Hotels In FLL - Help!

[blueyesdm]

My husband and I can't decide on where to stay pre-cruise April '06. We are torn between:

Holiday Inn Express (Convention Center),

Amerisuites Ft Lauderdale (this is the best rate)

Hampton Inn Fort Lauderdale Airport North

Ramada Inn Fort Lauderdale Airport/Cruiseport

I've read mixed reviews on all of them on Tripadvisor. We will be arriving two days prior to our cruise so we'd like to be close to the beaches, restaurants and entertainment. I'm so picky about where I stay, I don't want to spend a fortune to stay at a 4-star hotel but I want it to be clean and comfortable.

Please help us!!! :)

[TrentS]

No contest... Go with the Holiday Inn Express "Convention Center" on SE 17th Street! It's the nicest of those four, less than 10 minutes from FLL and just outside the entrance to Port Everglades, in a very safe neighborhood, with many many restaurants, shops, grocery, drug, liquor stores, as well as the Water Taxi within easy walking distance. It's also the closest to the beach of the four, less than 5 minutes, or you can take the Water Taxi... http://www.watertaxi.com/FortLauderdale/FLLHome.Asp

 

AmeriSuites is also in the same neighborhood as Holiday Inn Express, just a few blocks west. It's fine, usually the least expensive on SE 17th Street, but Holiday Inn Express is a bit nicer hotel.

 

If you want to be close to beaches, restaurants and entertainment then you want to be in the SE 17th Street area, especially if you don't have a car! Forget the last two, they're close to nothing. You'll have to have a car or spend a lot of money on taxis if you stay at them.

 

That particular Hampton Inn is not in a good neighborhood, and is quite a bit farther from the airport, beach, and port than the first two. There is little to do in the area on foot, not that you would really want to anyway. The last one is not a nice place at all, a long way from everything, in a nasty area surrounded by freeways. I'd sleep in a car before staying there!

[Cruiser_Guy]

Holiday Inn Express!! Just as Trent said, its the nicest, and closest to everything.

[Jim B]

Trent:

Would you explain the "water Taxi" a little bit.

From the HIEX Convention Center

Can we get on it close by?

Can we just get on a go for a ride?

How late does it operated?

Any other things you can think of would be appriciated.

[TrentS]

The Water Taxi is the best bargain in Fort Lauderdale. For $5 you can buy an all day pass. It operates until a little after 10pm. You don't have to "go" anywhere in particular, you can just go for a ride, but you should at least go to Las Olas Blvd. (get off at the Riverside Hotel stop)... http://www.lasolasboulevard.com/

 

The closest Water Taxi stop to the Holiday Inn Express "Convention Center" is at the Marina Marriott - Go across the street and about 3 blocks east to the Marriott, you can't miss it, it's just below the bridge.

 

For more info... http://www.watertaxi.com/FortLauderdale/FLLHome.Asp

 

Map... http://www.watertaxi.com/FortLauderdale/FLLMap.Asp

[Jim B]

I thank you Trent

[cdnguy]

Just a point about the Holiday Inn Express on 17th St.

Despite the fact that it's web site says it has a pool it does not. We also called the central Holiday Inn reservation # and they also said there's a pool :rolleyes:

[TrentS]

Just a point about the Holiday Inn Express on 17th St.

Despite the fact that it's web site says it has a pool it does not. We also called the central Holiday Inn reservation # and they also said there's a pool :rolleyes:

Well I can confirm there is NO pool at the Holiday Inn Express, but where on the website does it say there is???... http://www.ichotelsgroup.com/h/d/ex/1/en/hd/fllcc

 

Unless you're looking at a different website, or maybe I need new glasses, but I can't see any reference to a pool on there at all, and don't recall ever seeing anything about a pool in the past either. :confused:

[RDMOREU]

Could the poster be confused with this Holiday Inn Hotel & Suites:

 

http://www.ichotelsgroup.com/h/d/ex/1/en/hd/fllsr

[TrentS]

Could the poster be confused with this Holiday Inn Hotel & Suites:

 

http://www.ichotelsgroup.com/h/d/ex/1/en/hd/fllsr

Yeah, I thought that after I posted... That Holiday Inn Express does have a pool, but it's not in a nice neighborhood, has little around it, and even though they call themselves "Air/Sea Port" it's actually quite a bit farther away from both than the Holiday Inn Express "Convention Center" on SE 17th Street.

[legalslave]

Does anyone know if the Holiday Inn Express 17th St has complimentary shuttle for airport and Port Everglades?

 

Diane

[TrentS]

Does anyone know if the Holiday Inn Express 17th St has complimentary shuttle for airport and Port Everglades?

 

Diane

They do to the airport, but I don't think they do to the port any longer. However it's only a block to the entrance of the port so a taxi would be very inexpensive.

 

And since a lot of people ask - No, you won't want to attempt to walk in. It's only a block to the entrance, but it's not really set up for walking within the port complex, you have to go through the security checkpoint first, and from there it can be quite a distance (1-2 miles in some cases) to your ship depending on where it's docked.

[legalslave]

Thanks a bunch Trent!

 

Diane

[BobbieSu]

My husband and I can't decide on where to stay pre-cruise April '06. We are torn between:

Holiday Inn Express (Convention Center),

Amerisuites Ft Lauderdale (this is the best rate)

Hampton Inn Fort Lauderdale Airport North

Ramada Inn Fort Lauderdale Airport/Cruiseport

I've read mixed reviews on all of them on Tripadvisor. We will be arriving two days prior to our cruise so we'd like to be close to the beaches, restaurants and entertainment. I'm so picky about where I stay, I don't want to spend a fortune to stay at a 4-star hotel but I want it to be clean and comfortable.

Please help us!!! :)

 

 

While I agree with those saying to stay at the Holdiay Inn express for the reasons of being close to the beaches/restaurants and port, I wanted to share my experience.

 

We stayed at the Hampton Inn Fort Lauderdale Airport North last Feb and were very happy with both the hotel and the area. I know that some locals apparently have reservations about it, but it was just what we needed and we felt safe. We had a 6am flight out the next morning, and our priority was a quick drive to drop off our car and get to the airport. I was very nervous about booking the hotel sight unseen but the Hampton Inn fit the bill completely. The staff were friendly, the clientle seemed to be mostly cruise people, (they had a shuttle to the Port Everglades as well as to the airport -just not early enough for us). They had complimentary breakfast, clean and adequate rooms. We are used to staying at Marriotts as I worked for them. This was not a full service Marriott, but I felt it compared well with a Courtyard or Fairfield Inn. There was a shopping area next door where we were able to have dinner. I would gladly recommend it for those needing an airport shuttle or like us a hotel close to the airport.

 

Su

[VaCruzers]

I, too, must respectfully disagree with your negativity of the Hampton Inn Ft. Lauderdale North. We stayed there last May & had excellent service and accomodations including free transportation to anywhere we wanted to go in the Ft. Lauderdale area. I don't know anything about the other places you mentioned, but can speak to the experience we had at the Hampton Inn. We will be there again in December.

[blueyesdm]

Thank you for all of your info Trent and everyone else! I really appreciate it.

 

It's so hard to book a hotel not knowing the area and such and I don't want to end up in a dump or far away from everything.

 

Thanks again!! :)

[TrentS]

BobbieSu and VaCruzzers - I have never been negative about that particular hotel, only the NEIGHBORHOOD that it's in! While I'm sure that particular hotel is fine and perfectly safe, it's not in the safest neighborhood.

 

IMO there are far better options in Fort Lauderdale for cruisers without cars. SE 17th Street simply has many many more restaurants, many various types of shops, a brand new Publix grocery store, a new Walgreens, as well as other grocery and drug stores, plus 3 large liquor stores, all within a relatively small area that's easier and SAFER to walk around in. The extremely popular Water Taxi is also an easy walk from the SE 17th Street hotels. The SE 17th Street hotels are also closer to the airport, port, and beach.

[traveller333]

For the money, I agree that the H.I. Express is the best bargain in town for just a night pre or post cruise. You won't regret it. Great staff, very clean, free breakfast and free internet.

[City_Woman]

I have booked into the Holiday Inn Express Convention Centre and they said their shuttle to the port is $6 pp.

 

CityWoman

[Hello-Kitty]

i just would like to express my thanks to all of you. All your posts have been very helpfull. I am reading like crazy before i post all the same questions, lol. I stayed in a not-so-clean hotel last May and do not want to make that mistake again!!

 

I think i am going to try one of the above mentioned. I am not looking for fancy ( only going to be there a few hours to sleep) just want a clean room:).

 

So all the above mentioned are close to a liquor store? I just need some juices and booze!!!

[TrentS]

i just would like to express my thanks to all of you. All your posts have been very helpfull. I am reading like crazy before i post all the same questions, lol. I stayed in a not-so-clean hotel last May and do not want to make that mistake again!!

 

I think i am going to try one of the above mentioned. I am not looking for fancy ( only going to be there a few hours to sleep) just want a clean room:).

 

So all the above mentioned are close to a liquor store? I just need some juices and booze!!!

These 2 are both close to liquor stores, as well as grocery & drug stores and many many restaurants. They're both no frills budget hotels, are clean, and in a good safe neighborhood less than 10 minutes from FLL and just outside the entrance to Port Everglades.

 

Holiday Inn Express... http://www.ichotelsgroup.com/h/d/ex/1/en/hd/fllcc

 

Extended Stay America... http://www.extendedstayamerica.com/hotels/fort-lauderdale-convention-center-marina.html

[Hello-Kitty]

Trent you are amazing!! I have been reading your posts and u sure know your stuff!!!!

I clicked on the link for amerisuites its quotes 109 for sat nite and i have looked around and got prices in the 200 range??? Is that right, why so cheap??? i would loce to get 80.00 that would be ideal i will keep looking.

[TrentS]

Trent you are amazing!! I have been reading your posts and u sure know your stuff!!!!

I clicked on the link for amerisuites its quotes 109 for sat nite and i have looked around and got prices in the 200 range??? Is that right, why so cheap??? i would loce to get 80.00 that would be ideal i will keep looking.

AmeriSuites is not quite as nice as the two I mentioned above, but it's fine, and is usually the least expensive of the SE 17th Street hotels. It's cheaper through Valuetrips than through AmeriSuites directly... http://www.valuetrips.com/AMS/FL/F17.htm

 

Yes, $109/night is the Valuetrips price for Saturday nights at AmeriSuites Jan. 1 - April 30, 2006 except during their blackout dates (in the fine print below the rates). To get that rate you have to send in a "request" and they get back to you in a couple of days and let you know.

 

For March 2006 I would say $80 would be very difficult except at the places with hourly rates that you don't want to go anywhere near! :eek:

 

With that being Spring Break time, the extremely popular King Tut exhibit in town, and increased tourism in general prices are through the roof this winter/spring.

[Hello-Kitty]

Trent i thought taking early march i would miss Spring Break??? Please tell me i am not going to run into Daytona Beach on the ship????? Oh Boy i had that once and almost swore i would never go back, when i am on vacation i just want peace:rolleyes: .

 

I am going to try the other motels, i just noticed i would have to add another 20.00 to amerisuites for other people so in all reality its the same price:confused:

[BobbieSu]

BobbieSu and VaCruzzers - I have never been negative about that particular hotel, only the NEIGHBORHOOD that it's in! While I'm sure that particular hotel is fine and perfectly safe, it's not in the safest neighborhood.

And all I am saying is that it wasn't in the worst neighborhood either. I was very hard pressed to find a hotel by the airport that was acceptable. And I worried about this due to "neighborhood" and almost went with something more expensive and further away. I'm just glad I didn't, I felt like my worries were for nothing.

 

 

All that being said, absolutely book one of the other hotels if you are on foot and want to see FLL--you won't be able to at the Hampton Inn

 

Su