Ft.Lauderdale Need Help! Which hotel?

[dogger13]

Hi, Need help for a precruise nite, deciding between Amerisuites: 159 includes breakfast and The Riverside: 255 for the best room and no breakfast. We really hate dumps even for the few hours for sleeping.

 

We could not get the valueline for 99 at Ameri for that was sold out and they could not transfer the booking.

Please advise.

thanks,

;)

cina

[TrentS]

Well between those 2 the Riverside hotel is a much MUCH nicer hotel! It's right on beautiful Las Olas Blvd., in the middle of some great shops and restaurants, and has it's own Water Taxi stop if you want to go to the beach, Galleria Mall, SE 17th Street, or one of the waterfront restaurants.

 

AmeriSuites is fine for a night if you're on a budget and can get a deal, but it's very much a budget hotel and I wouldn't pay $159/night for it. I also "hate dumps" and while I wouldn't call AmeriSuites a "dump" it's far from the best hotel in town.

[liv2cruise4ever]

Hi, Need help for a precruise nite, deciding between Amerisuites: 159 includes breakfast and The Riverside: 255 for the best room and no breakfast. We really hate dumps even for the few hours for sleeping.

 

We could not get the valueline for 99 at Ameri for that was sold out and they could not transfer the booking.

Please advise.

thanks,

;)

cina

 

We just stayed at the Riverside last week. Both pre and post cruise. This hotel is beautiful. I have to say, thanks to TrentS, we loved it. If you stay there, Elizabet at the front desk is just superb. She went out of her way for us both nites. In fact when she found out that we did a renewel of Vows on our cruise, she upgrade us to a corner balcony overlooking the canal. We paid 180 per nite through expedia. Anyone looking for a beautiful hotel right in the middle of great restaraunts and shops, this is the place to be. Any questions feel free to ask.:D

[Bequia]

Hi, Need help for a precruise nite, deciding between Amerisuites and The Riverside cina

 

Cina, that's like trying to decide between a glass of beer or a glass of Dom Perignon. Go for the Dom. :p

[dogger13]

Thank you everyone. I think we will go for the Dom.

 

Happy sailing to everyone.

:D

[coiran]

I have to disagree with the other posters - the Amerisuites is a very nice place - rooms are clean - b'fast is quite good for being complimentary - desk staff are very nice - transport to the airport and port are very efficient - pool is so-so. You can get it on valuetrips for under $100 and sometimes on priceline for $50 +.

I say this because I have stayed there pre cruise.

Ron

[TrentS]

Ron, no one said AmeriSuites is a "dump" but it's simply not in the same league as the Riverside Hotel - It's comparing apples and oranges... As I said AmeriSuite is fine if you're on a budget and can get a deal, but IMO it's not worth $159/night. You might as well spend more and get the Riverside, which is simply a MUCH nicer hotel is a spectacular setting on one of the most beautiful shopping/dining streets in Fort Lauderdale.

 

AmeriSuites is getting a bit worn though. It will soon be converted into a Hyatt Place along with the other AmeriSuites and be totally remodeled, and when that happens I imagine those cheap rates will be a thing of the past. IMO though Extended Stay America or the Holiday Inn Express "Convention Center" are better choices for a "budget" hotel on SE 17th Street than AmeriSuites.

[jimbug]

A thought about the Riverside....if you look under their "specials" (or whatever it's called) section of their website, you will see they have a King Tut package. It includes breakfast and a few other goodies for either the same price as a regular room or just a few dollars more, depending on your date. We booked it, but changed our minds and cancelled when we decided to stay in Bal Harbour for something different.

 

However, if we were staying in FLL, I would go for the Riverside again in an instant.

 

PS--you must call on the telephone to reserve the King Tut package. The internet reservations system does not have the ability to book the package deal.

[coiran]

Ron, no one said AmeriSuites is a "dump" but it's simply not in the same league as the Riverside Hotel - It's comparing apples and oranges... As I said AmeriSuite is fine if you're on a budget and can get a deal, but IMO it's not worth $159/night. You might as well spend more and get the Riverside, which is simply a MUCH nicer hotel is a spectacular setting on one of the most beautiful shopping/dining streets in Fort Lauderdale.

 

AmeriSuites is getting a bit worn though. It will soon be converted into a Hyatt Place along with the other AmeriSuites and be totally remodeled, and when that happens I imagine those cheap rates will be a thing of the past. IMO though Extended Stay America or the Holiday Inn Express "Convention Center" are better choices for a "budget" hotel on SE 17th Street than AmeriSuites.

 

We stayed at the Amerisuites ($50 priceline) in October and at the Hyatt Regency ($285 - the only place that had power after Wilma) - The Amerisuites had everything that the Hyatt had plus breakfast and is nearer to more than the Hyatt is. We also stayed at the Hyatt the following week ($90 priceline) and had a tower room.

We had one of the new rooms at the Hyatt and the only thing it had better than Amerisuites was an LCD TV.

Ron