hotels in Ft. Lauderdale

[woonkies]

Hello. We are taking a cruise out of FLL in October and want to head down a few days earlier. Any recommendations for hotels on the beach (with two kids) and if we should rent a car or rely on shuttles/taxis. I have read in other posts that the car co.'s will shuttle us to the cruise ship.

Thanks

[TrentS]

Your best choices for oceanfront hotels would be the Marriott Harbor Beach, very close to Port Everglades, on the widest part of Fort Lauderdale Beach... http://www.marriottharborbeach.com/

 

Also on that same stretch of beach is Lago Mar... http://www.lagomar.com/

 

And at the north end of Fort Lauderdale Beach is the beautiful new tower at the Best Western (nothing like your typical Best Western) Pelican Beach Resort... http://www.pelicanbeach.com/

 

If you want a rental car or not would depend on how much you plan on doing away from the hotel. There really isn't anything within walking distance of any of those hotels, but there are a lot of shops and restaurants within a 5-10 minute drive.

 

As far as the rental car companies shuttling you to the port - I don't believe they do that any longer as they no longer have their own shuttles. All of the rental cars at FLL are now in the new "Car Rental Center", which is a large parking garage in the middle of the airport terminals. I believe you will have to take a taxi to the port after returning your rental car. Port Everglades is only about 5 minutes away from the airport.