Hotel needed for Valentines weekend-UGH!

[P.A.]

I didn't realize when I booked my cruise (Oct 2018)  that getting a cheap hotel in FLL the Fri after Valentines day would be so expensive!! The cheapest yet still descent I've found is Candlewood Suites Air/Seaport. The two most recent reviews have me concerned. These reviews were not available when I booked. The rate I'm getting is $237 plus taxes.

 

Plus I want a safe area and within walking distance to restaurants and grocery.

 

My question is...has anyone stayed here recently? I know they have outside construction but I'm hoping by Feb it will be closer to being done. UGH! 🤔

Edited October 15, 2019 by P.A.

[bouhunter]

We've only stayed at a Candlewood once.  It was clean, but definitely felt like a lower mid-tier property.  The "suite" was very small and we weren't impressed.

 

There is no such thing as a cheap hotel in FLL in Februrary.  At least not one you'd want to sleep in.

 

Just my opinion, bite the bullet and spend the extra $$ to get one of the 17th street properties.   Lots of dining and shopping (including a Publix grocery) within walking distance.  Embassy Suites, Hyatt's, Holiday Inn Express are all in that area.  And they're a cheap uber ride to the ship.  You've already spent good money on a cruise, is it worth saving 50-100.00 to stay at questionable motel?

Edited October 15, 2019 by bouhunter

[lx200gps]

The 17th St strip is certainly the best for location and amenities pre-cruise for sure, but as you noted, that time of year is the worst for hotel pricing. As a fall back to save significant money, another area to consider is Plantation, WNW of the airport down the 595. We've stayed there when the 17th St area was cost prohibitive. Though it's a fair bit farther away than the 17th st hotels, it's another good area to consider. Hotels can be quite a bit cheaper and there are plenty of restaurants and stores in the immediate area. The main downside is distance from the cruise port, but at least one hotel offers shuttles both from the airport as well as to Port Everglades, hopefully someone will chime in and remind me which hotel it is.

[P.A.]

11 hours ago, lx200gps said:

The 17th St strip is certainly the best for location and amenities pre-cruise for sure, but as you noted, that time of year is the worst for hotel pricing. As a fall back to save significant money, another area to consider is Plantation, WNW of the airport down the 595. We've stayed there when the 17th St area was cost prohibitive. Though it's a fair bit farther away than the 17th st hotels, it's another good area to consider. Hotels can be quite a bit cheaper and there are plenty of restaurants and stores in the immediate area. The main downside is distance from the cruise port, but at least one hotel offers shuttles both from the airport as well as to Port Everglades, hopefully someone will chime in and remind me which hotel it is.

 

Thanks. Yes we've stayed at the 17th street area many times. I'm not willing to spend $100 more for a hotel in that area because we will just basically be sleeping there. But your right..that is the ideal location. We usually stay at Hyatt Place 17th St and use valuetrips.com and get a pretty good rate, however, because it is Valentines weekend, those dates are blocked.😕

 

As far as the Plantation area, I've called several hotels in that area and it is further so no shuttles to/from airport or cruise port so therefore it would cost more money for uber to and from.

 

I do appreciate your suggestions tho. 👍

[lx200gps]

7 hours ago, P.A. said:

 

Thanks. Yes we've stayed at the 17th street area many times. I'm not willing to spend $100 more for a hotel in that area because we will just basically be sleeping there. But your right..that is the ideal location. We usually stay at Hyatt Place 17th St and use valuetrips.com and get a pretty good rate, however, because it is Valentines weekend, those dates are blocked.😕

 

As far as the Plantation area, I've called several hotels in that area and it is further so no shuttles to/from airport or cruise port so therefore it would cost more money for uber to and from.

 

I do appreciate your suggestions tho. 👍

+1 on the Hyatt Place and Valuetrips, we're staying there yet again next month. Re the Plantation hotels, I dug around on this forum and it seems that the Plantation Hampton Inn is the one that has both airport and Port Everglades shuttle services, at least it did as recently as a few months ago. Have a great cruise....

[DaveOKC]

We save up our hotel loyalty points for booking rooms in FLL during the winter months.  Hyatt Place just increased the points required by 50%, but it still is a good value (2-3 cents per point I figure).

[indy71]

It is also President’s Day weekend. I booked the Saturday of that weekend for $233 at the Riverside Hotel in Las Olas. It’s been a while though. I don’t know if that price is still available. 

[Plant]

Check the LaQuinta in Plantation.  It's been a while since we stayed there, but they used to have shuttles from the airport and to the cruise port.

[P.A.]

On 10/16/2019 at 11:47 AM, indy71 said:

It is also President’s Day weekend. I booked the Saturday of that weekend for $233 at the Riverside Hotel in Las Olas. It’s been a while though. I don’t know if that price is still available. 

This looks like a nice hotel and area however the cost now is $279 for AAA rate but they do not have any shuttles to/from airport or cruise port. 

 

But thanks for the info

[P.A.]

21 hours ago, Plant said:

Check the LaQuinta in Plantation.  It's been a while since we stayed there, but they used to have shuttles from the airport and to the cruise port.

Just checked and they do not offer any shuttles. The price is less than what I have booked now but when you add in the cost for transportation from airport and then to cruise port I might as well stay where I am.

 

Thanks for your suggestions tho

[P.A.]

On 10/16/2019 at 5:48 AM, lx200gps said:

+1 on the Hyatt Place and Valuetrips, we're staying there yet again next month. Re the Plantation hotels, I dug around on this forum and it seems that the Plantation Hampton Inn is the one that has both airport and Port Everglades shuttle services, at least it did as recently as a few months ago. Have a great cruise....

 

Thank you for the Hampton Inn info. I did call and they do have the free airport shuttle and then $5 pp for the cruise shuttle.

 

Have you ever stayed here? Just wondering if it's within walking distance to any restaurants or grocery stores? Safe area?

 

I have both hotels booked (Hampton Inn-Plantation) and the Candlewood Suites (FLL-State Rd) The big thing is the area and whats around within walking distance in a safe area.

 

Thanks!

Edited October 17, 2019 by P.A.

[lx200gps]

On 10/17/2019 at 7:48 PM, P.A. said:

 

Thank you for the Hampton Inn info. I did call and they do have the free airport shuttle and then $5 pp for the cruise shuttle.

 

Have you ever stayed here? Just wondering if it's within walking distance to any restaurants or grocery stores? Safe area?

 

I have both hotels booked (Hampton Inn-Plantation) and the Candlewood Suites (FLL-State Rd) The big thing is the area and whats around within walking distance in a safe area.

 

Thanks!

We haven't YET stayed at the Hampton Inn, but will be using it in the future, when we stay in Plantation. We didn't know about the airport and Port Everglades shuttles, so payed a huge amount of money in taxis instead. We have stayed in other Plantation hotels and the area is, for us, every bit as good as the 17th St strip, maybe even better, except for being far from FLL,  PE and the ship, which the shuttles take care of. There are half a dozen hotels, a huge shopping mall, a Publix, a Total Wines and lots of restaurants. It's a very busy area with lots going on. Google Maps and Street View can give you an idea of exactly what's there, but it's the area bounded by S. University Drive, the 595 and W. Broward Blvd.

 

NOTE: The big shopping center in Plantation is the one that had the well-publicized gas explosion last summer, which blew out a section of the mall. Demolition of the affected area is underway, and it was only a small section that was destroyed. 

[P.A.]

9 hours ago, lx200gps said:

We haven't YET stayed at the Hampton Inn, but will be using it in the future, when we stay in Plantation. We didn't know about the airport and Port Everglades shuttles, so payed a huge amount of money in taxis instead. We have stayed in other Plantation hotels and the area is, for us, every bit as good as the 17th St strip, maybe even better, except for being far from FLL,  PE and the ship, which the shuttles take care of. There are half a dozen hotels, a huge shopping mall, a Publix, a Total Wines and lots of restaurants. It's a very busy area with lots going on. Google Maps and Street View can give you an idea of exactly what's there, but it's the area bounded by S. University Drive, the 595 and W. Broward Blvd.

 

NOTE: The big shopping center in Plantation is the one that had the well-publicized gas explosion last summer, which blew out a section of the mall. Demolition of the affected area is underway, and it was only a small section that was destroyed. 

 

Thank you for that info. Sounds good. It will just be me and my two adult daughters so always being cautious about the area.

Edited October 20, 2019 by P.A.

[BlueHerons]

That Candlewood Suites is sleazy as hell.

 

My husband had to spend a week there when we first moved permanently to Fort Lauderdale in 2013 and the ONE night I spent with him, there were hookers in and out of the hotel.

 

The hotel is currently used for transient construction workers and yachties.

 

I wouldn't stay there. 

 

I would hotwire a hotel room on 17th Street or the beach.

[P.A.]

On 10/19/2019 at 9:48 PM, BlueHerons said:

That Candlewood Suites is sleazy as hell.

 

My husband had to spend a week there when we first moved permanently to Fort Lauderdale in 2013 and the ONE night I spent with him, there were hookers in and out of the hotel.

 

The hotel is currently used for transient construction workers and yachties.

 

I wouldn't stay there. 

 

I would hotwire a hotel room on 17th Street or the beach.

 

Oh gosh. Thank you for that info. I'm so glad I've got the Hampton booked then.