, Beach or Mainland
Miami is really two different trips in one: the barrier island of Miami Beach with its oceanfront strip, and the mainland city with its bayside neighborhoods, downtown core, and airport. Best Western's Miami-area properties sit on both sides of this divide, so the right pick depends on whether you came for the beach, a cruise, business, or a mix of all three. This guide walks through the main options and how to decide between them.
Miami Beach vs the Mainland
Best Western Plus Atlantic Beach Resort sits on Miami Beach, which means direct or near-direct access to the sand and the boardwalk-style pedestrian path that runs along the oceanfront. Staying here suits travellers whose main plan is beach time, walking to restaurants along Collins Avenue, and keeping car use to a minimum.
On the mainland side, Best Western Plus North Miami/Bal Harbour is positioned to the north, closer to the Bal Harbour shopping area and the quieter residential stretch of the coast, useful if you want proximity to the beach scene without paying beachfront rates or dealing with beachfront traffic.
Arya Hotel & Suites Coconut Grove, part of WorldHotels Distinctive, is in Coconut Grove, a leafy bayside neighborhood south of downtown known for its marina, sidewalk cafes, and a slower pace than South Beach. This is a good base if you want easy reach of downtown Miami and Coral Gables without staying directly on the beach.
Near the Airport and Cruise Port
Miami International Airport (MIA) sits on the mainland, roughly between downtown and the western suburbs. Mainland hotels, including the Coconut Grove and North Miami/Bal Harbour properties, generally mean a shorter ride from MIA than a beach hotel, since you avoid crossing one of the causeways that link the island to the mainland.
PortMiami, the city's cruise terminal, is just northeast of downtown. If you are arriving the night before a cruise, a mainland stay cuts down on causeway traffic, which can back up during peak hours, especially on cruise embarkation days.
If your trip is beach-first and the airport or port transfer is a secondary concern, Atlantic Beach Resort's location still works well; just build a little extra time into airport or port transfers, particularly during Miami's heavier traffic windows.
Getting Around
Miami's public transit (Metrorail, Metromover, and buses) covers downtown, Brickell, and some mainland neighborhoods reasonably well, but it does not reach Miami Beach directly, so most beach-based travellers rely on rideshare, taxis, or a rental car for anything beyond walking distance.
From Coconut Grove or North Miami/Bal Harbour, a rental car or rideshare makes it easy to string together a day that includes downtown, Coral Gables, and a beach visit, since these mainland points are a reasonable drive from South Beach without crossing at the busiest times.
If you plan to stay mostly in one area, such as the Atlantic Beach Resort's stretch of Miami Beach, you can likely manage without a car for restaurants and the beach itself, reserving rideshare trips for excursions into downtown or Coconut Grove.
How to Book the Best Rate
Rates for all three properties change with season, events, and demand, so rather than relying on a fixed figure, check current pricing directly on the Best Western Online booking page for each hotel before deciding which fits your plans.
Booking direct through the hotel's own channel, as this site does, avoids third-party markups and the account sign-ups some aggregators require, and it keeps your reservation details handled by the property itself.
Miami has distinct peak periods, including winter (when travellers from colder climates arrive) and major convention or event weekends, so booking a few weeks ahead for those windows tends to give more room availability across all three neighborhoods.