As we did last year, we have booked a more expensive and less expensive hotel. However, due to problems with customer service we have changed from the Courtyard Marriott to The Mutiny Hotel for the pricier option.

The Mutiny Hotel. This hotel is down the street from the Courtyard Marriott we used last year. It is across the street from Biscayne Bay and most of the rooms have good views of the bay, the city, or both. It is in a very nice neighborhood within walking distance of many restaurants and bars and a couple of small parks on the bay. The hotel was famous in the cocaine cowboy era for hosting rich people connected with the drug trade and rock stars who trashed their rooms. For better or worse it is a very sedate place to stay these days. Rooms are $219 per night + 13% tax plus $15 destination fee. There will also be a fee for parking.

Click here for the conference rates. This site is a little tricky to use. It will say there are no rooms available matching your criteria but you should ignore that. Instead, scroll down to the calendar and put in the dates of the conference on the calendar, ignoring the big X over Sunday, Nov. 8. Hopefully that will do the trick. If not, contact the conference director at h.thomas@miami.edu. Conference rates are guaranteed through Oct. 5. There are only ten rooms available there, so if you want to book, you should do so quickly.

Hampton Inn by Hilton Miami Coconut Grove/Coral Gables: This is the economical but good option, close to US 1, the main artery southwest of downtown Miami. It has free parking and a free breakfast. It is also close to the main Metrorail line (see under transportation). Rooms are $170/night + 13% tax. Click here for the conference rate. Conference rates are guaranteed through October 6.

For the Hampton Inn you should be able to book one or two extra nights on either end at the conference rate, though you may have to call the hotel to arrange that (try the website first).