Updated for 2024
Which Downtown Miami hotels offer the best views of cruise ships and Port Miami?
Here are 8 hotels with the best views of Port Miami:
- Intercontinental Miami
- Elser Hotel Miami
- YVE Hotel Miami
- Holiday Inn Port of Miami-Downtown
- The Gabriel Miami
- Hilton Miami Downtown
- Miami Marriott Biscayne Bay
- Doubletree by Hilton Grand Hotel Biscayne Bay
Summary of Miami Hotels with Cruise Ship Views
The hotels can be grouped into 3 different views. Needless to say, book the highest floors for unobstructed views of the Port of Miami:
- Across Port – The Intercontinental and YVE look across the access roads and parking garages of Port Miami. One sees the upper structures of most cruise ships at the Port.
- Head-on Port – The Holiday Inn, Elser and Gabriel look at the west-facing dock V, dock G, and the turnaround basin.
- Cruise Ship Docks – The Hilton, Marriott, and Doubletree actually offer full views of the ships at their docks. These 3 hotels get my vote for the best cruise ship views at Port Miami.
Intercontinental Miami
34 floors. The hotel features 641 luxury guest rooms, including 34 suites and two presidential suites designed by Venus William’s V Starr Interiors.
As you can see in the photo below, the cruise ships are somewhat obstructed by parking garages and other Port buildings. But one can see all the ships at once!
Book a Bay View room.
YVE Hotel Miami
17 floors. As you can see in the photo below, the cruise ships are somewhat obstructed by parking garages and other Port buildings. But one can see all the ships at once!
Book a Bayview room.
Holiday Inn Port of Miami-Downtown
10 floors. The cruise ship views are mostly obscured but one can get a good view of ships when they turn around in the basin (shown in the photo below).
Book a Bay View room.
The Gabriel Miami
15 floors. One gets a near-perfect view of the Virgin ships at dock V, as well as a stern (or bow) view of the ship at dock G.
Book a Bay View room.
Hilton Miami Downtown
21 floors. Unobstructed views of all the cruise ships at the Port!
Book a Bayview room.
Miami Marriott Biscayne Bay
31 floors. Book a Port of Miami View room for unobstructed views of all the cruise ships at the Port!
Doubletree by Hilton Grand Hotel Biscayne Bay
9 floors. Book a Bayview room (balconies are standard) for unobstructed views of all the cruise ships at the Port!
The Elser Hotel Miami
A new 49-floor hotel! I will post photos after my first stay, but the Bay View rooms have similar views as the Holiday Inn – just higher therefore better! Book as high as you can to the 49th floor!