Pier 66 is much better than Coral Gable. The view from Tower is quite nice. Several pools scattering the ground. You can also walk the perimeters along the cannals and look at the yachts moored there ... lots of them ... the marina of Pier 66 is a favorite place for yachties coming down to spend their winter in the area.

Driving between FLL & MIA is a mere 30 miles or less on I-95.

And yes, Sawgrass Mall is one of the biggest outlet malls in Florida. It has become a tourist attraction surpassed many other attractions.

Okay...I stand corrected about Pier 66. The pool area in absolute terms is large and there are the separate sections. However, the 3 days that we were there last year, it was very crowded and quite impossible to find an empty deck chair...maybe just our luck in terms of timing...

The rooms up in the tower are pretty nice...we scored a realy large room with a separate sitting area and a great view. In fact, the bellboy showing us up to the room said it was one the best rooms (apart from the $$$ suites for the yachties coming in).

MGI--

Your initial analysis of the pool area was not that far off the mark. It is a nice pool area, but if one is expecting a resort pool like the Kauai Hyatt or the Maui poroperty, one will be disappointed.

Nonetheless, I have never experienced crowds there like you have -- however, I have stayed in November when it is off-season. Your experiences may be more accurate for the time that Dingo is contemplating. That said, I think it likely that one still will be able to find a chaise lounge.

On the other hand, the rooms that I always have received have had a spectacular vue, and as I recall, I think I could sit out on the balcony and enjoy the sun and the vue!

Also, don't forget about that Diamond amenity sandwich!!

I have stayed three times at Pier 66, and now always walk to the beach instead of staying at the pool. It gets very crowded in season and has too many trees for my liking. Also feels very scruffy to me.
Coral gables pool is a suntrap, and is quite nice to spend a few hours by, but by no means a resort pool.
However i would go for Pier 66 as i prefer the Ft. Lauderdale area and Las Olas to the Miracle Mile.
Galleria Mall is much improved lately and is a nice walk along the beach 30-45 mins, Sawgrass Mills and Aventura Mall are easy drives. Bal Harbour is also not too much further on from Aventura.
If you stay at the pier 66 beg, plead, bribe whatever, for a tower room i found a big difference between them and the lanai rooms and it made a big difference to our enjoyment of the hotel.