TrentS, How bad is the damage to hotels

[sueandkent]

Just spoke to the desk at the Extended StayAmerica on 17th street and they have power and are open. They confirmed our reservation for next Saturday and did say they are taking guests so if anybody is looking this may be a hotel to try.

He also told me the boat show had been officially cancelled. I have no idea how reliable this info is but it did come straight from the hotel.

[TrentS]

Unless something has changed in the last hour, the boat show has NOT been cancelled. It's just been rescheduled to November 3-6.

 

Check this website for continuing updates... http://www.flibs.net/

[sueandkent]

Spoke with the Bahia Mar this evening and they are up and running also. They also said the boat show was cancelled and someone else posted it on another thread regarding another hotel also. Wierd!!!!

Oh well, boat show or not, at least the hotels are getting back to normal and hopefully the citizens of FLL as well.

[TrentS]

Well, all I can do is tell you that I talked with someone from Show Management this evening, who runs the boat show, and they said it's NOT cancelled, just rescheduled for November 3-6.

 

I can only surmise that the operators at the hotels are confusing the date change with a cancellation. :confused: It was suppose to begin yesterday, and that date has been "cancelled", but the entire show has NOT, only rescheduled.

[OrthoRN]

How close is the Comfort Inn, on Commercial Blvd, from most of the damaged areas.... Hopefully they will be up and running...

 

Seems like they are working fast to get everything back up..

[MurielW]

Trent, another thank you for an avid CC reader. I am amazed at how much time and effort you put in to keep all of us aware of the Fort Lauderdale hotels. As a "newbie" I found the information invaluable. My husband and I initially reserved at the Wyndham for our May 3rd cruise on the Coral, but after reading your updates and Trip Advisor we switched to the Holiday Inn Express on 17th.

 

Again, our many thanks for all your help.

[kitty1]

Trent - Do you know if the Four Points Sheraton in Miami Beach sustained any damage? We are scheduled to stay there in 2 weeks prior to our cruise.

[Vibe]

Trent,

If you get a chance can you drive by the AmeriSuites on 17th and verify if they are open, I am getting conflicting information from the reps at the 800 number.

 

Thank You for all of our help, you are providing a lot of information and it is appreciated.

[TrentS]

OrthoRN - There is some damage throughout the entire area, from Palm Beach to the Keys, but the degree varies, and things are very quickly getting back to normal. The biggest problem most of the hotels are having is waiting for the power to come back on. I haven't been up that far north though and don't know what the status is of that Comfort Inn.

 

MurielW - You're welcome... You'll like that Holiday Inn Express a lot better. It's a much better neighborhood too, everything you could want is within easy walking distance. The Wyndham is isolated if you don't have a car.

 

kitty1 - Four Points Sheraton Miami Beach is open and operating.

 

Vibe - I'll be past there tomorrow and will check on AmeriSuites. I drove around it a couple of days ago and it was closed, but no visible damage, just waiting for power. Several other hotels along SE 17th Street have gotten power back and reopened, but I didn't have time to go back in and check on AmeriSuites today.

[berbet]

Trent: I am new to the boards but enjoy reading your posts as you are always so helpful to all with FLL lodging info. I'm so glad to hear that you and your home came through the hurrricane unharmed.

 

We are taking our first cruise in Dec. and made a ressie at the Sleep Inn in Dania for the night before our cruise. Any damage info. on that property? Thank you in advance.

[TrentS]

Sorry, I haven't been past the Sleep Inn in Dania.

[berbet]

Thanks. Actually I was just reading some of your other posts on a different thread and I'm thinking of maybe trying to switch our ressie to the Holiday Inn Express Conv. Center on 17th as you seem to highly recommend that. It sounds like a better area and closer to the port for about the same price. Thanks again for all your help!

[TrentS]

Holiday Inn Express "Convention Center", and Extended Stay America are next door to each other, and are both very nice "budget" hotels in a much better location than Sleep Inn.

 

Sleep Inn is fine if you get in late and just want to "sleep", or have a car, but if want to have dinner, and you're on foot, SE 17th Street is a much better area to stay in.

 

Sleep Inn has a Walgreens and Publix grocery, but not much else. There's a pizza place and take away Chinese food next to Publix, but that's about it for food in that area.

 

SE 17th Street is just outside the entrance to the port, less than 10 minutes from the airport, and has many many shops, dozens of restaurants of all kinds, Publix, Winn-Dixie, Walgreens, CVS, 3 liquor stores, plus the very popular Water Taxi all within safe, easy walking distance.

[PCCruisers]

Looks like they are getting Fort Lauderdale cleaned up. Just a bit of tattered trees and still a lot of sand on the roads.

I found these pictures taken today from the FLL boat show being set up ,taken today, from the Bahia Mar resort, which they say is open on Seabreeze Blvd. To see the pictures click on this link. http://www.flibs.net/flibs05_1.htm There are pictures of the waterways and the beach. Rates may be a lot higher if you are looking for a room due to the fact that they rescheduled the boat show to open 11/4 instead of 2 weeks ago.

 

I also read that electricity is coming back to the resort areas as well as potable water.

Some encouraging news.

[Bequia]

A lot of the rooms are being taken up by the power crews, insurance adjusters, contractors etc in town for storm recovery. They will be around for weeks until SoFla is back in order. Room availability is going to be real tight and expensive.

[kitty1]

Trent - Thanks so much. Your posts have been very helpful. Hope everything gets back to normal for you soon.

[phillipahain]

Oh great

Looks like Wellesley Inn in Tamarac will be closed till 15th

 

We have a no refund /non cancel booking there for 1st to 5th Nov before our cruise on Volendam

 

Central booking REFUSE to answer 6 URGENT E mails

Just what do they expect overseas folk to do ?

 

What a shambles these Central Reservations offices are they are not even in Florida

[Danny-1]

Hi Trent,

 

Any damage in that area? We are booked on the Victory Jan 1, 2006. I understand they have a fireworks show New Years Eve at Bayside.

 

Thanks

Danny

[TrentS]

phillipahain - Obviously you will not be charged if the hotel is closed. I know it will be a bit expensive from the UK, but I would call the reservations office rather than e-mail.

 

Danny - Bayside and the Holiday Inn are open and operating. Yes, there's a very nice New Year's Eve fireworks show at Bayside. :)

[TrentS]

Trent,

If you get a chance can you drive by the AmeriSuites on 17th and verify if they are open, I am getting conflicting information from the reps at the 800 number.

 

Thank You for all of our help, you are providing a lot of information and it is appreciated.

I spoke to someone at AmeriSuites this morning, the phone is working now. He said they're not open yet, and didn't have any idea when they would be. I have to go to that area this afternoon, I'll stop in and see if I can get any more info. The guy I spoke with seemed a bit clueless.

[Vibe]

Trent,

 

Thank You, any additional info you can find out about AmeriSuites on 17th will be greatly appreciated.

[TrentS]

Unfortunately I didn't find out anything else. The doors are locked and no one is in sight. There's a sign on the front door saying "Thanks to Hurricane Wilma, closed until further notice".

 

There's no visible damage to the building at all, but that section still doesn't look like it has power. Most of SE 17th Street does have power, but AmeriSuites, Outback Steakhouse and Del Rio Tex Mex are still closed and dark.

 

AmeriSuites had all the windows open in the rooms and curtains tied back like they were trying to air the rooms out so perhaps they've had some water damage. I was past there the day after the hurricane though and I didn't see any broken windows or any sign of the roof being off or anything like that so I'm sure it's nothing serious, but I don't know what else to tell you except to keep checking with them, or try and find a backup hotel if you're coming soon.

[Vibe]

Trent,

Thank You for your time and effort. If you happen to notice when AmeriSuites is open, please let us know, we were planning on staying there on Sat. Nov 5th

[cruisequeen007]

Trent,

 

You information is very important to all of us and we appreciate your help.

My question is that we have reservations for the Amerisuites for Nov 18. I have tried their phone number and can not get thru, just an error message.

We are driving in from Ohio and can always stay north of Fort Lauderdale. Can you tell me how far north I should look for a hotel that is not damaged?

Also if we want to park at Port Everglades garage, are they open or did they have damage and power outages?

[cruisequeen007]

Trent,

 

You information is very important to all of us and we appreciate your help.

My question is that we have reservations for the Amerisuites for Nov 18. I have tried their phone number and can not get thru, just an error message.

We are driving in from Ohio and can always stay north of Fort Lauderdale. Can you tell me how far north I should look for a hotel that is not damaged?

Also if we want to park at Port Everglades garage, are they open or did they have damage and power outages?