The Haddon Hall Hotel in South Beach was built in 1939 and achieved some notoriety over the years being part of several movies or TV series which were filmed there.
The hotel It has been recently taken over by AXEL Beach Hotels which operate a few hotels in Spain (see my review of Axel Hotel Madrid), Berlin and Cuba and mainly target a gay (hetero-friendly) clientele. The hotel has a prime location on Collins Avenue just a block away from the beach in the heart of South Beach (Art Deco district). Main attractions such as restaurants, shops, and night life are just a few steps away.
This 3 star hotel offers a hip decoration and spirit whilst maintaining its former bohemian spirit. There is a gym, a pool and a restaurant available (a decent free breakfast is served as well and a wide choice of extra items are available to order at separate cost)
The bar is very popular in the evening and attracts quite a party crowd. There is an also a small swim suit shop located in the lobby (open weekends).
I booked a room with a pool view but did not use the balcony much. The room offers a fridge, but has no coffee or hot water maker. The bathroom was generously sized and the water pressure was fine (usually the water pressure is very weak in most US hotels, so this was a pleasant surprise)
Front desk staff were friendly but not the most efficient. However, the staff at the restaurant were charming, helpful and always ready for a little chat.
I found this hotel to be a budget friendly option (considering the price of hotels in Miami and the US these days). Everybody was in a vacation and party mood and this made this hotel a happy place to be.
SWISSTRAVELMANAGER 