Every sort of accommodation is available in South Florida, from a simple dorm bed in a hostel to a villa in an unbelievably luxurious resort on its own island. Most of the hotels, motels, and the like are on or near the beach, or at least some body of water. Inland, good choices might put you in an interesting and colorfully ethnic urban area, or in a quaint old Everglades town.

The best way to decide what suits you best is to read up on this fascinatingly rich destination. If it’s the outdoors and sports you’re after, head directly for the Keys. If it’s world-class nightlife, the choice is South Beach.

The price range is vast. Even on South Beach in high season, just two blocks from the beach, you can find a room for two, with private bath, for as little as $25 per person per night. Or, a block away, a penthouse suite in some fabulous Deco landmark is up for $2,500.

Be aware that many hotels have a minimum stay requirement, but often offer a good deal if you book by the week.

If you want to go for the bargain accommodations in high season, it’s crucial that you book as early as you possibly can. Make sure the reservation is solid by guaranteeing it with a credit card, and doubly confirming it by way of both fax and email. If you’re expecting to arrive late, find out the latest acceptable arrival time before your reservation is subject to cancellation.

Trying to find something on the spot from December to April is not recommended, at least not in South Beach or Key West, especially on weekends. It might take a long time to find, and you run the risk of having to pay even more than top dollar. Taking pot luck is only a good idea in low season.

The usual practice is to tip the bellboy $1 per bag, both when he brings your luggage to your room and when you depart. If you leave your luggage in storage, the tip should be the same. If your hotel has valet parking, you should tip the guy $2 or so each time he delivers your car to you. If you enjoyed their service, you can also tip the front desk staff and concierge whatever feels right.

There can be many of these, so get it all clear from the start. If there’s valet parking, that can cost about $15–20 per day. Phone calls made from your room phone generally start at 50 cents each, and can be charged on a per-minute basis in some cases. Finally, when you check out, you will notice a rather hefty hotel tax of at least 10 percent has been added on, depending on where the hotel is in South Florida.

Family travel is the bread-and-butter of South Florida tourism, and every major hotel or resort offers a wide range of activities and services – supervised play areas, baby-sitting, special games, coloring books, etc. Usually children under a certain age (sometimes as high as 18) can stay free in their parents’ room. In addition, many restaurants offer kids’ meals at reduced prices.

Valet parking is convenient, but often terribly expensive, and it’s impossible to keep the 24-hour meters fed. The only sensible option is to put your car in a parking garage, where you can get a more reasonable rate, and leave it.