The last thing you are going to want to do while in Miami during Winter Music Conference is sleep; and since Miami parties till dawn and sleeps in the morning all year-round anyway, the place for most locals to sleep and shower is typically the beach. But before you arrive to Miami read our “Sleeping with Miami” guide to find the perfect place to sleep, store your stuff and get some off-the-dance-floor action during one of the wildest weeks of your life.

Where to stay.

If you want to be in the heart of all the action, and noise, be sure to stay in South Beach between Collins & Washington Ave from 3^rd through 23^rd St., this is where most of the parties will be. You could even go as far us as 43rd St. but the farther you get away from 23rd, the farther you will have to walk.

To get away from the noise and to have a more peaceful time during Winter Music Conference, consider staying in these parts of the city.

• North Miami Beach Area – Anything south of Bal Harbor, but North of 64th Street, including Surfside and North Shores
• Downtown – Can be accessed by bus, and is just over one of two bridges from the beach. If you’re going to WMC to attend Ultra and nothing else, consider the Intercontinental Hotel, which faces Bayfront Park, where the event is held, or the Holiday Inn off Biscayne Blvd across from the Bayside Shopping Center.
• Wynwood – A blossoming art district just west of the design district. While hotels are scarce in the area, it is conveniently located.
• Design District – Located north of Downtown proper, the Design District runs from 36th street until around 59th and houses some of the best restaurants in Miami.
• Upper East Side – This area has been developing like mad lately. New houses, condos, restaurants, and art galleries are popping up every day. The area runs from 69th street to around 85th and is new as well as hip. (If you end up here, be sure to eat at Dogma for some amazing hot dogs)
• Brickell – If you somehow find a Brickell condo at a decent price, don’t look anywhere else. While you’re not directly on the strip, you’ll never be more than 20 minutes away. Brickell has some of Miami’s most beautiful city views.
• Airport Area – It’s just off the 112, which takes you to downtown, or connects you directly to the 195 towards the beach.
• The Roads – The area just south of Brickell, located near Viscaya and the Science Museum has limited hotel choices, but it provides not only easy access to the beach and downtown, but is also centrally located to Coral Gables and Coconut Groves, which are huge shopping and dining districts.

Keep in mind that while Miami is a relatively safe city to vacation in, there are certain parts that have a worse reputation than others, especially in terms of tourists. Here are a few places you do not want to stay in.

• Overtown – Located just northwest of Downtown Miami, Overtown is bound by NW 5th Street to the south, I-95 and the Dolphin Expressway to the northwest, NW 1st Avenue to the east, and the Miami River to the southwest. It is one of Miami’s oldest neighborhoods, and as such has a higher crime rate than a lot of the city, as well as a reputation as a rough spot.
• Hialeah – While Hialeah isn’t exactly unsafe anymore, it definitely has not become any easier to get around. It’s easy to get lost in a city where W 49th St is also NW 103rd St, and even locals have a tough time finding their way. If you do make it out to Hialeah, make sure you have access to a mobile app such as Google Maps, have a GPS system like a Tom-Tom, or are an avid map reader.
• Little Haiti – While northern Biscayne is home to some of Miami’s newer trendy places to hang out (an area referred to as the Upper East Side) it’s also home to one of the most diverse cluster of communities. Little Haiti is the center of Haitian culture in Miami, and as such, offers visitors a unique Caribbean experience. However, care should be taken if walking around on foot, especially at night, as the area is high in burglary.

Lodging choices.

Your options for lodging during Winter Music Conference are condos, hotels, hostels and for the adventurous type – the beach.

Condos (Villas & Mansions)

+ Average Cost: $3,000-$10,000/week – get one for the entire month for just as much.
+ Hook Up Probability: Good. The closer you are to the strip and nicer the condo, the better chance you have.
+ Pros: Piece of mind, no mini bar prices, fit as many people as possible to split costs.
+ Cons: No room service, it’s hard/expensive to find a rental in South Beach, and potential for scams.

The longer you plan on staying in Miami the more money you can save by renting a condo. However, a lot of owners are scared shitless of Winter Music Conference and will make you sign all these crazy “no partying” agreements (usually).  It’s a bit of a headache and you might get scammed too (countless people are scammed every year).

Going directly through the homeowner does work for some people, but it is best to go through an agency, to avoid the risk not having a place to sleep when you get in town on the beach, and losing your money. However, if you prefer to deal directly with owners, use of many websites which also provide services where the actual owner (not working through an agency) rents out the condo to those looking to use it for vacation (rates available for both weeks and months at a time.)  Check out these sites Home Away , VRBO and  Vacation Rentals.

When searching on these sites, email every single one that looks like it might fit your criteria. Next, try and deposit a down payment (usually around 50%) through paypal.com and pay the rest when you get there.  Never pay the entire price up front.

Hotels

+ Average Cost: $100-500/night
+ Hook Up Probability: High. Close by neighbors who love to part as much as you do. Penthouse = guarantee.
+ Pros: Room service (most have included breakfast), 24hour maintenance, pool access, hotel parties.
+ Cons: Limit on number of people allowed, most expensive and rules.

Hotels dominate the landscape on SoBe and downtown Miami; there is no shortage of them.  However, as we approach the conference dates the prices skyrocket, so NOW is the time to search for the best deals.  Most Hotels and resorts provide very luxurious amenities for their guest in order to offer an exquisite stay for those who need to be pampered.  Here are some of the more high-profile stays:

• Eden Roc Beach Resort & Spa: This hotel is the official host hotel of WMC 2010 with room specials starting as low as $219 per night.
• Fountainebleu: This extravagant resort not only host an over the top array of luxury and style, it is also home to the high-profile nightclub Liv,  a sushi bar named Blade lounge, and the pool side bar Glow.  Currently promotions are running for rooms starting at $299 per night.
• The Shelborne Resort: Many official WMC parties are held at this resorts pool every year, with the DJ Mag opening party featuring David Guetta among others being quite the spectacle to witness.  Check the website for promotions.
• The Gansevoort- One of the most impressive hotels on the beach, the newly renovated Gansevoort welcomes visitors with a jaw dropping shark tank in the lobby, true Miami style. Modern design throughout, access to some of the best pool-side parties and conveniently located, the Gansevoort will make you feel like royalty, with a matching price tag.
• The Delano – The pool at the Delano is famous. The hotel, and its restaurant, The Blue Door, are celebrated as Iconic for the city. While the Delano doesn’t typically host many WMC events, it is centrally located to pretty much all the action.

The hotels above are undoubtedly your higher end stays, trying to find lower priced rooms to be a little tricky, however doable.  Start by scouring your standard sites like Hotels.com and Travelocity.  Here are some mid priced hotels:

• The Kent Hotel: A funky choice for young travelers, the Kent has playful appeal. Psychedelic colors and geometric shapes define the lobby, while rooms are decked out in lilac and steel.
• The Hotel Chelsea: This is an outstanding choice for jet-setters on a budget, this Art Deco gem has a Feng Shui feel. Bamboo floors and Japanese-style futon beds make rooms stylish and relaxing.
• The Chesterfield: An African jungle safari theme reigns at this renovated Art Deco designer hotel. Extras include a free breakfast, nightly cocktail hour with a DJ spinning hip hop music, and VIP access to several hot nightclubs located nearby.

For the lowest prices, some Miami specific search engines are worth a shot, such as Miami.Bookit or Miami-Bookings.  As a disclaimer, the cheapest hotels can be found near the airport which is on the opposite of downtown Miami from SoBe, and may call for expensive cab rides.  Here are a couple of the lowest priced stays:

• Hyatt Place Miami Airport: From the outstanding guest services, activities and on-site amenities, The Hyatt Place is sure to please travelers of all kinds. Take advantage of the amazing location, and close proximity to MIA International Airport.
• Sofitel Miami: This hotel is ideally situated just 5 minutes from Miami International Airport, 15 minutes from beautiful beaches and 10 minutes from the Port of Miami.
• Red Roof Inn Miami Airport: located off I-95 at SR 836, four miles west of downtown Miami, and approximately one mile from Miami International Airport. The hotel provides affordable and comfortable accommodations for both business and leisure travelers.

For more wallet friendly hotels, see our post on the 10 best places to lay your head (or your date) for less

Hostels

+ Average Cost: $30-$75/night
+ Hook Up Probability: No chance. Stick with the beach…or bathrooms.
+ Pros: Cheap as hell.
+ Cons: Little to no privacy, share common space and bathrooms.

Those traveling on a dime mainly want somewhere to stash luggage, shower, and sleep (although you won’t get much of that!)  This is why in recent years hostels and budget hotels have gotten really popular amongst WMC goers.  By ridding themselves of extra amenities and sticking to the basics, hostels offer a much lower price than both condo’s and hotels.  Sites such as HostelWorld and Hostels.com provide a search engine where one can find and book rooms in virtually any major world city including Miami.  These sites also provide a calculated average customer rating so one can make an informed decision when making the final booking.  Here are a few popular locations:

• Jazz City Hostel: The Jazz on SoBe is meant for the international party kid.  They provide breakfast, and an open bar.  And its house music all day and night as the guests mingle in the lobby before heading to the clubs!
• The Tropics Hotel & Hostel: As with most hostels Europeans are prominent, however this place comes with a swimming pool, and a bar to chat up the hot foreign girl you’ve had your eye on all day.
• The Shelley Hotel: for a low price one can book a very swank dorm, and last WMC the hostel hosted various DJ’s that turned the front lobby into a dance floor.
• The Clay: this is by far one of the most well decorated hostels I have ever visited.

Beaches

+ Average Cost: Free, unless you get arrested, or get your stuff stolen mid-sleep
+ Hook Up Probability: Low. If he/she is an exhibitionist and doesn’t mind Miami sand in their ass you may have a shot. Be sure to prepare a good excuse before anything gets started. “David Guetta is in my penthouse at the Standard right now partying. Let’s do it on the beach.” usually works for me.
+ Pros: It’s a beach. Come on.
+ Cons: See above + it is illegal.

For those of you who are a little adventurous sleeping on the beach is an option – but I don’t advise it. Sleeping next to the calm Miami ocean may seem romantic but it is illegal. It is, after all, considered by the city to be a public park, and as with any public park, sleeping overnight is prohibited. As a general rule, sleeping is only legally allowed on the beach during daylight hours, so if you’re one of those “I-don’t-go-to-bed-till-the-sun-comes-up” types, this may just work for you.

If you’re dead set on being adventurous, here are a few beaches that make for decent sleep…and romantic love-making.

• South Beach, between 1st and 3rd (Penrod’s) – You get a lovely view of the Miami skyline if you go closer to the pier, but run a higher risk of getting caught.
• South Beach, between 5th and 15th – The buildings here arent directly on the ocean, and the walkway buffer provides some privacy from on lookers. But beware, this is a busy area, so if you’re gonna do it, you’re gonna have to be creative.
• Key Biscayne Causeway – While its out-of-the-way, this beach offers you the best view of the Miami Beach Skyline. If you’re not driving, your chances of getting caught are surprisingly low.
• The Golden Beach area north of Sunny Isles – If you’re not driving, don’t even think about. If you are, then this may be your best bet. You’re far enough away from the strip that cops aren’t out looking, and you can hide in the sea grape if necessary.

Under any and all circumstances, do not attempt to sleep anywhere near the Julia Tuttle Causeway. This is the bridge portion of the 195 that connects downtown Miami to South Beach. While its prime location may be appealing, and the bridge provides cover from the rain, you’ll be sharing your zz’s with a colony of sex offenders, which says little in the way of safety.

Whether you decide to book a condo, hotel, or hostel do your homework! Due diligence is a sure way to avoid any unpleasant surprises upon arrival.