Should I be concerned about the Ft. Lauderdale Hilton Marina?

[Turtles06]

I need to book a pre-cruise hotel in Ft. Lauderdale for two nights in Nov. 2017. I've done many searches in this forum, and folks seem to like the FLL Hilton Marina. I can get a good price there right now as a Hilton Honors member.

 

My concern is that on Trip Advisor, some recent reviewers say the place is badly in need of a refresh, make-over, deep clean, disconcerting stuff like that. (If we book there, it would be in a high-floor tower room.)

 

I'd appreciate any advice about this hotel, particularly if you've stayed there recently. Thanks!

[grandmarnnurse]

I haven't stayed there in recent years, but it was lovely when I did. Most recently, we have stayed at the Renaissance, just up the street a bit.

 

 

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[Kamloops50]

I need to book a pre-cruise hotel in Ft. Lauderdale for two nights in Nov. 2017. I've done many searches in this forum, and folks seem to like the FLL Hilton Marina. I can get a good price there right now as a Hilton Honors member.

 

My concern is that on Trip Advisor, some recent reviewers say the place is badly in need of a refresh, make-over, deep clean, disconcerting stuff like that. (If we book there, it would be in a high-floor tower room.)

 

I'd appreciate any advice about this hotel, particularly if you've stayed there recently. Thanks!

 

As a Hilton Honors member look at the Embassy Suites just up the street. Have stayed at both . Prefer Embassy suites for it's free full breakfast.

The Marina has a better location. Stayed in the Marina last April and it was perfectly fine only a little dated otherwise fine.

[k8ster72]

I agree that the Embassy Suites would be a better choice. The Hilton was OK but had a bit too much mildew.

 

 

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[mallie24]

Thinking we would have a higher end hotel stay prior to our cruise for our mother's 80th birthday turned into a very real disappointment. Old, stained is fine. Found someone's toe nail clippings in the carpet...disgusting. Never again.

[rzmz89]

We stayed there last year in 1/2016 and it was fine. We had a higher room in the tower and had a view of the cruise ships coming in. The room was clean and the noise from the highway was very minimal. Hope to be staying there again this 1/2017.

[bookcrazy1]

We stayed there last week. Very nice hotel. I would go back. The common areas are a bit worn but our room was very nice.

 

 

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[Turtles06]

Thanks for all the feedback above. Sounds like the experience may depend on the specific room. I'd already looked into the Embassy Suites, but the reviews on Trip Advisor are even worse than for the Hilton Marina. E.g., this recent one:

 

I am a Hilton honors member with diamond status so I do quite a bit of traveling. This might be the worst Hilton property I have been to in years. It had a mildew smell, which is not surprising because this property is in immediate need of a full makeover. Perhaps even implode the building and start over. Broken elevators, barely operable faucets, water pressure like you would find in a Third World Country. I will not stay here again and neither should you.

 

:eek:

[BlueHerons]

Thanks for all the feedback above. Sounds like the experience may depend on the specific room. I'd already looked into the Embassy Suites, but the reviews on Trip Advisor are even worse than for the Hilton Marina. E.g., this recent one:

 

 

 

:eek:

 

Of course they have mildew problems. Fort Lauderdale is on the water surrounded by water. We all fight mildew.

[grandmarnnurse]

Thanks for all the feedback above. Sounds like the experience may depend on the specific room. I'd already looked into the Embassy Suites, but the reviews on Trip Advisor are even worse than for the Hilton Marina. E.g., this recent one:

 

 

 

:eek:

 

I, too, have read a lot of bad reviews for that Embassy Suites lately, including they have had a recent bed bug problem, which is not unusual for a south Florida hotel. But, for that matter, I have heard bed bug reports for most of the hotels, at one time or another, along with a recent report of some on the ship (unconfirmed) I am sailing in January! I always just do thorough bed bug check whenever I check into any hotel, or ship cabin, and then Hot Shot my luggage when I arrive home.

[4serenity]

The BAHIA MAR is a beautiful hotel in the Marina and is right on the beach strip. Has a private walk-over to got to the beach, great pool area also.

 

 

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[pjules]

I've stayed at the Hilton Marina many times. I like the area because the water taxi stops out front and I like the marina setting. The rooms do show their age. I prefer the rooms in the tower. I would definitely stay there again, but I know what to expect. I wouldn't say their rooms are offensive. My personal experience at several of the hotels in Fort Lauderdale is that the rooms do have a dampness to them, which is the likely culprit for mildew. If you want newer accommodations, the Renaissance down the road is a good option, but is usually more expensive.

 

 

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[Kamloops50]

Look at reports about Embassy Suites. Most rated the hotel good or excellent.

 

 

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[IndyDenise]

Most hotels will experience bedbugs at some point.

 

It's how the hotel REACTS when they are found is what is important .

 

If they try to gaslight the guest, refuse to move/refund/clean belongings, have an infestation they are ignoring., well then you need to stay far away.

 

I'm as squeamish about bed bugs as they come but I'm satisfied that ES did their part or more reports would be out there . They owned their stuff in other words.

 

 

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[Turtles06]

For the dates I'm looking at in Nov. 2017, the Embassy Suites is TWICE the price of the Hilton Marina (and that's for a tower room at the Marina). Does this seem crazy? Did I just stumble on a really good deal for the Marina?

[Kamloops50]

That's about right for the price difference. The Embassy is usually about a $100 more when booked thru the cruise line.

 

 

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[Want2Cruise 701]

We stayed at the Hilton Marina in May for 2 nights pre-cruise. I would not stay there again. We had a corner tower suite and the room was blowing HOT air all the time. They came to fix it twice. Each time they said it was fixed and hot air would blow again. They would not move us because they said the hotel was sold out but gave us breakfast coupons. We are HHonors so we received breakfast coupons when we checked in anyway. Duh???

 

Also, we arrived late afternoon and were being told to keep checking back to see if the room was ready. Very annoying as we would get comfortable, get up and room was still not ready.

 

The second night we had other family members arrive for the cruise. They checked our adult children into the room we had reserved for our inlaws and vice versa. We had selected their rooms the day before since we are HHonors. One room was a tower and the other was a intracoastal.

 

Try the Marriott Harbor Beach. That is our favorite. Have not stayed at the Ren so I can't help with that.

[Subman738]

We stayed at the Hilton Bahia Marina. The tower side is definitely the best of the 2 options. The other side is a little worn and showing its age. I did like the walkway over the road by the hotel so you can easily walk to the beach. Being right next to the marina was interesting as you can see all sizes and types of boats.

[grandmarnnurse]

For the dates I'm looking at in Nov. 2017, the Embassy Suites is TWICE the price of the Hilton Marina (and that's for a tower room at the Marina). Does this seem crazy? Did I just stumble on a really good deal for the Marina?

 

I think that every time I was pricing hotels in that area, the Embassy Suites WAS higher. And they are having a lot of bad reviews lately, so I would go with the Hilton Marina.

[#55worktoplay]

Do you care if you are near the beach and Port?

 

I have stayed at both the Embassy and the Hilton Marina and my preference would be the Hilton over the two. Free breakfast at the Embassy was okay but it's a mad house down there due to the crowds, it is very popular for cruisers. The Hilton does show the age hear and there but it was fine and I didn't really have any complaints for it. I would not choose the Embassy again.

 

The reason I asked if you really wanted to stay near the beach and port is because there is a gem in the Hampton Inn Plantation which provides free shuttle from airport and to port. The location is away from the port but there is a mall, plenty if restaurants, Total Wine, Target among others all within walking distance. This is a safe area and quite nice for a pre-cruise location.

Edited November 28, 2016 by #55worktoplay

[Turtles06]

Do you care if you are near the beach and Port?

 

I have stayed at both the Embassy and the Hilton Marina and my preference would be the Hilton over the two. Free breakfast at the Embassy was okay but it's a mad house down there due to the crowds, it is very popular for cruisers. The Hilton does show the age hear and there but it was fine and I didn't really have any complaints for it. I would not choose the Embassy again.

 

The reason I asked if you really wanted to stay near the beach and port is because there is a gem in the Hampton Inn Plantation which provides free shuttle from airport and to port. The location is away from the port but there is a mall, plenty if restaurants, Total Wine, Target among others all within walking distance. This is a safe area and quite nice for a pre-cruise location.

 

Thank you for all of this information!

 

Funny you should mention the Hampton Inn in Plantation, as I had already read good things about it and have made a backup reservation there. (It's actually more expensive than the Hilton Marina!)

 

We'll have a car, so we aren't wedded to staying at the beach or port area, although I think it would be more fun and interesting.

 

I think we may just hang on to the two reservations for now, as we are a year out, and just keep watching the reviews...

 

Thanks again to you and everyone else for all the advice, I greatly appreciate it.

[BlueHerons]

 

The reason I asked if you really wanted to stay near the beach and port is because there is a gem in the Hampton Inn Plantation which provides free shuttle from airport and to port. The location is away from the port but there is a mall, plenty if restaurants, Total Wine, Target among others all within walking distance. This is a safe area and quite nice for a pre-cruise location.

 

Plantation is a very boring suburb if that is your thing.