Better option for a hotel (going to a Panthers game)

[Mer turquoise]

My brother in law will be on the Solstice on March 4th. He will arrive in FLL on March 3 and the Panthers are playing a game that night. He wants to go to the game with is wife and son. My question is the following:

 

What would be better (less expensive) for him ?

 

Should he rent a car for one day, stay in a hotel near the Bank Atlantic Center (the Sheraton in the Weston – Davie – Plantation area is at 86$ on Hotwire) or would it be better to stay in a hotel near the cruise port or the airport area and pay a taxi to the Bank Atlantic Center ? I think the rental car would be a better option but would like to hear the opinion of other peoples.

 

Thank you !

[royalcruz]

A round trip taxi from the airport or port area will be expensive and a rental car will give him more freedom. $86 for a hotel in March is good. The Sheraton is in Plantation, which is quite close to the arena.

[DanJ]

Even with having to pay for parking at the arena, I think renting is a better choice. The arena is something like 15 miles from the airport. I might also look to see if you can find the Crowne Plaza Sunrise on Hotwire. It's right across the road from Sawgrass Mall, and about 3/4 of a mile across the mall parking lot to the arena. Maybe a little higher room rate makes up for not having to pay to park at the game.

[Keith1010]

I would also say he is better off to rent a car.

 

Keith

[JenniLynn]

My Husband and I stayed in the Plantation/Davie area last year before our cruise because we also attended a Panthers game the night before. Tickets are a lot cheaper than to our home team, but the parking lot was NUTS! (they had young boys "directing" traffic, some kind of volunteer/fundraiser thing I think, and it was CHAOS!)

 

I would definitely recommend a rental car simply because I don't know how easy it would be to get a taxi after the game, unless you arranged one before hand (but you never know exactly when a game is going to finish up.)

 

It should be fun whatever you decide, just remember that rental cares work on a 24 hour clock and not calendar days so don't pick it up too early the day before!

[Mer turquoise]

Thank you everyone for your input ! I will suggest he rents a car. As far as parking at the Bank Atlantic center on their site it says:

 

Parking Prices:Florida Panthers hockey games: Parking is included in all ticket purchases.

 

So it's an other reason to rent a car according to me. I read on other threads that you can pick a car at the airport and drop it off near the port (Thrifty and Dollars). I will suggest him to do that. Should be pretty easy.

 

Thanks again !

[Beth C]

I try to always stay at the Sheraton in Plantation and have always got it on priceline for under $60... bid on a 3.5* in the West Ft Lauderdale Plantation area. For me the 3.5* has always been the Sheraton which with PL you don't have to worry about having enough 'beds' as there's a sofa bed in every room so even if you're assigned a King - his son will have a place to sleep too. Parking is free there and it's right across the street from Broward Mall and a Target as well as there's a Walgreens essentially at the bottom of the Sheraton parking lot for those last minute oops I forgot....

 

The 1st time in FLL I rented at the airport and dropped off near the pier but found that location extremely busy and chaotic so now I rent and return to FLL (depending on the # of people i'm travelling with drop them and the luggage @ the ship and take the car back to FLL) and either hop the shuttle to the pier or grab a taxi.