Advise needed on Fll hotels

[sharon j]

Which of the following hotels would you recommend if you had 2 nights in FLL prior to your cruise and wanted a clean decend hotel that was reasonably close to restaurants, shopping and water taxi.

 

Sleep Inn on 5th Ave, Dania ?

Comfort Suites on 64th Ave, Davie ?

or Comfort Inn Airport on Stirling Rd., Hollywood

 

Any comments would be greatly appreciated because any reviews I read on Tripadvisor are all over the board.

 

Thanks

Sharon (1st time cruising from FLL)

[TrentS]

Well NONE of those are close to the Water Taxi at all, and none of those would be very good choices for what you say you want. Two of those 3 would be okay for a night if you just wanted to sleep, but unless you have a car they're not good locations at all.

 

Sleep Inn is next to a Publix and Walgreens, but not much else. The only food is Chinese and take away pizza. It's in a pretty isolated area.

 

Comfort Suites in Davie is next to a Shoney's and I-595, but that's about it. It's a long way from the action.

 

Comfort Inn on Stirling has really gone down hill lately and the reviews are all horrible. Too many issues there, that's one I would avoid at all cost.

 

From your description of what you want, you want to be in the SE 17th Street area - That's the best area for cruisers to be in. The SE 17th Street hotels are in a very safe area less than 10 minutes from the airport, less than 5 mintues from the beach, and just outside the entrance to the port. They're surrounded by dozens of restaurants of all types, many shops, grocery, drug & liquor stores, as well as the Water Taxi. Everything you could want is right there.

 

"Budget" hotels along SE 17th Street...

 

Holiday Inn Express "Convention Center"... 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

 

AmeriSuites... http://amerisuites.com/reservations/locationdetail.asp?facid=3929

AmeriSuites is cheaper on Valuetrips... http://www.valuetrips.com/AMS/FL/F17.htm

 

Full-service hotels along SE 17th Street...

 

Renaissance... http://marriott.com/property/propertypage/FLLBR

 

Embassy Suites... http://www.embassysuites.com/en/es/hotels/index.jhtml?ctyhocn=FLLSOES

 

Marina Marriott... http://marriott.com/property/propertypage/FLLFL

[sharon j]

Trent - Thanks for your advice on the Comfort Inn situation. I am holding reservations at these places but think I will cancel. But now I can't believe how full everything is for Feb 16-17. The only place I can get a reasonable room at is the Extended Stay and if I have to live without a pool so be it as long as the place is good. You figure it is worth staying at? What is your opinion on the hotels along State Rd 84?

 

I appreciate any help you can offer.

Sharon

[TrentS]

Extended Stay America is a VERY nice, clean, newer budget hotel. It's an excellent choice in a great location!

 

February and March are prime time, and have been heavily booked for months. With the King Tut exhibit and increased tourism in general prices are way up, and rooms are scarce this season.

 

Avoid the State Road 84 motels at all cost!!! That's a nasty area, with nothing to walk to from any of them, not that you'd want to anyway. And at night it gets really bad. :eek:

[sharon j]

Trent thanks for your opinion on which hotels and areas to stay away from. I have taken your word on things and have been able to get a room at the Extended Stay for 2 nights. I will now cancel my other bookings with the Comfort Inn etc.. I like the idea of being close to the restaurants, water taxi and general tourist area as my daughter and I will not have a car. I have put my pre-cruise plans in your hands and trust I will not be disappointed. thanks again. Sharon

[TrentS]

If you don't have a car the SE 17th Street area is IMO the ONLY place to stay! Everything you could possibly want is right there, and it's a very nice/SAFE area. You'll be much much happier there than in any of those other areas, especially for 2 nights!

 

Extended Stay America is a very nice budget hotel. It's not very old, is clean, safe, and several on here have stayed there, raved about it, and booked it again. I've been in it and I like it myself, and I'm VERY picky about hotels.

 

True that there's no pool at ESA, but you'll have one on your ship, and if you want to go to the beach it's less than 5 minutes away by cab, or you can take the Water Taxi over. The Water Taxi is a lot of fun, and a great bargain. Even if you don't want to "go" anywhere it's a very inexpensive way to get a really nice tour of Fort Lauderdale, and also see some gorgeous waterfront mansions.

[TrentS]

Since you're going to be there for a couple of days you might like this list of restaurants I posted a while back...

 

Tara Steak & Lobster is right next door to Extended Stay America... http://www.tarasteakandlobsterhouse.com/

 

Carlos and Pepe's (Mexican) & Durty Harry's (bar with food) are in the same shopping center as Tara. There's also a small diner in that strip mall that I've been told has an excellent breakfast.

 

Einstein Bros. Bagels is across the street from Holiday Inn Express/Extended Stay America... http://www.einsteinbros.com/

 

Bimini Boatyard and Bravo (great Italian restaurant) are both across the street from Holiday Inn Express/Extended Stay America, and about a block east, opposite the Renaissance Hotel... http://www.bravoitaliano.com/

 

Jack Jackson's new restaurant FISH is across the street from the Renaissance hotel, attached to the Convention Center complex at the entrance to Port Everglades... http://www.fish-fl.com/

 

Chuck's Steakhouse... http://www.chucksflorida.com/

 

And Waxy O'Connors are both across the street from Embassy Suites, a long block west of Holiday Inn Express/Extended Stay America... http://www.waxys.com/

 

Outback Steakhouse and Del Rio Tex Mex are just west of Embassy Suites, and Quarterdeck is across the street and a block north of Embassy Suites on Cordova Road, just beyond Winn-Dixie... http://www.quarterdeckrestaurant.com/

 

Kelly's Landing is a great New England style seafood place in a strip mall on Cordova Road, across the street from Winn-Dixie.

 

If you want some excellent ice cream, Aspen Ice Cream is in the large yellow strip mall across the street from Tara and Carlos and Pepe's... http://www.aspenicecream.com/

 

There are 3 large strip malls around Holiday Inn Express/Extended Stay America - More or less across the street, next door, and behind, as well as several smaller ones. There are at least a dozen other small restaurants scattered throughout those strip malls, plus a number of fast food and carry-out places in the area as well... You'll never go hungry along that section of SE 17th Street, there's something for every taste and budget.

 

Publix grocery store is in the large strip mall a block south on Cordova Road, behind Embassy Suites.

 

Barnie's Coffee & Tea is in the same strip mall as Publix, a few stores to the west, next to Carvel Ice Cream... http://www.barniescoffee.com/

 

Crown Wine and Spirits is across the street from Embassy Suites, behind the Chevron station, and 67 Wine & Spirits is across the street from Crown.

 

Winn-Dixie grocery store is next door to Crown, and there's a CVS drug store in the same strip mall as 67 Wine & Spirits.

 

Walgreens drug store is a block east of Holiday Inn Express/Extended Stay America, across the street from the Renaissance hotel.

 

The restaurants above are just those that you can easily walk to. If you take the Water Taxi you can easily get to dozens more. The nearest Water Taxi stop is 2 long blocks east, under the SE 17th Street Bridge, in front of the Marina Marriott hotel... http://www.watertaxi.com/FortLauderdale/FLLHome.Asp

 

Some popular places easily accessible from the Water Taxi are...

 

15th Street Fisheries... http://www.15streetfisheries.com/

 

Jackson's Steakhouse... http://www.jacksonssteakhouse.com/

 

Shirttail Charlie's... http://www.shirttailcharlies.com/

 

Fort Lauderdale Riverhouse... http://www.ftlauderdaleriverhouse.com/

 

Downtowner Saloon... http://www.downtownersaloon.com/

 

Shooter's Waterfront Cafe, and at the same stop Taverna Opa... http://tavernaoparestaurant.com/

 

Charlie's Crab... http://www.muer.com/locations/chcrab...ab-ftlaud.html

 

The many many restaurants and shops along beautiful Las Olas Blvd... http://www.lasolasboulevard.com/

 

And Las Olas Riverfront... http://www.riverfrontfl.com/

[Berliner]

:) Hi fellow Cruiser,

 

want stay 2 more Days past-cruise

 

found these:

Ramada Hollywood Beach Resort

http://www.ramada.com/Ramada/control...7&brandInfo=RA

 

101 NORTH OCEAN DRIVE Hollywood, FL 33019 or

 

Ramada Inn Pompano Beach

 

Fort Lauderdale Area: Ft Lauderdale Beaches

1350 SOUTH OCEAN BLVD

Pompano Beach, FL 33062

 

anyone recently stayed there and can give advice if its clean and acceptable,i'm not picky about dated or so just clean....

 

thanks for your help

[TrentS]

I'd pass on those, they're both old and tired. The one in Hollywood is ancient and has been everything from various hotels to a Bible College over the years. The one in Pompano Beach is used in a notorious time share selling scheme that you want to avoid at all cost.

[Berliner]

Hi Trent,

 

thanks for your advice, mmh Bible & College? both not my World.

 

the Thing is,before we always stayed at this Place

 

Holiday Inn HOLLYWOOD BEACH

2711 SOUTH OCEAN DRIVE

HOLLYWOOD, FL 33019

 

great Location little old, but o.k -but the last i heard and saw was the

CNN crew during the last Hurricane,showing the severe Damage.

 

i try to book but they still repair or they gave up and its empty now.

 

Do you know whats happend there?

[TrentS]

That Holiday Inn on Hollywood Beach is still closed and I don't know if it will ever reopen. Even before the hurricane there was a developer trying to buy the property, tear it down and build a high rise condo there. I don't know the current status of that deal, but I suspect with the damage from Wilma it's a good bet that it will never reopen and something like that condo deal will go ahead.

 

I do know that there are some nice, reasonably priced "mom & pop" motels in Hollywood Beach but I don't recall the names of them. Several people on here have mentioned some small motels there though that they like, perhaps one of them will chime in, or do a search and perhaps you can find those old posts.

[balanceok]

That Holiday Inn on Hollywood Beach is still closed and I don't know if it will ever reopen. Even before the hurricane there was a developer trying to buy the property, tear it down and build a high rise condo there. I don't know the current status of that deal, but I suspect with the damage from Wilma it's a good bet that it will never reopen and something like that condo deal will go ahead.

 

Don't confuse this with the Holiday Inn on Fort Lauderdale Beach. This hotel is open and fine.

[TrentS]

Don't confuse this with the Holiday Inn on Fort Lauderdale Beach. This hotel is open and fine.

Nope, those are 2 completely different Holiday Inns that are several miles apart.

 

Holiday Inn Hollywood Beach is closed... http://www.ichotelsgroup.com/h/d/6c/1/en/hd/miahb

 

Holiday Inn Fort Lauderdale Beach is open and operating... http://www.ichotelsgroup.com/h/d/hi/1/en/hd/fllsb

[Berliner]

Hi

 

stayed at the Holiday Inn Fort Lauderdale Beach for $119 a Night ,thought it was to much ,old smelly place but ok for one Night.But now they want 160 and up? they're nuts.Should go for 89 a Night or so.

 

Anyone stayed at the Greenbriar Beach Resort, a little BB in Hollywood?

[TrentS]

Anyone stayed at the Greenbriar Beach Resort, a little BB in Hollywood?

I couldn't think of the name yesterday, but THAT'S the place that several people have recommended in Hollywood Beach. I haven't been in it myself but if you do a search on here you should find several positive comments about it.

[Bequia]

The Greenbriar Beach Club is a nice clean mom and pop beachfront hotel in a wonderful safe area. If you can get a single night there, go for it. I know "snowbirds" that spend the season there year in and year out. Usually its booked solid for the season. ;)

[98Charlie]

Just got back from cruise out of FLL Monday and highly recommend the Holiday Inn Express, Convention Center. Spent two nights there. Paid $150 per night- rack rate, did not try priceline.

 

Hotel is a 10-minute walk from the water taxi. Hotel personnel very friendly and very eager to store baggage prior to and after check out time for cruisers. Free shuttle service from and to Port Everglades as well as to and from the airport. Shuttle service was excellent as well as the hospitality from all employees at the hotel. Holiday Inn Express is located close to shopping and restaurant venues (shopping center across the street and another one block down on same side of street).

 

Dianne

[TrentS]

I agree Dianne... Holiday Inn Express "Convention Center"... http://www.ichotelsgroup.com/h/d/ex/1/en/hd/fllcc

 

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

 

Are both great "budget" hotels in the best location for cruisers to be in. Everything you could possibly want is right there. :)

[98Charlie]

I agree Dianne... Holiday Inn Express "Convention Center"... http://www.ichotelsgroup.com/h/d/ex/1/en/hd/fllcc

 

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

 

Are both great "budget" hotels in the best location for cruisers to be in. Everything you could possibly want is right there. :)

 

Thanks for the vote on Extended Stay America. Saw it there beside us but didn't know much about it. We personally think the area 10 minute walk from water taxi is a great deal and the area is very safe to walk in at night --- at least it was for us last week. Loved it and plan to go back to one of those hotels in February (even though we have free hotel points at other locations.)

[TrentS]

Yes, Extended Stay America is a very nice, clean hotel. It's a great choice as well and has some excellent rates at times. That area is very safe, day and night - It's a GREAT location that has everything going for it.

 

If you're going back THIS February I hope you've already got reservations, many dates are already sold out.

[Diane F]

Have a reservation at Super 8 on Federal Highway for April 7.Got it for $80 a night.Was wondering how far it is to go to 17th Street area or Dania Beach.It is in Dania.It is a fairly new hotel and rooms look nice online.It seems there are a few places to eat nearby,but if we want to do something how much would a taxi cost to get anyplace?It gives free shuttle and free breakfast.Thought that was a good price for that time of year.

[TrentS]

That Super 8 is only a couple of years old and looks fine on the outside but I've never been inside. The neighborhood's not the greatest, but it's okay, just use a little extra caution. I wouldn't be out walking around there at night though. The only places to eat are a KFC & Dunkin' Donuts, not much else within walking distance.

 

SE 17th Street in Fort Lauderdale is about a 15 minute drive from it, the beach is less than 10 minutes away.

[SingBill]

Trent

We just booked the Holiday Inn Bayside for October 14 and 22, 2006. I keep reading about "water taxis". Is there a water taxi accessible from the Holiday Inn and if so, where does it go?

 

Any information would be appreciated.

[TrentS]

Sorry Bill, Holiday Inn Bayside is in Miami and the Water Taxi is in Fort Lauderdale... http://www.watertaxi.com/FortLauderdale/FLLHome.Asp

[jerrywp1955]

Hey Trent!

 

What's the latest on the Pier 66 rehab? Have you been by there lately? Is it worth staying there? We will be there Jan. 6. for a one nite pre-cruise! You should be getting paid by the FLL Chamber of Commerce for all the valuable info you forward to us unknowing readers.:) :)

 

Thanks in advance

Jerry