Pettifogger Posted January 22, 2010 #1 Share Posted January 22, 2010 Were looking for a hotel in Fort Lauderdale with rides on both ends (from the airport to the hotel and from the hotel to the cruise ship.) A wine store would also be nice if that's not asking too much. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zappa Fan Posted January 22, 2010 #2 Share Posted January 22, 2010 I'd suggest that you call the Hollywood La Quinta direct... we drive in. Park free, take their free shuttle to the ship, then a cheapo twenty dollar cab ride back to their property. (can walk to several fun eateries). I'm thinking that they might have airport shuttles... give 'em a try. Good luck. :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Johanna7 Posted January 22, 2010 #3 Share Posted January 22, 2010 Fort Lauderdale itself is very nice. We got the Renaissance on Priceline for $97 in December and it is a very short ride to the port. A bit longer from the airport but about a $14 taxi ride plus tip from the airport and about $5 plus tip from the/or to the cruiseport. You can walk to 4 very large shopping plazas in the area and one of them has a huge wine store near the Publix which is somewhat beside the Embassy Suites. It is very nice too and includes breakfast. You pay at the Renaissance. If you were enquiring about taxis, I am sure you are not driving so no need to store a car. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SusieKay Posted January 22, 2010 #4 Share Posted January 22, 2010 :)We stayed at the Hampton Inn, Airport- for our December cruise on the Eurodam. Reliable, free transportation from the airport (call them when you arrive-look for the shuttle with the pink flamingos on top!!) and transport to the pier the folowing day-sign up for your preferred time of departure when you check-in at the hotel. Small strip shopping center within easy walking distance across a quiet street from the hotel with a few restaurants,and a grocery store selling beer and wine. I think we were told it was open 24 hours. Hotel was undergoing renovation when we were there, but it did not impact our stay. Probably finished by now. If you like Hampton Inns, you should be fine with this one. We would stay there again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steelydam Posted January 22, 2010 #5 Share Posted January 22, 2010 I read about this dive right here on cruise critic. Yes they have a FREE shuttle to the airport and you can leave your car there. The only hitch is the place is a dump. It looks nice from the outside and lobby but rooms are a different story. I have a few good ideas 1. Fly/drive in and start your vacation on an uplifting positive vibe (don't stay here) 2. Take advantage of this place, with it's free shuttle and free parking for your car. Just fly/drive in and go to a nice restaurant,then go out on the town till the wee hours of the morning (the goal is to spend as little time as possible in this dump) Sleep for 20 minutes then take the shuttle to the airport don't eat any of the continental breakfast (now I know where noro is born) I was there a few months ago, unfortunately I can still smell it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Himself Posted January 22, 2010 #6 Share Posted January 22, 2010 I rate the Renaissance very high! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mechcc Posted January 22, 2010 #7 Share Posted January 22, 2010 I read about this dive right here on cruise critic. Yes they have a FREE shuttle to the airport and you can leave your car there. The only hitch is the place is a dump. It looks nice from the outside and lobby but rooms are a different story. I have a few good ideas 1. Fly/drive in and start your vacation on an uplifting positive vibe (don't stay here) 2. Take advantage of this place, with it's free shuttle and free parking for your car. Just fly/drive in and go to a nice restaurant,then go out on the town till the wee hours of the morning (the goal is to spend as little time as possible in this dump) Sleep for 20 minutes then take the shuttle to the airport don't eat any of the continental breakfast (now I know where noro is born) I was there a few months ago, unfortunately I can still smell it. I second this advice!!!! Stayed there a few years ago and unless they have totally renovated the place, it is the pits. Lobby looks great, elevators had hanging dirt, a/c leaked onto the carpet in our room and the room had the moldy smell, but worst of all - ants throughout the room. We did nicely complain when checking out and they voluntarily gave us a free night at any La Quinta. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HouseRulz Posted January 22, 2010 #8 Share Posted January 22, 2010 There is a Sheridan right by the airport, and Port Everglades is also very close to the airport. If you want something with a little luxury, you might consider the Marriot Harbor Beach, which is right on the beach (and can easily be seen when leaving the port. The Hyatt Pier 66 is also very nice, but it is on the intercostal rather than the ocean. In either case if your room faces the right direction and you stay the evening before you set sail, you will see your ship dock in the morning. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pokeynose Posted January 22, 2010 #9 Share Posted January 22, 2010 Changed our hotel reservations tonight from the Hyatt to the Courtyard Fort Lauderdale Airport and Cruise Port in Dania, Fl, a few miles from Ft. Lauderdale but got a good price, less than the Hyatt and after some of the reviews on here about the Hyatt they changed my mind. The Courtyard has shuttle service from the airport and also to the cruise ship. I priced out the Marriot Harbor Beach, no way will I pay their price. I know it's a luxury hotel but the Courtyard is just fine for us. One more day and we'll be flying out of here. HouseRulz, if it wasn't for you I wouldn't have found the Courtyard after checking out the Marriot, thanks.:) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aunty KK Posted January 22, 2010 #10 Share Posted January 22, 2010 I would avoid the Hilton Garden Inn in Dania. We stayed there prior to our Westerdam cruise in early January and the service was terrible; and the rooms were not much better. Have a wonderful cruise!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Love the beach Posted January 22, 2010 #11 Share Posted January 22, 2010 Hyatt Place North has a free shuttle from airport & to pier & is right near Renaissance & Embassy Suites. Also has free breakfast. Will be staying there shortly! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
knitlady037 Posted January 22, 2010 #12 Share Posted January 22, 2010 I read about this dive right here on cruise critic. Yes they have a FREE shuttle to the airport and you can leave your car there. The only hitch is the place is a dump. It looks nice from the outside and lobby but rooms are a different story. I have a few good ideas 1. Fly/drive in and start your vacation on an uplifting positive vibe (don't stay here) 2. Take advantage of this place, with it's free shuttle and free parking for your car. Just fly/drive in and go to a nice restaurant,then go out on the town till the wee hours of the morning (the goal is to spend as little time as possible in this dump) Sleep for 20 minutes then take the shuttle to the airport don't eat any of the continental breakfast (now I know where noro is born) I was there a few months ago, unfortunately I can still smell it. Was this the LaQuinta on north 26th ave by any chance? We are booked there for one night in March. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jbhcw Posted January 22, 2010 #13 Share Posted January 22, 2010 We've stayed at the Hyatt Place twice and been happy both times...within walking distance of the Publix, Total Wine..several restaurants and they have free shuttle to/from airport and to the cruise port.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robcool Posted January 22, 2010 #14 Share Posted January 22, 2010 Hyatt Place North has a free shuttle from airport & to pier & is right near Renaissance & Embassy Suites. Also has free breakfast. Will be staying there shortly! Just stayed at the Hyatt Place a couple of weeks ago. Very nice hotel, free shuttles to and from, parking at the hotel for the week if you need it, free breakfast. The only complaint I had was that the air conditioners in the rooms were very noisy. The other good thing is that it is only about a block walk from Total Wine! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bettacanuck Posted January 22, 2010 #15 Share Posted January 22, 2010 Were looking for a hotel in Fort Lauderdale with rides on both ends (from the airport to the hotel and from the hotel to the cruise ship.) A wine store would also be nice if that's not asking too much. We stayed for 2 nights at the Sleep Inn Dania Beach. Free shuttle picks you up at the airport, also takes you to cruise port. It's directly across the road from some restaurants and a Publix that has a decent wine selection. The rooms had fridges and microwaves so we just bought groceries from Publix for our dinner, etc. It was great and the heated pool was great too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
E-500 Posted January 22, 2010 #16 Share Posted January 22, 2010 Was this the LaQuinta on north 26th ave by any chance? We are booked there for one night in March. Yes and our experience last Feb. was nothing like the comments by the earlier OP. We traveled with another couple and both rooms were fine, nice pool area, breakfast included waffles and other standard fare, no cooked meats or eggs (did have hard boiled eggs). Staff was pleasant, big lobby with plenty of seating. Outside shuttle to the port left on time (you sign up in advance). Car was safe for 2 weeks (free parking). Shopping and restaurants within walking distance. We thought the LAQ a good value, would stay there again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
knitlady037 Posted January 22, 2010 #17 Share Posted January 22, 2010 Yes and our experience last Feb. was nothing like the comments by the earlier OP. We traveled with another couple and both rooms were fine, nice pool area, breakfast included waffles and other standard fare, no cooked meats or eggs (did have hard boiled eggs). Staff was pleasant, big lobby with plenty of seating. Outside shuttle to the port left on time (you sign up in advance). Car was safe for 2 weeks (free parking). Shopping and restaurants within walking distance. We thought the LAQ a good value, would stay there again. Thanks! was getting a little nervous:eek: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fann1sh Posted January 22, 2010 #18 Share Posted January 22, 2010 I'm among the posters inclined to use Hyatt Place because of shuttle from airport, shuttle to cruise port, proximity to Total Wines, + breakfast included. I agree the a/c is noisy. However, I often sail in off season, and the discount price for Hyatt Place through ValueTrips.com makes me willing to put up with that: http://www.valuetrips.com/AMS/FL/F17.htm You can't beat an $89 (+tax) price for an oversized room. Despite the substantial discount, these are ordinary reservations - not prepaid - which can be cancelled without penalty. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sail7seas Posted January 22, 2010 #19 Share Posted January 22, 2010 Don't confuse Hyatt Place with Hyatt Pier 66. Two very different hotels. We have stayed in Hyatt Pier 66 on 17th Street Causeway for many years and have never had a bad stay there. For us, it is an added wonderful part to our cruises.... not just someplace to land while waiting for our ship to come in. Our vacation starts when we arrive at Hyatt Pier 66. :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jerseygirl3 Posted January 22, 2010 #20 Share Posted January 22, 2010 I never book a hotel based on free shuttles. My experience has been that, although hotels may advertise a free shuttle service to and from the airport, they are very slow picking up. The last thing I want to do after a flight is wait and wait, and call and call, for the shuttle to pick us up. Most hotels in the Port Everglades area are a very short, inexpensive cab ride (About $12 plus tip). We stayed at Renaissance Hotel two weeks ago and unless I got it really, really cheap (and we thought it was cheap at $98/night) I wouldn't stay there again. The lobby is very nice, but the service was poor and our room was very dingy. We'll head back to Hyatt Pier 66 whenever we stay in Ft. Lauderdale prior to a cruise. Jo-Ann Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gentlemancruiser Posted January 23, 2010 #21 Share Posted January 23, 2010 Holiday Inn Express Convention Centre/Cruise port provides free transportation to/from airport and the cruise terminals. They also provide free breakfast and free internet, however the location isn't the greatest, but perfect for 1 night! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HouseRulz Posted January 23, 2010 #22 Share Posted January 23, 2010 Changed our hotel reservations tonight from the Hyatt to the Courtyard Fort Lauderdale Airport and Cruise Port in Dania, Fl, a few miles from Ft. Lauderdale but got a good price, less than the Hyatt and after some of the reviews on here about the Hyatt they changed my mind. The Courtyard has shuttle service from the airport and also to the cruise ship. I priced out the Marriot Harbor Beach, no way will I pay their price. I know it's a luxury hotel but the Courtyard is just fine for us. One more day and we'll be flying out of here. HouseRulz, if it wasn't for you I wouldn't have found the Courtyard after checking out the Marriot, thanks.:) Wow my first CC post and I got a compliment. I need to spend less time on FlyerTalk and more time on here!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rassa Posted January 23, 2010 #23 Share Posted January 23, 2010 Holiday Inn Express Convention Centre/Cruise port provides free transportation to/from airport and the cruise terminals. They also provide free breakfast and free internet, however the location isn't the greatest, but perfect for 1 night! Glad you said it is perfect for 1 night as we are staying there on a Saturday night before our cruise. But what do you mean the location isn't the greatest - is it noisy? We may be so tired having travelled so long and not arriving there till midnight, we may just sleep through everything (with abit of luck). Someone on this board also said there was mould in their room!!!!! Rassa Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mfanderso Posted January 23, 2010 #24 Share Posted January 23, 2010 We have stayed at Hampton Inn Plantation. Free shuttle from airport to hotel and from hotel to pier. It is across the street from a mall and a Target. Free breakfast and when we were there a free hospitality hour in the evenings (weekdays) with snacks. One night pizza and another night just chips. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gentlemancruiser Posted January 23, 2010 #25 Share Posted January 23, 2010 Glad you said it is perfect for 1 night as we are staying there on a Saturday night before our cruise. But what do you mean the location isn't the greatest - is it noisy? We may be so tired having travelled so long and not arriving there till midnight, we may just sleep through everything (with abit of luck). Someone on this board also said there was mould in their room!!!!! Rassa There was a noise in our room, in fact the hotel was very quite. We stayed there on Dec 28th following our Maasdam cruise. The reason I didn't love the locations is because it is located toward the middle of 17th street and that is a very large street which is more car friendly. Look on google maps and you can see a streetview and you'll know what I mean. Our room was VERY clean and there was NO signs of mould anywhere. In fact I found the Holiday Inn Express much cleaner then the Hilton Marina where we stayed before the cruise. The staff were quite friendly and very polite, the hotel manager actually shook our hands and said good bye to us, something I've never had at a hotel. You have to contact the hotel in advance to book the shuttle. Since you are arriving late in the evening you will need to email the hotel directly. There is a small basket on top of the fridge with 2 cookies and small thing of nuts that was complimentary, also 2 bottled water in the fridge. The breakfast was simple but sufficient for us, if you prefer more there is an excellent bagel place (Epstein I think?) directly across the street. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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