What hotel in FLL?

[DaveOKC]

Thanks for pointing this out. I checked dates for our pre-cruise, and while it's a little more than the Renaissuance, it's not all that much more, and seems worthy of the difference. We fly in on my husband's birthday, so I'm thinking he needs a little birthday upgrade :)

 

Sounds like a good plan, doing it JUST for your husband! You sound like a friend of mine who always bought his wife fishing supplies for her birthday, Christmas, etc. Of course, she did not fish............

[SonnekeH]

We invariably do Priceline bidding for FLL and MIA or once in a while Hotwire.

 

Always had great success but we only bid 4 stars and up. Our last Hotwire was in fact the Embassy Suites. If we have a car, which is often the case, we have had good success with Renaissance Plantation as well. Nice hotel. We have stayed in numerous properties in the core area-beach and 17th when dropping a car and staying on for a day or two.

 

We are staying at Double Tree Hotels Sunrise Sawgrass Mills. Got a great deal through Hotwire. Will have to take a cab from airport to hotel, and from hotel to cruiseport (on Jan 25) Has anyone stayed there before, and has anone any ideas about cab costs?

[cruz chic]

Sounds like a good plan, doing it JUST for your husband! You sound like a friend of mine who always bought his wife fishing supplies for her birthday, Christmas, etc. Of course, she did not fish............

 

Nice. Is he still married :D;)?

[CruisinNana]

Has anyone stayed at the Hampton Inn Las Olas Area?

 

POA1 - LOVE your posts!!! Thanks for the horn blasts! We will be there during the boat show. Please recommend a nice restaurant (seafood or American) that will take reservations in the Las Olas Area.

Thanks in advance!

[WeLoveCruising]

Sounds like a good plan, doing it JUST for your husband! You sound like a friend of mine who always bought his wife fishing supplies for her birthday, Christmas, etc. Of course, she did not fish............

 

Well, I suppose I'll have to take one for the team and stay there with him. ;)

[DaveOKC]

Well, I suppose I'll have to take one for the team and stay there with him. ;)

 

Thats extremely nice of you! Enjoy your stay and cruise.

[SusieKIslandGirl]

Oct. 16, 2015 We are in Ft. Lauderdale right now at the Hilton Marina. While an ok place I wouldn't stay here again. After our long, hot walk to find some lunch, groceries and wine, I decided our next stay will be at the Embassy Suites on 17th. That's an ideal location if you have shopping to do-plus I love their breakfast offerings.

[kazu]

Oct. 16, 2015 We are in Ft. Lauderdale right now at the Hilton Marina. While an ok place I wouldn't stay here again. After our long, hot walk to find some lunch, groceries and wine, I decided our next stay will be at the Embassy Suites on 17th. That's an ideal location if you have shopping to do-plus I love their breakfast offerings.

 

Been there - done that - totally agree with you Susie.

 

Have a great cruise :)

[summer slope]

I like the Hilton Marina. I love looking out over the yachts and watching the ships coming into the port in the morning. All lit up like Christmas Trees. I don't purchase anything before the cruise so I don't have any walking involved.

[PORT ROYAL]

Oct. 16, 2015 We are in Ft. Lauderdale right now at the Hilton Marina. While an ok place I wouldn't stay here again. After our long, hot walk to find some lunch, groceries and wine, I decided our next stay will be at the Embassy Suites on 17th. That's an ideal location if you have shopping to do-plus I love their breakfast offerings.

 

Long hot walk for lunch and shopping? Have cabs stopped operating from the Marina Hotel? The Marina's Concierge could not even arrange for a car and driver.? eek:

 

If this I now the case, next time stay at the Pillars. Because if cabs stop operating, the Pilars has it's own (dedicated) water taxi stop for acessing the Intercoastal and the Pillars' Cincierge could arrange for a car and driver.

Edited October 16, 2015 by PORT ROYAL

[POA1]

We are staying at Double Tree Hotels Sunrise Sawgrass Mills. Got a great deal through Hotwire. Will have to take a cab from airport to hotel, and from hotel to cruiseport (on Jan 25) Has anyone stayed there before, and has anone any ideas about cab costs?

 

It's pretty far inland. That's not necessarily a bad thing, but you're probably 45 minutes or more from the port.

[POA1]

Has anyone stayed at the Hampton Inn Las Olas Area?

 

POA1 - LOVE your posts!!! Thanks for the horn blasts! We will be there during the boat show. Please recommend a nice restaurant (seafood or American) that will take reservations in the Las Olas Area.

Thanks in advance!

You'll be about 3 blocks from the heart of downtown. It's a nice enough hotel. There's a grocery stores within a few blocks, and you'll be close to shopping and dining.

Well, I suppose I'll have to take one for the team and stay there with him. ;)

[CruisinNana]

You'll be about 3 blocks from the heart of downtown. It's a nice enough hotel. There's a grocery stores within a few blocks, and you'll be close to shopping and dining.

 

Thanks so much for this information and peace of mind. We booked this cruise late and realized hotels we usually stay in were booked due to the boat show and prices were doubled for most! This hotel had a few rooms left for $200 per night. I'm happy to hear a grocery is nearby for last minute stuff.

[RocketMan275]

Thanks so much for this information and peace of mind. We booked this cruise late and realized hotels we usually stay in were booked due to the boat show and prices were doubled for most! This hotel had a few rooms left for $200 per night. I'm happy to hear a grocery is nearby for last minute stuff.

 

I made a reminder to self to check on the dates for the boat show before booking a cruise. We usually cruise in November and, even though, I was looking for rooms several months out, almost all the hotels in the port area were fully booked. Booked at the Marriott Courtyard Beach which was much more than we usually pay at the ES but I've been wanting an excuse to stay there anyway.

[iancal]

We were happy to get the Embassy Suites on a Hotwire win. Otherwise we would not bother with it. It is a fine hotel but not exactly what we prefer.

 

Apart from the dark rooms, the 'free' breakfast does not do anything for us. We do not especially want to stand in a long line to get breakfast and jump up and down to get things that we forgot. We would much rather have a sit down breakfast at a restaurant nearby. May as well be at the Lido for breakfast...which we also avoid.

 

The managers reception is very nice but a glass of wine and a few nachos is not something that will make our decision for us. We can go across the street to the pub (but don't bother eating there) if we want.

Edited October 17, 2015 by iancal

[POA1]

Thanks so much for this information and peace of mind. We booked this cruise late and realized hotels we usually stay in were booked due to the boat show and prices were doubled for most! This hotel had a few rooms left for $200 per night. I'm happy to hear a grocery is nearby for last minute stuff.

You're welcome. The grocery store is the Publix on Andrews Ave. It's 0.7 miles or 1.1 km from the hotel. There's also a CVS drug store 0.5 miles or 0.8 km away. There are some excellent restaurants and nice shops on Las Olas Blvd.

 

As always, I recommend that you print directions from the airport to your hotel. The taxi drivers don't always know where they're going. It should be a 15 to 20 minute ride and cost roughly $20. I'm pretty sure that the hotel has a free port shuttle.

[CruisinNana]

You're welcome. The grocery store is the Publix on Andrews Ave. It's 0.7 miles or 1.1 km from the hotel. There's also a CVS drug store 0.5 miles or 0.8 km away. There are some excellent restaurants and nice shops on Las Olas Blvd.

 

As always, I recommend that you print directions from the airport to your hotel. The taxi drivers don't always know where they're going. It should be a 15 to 20 minute ride and cost roughly $20. I'm pretty sure that the hotel has a free port shuttle.

 

Again, THANK YOU!!!!

[POA1]

Again, THANK YOU!!!!

You're very welcome. I'm here to help. :)

[tuolumne couple]

Just wondering what hotel people prefer both pre and post cruise and why.

 

I was thinking of the Embassy Suites, but read some recent reviews that were not as good as I hoped for.

 

What are your thoughts?

 

We are staying at the Lago Mar post cruise this time. This is the only way to best the ship... it is our favorite and we try to stay at least two days. old Florida charm right on the beach. best hidden secret. great spot to see ships come in and leave and close to port. great pools. great beach. great restaurant.

pre- we have stayed everywhere, this time Hilton marina. a few days pre as well. any place in fort lauderdale is a great place to be.

my strongest suggestions?: stay one day pre and one day post. wherever you can afford to make it happen.

good luck with your decision and see you aboard HAL!