Ft. Lauderdale hotel

[jbeth]

We've stayed at the Em. Suites....any other ideas? We love the breakfast included. How about those on the beach? Are they more $$$? This will be for January, 2014. Thanks! Julie and Frank

[fue-fue]

We've stayed at the Westin Beach & it was a lovely hotel & would def stay there again. Breakfast wasn't included though. We had breakfast in the onsite Starbucks

[Mobi Cruiser]

Try the Alhambra, if you can get in, it is a bit out of town but very close to the beach. You won't get luxury but you do get breakfast and you won't forget your stay there. It is not Trip Advisor's No1 Fort Lauderdale hotel for no reason.

[babsoncruiser]

My wife and I stayed at the Hyatt Place Hotel in Fort Lauderdale. It is very close to the port, near a shopping area.

 

Great rooms and a great price!

[skynight]

We've stayed at the Em. Suites....any other ideas? We love the breakfast included. How about those on the beach? Are they more $$$? This will be for January, 2014. Thanks! Julie and Frank

 

Cost. In season, winter, all the hotels have higher prices and the ones on the beach are quite expensive. Out of season you can obtain nice prices.

 

Closest to the pier is SE 17th St. Some hotels include Renaissance, and Hilton Marina which are closest to the pier. Others just a short distance down the street are Hyatt Regency Pier 66, Hyatt Place and Holiday Inn Express. As far as I am aware of those mentioned only the Holiday Inn Express has breakfast. There are some breakfast cafes along 17th St and in the malls. All of these hotels are close enough to the water taxi to get around.

Another option is the Riverside Hotel on Las Olas Blvd. in downtown Ft. Lauderdale. It is also a block from a water taxi stop.

 

If you have a car there are 100's of other hotels you can select from.

[anmajojo]

My wife and I stayed at the Hyatt Place Hotel in Fort Lauderdale. It is very close to the port, near a shopping area.

 

Great rooms and a great price!

 

We are cruising with Princess staying at the Hyatt Place in December. How do you normally get to the port from the hotel? Does the hotel have a shuttle or are you better off paying for a short taxi ride?

[southpawsdakota]

We always stay at the Holiday Inn Express, free breakfast and in the a.m. we have them call us a cab to the port which is a very short drive. We never take a shuttle as we do not want to wait for other people. It is an easy location for restaurants.

[JustinPlusLauren]

We really enjoyed our stay at the Cambria Suites and I booked another night there for our upcoming cruise. It is a newer hotel, the price was pretty good, and they provided a shuttle pick-up at the airport and took us right to the cruise port the next day. It isn't near the beach or anything, but it has a really nice outdoor pool, and it is close-ish (10min walk) to some restaurants and a shopping area.

[CruisinChris]

There are accommodations for all price ranges at the beach. I highly recommend you start your vacation early and start it on the beach. There are tons of outdoor restaurants and bars overlooking the beach or water and all walking distance. It's still only a very short cab ride to the port if you can still see the ships from many locations if you request the right view.

 

For years I stayed at the Hyatt Pier 66 but moved over to the beach zone maybe 8 years ago. I wouldn't do it differently now. :)

 

PS If you have hotel points or credit card that earns travel rewards, using them for an in-season hotel on the beach in FLL is an excellent use of them!!

[flying fingers]

As a Marriott Rewards Member, I was able to book the Courtyard Marriott Fort Lauderdale Beach, an ocean front, king size bed room for $205 a night including free breakfast for two (the hotel has a decent buffet) for $205 a night for January 2014. It is on the beach and walking distance to many restaurants. Also on the Sun Trolley route for both the Galleria Mall or Las Olas where you will find additional restaurants and unique shops. I usually go down 2-3 nights precruise and stay on the beach. That way I am fully relaxed by the time I step onto the ship!

[babsoncruiser]

We are cruising with Princess staying at the Hyatt Place in December. How do you normally get to the port from the hotel? Does the hotel have a shuttle or are you better off paying for a short taxi ride?

 

The Hyatt Place has a van that will take you to the pier. Just ask at the front desk.

 

My wife and I drove down to FTL from NC, so we drove our car to the port and parked in the long-term parking garage.

[capriccio]

Check out the Florida Departures Board (http://boards.cruisecritic.com/forumdisplay.php?f=495). This question is asked daily and you'll get lots of responses from locals.

[riclop]

Cost. In season, winter, all the hotels have higher prices and the ones on the beach are quite expensive. Out of season you can obtain nice prices.

 

Closest to the pier is SE 17th St. Some hotels include Renaissance, and Hilton Marina which are closest to the pier. Others just a short distance down the street are Hyatt Regency Pier 66, Hyatt Place and Holiday Inn Express. As far as I am aware of those mentioned only the Holiday Inn Express has breakfast. There are some breakfast cafes along 17th St and in the malls. All of these hotels are close enough to the water taxi to get around.

Another option is the Riverside Hotel on Las Olas Blvd. in downtown Ft. Lauderdale. It is also a block from a water taxi stop.

 

If you have a car there are 100's of other hotels you can select from.

The Hyatt has a free breakfast buffet also.

[I object 2]

As a Marriott Rewards Member, I was able to book the Courtyard Marriott Fort Lauderdale Beach, an ocean front, king size bed room for $205 a night including free breakfast for two (the hotel has a decent buffet) for $205 a night for January 2014. It is on the beach and walking distance to many restaurants. Also on the Sun Trolley route for both the Galleria Mall or Las Olas where you will find additional restaurants and unique shops. I usually go down 2-3 nights precruise and stay on the beach. That way I am fully relaxed by the time I step onto the ship!

 

Wow! That's a great price. We too are Marriott Rewards members, but when I checked rates for October 2013, the rate is $259 per night (breakfast not included). :(

[Buck-White Boys]

We've stayed at the Em. Suites....any other ideas? We love the breakfast included. How about those on the beach? Are they more $$$? This will be for January, 2014. Thanks! Julie and Frank

 

If you're at all obsessed - or in love - with ships (as we are), the Hilton Fort Lauderdale Marina can not be beat. The location is absolutely ideal right before the 17th Street bridge. If you get one of the rooms in the tower facing the marina, you can sit on the balcony and watch the ships come in or depart. It's our tradition to arrive the day before our cruise and spend the time watching the ships come in and leave.

 

It's close to everything and there's a shuttle to the port. The service, food and rooms are excellent and comfortable. Princes are very reasonable. There's a very good restaurant right along the marina, the pool is beautiful and spacious. It's just really a great hotel, although not on the beach . . . still close enough to everything to get there quickly and cheaply.

[Me3]

Wow! That's a great price. We too are Marriott Rewards members, but when I checked rates for October 2013, the rate is $259 per night (breakfast not included). :(

 

Were you logged in to your Marriott Rewards account? When I booked recently, I had to choose the option to view all rates, and there was a tab for Marriott Rewards Offers, with cheaper prices and free breakfast for 2 included.

[I object 2]

Were you logged in to your Marriott Rewards account? When I booked recently, I had to choose the option to view all rates, and there was a tab for Marriott Rewards Offers, with cheaper prices and free breakfast for 2 included.

 

 

Thanks, Me3. I didn't notice the Marriott Rewards Offers tab the first time I checked. I logged back in and found the offers tab. Yes, the rate is $209 including breakfast. Now it's a toss up between Embassy Suites on 17th or the Courtyard Marriott beach. Decisions, decisions...... :)

[chathamman]

We stayed at the Hyatt Place a week ago before our Cruise, 6 of us and we used there shuttle. $7 per person. We signed up for 11:00 AM and they were loading our bags at 10:50 while I checked out. They were able to unload us right at the door of the cruise port, porters took our bags and we were off. Good not have been easier. Rates, Rooms, Convenience, Breakfast and Service at this hotel could not have been better.

[Needzavacation]

Also consider checking Travelzoo periodically for hotel offers. We booked the Hyatt Pierr 66 the night prior to our upcoming Allure holiday cruise in late December with the Travelzoo code - got a junior suite + 2 cocktails + 2 water taxi passes for $129.