Ft. Lauderdale hotel with shuttle service to port

[SugarNSpice8104]

We are not sailing out of Ft. Lauderdale for a while but I am an obsessive planner. I was wondering what decent hotels are around the port with shuttle service from airport and to the cruise ship port. I need a place with a few restaraunt choices nearby and a good pool area as we are taking some younger kids. I don't really want to spend more tha $200 per night. Can anyone help me??

[BlueHerons]

We are not sailing out of Ft. Lauderdale for a while but I am an obsessive planner. I was wondering what decent hotels are around the port with shuttle service from airport and to the cruise ship port. I need a place with a few restaraunt choices nearby and a good pool area as we are taking some younger kids. I don't really want to spend more tha $200 per night. Can anyone help me??

 

You are really limiting yourself if you absolutely must have a cruise shuttle. The cruise port/17th Street hotels are so close to the airport and the port that a cab ride is a cheap quick way to get where you are going.

 

I'd start with Hyatt Place, Embassy Suites, and Hyatt Pier 66.

 

With kids, I would definitely suggest staying on the beach. The Courtyard By Marriott is an excellent choice. However, it does not have shuttles.

[cruiser429]

LaQuinta Hollywood is clean, free shuttle from airport and to cruise port, free breakfast.

They have a small pool which would be adequate for an afternoon. It's walking distance to a number of restaurants/shopping area. It's also very reasonable.

Also-they were extremely organized with their shuttle to the cruise port. Just sign up for the shuttle when you check in.

[nannie70]

We are staying at Hyatt Place. They have airport shuttle as well as shuttle to the port. They also have continental breakfast which will hold till you get on the ship for lunch. The price was $181.00. Not too bad.

[jagoffee]

We are staying at Hyatt Place. They have airport shuttle as well as shuttle to the port. They also have continental breakfast which will hold till you get on the ship for lunch. The price was $181.00. Not too bad.

 

Does your $181 price include the taxes?

[Seas the moment]

Ft.Lauderdale - North. We just stayed there. Clean, comfy room, free breakfast and free shuttle to/from airport, to cruise port. Actually, they shuttled us everywhere....to dinner upon arrival, to the waterfront the next day and to the cruise port. they picked us up at all drop off locations too. We had planned to stay at the Embassy Suites next year for our cruise, but their staff and shuttle service changed our mind. We had a terrific stay. I think you can get rates as low as $169 + 11% tax. Good luck!

[Lou33]

SugarNSpice,

 

I assume that the main reason to find a hotel with a shuttle is to save money. The bottom line is that there are better ways to save money if you don't limit yourself to hotels with free shuttles. In FLL everything is very close, and taxis are cheap and convenient, $10 from the airport to the hotel, $5 from the hotel to the port. Even if I had a free shuttle, I would probably take a taxi anyway.

 

If you use priceline, you could get a beautiful 4* hotel like the Renaissance or the Grande for $75-$110/night depending on when you are staying. They are close to the port, walking distance to restaurants and the water taxi.

 

Fort Lauderdale is a particularly good place to utilize priceline. I don't know why everybody doesn't do it. See biddingfortravel.com.

[mom of four]

BIG problem with LaQuinta is you can only get on the shuttle that is for YOUR ship. For instance, last Sunday the "Princess" Shuttle from LaQuinta was 12:15. We would have taken a cab if we had stayed there. Places like Embassy Suites, although they charge a small fee for the shuttle, you can put yourself on whatever time you get signed up for.

[Jeepers385]

SugarNSpice,

 

If you use priceline, you could get a beautiful 4* hotel like the Renaissance or the Grande for $75-$110/night depending on when you are staying. They are close to the port, walking distance to restaurants and the water taxi.

 

 

Lou, I haven't used Priceline before but I got confused with the locations. Would the Renaiisance or Grande be for FLL Airport or North? Thanks for any help.

[royalcruz]

Lou, I haven't used Priceline before but I got confused with the locations. Would the Renaiisance or Grande be for FLL Airport or North? Thanks for any help.

 

Neither. They are in the "downtown Fort Lauderdale" zone. This was the latest list that I could find from betterbiddingdotcom. All are by the port except for Riverside Hotel which is on Las Olas, an even better location for dining/strolling, but another 3 miles away:

 

Fort Lauderdale (Downtown)

4* Ft Lauderdale Grande Hotel and Yacht Club (previously 3*) Marriott Grand Marriott Marina (name change, unknown priceline participating) tripadvisor review

4* Renaissance REVIEW / tripadvisor review

3* Embassy Suites REVIEW / tripadvisor review

3* Hyatt Place Airport North (previously 2.5*) REVIEW / tripadvisor review

3* Riverside Hotel

2* Extended StayAmerica Convention Center-Marina (previously 1*)

[Jeepers385]

Neither. They are in the "downtown Fort Lauderdale" zone. This was the latest list that I could find from betterbiddingdotcom. All are by the port except for Riverside Hotel which is on Las Olas, an even better location for dining/strolling, but another 3 miles away:

 

Fort Lauderdale (Downtown)

4* Ft Lauderdale Grande Hotel and Yacht Club (previously 3*) Marriott Grand Marriott Marina (name change, unknown priceline participating) tripadvisor review

4* Renaissance REVIEW / tripadvisor review

3* Embassy Suites REVIEW / tripadvisor review

3* Hyatt Place Airport North (previously 2.5*) REVIEW / tripadvisor review

3* Riverside Hotel

2* Extended StayAmerica Convention Center-Marina (previously 1*)

 

Thanks for your help.

[LHC]

I am staying at the Hampton Inn Plantation, which I have stayed at prior.

They have a beautiful hotel, where you can walk to shop, eat, and relax. It is in a great area. They have airport and port shuttle, included with a free breakfast, and a room set up with a computer that you can utilize for emails and confirmations, etc.

Across from them is the LaQuinta in Plantation and they offer the same services.

 

LHC/Linda

[Lou33]

Lou, I haven't used Priceline before but I got confused with the locations.

 

Jeepers,

 

If you have never used priceline, I feel that it is a must to read and understand the information on biddingfortravel.com before you bid. An hour or two of research will help prevent you from making mistakes, and it will get you a better price.

[royal_flush]

I am staying at the Hampton Inn Plantation, which I have stayed at prior.

They have a beautiful hotel, where you can walk to shop, eat, and relax. It is in a great area. They have airport and port shuttle, included with a free breakfast, and a room set up with a computer that you can utilize for emails and confirmations, etc.

Across from them is the LaQuinta in Plantation and they offer the same services.

 

LHC/Linda

 

Sounds nice. How much is the usual rate you pay for this one going through Priceline?

[Lou33]

Royal Flush,

 

When you use priceline, you can't choose a hotel. You choose a zone and a star rating, then you name your price. If there is a hotel that will accept your price, then you are immediately charged for your stay. That is how you can get rooms for such a low price.

 

It appears that the Hampton Inn Plantation does not use Priceline. There are no reported wins for that hotel. The Hampton Inn and LaQuinta are 2* hotels. Few people bid for 2* hotels, but when they do, they usually go for $25-50 on priceline.

[azalice]

We just used the Holiday Inn, Hollywood Fla. It is a couple of miles from port. Their shuttle to the port did cost money but they were on time. Hotel has decent restaurant. It worked out very well for about 150-160 a night.

[stag]

SugarNSpice,

 

I assume that the main reason to find a hotel with a shuttle is to save money. The bottom line is that there are better ways to save money if you don't limit yourself to hotels with free shuttles. In FLL everything is very close, and taxis are cheap and convenient, $10 from the airport to the hotel, $5 from the hotel to the port. Even if I had a free shuttle, I would probably take a taxi anyway.

Gone are the days of $5 taxi ride. A year ago, the official rate on taxi window saying the minimum fare was $10 between cruise port and airport. We just came back from Princess cruise last Friday. We took taxi both ways, Everglade - FLL. The taxi meter was about $14 in low traffic, plus $1 for each suitcase. Taxi is not that cheap anymore in FLL.

[Jeepers385]

Jeepers,

 

If you have never used priceline, I feel that it is a must to read and understand the information on biddingfortravel.com before you bid. An hour or two of research will help prevent you from making mistakes, and it will get you a better price.

 

Thanks Lou and yes I'm quite confused. I guess I'm going to have to wait a couple of days to rebid and I'm trying to get the Hyatt which used to be the Amerisuites so I'm trying to figure out which one they are.

Well I guess I can practice a couple of times:D, only kidding.

[kimmo]

We are staying there in Apriil/09 as they have shuttle services it is not bad price Senior discounts and all but we are using our Airmiles points, so can anyone tell me more about this hotel, is it close to shopping and the beach, we are staying 2 extra days after the cruise ...

 

Thanks to whoever can help with this

 

Tim

[jagoffee]

Thanks Lou and yes I'm quite confused. I guess I'm going to have to wait a couple of days to rebid and I'm trying to get the Hyatt which used to be the Amerisuites so I'm trying to figure out which one they are.

Well I guess I can practice a couple of times:D, only kidding.

 

Are you trying to figure out which one for Hotwire? Or priceline? The problem with Priceline is that Riverside is the same Zone and Rating and based on the feedback provided Riverside wins a lot for 3*.

[Jeepers385]

Are you trying to figure out which one for Hotwire? Or priceline? The problem with Priceline is that Riverside is the same Zone and Rating and based on the feedback provided Riverside wins a lot for 3*.

 

I was trying Priceline. There used to be a girl on CC, her name is Burbunny that use to help a lot of us out when we were trying Priceline, she was so nice and accommodating. I used Priceline 4 years ago for Puerto Rico and had no problems, now I guess my mind can't seem to compute.