Opinions on hotels - Ft Lauderdale

[dfa1]

All of our previous cruises have been out of Miami, so this will be our first out of Ft Lauderdale.

 

These boards have been SO helpful in eliminating many options. Since we are basically looking for overnight lodging only, I'm not looking to may for than $100-120 per night, so I have narrowed the choices to four:

 

Extended Stay America on 17'th

Holiday Inn Express at the port

Comfort Suites on Federal Hwy

Amerisuites on 17'th

 

I made these selections based primarily on the comments I've read here on location, cleanliness, and accomodations.

 

I am open to your opinions.

[Bequia]

You can narrow your list down to the Holiday Inn Express and Extended Stay America. They're located next to each other on 17th Street. Of the two, I'd pick the HIX. ;)

The Comfort Suites has always received negative reviews and Amerisuites has been getting dismal reviews lately.

[WiscCruiser]

Our group of 5 couples is trying to make the same determination, so we'll be interested in all the other Cruise Critic responses.

 

We are currently booked at the Comfort Suites, but I'm not convinced it's our best choice. From a strictly price standpoint, Amerisuites seems to be the hands down winner. If you are able to book your reservation through valuetrips.com., it can be as low as $69 per night depending on the time of the year.

 

We've used the following website to help narrow down our search.

 

http://www.hotelsbythepier.com/index2.php?pier=port-everglades

[dfa1]

HIX & ESA were already my two top choices, particularly based on the reviews I've read. HIX seems to have remarkably good reviews (better than I would have thought), and ESA doesn't seem far behind. Still, I want to keep an open mind, but those were the two I was leaning towards anyway.

 

Comfort Suites happens to be in the right location with a price that is a little more in our budget, but the number of poor reviews has me worried. Based on your advice, we will steer clear of CS.

[SailAways]

We have recently booked HIX, after much review and pricing. Too many of the hotels seemed rather sleazy upon thorough research. I would suspect that some of the smaller-less advertised hotels could be a great bargain, but without firsthand knowledge, this is a chance we did not want to take.

 

We did not end up with a great price - actually more than we had intended to pay, but we are happy with the reviews, the amenities, and the location.

 

When all is said and done, and having already booked an expensive cruise, airfare, and then to quibble over a hotel price just started to seem pretty unnecessary to us. We opted for comfort and security of the reviews given here and elsewhere.

 

Hopefully, we will have a wonderful nights stay prior to our cruise, and be happy of our choice in the long run.

 

Good luck to you!

[jlizard]

I would not recommend Amerisuites until the renovations are complete. We stayed there in June and it took them 4 tries to get us a room that didn't have holes in the walls or didn't have a terrible smell.

 

We are looking for next May, is the Extended Stay on the 17th a good choice? Do they pick up from the airport or shuttle to the peir the next day?

[dbarry]

We have booked a pre-cruise night at the Fort Lauderdale Grande Hotel and Yacht Club in the middle of August 2006. This used to be the Marriott Marina and has many good reviews from people here at cruisecritic. We booked a Harbour View room, overlooking the 17th Street Causeway and Port Everglades Harbor. We got a great rate .... at least I think so, $89.00 plus taxes and whatnot, $98.00. Here is where I made the reservations, click on this link to go there: Fort Lauderdale Grande

 

 

Darlene

[MKS]

Sorry, without going into the horrific details, we found that Extended Stay does not feel that they have to honor reservations nor do firm confirmations mean anything (even though these reservations were rechecked the day before arriving.) We were subjected to unbelievable situations. Also, it was noted on our reservation that my husband and I are both handicapped and I called inquiring the accessiblity. Their reply was that we would have no problems. What an understatement. Finally, 4 hours later, we had a room, in a motel that made a car a necessity, which we did not have plus an extra $60 round trip in taxi fares. I could write pages of the indignities we were put through. Go with Holiday Inn.

[SailAways]

We have booked a pre-cruise night at the Fort Lauderdale Grande Hotel and Yacht Club in the middle of August 2006. This used to be the Marriott Marina and has many good reviews from people here at cruisecritic. We booked a Harbour View room, overlooking the 17th Street Causeway and Port Everglades Harbor. We got a great rate .... at least I think so, $89.00 plus taxes and whatnot, $98.00. Here is where I made the reservations, click on this link to go there: Fort Lauderdale Grande

 

 

Darlene

 

That is an amazing price. I just checked for next April 2007, and the price range is from $219 to $339 for three for one night. You got a deal according to this.

[signman]

August is not April

[dfa1]

We did check the Grande, and although they are running a promotion at $89, it doesn't apply to our sailing in November, so $250/night is the cheapest. I was hoping to avoid paying that much...Still, congrats on a great rate @ what everyone assures me is a fantastic hotel.

[chris and gary]

dfa1, I booked the Grande on Wednesday for post cruise in October for 69.00per night with an upgrade to the waterway view for free. The special ended on July 5th. When I went to the Grande's website they wanted 209.00 an night for the same days. I found it on travelzoo.com, click on the top 20 deals, they offer it every so often. They usually have something for Fort Lauderdale. Keep checking as they change weekly. Good Luck. Chris

[Coral]

I saw the offer on Travel Zoo and it didn't apply to my December sailing. The Grade is in the $229 range for the time I need it. $69 is a bargain.

 

I have backup reservations at Amerisuites but I have 2 very bad experiences with them, I really do not want to stay there. I may book backup reservations at HIX as the reviews seem pretty good there at the moment.

 

Theresa

[chris and gary]

Book a backup and keep checking TravelZoo thats what I did. Their offers change weekly.

[SailAways]

August is not April

 

Yes, I am aware of that bit of trivia, but I didn't even find good rates for other dates. Just my luck, I guess.

[Luvsdaislands]

Yes, I am aware of that bit of trivia, but I didn't even find good rates for other dates. Just my luck, I guess.

 

I am booked at the Ramada in April 2007, the rate I received is $150 for the night. I am going to continue looking for something better and less expensive.

[SailAways]

I am booked at the Ramada in April 2007, the rate I received is $150 for the night. I am going to continue looking for something better and less expensive.

 

There is another thread which advises staying away from Ramada.

I personally do not have any reference re it, but may be worth your while to check it out.

Good Luck.....Your price is near what we are paying for HIX on 17th St.

[dfa1]

Ramada was one of the first I ruled out (thanks to some great advice on a number of posts here). Also didn't take me long to mark out anything on SR 84.

 

Finally decided on Extended Stay, just b/c the price was quite a bit lower than Holiday Inn.

 

I think it's funny to read reviews. Cruise, hotel, restaurant, whatever. It's amazing what a range of opinions you can get on the same topic.

 

Thanks again. You guys are the best!

[jlizard]

We decided on Sleep Inn in Dania, FL. My parents are AARP memebers and are coming with us so we got a pretty good rate. It says that they pick up from the airport and also have a shuttle to the peir. Anyone have any experience with this hotel?

 

Thanks!

[prarie cruiser]

I stayed at the Ramada around a year ago. It is basically an old 1960 style building. The rooms were small. Transfer to the ship was very badly done. Staff was nice. I would only stay there again if it were the only available. It just left me with an old rundown sleezy type of feeling, its not that there was anything specific that was wrong. I am convinced it was an old 1960's Holiday Inn that had been sold through the years.

[dbarry]

We did check the Grande, and although they are running a promotion at $89, it doesn't apply to our sailing in November, so $250/night is the cheapest. I was hoping to avoid paying that much...Still, congrats on a great rate @ what everyone assures me is a fantastic hotel.

 

Whoa! Guess I really got a bargain! I think it's because I just can't stay off the internet! I also just upgraded (I think) myself from a port side JS on the Enchantment to a coveted aft JS! I just happened to see an available one while surfing around the web. I love having a balcony ever since my first, I can only hope that I will be satisfied with a regular ole balcony after this extra big aft balcony!

 

I say like others, book a reservation that you can cancel, and keep looking around on the web. You never know what will become available as your date comes closer.

 

Darlene

[just4kixx]

Whoa! Guess I really got a bargain! I think it's because I just can't stay off the internet! I also just upgraded (I think) myself from a port side JS on the Enchantment to a coveted aft JS! I just happened to see an available one while surfing around the web. I love having a balcony ever since my first, I can only hope that I will be satisfied with a regular ole balcony after this extra big aft balcony!

 

I say like others, book a reservation that you can cancel, and keep looking around on the web. You never know what will become available as your date comes closer.

 

Darlene

In December we will be staying in a corner aft JS on the Enchantment... I will look forward to your reviews when you return! ;)

 

Now if only I can find a hotel deal like yours in DEcember!!!

A~

[KroozFoolz]

We decided on Sleep Inn in Dania, FL. My parents are AARP memebers and are coming with us so we got a pretty good rate. It says that they pick up from the airport and also have a shuttle to the peir. Anyone have any experience with this hotel?

 

Thanks!

I think (and hope) this is the same one:

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=348720&highlight=Sleep+Inn

[bluefintuna]

First of all, the price on any Florida hotel will be markedly different in July and August, then it will be in Jan. or Feb. After much research for Jan. stay economical and clean are hard to come by. It seems from many reviews and looking at numerous sites I would go with Sleep Inn or Hampton Inn/airport north. If you go to a site and it says "hotel not available" don't necessarily believe it. Many of them have not posted 2007 rates. If you want to know about particular rates on certain dates, call the hotel.

[dfa1]

Darlene, with your luck, any chance you would be willing to book my next cruise for me? :D