Floridians forced to evacuate because of Hurricane Ian are being welcomed in South Florida hotels

MIAMI BEACH, Fla. – As Hurricane Ian destroyed a cross-section of Florida, a Miami Beach hotel group announced that they are taking in hurricane evacuees for a discounted rate on Tuesday.

As a result of the devastation of the catastrophic storm, South Beach Group Hotels is making rooms for hurricane travelers available for $50 a night now through October 6th.

It comes after many residents in Miami Beach and other surrounding areas are fearful of not being able to communicate with their families that live cross-state.

As it was reported, nearly 2.7 million people lost power from the effects of Hurricane Ian.

Miami Beach resident Leticia Gunn told Local 10 news that she was worried throughout the entire storm because she has family in Ft. Myers.

“I was talking to them and trying to keep them calm,”said Gunn “Shaking again just thinking about it — I was curled up on the sofa mad, crazy.”

Gunn told Local 10 that her family is okay and that she is able to communicate with them.

Sadly, many are unable to reach their family after homes are gone, streets unrecognizable and lives were taken.

“We all got together as a company and said we have to help our neighbors and we got together and said what can we do, said Chris Rollins of South Beach Group.

The Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau announced that they are giving discounted hotel rates that run through the beginning of October.

Other South beach groups are participating with over a dozen of their hotels.

“It’s horrible--this could happen to us, said Rollins. We know we are vulnerable and I’m sure they would extend the same courtesy to us if we were in an evacuation mode.”


About the Authors:

Alex Finnie joined the Local 10 News team in May 2018. South Florida is home! She was raised in Miami and attended the Cushman School and New World School of the Arts for high school.

Ryan Mackey is a Digital Journalist at WPLG. He was born in Long Island, New York, and has lived in Sunrise, Florida since 1994.