Hilton Fort Lauderdale Marina

[curleyjane]

We are thinking of staying at the Hilton the night before our March cruise. Has anyone stayed here? Pros? Cons? Is there a shuttle from the airport? shuttle to cruise port? Thanks

[CruiserBruce]

There are many threads around the board on the Hilton. Good location.

 

Commonly recommended that you use a taxi. There are many, the distance is short, so the fare is cheap- less than $20 from the airport, before tip. You could walk to Terminal 2/4. Otherwise short taxi ride to the other Terminals.

[doone]

It's been a while since I stayed at this hotel, but what I did like when I stayed here was the beautiful pool, water taxi stop and the closeness to the airport and the pier. Last time I stayed here we used taxi's from the airport to the hotel and from the hotel to the pier, which was approximately $15 plus tip. I don't believe they have a shuttle service. Hope this helped.

[Keith1010]

You may have done this already but also be sure to check out trip advisor.

 

Keith

[curleyjane]

Thanks Everybody, you've been very helpful!

[nhraformula00]

Get a room in the tower, not the low rise buildings.

[DISFANS3]

We will be staying there in Jan..

[FLUFFLULA]

DH and I stayed there before our May cruise this year. It is great hotel with views of the marina, the water, and the cruise ships. The suggestion by another poster to get a tower room is right on target. Also, we were able to choose our exact room a few days before arrival. We also liked the food options on site including the bar/restaurant outside. We would stay there again in a heartbeat!

[KiwiGal117]

We are booked here next March - I'm pretty sure I booked a tower room, but need to double check. Just curious why people say book a tower room, not the low rise... is it simply view, or are the rooms that much nicer??

[CruiserBruce]

We are booked here next March - I'm pretty sure I booked a tower room, but need to double check. Just curious why people say book a tower room, not the low rise... is it simply view, or are the rooms that much nicer??

 

Do you want a view of the port and immediate areas? Tower is better for that.

[nhraformula00]

Better views from the tower rooms , also the bad reviews from trip advisor seem to come from the low rise buildings.We have been there 3-4 times over the last 5 years and have enjoyed our stay.

[Junctioneliot]

We stayed there last year. Hotel itself is nice but a little on the pricey side.

Had the worst lunch experience at their poolside restaurant. Worst service ever. Took about 2 hours to finally get our food after waiting about 20 minutes before we even saw a waiter . Broken umbrellas didn't open so no relief from burning sun.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

[jamesr3939]

Also price the Doubletree Galleria or the Ft Lauderdale Beach Resort. We have stayed at both and gotten a good price at the Galleria most times. The Beach Resort is usually more expensive but the location is great. I booked the Galleria for October, but then the Beach Resort came up with a "pre-paid" rate at $180 so I took it. I have read some "iffy" reviews on the Marina property.

[Mikel1733]

We have stayed twice. Once in the tower which was great, and the 2nd time in the low rise building. That was not a great experience. Had a couple of issues with the door lock and bathroom and getting help to address the problems took forever. But that said, it is great for water taxi access and closeness to airport and port.

[ppmanusa]

We've stayed here 2x always in the tower on the pool marina side. Beautiful view, very comfy beds, Kurig in room with coffee & tea pods. The showers are interesting as the water pours from the ceiling.

 

They have a breakfast buffet you can add onto your booking that we tried once which was PITA crowded and really nothing special.

 

Recommend grabbbing a cab or

Uber the lines for the shuttle are crazy and cost about the same.

 

Clean good hotel imo wouldn't think twice about staying there.

 

Sent from my Moto G (4) using Forums mobile app

[Corfe Mixture]

We booked some months ago for a December stay and got what, looking at current prices, seems to be a good deal for a Tower Waterfront view with breakfast.

 

Only thing I need to decide is whether or not to drop off the rental car the night before the cruise (Rental company Budget drop off is walking distance from hotel) and take a taxi next morning or to pay to park at the hotel, deliver the bags to the port next morning and then drop off car and take Budget's free shuttle.

 

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[iancal]

When we stay at either the Hilton Marina or the Renaissance we rent from Budget. Rather than pay $20 or $30 a day for parking we park with the rest of the Budget rental cars. It is across the street from the Ren and a short walk up from the Hilton Marina. We have done this four or five times. No issue.

 

We never bother with a shuttle to port. We take an inexpensive cab ride.

[Corfe Mixture]

When we stay at either the Hilton Marina or the Renaissance we rent from Budget. Rather than pay $20 or $30 a day for parking we park with the rest of the Budget rental cars. It is across the street from the Ren and a short walk up from the Hilton Marina. We have done this four or five times. No issue.

 

We never bother with a shuttle to port. We take an inexpensive cab ride.

 

 

 

Nice idea. Hadn't thought about doing that.

 

Given we are probably going to eat at the Boatyard which is within walking distance of the hotel, I was rather leaning towards handing the car back in the evening and taking an 'inexpensive cab ride' to the port.

 

Certainly will consider keeping the car but using Budget's parking lot overnight as that will allow me to deliver the bags to the port after breakfast and then drift over to the port after lunch.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[iancal]

In the evening we notice that three is sometimes a parking attendant at the entrance to that plaza parking lot. Perhaps the atttendant is attached to that Italian restaurant. In any event, they know it is a Budget vehicle and wave us through. We park on the far side of lot, against 17th St, along with the other Budget cars.

 

Last time we checked both the Ren and the Marina were charging $20. for parking. Someone told us that Hyatt Place was now charging from parking.

 

We have also stayed at Marriott Courtyard on the beach. They wanted $20. for parking. We parked in the lot beside for $5.

[nhraformula00]

Hyatt Place 17th st. convention center charges $7 per night

[Corfe Mixture]

Hyatt Place 17th st. convention center charges $7 per night

 

Many thanks for your suggestion, but it is a hell of a long walk back from there to the Hilton Marina!

 

Think I prefer iancal's suggestion, of using Budget's parking lot overnight, or failing that I will return the car to Budget in the evening and then take a taxi from the hotel to the port next morning.

 

Bottom line is that I have decided that I don't really need to make a decision until I arrive.

 

I will drive over to Budget and if I can park the car in their parking lot overnight - Fine.

 

If I can't park the car there overnight then, rather than pay the Hilton's extortionate parking charge ($27 + $5 supplement for valet parking), I will simply hand the car back to Budget and take a taxi to the port next morning. - Also Fine.

[nhraformula00]

I thought you were wanting to change hotels, sorry.

[iancal]

Seems to me both Hilton and Ren were $30 day for parking on our last stays two years ago. Scandalous...especially at the Ren when we could park across the street for free. Our daily rate for the rental was less than that. As I recall, Embassy wanted $20 for guest parking and there was not much of it.

 

We typically fily in to FLL later in the evening after a long day. We don't bother with a rental. We cab to the hotel and pick up the rental the next morning (if we do rent).

[Vic The Parrot]

Better views from the tower rooms , also the bad reviews from trip advisor seem to come from the low rise buildings.We have been there 3-4 times over the last 5 years and have enjoyed our stay.

 

I agree about the better views from the tower rooms, but I've also stayed in the lowrise buildings. (Known as the East and West Villas)

 

Never had anything to complain about in either structure, so those bad reviews on TA should be taken with a grain of salt. Read some of the bad ones, and you'll notice a trend. (Seems a few people on that site have a beef with some the hotel chains :rolleyes:)

[nhraformula00]

We have never had a bad room there in over 5 visits.