Hilton Grand Vacations at McAlpin Ocean Plaza

Video by Hungry Passport

Hilton Grand Vacations at McAlpin Ocean Plaza , imagine staying at one of the best resort in Miami with a large discount. You pay like you are staying in a 2 star but you stay in a 5-star resort with Hilton Grand Vacations. This is like winning a very nice lottery prize.

Day One Travel & Arrival at Hilton Grand Vacations at McAlpin Ocean Plaza

Miami is one of those locations that are easy to fly to because there are so many people flying to be in the fun and sun that the flight is affordable, frequent, and fast.

Often when I travel to Florida, I like to drive and have my car. Something about those drives down Interstate 95 that I really enjoy. However, this trip since it is all the way down to Miami, I chose to book a flight and the ticket was much less than the few tanks of gas I would burn down, around, and back on my trip. So, a flight from my local airport was step one.

The flight seemed to take no time at all to come down here, and boom, here I am in a different climate from home. In February in Virginia you have snow, but here in Miami, it is 75 today as I land. The air temperature was double what it was at my home. That is amazing.

From the Airport to the resort it is only about a 37-minute drive.

Arriving at the resort, the first impressions are wonderful. The appearance of Ocean Plaza is very South Beach and old-school tropical.

Villa Amenities

Then the resort itself offers all of these options.

Resort Amenities

Excellent service, fantastic location! This is the second time I’ve stayed here, and it’s been perfect both times. The location is awesome. Right across from a cute cafe for breakfast. It’s steps from the beach. You can rent beach chairs & umbrellas from the front desk. They also provide beach chairs. There’s a ton of great food all in walking proximity. It’s my go-to hotel in Miami.

Location. That is why McAlpin Ocean Resort has gone for it. It’s at the north end of Ocean Drive, which is quieter and classier than a few blocks south. This portion of Ocean Drive is, thankfully, still closed to auto traffic. You can sit out on the front porch area of either building and watch the world go by. Arlene, the assistant manager, was most helpful during our stay. She made a difference. The rooms are smaller than most HGV properties but adequate. Ask for a higher floor since rooms on the 1st and 2nd floor tend to be darker since the next-door properties are quite close. Both buildings have a nice jacuzzi on the roof with lounge chairs. Free coffee and tea all day. The beach is direct across the street. Lots of restaurants are close by.

This location is ideal for enjoying the strip of Ocean Dr that has regulated vehicle traffic. There are no buildings between you and the beach. however, there are no balconies with rooms to enjoy the sights from above, although a rooftop area has a sitting area. Rooms are updated within an older protected building. The daily newspaper is a nice touch. But it truly is the location that offers the most to enjoy. Easy walk to anything that is South Beach.

The Hilton McAlpin is amazing – great location, steps away from delicious food and the beautiful beach, perfectly clean, and the staff is accommodating and welcoming! Had a lovely family vacation – Can’t wait to come back.

From my first impressions, the resort offers a great feeling, and it is certainly cleaned up to the Hilton brand standards which are excellent.

My room was perfect, offering literally everything I needed and more.

Once I was sorted, I grabbed something to eat and a few adult beverages. Finnegan’s Way was a nice Irish Pub within about a block of the resort. The menu here was large. I think it was at least 3X larger than most Irish-themed locations. Not only serving Irish fare, but also Louisiana-style treats and traditional pub items.

They also had a ton of large specialty drinks and drink specials as well. This was the kind of location that you should walk to, never drive to.

Day Two Started Late

Day One technically ended, so I started the day late and moved slowly. For breakfast, I drug myself down two blocks to Havana, which has been a South Beach location since 1957. They serve nice large Cuban-style breakfasts here and strong recovery drinks from the night before.

I am not a Bloody Mary guy, which is odd considering how much I like most things with tomatoes in them. I did have a CUBAN COFFEE which may be able to restart your heart if it stopped.

After I fueled up and went through my own AM rehab. I headed to a local arts showcase called The Bass this is a smaller gallery or museum than some but powerful and well-managed. Here, an art fan can spend some time and take a stroll.

Art Deco Welcome Center

A worthwhile stop even when you are staying in an Art déco style resort itself. This welcome center helps you really appreciate the architecture and feel of South Beach.

This location also offers access to the museum, which is more than worth the time and visit. After the museum itself, I did a guided walking tour with a group from here.

After even the slightest activity, I was done and needed more of the hair of the dog that bit me the night before. Taquiza was a great taco spot near Finnegan’s that I found just by walking in that area. If they are busy you can also try the funny-named Pink Taco which is about 1 block away and closer to the main street. I ended up stopping here as well for an enchilada and a few drinks. This is a chain that has key locations in major cities in the USA.

This entire area is all about food, fun, drinks, and good times. You are just across the street from a great beach where models wander off of the covers of magazines and into your life right around you. This small stretch of beach likely has more thongs than almost any in the world.

I spent a few hours just people-watching here and was a happy man. The teenager inside of me said to himself at least 30 times. “Oh wow, look at her, why do I not live here year-round?”

Day Three-Day Trip to Key West

Video byThe Planet D

My trip was scheduled to be 8 hours, but there are 12-hour trips and 6-hour trips available as well. My provider offered to pick up and drop off at the resort so it was a no-brainer for me.

Most of the tour providers offer the same kind of basic options, then also offer many upgrade options so you can spend your hours in Key West as you want to.

Key West offers a ton of fun and direct beach access activities. There is also every kind of water activity you can think of.

Recent Reviews

Excellent! Our guide and driver were courteous, safe, and very well-organized/easy online booking and confirmation process. Just the right amount of trip narration while also allowing passengers to relax and take in the gorgeous scenery all the way to Key West. As a first-time visitor to the Keys, it was so nice to be expertly chauffeured, leaving me free to completely relax and enjoy. Thank you! Highly recommend!

Wow, I am a worldwide traveler. Never at a loss for words. However, I will try. No need to investigate other sites. Coolkeywest.com for the ultimate. Exceptional customer service, prompt, courteous, professional, and caring. Will definitely book again and tell others of an exciting informative experience on a glass bottom boat. Was looking at the option of relocating to Key West. This experience has me packing as I submit this review. Thank you beyond the Stars. Key lime pie, here I come!

For me, I did not have to worry about the pain of fighting traffic, and I felt I could drink and have fun without any worries.

The driver and guide did a great job with the tour and the walkthrough.

If you want your own ideal Miami vacation with great accommodations on South Beach, make sure to book through TZort.