Need something new in FLL (hotel)

[mitsugirly]

We will be driving from Tampa from our cruise in November, to FLL to meet up with family flying in, staying the night, then taking a shuttle to Miami the following day for our next cruise. We are looking for a good, REASONABLE hotel to stay over night.

 

Here are our qualifications that we are looking for.

 

1) Must be within a range from the FLL airport to provide free shuttle from the airport to the hotel. (We will be driving a rental car and will be dropping it off at the airport, then will need a shuttle from the airport to the hotel).

 

2) Must be within walking distance to a grocery store or gas station to get soda for the cruise. (When I say walking distance, I'm thinking maybe 3-4 blocks at the most since there are so many of us and we will have little ones with us)

 

3) Must be within walking distance to food (fast food, nothing expensive or fancy).

 

4) It would be a plus if it included a free breakfast with the stay and even a bigger plus if it was a hot breakfast.

 

5) We would like it to be around $100-$120 in price if possible.

 

 

Last time we stayed at Springhill on 18th Ave in Dania and it was a fabulous location (within walking distance to everything we needed).

 

I wouldn't mind staying in Dania again and even on Stirling Rd if possible.

 

Are there any other places that I should put in that is a decent area, like Dania, when I do my searches? Since I don't know the area, I'm not sure which areas I should "avoid".

 

Another plus is if any of these places might be listed on LMT and can be figured out by the pictures. :)

 

Thanks in advance for your help and suggestions.

[Ashland]

We will be driving from Tampa from our cruise in November, to FLL to meet up with family flying in, staying the night, then taking a shuttle to Miami the following day for our next cruise. We are looking for a good, REASONABLE hotel to stay over night.

 

Here are our qualifications that we are looking for.

 

1) Must be within a range from the FLL airport to provide free shuttle from the airport to the hotel. (We will be driving a rental car and will be dropping it off at the airport, then will need a shuttle from the airport to the hotel).

 

2) Must be within walking distance to a grocery store or gas station to get soda for the cruise. (When I say walking distance, I'm thinking maybe 3-4 blocks at the most since there are so many of us and we will have little ones with us)

 

3) Must be within walking distance to food (fast food, nothing expensive or fancy).

 

4) It would be a plus if it included a free breakfast with the stay and even a bigger plus if it was a hot breakfast.

 

5) We would like it to be around $100-$120 in price if possible.

 

 

Last time we stayed at Springhill on 18th Ave in Dania and it was a fabulous location (within walking distance to everything we needed).

 

I wouldn't mind staying in Dania again and even on Stirling Rd if possible.

 

Are there any other places that I should put in that is a decent area, like Dania, when I do my searches? Since I don't know the area, I'm not sure which areas I should "avoid".

 

Another plus is if any of these places might be listed on LMT and can be figured out by the pictures. :)

 

Thanks in advance for your help and suggestions.

No need to "figure" your hotel out by guessing...Try using

 

www.lmtclub.com

 

Just go through the online sign up process as they usually are always offering free membership. We have gotten great rates using this for Embassy Suites.

 

Not sure what rental company you're using but there is a Budget office just down the street from ES so no need to use FLL...if that's not possible a taxi ride from FLL to ES should only be approx $15-18.00.

 

Don't limit your choices to a hotel that offers free shuttle and has everything else you need.

[mitsugirly]

No need to "figure" your hotel out by guessing...Try using

 

www.lmtclub.com

 

Just go through the online sign up process as they usually are always offering free membership. We have gotten great rates using this for Embassy Suites.

 

Not sure what rental company you're using but there is a Budget office just down the street from ES so no need to use FLL...if that's not possible a taxi ride from FLL to ES should only be approx $15-18.00.

 

Don't limit your choices to a hotel that offers free shuttle and has everything else you need.

 

 

According to LMT, their membership is $49.99, something I'm not willing to pay when I can just compare pictures to find out the hotel (plus I know in the past you can actually call them and they sometimes give you a better deal than what's listed online and will tell you the name of the hotel when you ask). So that's not an option.

 

I will check out Embassy Suites. Where are they located? Do they offer free airport transportation? Free buffet? Walking distance to things we need?

 

We need the free transportation because like I said, we have family members flying in to the airport and we are meeting them there (some of my children, their significant others, grandchild and extended family member). We will be driving to the airport to meet them there and will need transportation to the hotel we'll be staying in. We really do need it to be free transportation because there's so many of us and at this point, my kids and their families have been pinching pennies just to make this trip/cruise/vacation and don't want to have to endure any more cost than needed and free transportation to the hotel is one of those that would help with cost. :D

 

I forgot...another thing that would be really nice is if the hotel had laundry facilities (since we will be getting off one cruise and going on another, we will need to wash clothes). I know this is asking for a lot in 1 hotel, but if it's out there, I hope to find it. If it doesn't have laundry facilities, I guess we'll have to find a laundry mat to go to while we still have the rental before heading to the airport. :p

[JohninDC]

www.sunny.org has a wealth of FLL area tourist and lodging info. Unless you are cruising near or over Thanksgiving hotel prices in the FLL area should be reasonable.

[KroozFoolz]

http://comfortsuitesfortlauderdale.com/

[mitsugirly]

www.sunny.org has a wealth of FLL area tourist and lodging info. Unless you are cruising near or over Thanksgiving hotel prices in the FLL area should be reasonable.

 

 

I did look at that page right before posting this. I got kind of frustrated when I see the prices listed there and after clicking on it, the prices were like twice the amount listed. I finally gave up and figured maybe someone has stayed somewhere that could suggest a good place that has the things I'm looking for. :p Plus, like I said, I'm really not sure what "area" to put in on any of my searches (except for Dania). Maybe I'll try it again later and see what I can find out.

[KroozFoolz]

might check sleep inn and suites dania

[tncap]

Also just a heads up, LMT membership is free.

[Ashland]

LMT and Last Minute Travel Club aren't the same...As I posted above www.lmtclub.com usually always is offering free membership just go through the online process and at the end it will have a "0" balance due = free membership....I too would never pay to belong...and have been a member for a few years with no problems on it expiring or them ever asking for a membership fee....many other's on this board have experienced the same...it's a favorite booking site for many of us.

 

Embassy Suites has a wonderful free cooked to order hot breakfast buffet and free cocktail hours in the evening...it's located on 17th Street just in front of the Publix shopping center.

Edited August 29, 2014 by Ashland

[FreestyleNovice]

mitsu, any exact dates?

[quillwercruisers]

LMT and Last Minute Travel Club aren't the same...As I posted above www.lmtclub.com usually always is offering free membership just go through the online process and at the end it will have a "0" balance due = free membership....I too would never pay to belong...and have been a member for a few years with no problems on it expiring or them ever asking for a membership fee....many other's on this board have experienced the same...it's a favorite booking site for many of us.

 

Embassy Suites has a wonderful free cooked to order hot breakfast buffet and free cocktail hours in the evening...it's located on 17th Street just in front of the Publix shopping center.

 

I just tried the website you put above, and it would not go past the enter cc information. If they are offering free membership, then it must be through a promotional code that I am not aware of.

[Ashland]

I just tried the website you put above, and it would not go past the enter cc information. If they are offering free membership, then it must be through a promotional code that I am not aware of.

As I said they are "usually" offering free membership...I remember reading recently someone used SUMMER2014 for their free membership. You can also try calling them (800) 442-0568 and ask for a free membership code. Best of luck

[nhraformula00]

There is NO need to join lastmintravel club to see every hotel name that they have hidden on their site. Just use an I-PAD, all of the hotels names are shown when using an I-PAD. I don't know why, but don't care. If you do not have one, borrow one for a day or two.

[Chan_T]

You can also check Hampton Inn Plantation. They do offer a shuttle to/from airport and to the cruise port.

[mitsugirly]

http://comfortsuitesfortlauderdale.com/

 

 

I couldn't get this link to work the other day and it's finally working. Thanks. This looks just like something we are looking for. It's in a location close to walking distance for everything we need. Free airport transportation and hot breakfast for a decent price. Definitely a possibility! :)

 

I forgot to mention...it has a pretty "groovy" looking decor too. hehe

Edited August 31, 2014 by mitsugirly

[mitsugirly]

might check sleep inn and suites dania

 

 

Even cheaper! I'm hitting the jackpot here. You are a really big help. Thank you so much!! :) Both of them even have on site laundry too.

Edited August 31, 2014 by mitsugirly

[mitsugirly]

As I said they are "usually" offering free membership...I remember reading recently someone used SUMMER2014 for their free membership. You can also try calling them (800) 442-0568 and ask for a free membership code. Best of luck

 

I tried to sign up the other day and when it said there was a charge, I backed out and closed it.

 

Today I was going to go on and try it again and when I started to register, it said I was already registered. :confused: Maybe it went ahead and took my other information the other day. I know the password wasn't what I always put, so I'm not sure if they assigned it or what. But, I was able to get on. We'll see what I come up with on it.

 

There is NO need to join lastmintravel club to see every hotel name that they have hidden on their site. Just use an I-PAD, all of the hotels names are shown when using an I-PAD. I don't know why, but don't care. If you do not have one, borrow one for a day or two.

 

HAHAHAHA...I was sitting outside last week on my ipad talking to my daughter online at the same time and we were trying to find a hotel and I was on LMT and couldn't understand WHY it was showing all the hotels names on there. :eek: I thought I had done something wrong and wasn't getting all of them. After awhile, I gave up and figured they just weren't showing me the hidden hotels with the awesome deals and tried again later on my computer only to be able to see "hidden" hotels once again. I guess THIS EXPLAINS IT. LOL Silly me. :D

[mitsugirly]

mitsu, any exact dates?

 

 

November 16th.

 

You can also check Hampton Inn Plantation. They do offer a shuttle to/from airport and to the cruise port.

 

 

I doubt they will offer us free cruise port shuttle....we are going to Miami. :D But I will check them out as well.

[wieslaw]

Hi,

if you are considering the Sleep Inn in Dania, you might want to look at my report of our stay there. It has been about 1 1/2 years ago, but probably not much changed in the hotel. One thing that did change is the Publix got moved so no longer close to the hotel

Here is the link, if you are interested:

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1753762

[mitsugirly]

Hi,

if you are considering the Sleep Inn in Dania, you might want to look at my report of our stay there. It has been about 1 1/2 years ago, but probably not much changed in the hotel. One thing that did change is the Publix got moved so no longer close to the hotel

Here is the link, if you are interested:

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1753762

 

You almost scared me there for a minute. I expected you to have a really bad review with a warning not to go there. I kept waiting for the "bad" to come and it didn't. Whew. :D Glad you had a good experience there.

 

I'm going to mention this place to my daughter...especially because it says that they do have accommodations for up to 6 people in 1 room. There are 9 of us going and the hubby and I and our 6 year old daughter always get our own room. Then my 26 year old daughter, my 19 year old son and their significant others and children will be joining us and all want to split a room (cheaper for them since there's 6 of them total).

 

This place also seems to be the cheapest I have found so far and by going on to the "Choice hotels" site, it's cheaper than any other place online (including LMT). Plus if you opt to book using the advanced purchase rate it's even cheaper! (Which we have done this before when booking). :D

[wieslaw]

As I have written in the report, the hotel met all of our needs, but it is not a very fency place ..... but we did not pay a lot and we were happy what we got.

That was our pre- cruise ( Vision ) stay.

 

I remember answering one of your posts about the location of car rental close to port in Tampa. What did you ended up using ?

[mitsugirly]

As I have written in the report, the hotel met all of our needs, but it is not a very fency place ..... but we did not pay a lot and we were happy what we got.

That was our pre- cruise ( Vision ) stay.

 

I remember answering one of your posts about the location of car rental close to port in Tampa. What did you ended up using ?

 

I completely understand. You can tell from the pictures that it's nothing fancy. It looks like it still has a older ugly type of bedspreads on it that they use to have during the 80's. :eek: But it's ok. As long as it has everything we need, which is seems to. It's an added plus that it's cheap, has a hot breakfast, pool, free airport shuttle, laundry facility and within walking distance to everywhere we need. It sounds like it fits just what we're needing for a pre-cruise stay. :)

[Lionesss]

We have stayed twice at the Embassy Suites, and have been satisfied with the location and "perks" included with your stay.

 

How-ever----- DD would like to experience a hotel that has ocean front or water front accomodations to relax on a beach.

 

But:

 

To sum it up $$$$$$$$$$$$$

 

For a one night stay, I would rather stay at the ES at the end of July, than pay the $$$$$$$$$$

 

Looks like we are going back to the ES.

 

Sea Ya

[Barsnikel]

Lionesss :

 

I'm thinking about booking that Embassy Suites for mid-October. What kind of rate did you get ?

Edited August 31, 2014 by Barsnikel

[Lionesss]

Lionesss :

 

I'm thinking about booking that Embassy Suites for mid-October. What kind of rate did you get ?

 

 

 

We got $139 before they add on all those touristy Floridian taxes and Fees,

When all was said and done it rounded upto $170ish.

 

But

Free cocktails in evening

NICE pool

Free unbeleivable breakfast

Walking distance to restuarants, Publix and wine store.

 

Sea Ya