Question about Pier 66 Ft Lauderdale

[CINCY40]

We will be in Ft Lauderdale on March 17th and sail on the Westerdam the following day. On every previous cruise we have taken out of this port, we have stayed at the Pier 66 in a tower room with view of the port. We have always enjoyed this hotel and the port view, but I have seen a few postings lately that would indicate that the tower rooms are not in very good shape. Has anyone stayed there lately who could tell us what is happening there? It would be greatly appreciated as we need to go ahead and make reservations.

 

Nancy

[AWED23]

I first used the 66 in 1974 when it was the Phillips Pier 66 and even had a 9 hole pitch and putt golf course where a good bit of the pool is now.....I used it until last year when taking the Prinsendam up the Amazon....That was one of the WORST hotel experiences I have ever had!!!!....And I am Hyatt Gold card member dating back to 1973....I have probably stayed at the 66 over 200 times but NEVER, EVER, AGAIN !!!!...We used the Embassy Suites last month and it was GREAT !!!!.....Rob.:mad: :mad: :mad:

[sail7seas]

AWED...... Thank you for your very interesting post.

 

We, like you, have stayed at Pier 66 dozens and dozens of times. We always enjoyed it except for our last stay which was shortly after the new owners took over.

 

We have not sailed from FLL for a little while and have had no opportunity to revisit Pier 66 but were thinking of booking it soon.

 

What were the problems you encountered? Were you in the Tower?

I'd be so appreciative if you'd give a clue as to the changes.

 

Is Bobby still at the Bell Desk?

Familiar faces at the desk/pool/bartending? Concierges still there?

Is the lobby bar still the same?

What about the lobby restaurant? Is it decent service/food? Open generous hours?

 

I know this probably belongs on the hotel board but this thread has already been started.

 

I'd be greatly appreciative of any info you can share.

 

 

[CINCY40]

Tell me how to get to the hotel board? Guess I could not find it. I am going to be very disappointed if we do not stay at the Hyatt. Who are the new owners? We choose Hyatt whenever available...I hate to hear that they are not performing well.

 

Nancy

[Betsy's Mom]

We stayed there in late Oct. (Boat Show) and would not again. Our room was fine with several minor problems taken care of after several calls to the front desk, no towels etc. However, the choices for eating dinner were slim to none. Unless you wanted to leave the buildling (in pouring rain) it was limited to the very limited menu in the Lobby Bar or Room Serivce. The Lobby dining area was closed at night for five nights and had no evening hours posted at all. The Pool Bar closed at 5 PM. The prices in the Spa were higher than on the ship (Amsterdam)! Breakfaast service in the dining area was very, very poor and disorganized. So bad they comped our breakfast. Lovely setting, but needs improvement.

B.

[Vic The Parrot]

If it's not a Hyatt, then who are the new owners?? :confused:

 

I just checked the Hyatt website, and it's still one of thier properties.

Can anyone clarify this?

[AZGal]

We have pre-cruise reservations at the Pier 66 in April. Now I am concerned. Prior to booking I had heard that the hotel had been undergoing major renovations and because of that the service and accommodations during the past year were hit or miss. I figured by now (almost a year later) that everything would be back to normal.

[sail7seas]

It has been a franchise of Hyatt for years.

 

An investment group bought it about 2 years ago. The same people own

Boca Raton Resort, Marriott Marina now called The Grande (or something like it), Bahia Mar Hotel and a few others.

 

We always loved Pier 66 and hope it has gotten back to it's old excellence. I'm going to try to make some inquiries. We'd be so sad to think that hotel that we really enjoyed greatly has deteriorated so badly.

[dolls4sell]

Peir 66 use to be a wonderful hotel. Now it's overpriced and a bit worn. I am from Ft. Lauderdale area. Also it is about a 20 min ride to the pier when their is heavy traffic. Also, consider that OUR SEASON is NOV-MARCH, which means higher rates in hotels. Stay at the Embassy suites 17th St. Causway less than a mile and less money! Good resturants in walking distance and shopping.

[dolls4sell]

Peir 66 use to be a wonderful hotel. Now it's overpriced and a bit worn. I am from Ft. Lauderdale area. Also it is about a 20 min ride to the pier when there is heavy traffic. Also, consider that OUR SEASON is NOV-MARCH, which means higher rates in hotels. Stay at the Embassy suites 17th St. Causway less than a mile and less money! Good resturants in walking distance and shopping.

[AWED23]

AWED...... Thank you for your very interesting post.

 

We, like you, have stayed at Pier 66 dozens and dozens of times. We always enjoyed it except for our last stay which was shortly after the new owners took over.

 

We have not sailed from FLL for a little while and have had no opportunity to revisit Pier 66 but were thinking of booking it soon.

 

What were the problems you encountered? Were you in the Tower?

I'd be so appreciative if you'd give a clue as to the changes.

 

Is Bobby still at the Bell Desk?

Familiar faces at the desk/pool/bartending? Concierges still there?

Is the lobby bar still the same?

What about the lobby restaurant? Is it decent service/food? Open generous hours?

 

I know this probably belongs on the hotel board but this thread has already been started.

 

I'd be greatly appreciative of any info you can share.

 

 

S7S....Read Betsys Mom's comment....My last visit to the 66 was in February of 2006...Coming from the West coast means 8:00 PM or later arrival. This had never been a problem in the past....After checking in and then finding that we could not have a drink in the top of the tower lounge we went down to our room and referred to the Hotel Brochure. In the dining information it clearly stated that the lobby cafe and the bar kitchen were both open for service untill 10:00 PM...We went first to the bar at 9:15 PM and were told that the kitchen was closed but that we should go next door to the cafe [The one that used to stay open untill midnight]....We proceeded to the cafe. By now I was beginning a slow burn having been told earlier that the tower lounge was only for a private party and then being denied service at the lobby bar by a rude bartender...Guess what??? The cafe closed at 9:00 PM also. On to the front desk....Their reply.....They had not had time to reprint the dining information. After I gave them various options as to what they should have done I made the mistake of saying that I suppose room service was also closed for the night.....FINALLY I GOT SOMETHING RIGHT !!!!...room service was closed....The room itself was run down and in dire need of refurbishment but my personal displeasure hinged more on the present management. The next day at 11:30 AM when we went outside for a taxi....We were the only ones there!...The usual hustle and bustle of the Pier was not there!...I asked the doorman about it and he said they were down to 40% occupancy and he was looking to go elsewhere too....last month we drove by the Pier at about 11:30 AM and there were no guests out front waiting for taxis.....??????????...Again, The Embassy Suites were great and very convenient!!!! Rob.:mad:

[seaisme]

S7S....Read Betsys Mom's comment....My last visit to the 66 was in February of 2006...Coming from the West coast means 8:00 PM or later arrival. This had never been a problem in the past....After checking in and then finding that we could not have a drink in the top of the tower lounge we went down to our room and referred to the Hotel Brochure. In the dining information it clearly stated that the lobby cafe and the bar kitchen were both open for service untill 10:00 PM...We went first to the bar at 9:15 PM and were told that the kitchen was closed but that we should go next door to the cafe [The one that used to stay open untill midnight]....We proceeded to the cafe. By now I was beginning a slow burn having been told earlier that the tower lounge was only for a private party and then being denied service at the lobby bar by a rude bartender...Guess what??? The cafe closed at 9:00 PM also. On to the front desk....Their reply.....They had not had time to reprint the dining information. After I gave them various options as to what they should have done I made the mistake of saying that I suppose room service was also closed for the night.....FINALLY I GOT SOMETHING RIGHT !!!!...room service was closed....The room itself was run down and in dire need of refurbishment but my personal displeasure hinged more on the present management. The next day at 11:30 AM when we went outside for a taxi....We were the only ones there!...The usual hustle and bustle of the Pier was not there!...I asked the doorman about it and he said they were down to 40% occupancy and he was looking to go elsewhere too....last month we drove by the Pier at about 11:30 AM and there were no guests out front waiting for taxis.....??????????...Again, The Embassy Suites were great and very convenient!!!! Rob.:mad:

well...we're booked for Pier 66 in April pre-cruise. have enjoyed it in the past, and tired to stay elsewhere...but kept getting negative comments on other hotels from other CC posters. it's only for one night...so I am guessing that whatever the experience, we can endure for 24 hours! we were planning on going to the beach front for dinner...so won't experience the restaurant. will post a review upon return. I did confirm that the top is closed for private parties...a pity...we loved watching the cruise ships enter/leave. That's why we didn't reserve a room there post cruise. Wonder if they realize how many people aren't booking there because they closed the top floor? Figure at least 20 passengers per cruise ship X 52 weeks X $300+/night= $321,000 a year. Guess they can afford to do so since their private party income must be greater.

[sail7seas]

Very, very sorry to hear such poor comments about a hotel we have had so much fun at....such wonderful times.

 

I don't quite agree with the computation about them losing so many guests 52 weeks a year because of the Pier Top being used only for private parties.

 

HAL doesn't even sail from FLL for a full six months of the year.

Most other cruise lines have far fewer sailings during summmer than the rest of the year.But the point is well taken that fewer cruise passengers are staying at that hotel if they read the BB's and are forewarned about the diminishement in the quality/enjoyment of Pier 66.

[CINCY40]

After reading the replies to this thread and also finding the one on the Hotel board, we still decided to stay at Pier 66 the evening before our Westerdam cruise on March 18th. We are platinum Hyatt members and have always been treated well at all Hyatt hotels.

 

Not so, this time.

 

We called three days ahead and requested a tower room with a view of the port. What we got was a tower room with a view of the bridge and the roof. AND a worker was pressure cleaning the roof until almost 6PM and it was impossible to use the terrace due to the noise. We were told there were no more tower rooms available and that there was no tower room request on our account.

 

The only available place in the hotel to have dinner is in the bar. The menu is exactly the same as the room service menu and is very limited. You can still walk to the Grille 66 and have dinner which we did, but when you have been traveling and are tired that is not always what you feel like doing. In addition, although the food is very good, it is also very expensive.

 

When we stayed there the three previous occasions, we walked across the street to a nice liquor store and purchased wine for the trip. That whole shopping center is now closed down, so if you do not have transportation, tne Hyatt is truly out of the way and cabs are necessary if you need to shop.

 

The room was small but clean. Nothing to write home about.

 

People were kind to respond to my original thread so I thought it would be appropriate for me to post this critique.

 

Nancy

[sail7seas]

Thanks, Nancy. Very disappointing. It seems odd they only serve dinner in the small lobby bar. We enjoy the Grille but agree it is not always what someone wants after traveling all day. You need to dress a bit and it's a big meal.

 

Seems they do not want the cruise passenger as guests anymore. Are they only seeking private functions? Convention groups who normally have banquet meals?

 

[AWED23]

Thanks, Nancy. Very disappointing. It seems odd they only serve dinner in the small lobby bar. We enjoy the Grille but agree it is not always what someone wants after traveling all day. You need to dress a bit and it's a big meal.

 

Seems they do not want the cruise passenger as guests anymore. Are they only seeking private functions? Convention groups who normally have banquet meals?..

 

s7s, The point of my posts was that Pier 66 no longer gives even reasonable service and that they were sure to lose business...Period!..And they have if my informants are correct...they now barely maintain an ADVANCED booking rate of 50%....Occupancy is higher depending upon available space at competing properties but sometimes is as low as 55-60%....Hyatt should pull their Marque from this property....It is really sad to see this happen.

[sail7seas]

I get it......and I'm very sorry to hear it. It used to be a wonderful property. We have some fabulous memories of great times there; good friends we met and enjoyed.

 

That hotel used to consistently be 110% booked; week after week.