Help needed for a Brit

[hallsuk2]

Hello,

O.K. so I am researching a pre cruise stay in Fort Lauderdale and have already gleaned lots of info but need a little more help. The cruise leaves 4th Nov2009 and we want to stay in Fort Lauderdale for 4 days prior to our cruise. I have no experience of Ft. L. but have been to the states many times. What area should I be thinking of booking a hotel. We like to eat well so plenty of food options are important. I don't plan on driving and airport/port shuttles are not that important to me. Quite prepared to use cabs. We don't mind walking and maybe close to a beach area for beachside walks etc. Maybe some shopping. Any suggestions, 17th Street area seems to get regular mentions. Any help would be appreciated,

Iain

[megr1125]

Well there are MANY places.....the 17th street area puts you in walking/sun trolley or water taxi range......

 

www.suntrolley.com

 

www.watertaxi.com

 

the Ft. Lauderdale Grande, Renaissance and Hyatt Pier 66 are good choices. Closer to the beach are the Courtyard by Marriott, the Harbor Beach Marriott and others.

 

http://ftlauderdale411.blogspot.com/

 

the above link will take you to Bequia's blog! She's a local and has organized a LOT of info in one spot!

 

hth

[BlueHerons]

Hello,

O.K. so I am researching a pre cruise stay in Fort Lauderdale and have already gleaned lots of info but need a little more help. The cruise leaves 4th Nov2009 and we want to stay in Fort Lauderdale for 4 days prior to our cruise. I have no experience of Ft. L. but have been to the states many times. What area should I be thinking of booking a hotel. We like to eat well so plenty of food options are important. I don't plan on driving and airport/port shuttles are not that important to me. Quite prepared to use cabs. We don't mind walking and maybe close to a beach area for beachside walks etc. Maybe some shopping. Any suggestions, 17th Street area seems to get regular mentions. Any help would be appreciated,

Iain

 

Your dates are over the Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show for 2009. Firstly, what is your hotel nightly budget?

 

For any of the nicer hotels, you need to budget $300+ per night. The 17th Street Hotels (Hyatt Pier 66, Embassy Suites, Hyatt Place, Renaissance, Holiday Inn Express) will be very expensive because that is ground zero for boat show.

 

A good area for you might be either Hollywood Beach or Lauderdale-By-The-Sea. Check out www.Sunny.org

 

For dining and shopping, I'm a big fan of Las Olas Boulevard. It is a wonderful dining, shopping, and attraction area.

 

The last day of the boat show is on Monday and it is a great time to tour some of the mega yachts. Bahia Cabana is a must the last night of the boat show.

 

If you can switch your dates to four days post cruise, you'll find hotel rooms a fraction of the price.

[bills blasters]

We are staying at the Embassy Suites. We love the location. Close to lots of restaurants, shopping and the trolley and water taxi. Plus, you get a good breakfast buffet, and a 2 hour happy hour in the evening.

[royalcruz]

If you like to eat well and shop, don't miss Las Olas Blvd. The Riverside Hotel is in the middle of everything there. The best area by the beach would be anything near Las Olas Blvd and A1A, as there are lots of restaurants. As Blue Herons mentioned this may be an expensive week to book hotels, but a few of the most reasonably priced decent hotels in that area are Courtyard Marriott, Sheraton Yankee Clipper, and Bahia Mar. These 2 areas are where the action is where you won't have to rely as much on transportation.

[Jaxsonbrownie]

We are staying at the Embassy Suites. We love the location. Close to lots of restaurants, shopping and the trolley and water taxi. Plus, you get a good breakfast buffet, and a 2 hour happy hour in the evening.

 

 

We second this hotel. The Embassy Suites is a great place to stay pre-cruise. Great location, clean, wonderful cooked to order breakfast in the morning, oh yeah, it's free! Beautiful pool area. There is lots of places to shop, pick up things you might need for the cruise. Publix Grocery store & Liquor store right behind it. In fact, here is a link to a blog that contains lots of good info on Ft Lauderdale as far as places to stay, eat or shop. It is written by someone here at the boards who lives in the area, check it out. Hope it helps...

http://ftlauderdale411.blogspot.com/

 

Jax:)

[Twickenham]

One thing I have to say is that Fort Lauderdale has an excellent bus system. We used it for our day post-cruise a few years ago, and found it most user-friendly. You can buy a day pass on board the bus, costs about $3, a bargain! And the coolest thing is that you can plan your bus itinerary on Google maps; just follow the link from the Broward County Transit website: http://www.broward.org/bct/.

[hallsuk2]

Hello to all,

Thanks for all the postd, plenty to look at,

Thanks again,

Iain

[BlueHerons]

I would not wait to book because the Hyatt Place is already sold out (room blocks I'm sure), the Embassy is posting rates begining at $370 per night and the Hyatt Pier 66 rates start at $330 per night.