Ft Laud RESSIE TIPS...AND HOW TO AVOID HUGE MISTAKES

[emmilu]

Help! We are staying in Boca Rotan for one night before a cruise in February,(it was the only place I could get for a reasonable price on Super Bowl weekend). I would like to find a good seafood restaurant in that area, but am not at all familiar with that location. Can anyone help please? I believe it is about 25 minutes north of Fort Lauderdale.

Thank you

[Lois R]

Help! We are staying in Boca Rotan for one night before a cruise in February,(it was the only place I could get for a reasonable price on Super Bowl weekend). I would like to find a good seafood restaurant in that area, but am not at all familiar with that location. Can anyone help please? I believe it is about 25 minutes north of Fort Lauderdale.

Thank you

 

I can't recommend a place to eat in Boca but I can tell you

the entire area is VERY NICE....:) :D many, many celebs

have 2nd or 3rd homes in Boca.

You won't have a hard time finding a place to eat, but I am

not sure how reasonably priced things will be....especially

since it is SuperBowl weekend:eek:

[Bequia]

The Kee Grill is delightful. 17940 N Military Trail, Boca Raton

[rianvi]

The two of you have always been helpful in the past. And once again I need your assistance. We are taking our first Princess cruise...The Star...Feb. 24/07. All other cruises were on Celebrity. We have never been to Ft. Lauderdale. We are looking at staying at the Riverside Hotel. Our 18 yr. D.D wants to shop etc. pre and post cruise. Any info. about this hotel would be appreciated. Also any idea re; cab costs from hotel and then to the pier? If this has already been addressed, I apologize but I didn't go through all 7 pages of this great thread. Thanks to the one who started it.

Peace, Anna:)

[Bequia]

Rianvi, the Riverside is a georgeous hotel in a perfect location for shopping and dining. Be sure to ask for a room in the newer "tower section". Cab costs should be less then $20 from the airport to the hotel and less the $15 from the hotel to the pier. The cabs are metered so the rates can be higher or lower based on traffic.

The water taxi stops by your hotel and I certainly encourage you to check it out.

 

http://www.watertaxi.com/FortLauderdale/FLLMap.Asp

[CanuckCruizer]

Bequia - We are also staying at the Riverside in March before our Celebrity cruise. It will be our first time in this area of Fort Lauderdale. We have stayed at Pier 66 and eaten at Grille 66, which was great, but want to try something different this trip. We don't eat any seafood - we are more "meat eaters" and like fine dining and casual is also good. We'd like to find a great restaurant on the water with a view that has outdoor dining (as we smoke). I understand that most of the restaurants in the Las Olas area are not waterfront. Do you have any suggestions for us? Also, how far would the closest store be so we could buy some wine and beer? Any help would be appreciated. Thanks.

 

Canuck

[Broughton Hall]

We are staying pre-cruise at the Westin on Corporate Drive. This hotel is the one chosen by Holland America for their precruise program. I know it is in a business area and we are travelling in a few days early and have rented a car.

 

Any recommendations from locals for a decent restaurant or good chain? I saw a pub on a road a think called priceline Frog and something. What I am wondering is what areas/roads should we avoid that would be considered dangerous. We don't get in the first night until 7:30 p.m. and were thinking of going out for something to eat to somewhere reasonably close.

 

Any comments from locals would be greatly appreciated.

[MommaFaye]

I read somewhere on a post (can't find it again) that there was a new, high tech Seminole Indian Casino in Ft. Lauderdale. Can anyone tell me if that is the same one as the Hard Rock mentioned earlier? If they are two different establishments, where are they each located?

 

Thanks! Faye

[Bequia]

I read somewhere on a post (can't find it again) that there was a new, high tech Seminole Indian Casino in Ft. Lauderdale. Can anyone tell me if that is the same one as the Hard Rock mentioned earlier? If they are two different establishments, where are they each located?

 

Thanks! Faye

 

Hi Faye,

They're one and the same.

Soon to open Mardi Gras at the Hollywood GreyHound Track and Gulfstream Park will be Las Vegas style (class III) slot machines. Voters in Broward County approved them over a year ago and these two are just about ready to open.

 

http://www.playmardigras.com/

[MommaFaye]

Thanks for the info, Bequia - on this and so many other things! It's great to have an "insider" to turn to. I think we will be staying somewhere within the Ft. Lauderdale Downtown or Beach area, Rennaisance or Ft. Lauderdale Grande. Which one is closer?

[Bequia]

Thanks for the info, Bequia - on this and so many other things! It's great to have an "insider" to turn to. I think we will be staying somewhere within the Ft. Lauderdale Downtown or Beach area, Rennaisance or Ft. Lauderdale Grande. Which one is closer?

 

The Grande and the Renaissance are almost next to each other. Both locations are fine, the Grande actually has the water taxi stop at it's doorstep. Regardless of which one you choose you can always hop on the Sun Trolley in front of your hotel. For 50 cents it will take you on a loop that includes stops at the Publix Supermarket and Total Wine, Ft Lauderdale Beach, Galleria Mall, any of the shops and restaurants on A1A.;)

 

http://www.suntrolley.com/bus_route-maps/images/map_convention_lg.jpg

 

http://www.watertaxi.com/FortLauderdale/FLLHome.Asp

[SailAways]

We are booked into the Holiday Inn Express April 18th, which I believe is near the Renaissance.

 

I keep seeing a lot about other hotels, but not much lately about the HIX.

 

We are familiar with HIX in other locations, but have not been to this particular one.

 

Any info anyone cares to share?

 

Also, is the April 18th date past the Spring Break crowd?

 

Thanks for any input.:) :)

[98Charlie]

We are booked into the Holiday Inn Express April 18th, which I believe is near the Renaissance.

 

I keep seeing a lot about other hotels, but not much lately about the HIX.

 

We are familiar with HIX in other locations, but have not been to this particular one.

 

Any info anyone cares to share?

 

Also, is the April 18th date past the Spring Break crowd?

 

Thanks for any input.:) :)

 

Have stayed at the HIX on 17th twice and will be back there in January. It is in walking distance of many restaurants, the Publix supermarket, Walgreens and other shops. (There is a strip mall across the street that has a NY style deli. Can't wait to get there again for another sandwich).

 

HIX is only a couple of blocks away from a water taxi stand (located by the Grande). Easy walk to the water taxi. Water taxi can take you along the canals - to Los Olas Boulevard, Riverwalk, beaches, etc.

 

HIX is just up the street and across the street from the Renaisance and Grand that Bequia talked about when outlining a trolley that takes a land trip to various areas around FLL.

 

HIX will not have all the bells and whistles of more expensive hotels like the Grande and Renaisance but is an enjoyable stay in FLL when you are staying in the city to spend more time outside your room than inside.

 

Room and beds were very comfortable. Hotel was spotless and the service was great.

 

Have a great time and enjoy the dollars you save on your room to spend on other things.

 

Dianne

[98Charlie]

Forgot to mention that HIX is only a few blocks away from Port Everglades. HIX was still running a free shuttle to the port when we stayed there last year but understand there is now a small charge for the shuttle to the port. We plan to call a cab to take us to the port. Cost is minimal compared to time spent waiting for a shuttle to fill.

 

Dianne

[SailAways]

Room and beds were very comfortable. Hotel was spotless and the service was great.

 

Have a great time and enjoy the dollars you save on your room to spend on other things.

 

Dianne

 

At the time we are going to be there, there really were no bargains to be found, so I don't feel we are saving any dollars by staying at the HIX. It was only a little less than the Renaissance and Grande for this period of time. Other's who have been posting are also commenting on high prices during this time period.

 

We will be happy for the spotless room, comfy beds, and great service. This is what we are most concerned about.

 

Thanks for your input - it helps a lot.

[98Charlie]

At the time we are going to be there, there really were no bargains to be found, so I don't feel we are saving any dollars by staying at the HIX. It was only a little less than the Renaissance and Grande for this period of time. Other's who have been posting are also commenting on high prices during this time period.

 

We will be happy for the spotless room, comfy beds, and great service. This is what we are most concerned about.

 

Thanks for your input - it helps a lot.

 

We are actually staying at the HIX the week before the Superbowl in Miami and have read about some hotel prices on the boards in Miami and FLL that are way, way higher than what we are paying at HIX.

 

Guess It all depends on what you consider a bargain and what you really want your pre- or post-cruise hotel to offer. A good, comfortable room to crash in after a long day of flying and great staff to help us make the most of our visit is all we really want on a pre-cruise hotel since we generally spend most of our time seeing the sights of the embarkation city before dropping into bed to dream about our upcoming cruise.

 

Post-cruise stays we generally look for a comfortable bed in a safe area to park our bags in while we explore the debarkation city and want a comfortable, clean room to come back to for sleep before we fly home.

 

HIX meets has meet our needs so far. I'll let you know if the hotel fails our expectations following our January cruise.

 

Dianne

[SailAways]

We are actually staying at the HIX the week before the Superbowl in Miami and have read about some hotel prices on the boards in Miami and FLL that are way, way higher than what we are paying at HIX.

HIX meets has meet our needs so far. I'll let you know if the hotel fails our expectations following our January cruise.

Dianne

 

Our senior rate is just over $200 for one night at the Ft. Lauderdale HIX. I felt this was high - but as you say, comfort, and convenience is a good thing. We paid nearly this much in the Northwest the last time we were there.

I know that some use booking engines which I find tedious, so perhaps there are better deals out there. I couldn't find it when we were ready to book.

 

Enjoy.

[SheltieLady]

I was wondering if anyone can suggest a airport shuttle service, we are now staying in Fort Lauderdale upon returning from our cruise due to a mess up with Delta Airlines. We are staying at Hyatt Regency Pierr 66 and they don't have shuttle services.

 

So I need to find a taxi company or shuttle services that I can pre book as we have to be to the airport at 5:00 am.

 

Christine

[Bequia]

Christine, why not just opt for a cab? Cost will be $12-$15 for the 5 minute ride (not per person). The Hyatt concierge will reserve one for you. ;)

 

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[beachpeach1]

Bequia: Thanks for filling everyone in on FLL! We went on hotwire and they got us a room at the Holiday Inn By The Sea. It looks like it's about 10 miles from the airport and port, and they don't provide shuttle service. How much do you think a cab will be? Is it a decent place? Since we have a late return flight, the hotel told us that we could get a room 1/2 price for the day so we can store luggage, go to beach, and shower before airport. Sounds reasonable. Any liquor stores nearby that we can walk to? Really appreciate your help. It's hard to make reservations without knowing the area sometimes.