Need info about Riverside Hotel Ft. Lauderdale

[Trish Traveler]

Just won a night at the Riverside Hotel on Priceline for my upcoming Ruby Cruise. I knew this area was a possibility, but I was hoping for the 17th Street area because I am more familiar with all the stores in that area. So now that I am actually going to be in the downtown area I have lots of questions.

Can anybody help with these questions:

- Cab fare from FLL airport to Riverside?

- Cab fare from Riverside to Port Everglades?

- Are there any liquor stores for wine and grocery stores for soda, canned fruit juice and other supplies in that area?

- Any fast food in the area as we will save our appetites and money for the ship?

- What would be the easiest way for us to get from the Riverside to the 17th Street area to shop at Publix/Total Wine if we choose to do that?

Thanks for any help you can give.

[royalcruz]

"Just won a night at the Riverside Hotel on Priceline for my upcoming Ruby Cruise. I knew this area was a possibility, but I was hoping for the 17th Street area because I am more familiar with all the stores in that area. So now that I am actually going to be in the downtown area I have lots of questions.

Can anybody help with these questions:

- Cab fare from FLL airport to Riverside?

about $20

- Cab fare from Riverside to Port Everglades?

about $20

- Are there any liquor stores for wine and grocery stores for soda, canned fruit juice and other supplies in that area?

macabe liquor is just past SE 15th Ave on the left, CVS drugs is on the corner of Broward Blvd and US1 (sells wine, soda, etc), Publix is less than a mile away on Andrews Ave

- Any fast food in the area as we will save our appetites and money for the ship?

Starbucks 2 blocks west of hotel on Las Olas, Subway on Andrews Ave near Broward Blvd, Ats-A-Pizza east of hotel on Las Olas, subs (Quiznos?) and Chicken Kitchen on US 1 at Broward Blvd

- What would be the easiest way for us to get from the Riverside to the 17th Street area to shop at Publix/Total Wine if we choose to do that?

taxi

Thanks for any help you can give."

[Jan_In_Maine]

Can't really help with the questions ... only posting to say that we love the Riverside ... I didn't realize it was on Priceline ... I would stay there again in a heartbeat. I hope you enjoy!! Jan

[Trish Traveler]

royalcruz - Thank you so much for your quick response and great info.

 

Jan in Maine - Glad to know the Riverside is a great place to stay, having never been there.

[Aunt Tina]

We, too, got the Riverside Hotel on Priceline before our cruise on the Emerald in two weeks. It is a great area - check out the water taxi for a tour and transportation to other areas. There is a great park there, with booths and entertainment on weekends, and all kinds of boutique shops on Los Olas Blvd. There is also a neat little deli-restaurant outside the park/parking garage that was featured on Rachel Ray's $40 a day that sells hot sandwiches that in England would be Cornish Pasties. does anyone know the name - and is is still there? There's also a Cheesecake Factory Restaurant on Los Olas.

[sunsetbeachgal]

We just got the hotel on Priceline too (my first experience with Priceline...kind of scary!)...sounds like the area is nice...was hoping to get a hotel with free shuttle from airport and to cruise terminal...oh well-have to take the good with the bad!

[royalcruz]

There is also a neat little deli-restaurant outside the park/parking garage that was featured on Rachel Ray's $40 a day that sells hot sandwiches that in England would be Cornish Pasties. does anyone know the name - and is is still there? There's also a Cheesecake Factory Restaurant on Los Olas.

 

I've never noticed that deli. Perhaps it is near the parking garage on 2nd St between the library and university tower. There are a lot of take out places there that cater to the downtown lunch crowd.

[CruiserRacheal]

I just got this one from Priceline for $80 for our post-cruise stay! I was getting nervous since I haven't really noticed Riverside hotel mentioned much around here, but this thread put my mind at ease! Thank you!

[Sass4]

We just stayed there (in the old section) and our room was quite the dump!!

 

I would advise you to pay the upgrade fee and stay in the new section.

[ricktwo]

Before I moved to Ft Lauderdale, I stayed many times (along with my wife) in the "old section" via Priceline. One time we were even given a corner room overlooking Las Olas! I would never have classified any of them as a "dump", rather I would call them "dated". The common space is quite nice, and the location is excellent. I really hope that the hotel staff hasn't let the condition of the older rooms go downhill, last I stayed there was the summer and fall of 2008. If I were to stay there again, I am thinking I would check out my room first before I committed to an upgrade to the tower rooms.

[CruiserRacheal]

Hello, we got back from our first cruise last week and I just wanted to pop back in here to let you know that we stayed in the old section of the Riverside Hotel and a dump it was NOT. Sure, our room showed age, but it was very well kept and clean. If anything the room had character, LOL. We actually thought it was better and cleaner than Courtyard Marriott in Downtown Miami we stayed pre-cruise. Taxi ride from the hotel to the FLL airport was only about $15 for us, maybe because it was really early on Saturday morning. Hope you have a great time!

[ranchette]

What area and what * rating did you bid for and get the Riverside Hotel from Priceline?

[royalcruz]

What area and what * rating did you bid for and get the Riverside Hotel from Priceline?

 

My friends got it in the downtown zone, 3 star in January, but got Hyatt Place in March from the same criteria. You could also end up with Embassy Suites.