Fort Lauderdale - hotel - port....Help please

[boards]

I just arrived home after spending four nights at the Extended Stay while in FLL for a cruise conference.

 

 

 

They have a car service they can call for you to take you to the airport or from the airport and to the pier - cost was $12 to the airport, I'm sure the pier is less.

 

How do you get a hold of them to come and get you at the airport?

[Londoncruiser]

Thank you Kat---still learning.:)

[redtop101]

DW and I just stayed there Oct 20th, 2006. I got a great deal on Travelaxe for $54 plus tax. The rooms were clean, quite large and bed was comfortable. The only negative we had is that they put us in a room facing Federal Hwy (SR1) which was very noisy, but for $54 I guess we shouldn't complain. It's within easy, safe walking distance to many restaurants and stores. We took a cab ($5.75) to the waterfront and took the ride-all-day/get on/off wherever you like, water taxi for $10 and had dinner at the historic Downtowner Saloon near Las Olas Blvd.

 

Breakfast on cruise day was a little crazy, but managed to find a table and no complaints with the free breakfast.

 

We returned a rental car to FLL airport and got the hotel shuttle back with no problems. We didn't take the shuttle to the Cruiseport on the Saturday, as the first shuttle left at 11.00 am and that was full, and they only ran every hour after that. We took another cab to the port (around $6, I think) and arrived at 10.15 am, got seated in the Princess embarkation lounge with boarding tickets #2 and were in our cabin at 12.15 pm. No complaints.

[Plant]

We stayed at LaQuinta, Hollywood last fall. It's a nice hotel, reasonably priced and you can leave your car there. They have a shuttle from the hotel to the ship.

 

Here's the link: http://www.lq.com/lq/properties/propertyProfile.do?ident=LQ985&propId=985&savedSearchQuery=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.lq.com%2Flq%2FproxySearchRes.do%3FsearchCity%3DFt.%2BLauderdale%26searchState%3DFL%26availability.palsra_IND_M%3D%26availability.palsra_IND_D%3D%26availability.palsra_IND_Y%3D%26availability.palsra_OTD_M%3D%26availability.palsra_OTD_D%3D%26availability.palsra_OTD_Y%3D%26availability.palsra_NRM%3D1%26mapProvider%3DMapQuest%26searchType%3DGEO%26promocorp%3D%26x%3D25%26y%3D8

 

I've also read that Comfort Inns & Suites has the same deal.

 

Have a great cruise!

[Host Kat]

Thank you Kat---still learning.:)

You are most welcome!

 

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Glad to be of service,

Kat

[airlink diva]

Greeting fellow cruisecritic members!!

Since there are a few inquries about the hotel for upcoming guest, I decided to write a mini review. Right now I'm in my hotel room relaxing for the big day!!

I flew into Fort Lauderdale. When I claimed my baggage, I called the hotel for shuttl service. The clerk told me where to go for pick up and that a driver was enroute. Within 5 minutes the van was there.

I comfirmed with the driver that there was a Publix supermarket,Walgreens, a nail shop and a few food resturants.

The lobby is a typical hotel lobby with friendly clerks. Check in was quick and the clerk inquried if I need shuttle service. When I told him that I was going on a cruise, the clerk told me to set a departure time to leave the hotel to ensure a seat since the van has limited space for luggage.

There is a sign on the counter that state a $10 fee if you want an early check in (pending on clean rooms).

The room is a standard mid class hotel room. Clean and basic for a one night stay. There's no tub in the room, only a shower. There's also a frig and mircowave. Also, there's a safe in the closet. The safe locks with four digit code that you set.

The hotel offers free wifi service with no problems to set up.

There's also a local car rental service on location.

Since there was quite a bit my the hotel, I canceled my car rental. I walked to Publix for water,wine, and soda. There's also a dollar store with last minute items.

The beach is two miles to the west.

The only minor problem that I had was with the car rental van driver. I was talking to the rental car clerk and mentioned that I was going to walk to the beach. He urge me to get a ride to the beach,esp since I was alone. He called his van driver to take me to the beach. The clerk suggested that I give him about 3 or 4 dollars for the ride. The ride from the hotel to the beach was under 10 minutes. When I gave the driver 5 dollars, he tells me that a cab would cost 20 from the hotel. I told him that I was paying him what his co-worker suggested. On my return trip, I took a cab back from the beach. The price, was only $7.30. A long way from $20. This did irk me with this guy trying to get $20 for a seven to eight minute ride.

The smell that some people mentioned in the rooms, was noticable when I checked in. But I also think that it's due to the cleaning items that the staff uses. The maid had just completed my room and was next door. The smell was strong, in a chemical way. But when I returned from the supermarket and dollar store 30 minutes later, it was gone.

If anyone have any other questions, please asked, I will check back online within the next day or so.

Happy sailing!!!

Maasdam April 4-14,2007

[Sea Fan]

Airlink Diva Thank you so much, I was just talking to me son who will be there the end of April so your post was very timely. Did you rent a car or can you rent a car right there at the hotel?

 

Dianne

[Sea Fan]

Airlink, me again we will be getting in early Jet Blue around 8:00 am. What time did you get there?

 

Again Thank You,

 

Dianne

[airlink diva]

I had a car rental with a major car rental company. But since stores and food resturants are close by I called and canceled my rental.

There is a local car rental located in the hotel lobby. The hotel clerk told me that the rates are very reasonable.

I arrived around 12:45 p.m., I got to the hotel around 1:35 p.m. Now there is a sign posted stated that early check in is $10 extra, pending clean rooms.

[Sea Fan]

Well that sure works for me, Thank you so much for the info. Hope you enjoy your cruise!

 

Dianne

[Donna - dsw]

We were at this hotel on 03/09/07. I was told you can call and get a spot on the shuttle when you confirm your hotel. When we arrived at noon the day before the shuttle was already booked until 12:30 pm the next day.

 

We did take the 12:30 pm shuttle and walk right into the port. We were checked in and in our room within 20 minutes - so getting there afternoon was a good thing.

 

We took a cab to the liquor store and it was $8.00 with tip. Walked a couple blocks back and had a drink at a local pub Hurricanes! They called a cab for us after drinks and it was $6.00 back to the hotel.

 

We also ate at the Mexican Rest. across the street from the hotel and the food was very good and the price was great!

 

We will stay at this place next time and skip all the hassle of 17th street and their huge prices.

[Londoncruiser]

thanks Redtop. I like the sound of the water taxi. We will be getting in late at night so maybe we will just grab some dinner and then off to bed and then off to the Coral Princess.

[willysgrandma]

The company is called Sun & Moon Express. Their number is 754-581-6264 and their website is *****.

 

You can pre arrange to have them pick you up at the airport. He has vans.

[cruzinjudi]

Can you please tell me what hotel's in fort lauderdale lets you park there while you are cruising and has anyone had any bad experiences?

[Ltvscout]

For those of you considering staying at the Sleep Inn - Dania, I'd suggest you read my review first.

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=530341

[Ltvscout]

For those of you considering staying at the Sleep Inn - Dania, I'd suggest you read my review first.

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=530341

[CruiseinNJ]

For those of you considering staying at the Sleep Inn - Dania, I'd suggest you read my review first.

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=530341

 

EEEEEWWW!!!! Thanks for the input. I think I'll be changing my reservation. Someone on our roll call has a block of rooms booked elsewhere, I was going with the Sleep Inn since it was a little cheaper, but for $15, it's not worth it! Cancellation here I come! (and yes, I realize it's only one person's experience vs. all the good postings but I was leaning towards changing hotels to meet up with our roll call prior to the cruise anyway... This just made up my mind.)

[Ltvscout]

EEEEEWWW!!!! Thanks for the input. I think I'll be changing my reservation. Someone on our roll call has a block of rooms booked elsewhere, I was going with the Sleep Inn since it was a little cheaper, but for $15, it's not worth it! Cancellation here I come! (and yes, I realize it's only one person's experience vs. all the good postings but I was leaning towards changing hotels to meet up with our roll call prior to the cruise anyway... This just made up my mind.)

Yes, this was just my experience. As I replied in my original review to someone else it may just be the class of room we stayed in which was their large 6-person non-smoking suite with 2 queen beds and sofa-bed. I suppose it's possible that the other size rooms are better maintained, but I kind of find that unplausible. Of course what others deem to be "clean" may differ greatly with my idea of clean, too.

 

My kids now refer to that hotel as the Poop Stain Inn. ;)

[Trvlr37]

JCW2462 - I don't think you're going to find a hotel in the airport area away from the noise of airplanes. Also, most airport hotels in FLL don't have really nice pools. I think the nicest pool I have seen near the airport is the Airport Hilton (old Wyndham).

[maofthree]

hi read your review sounds good but then i read another long review really makes me scared to keep reservations ... don.t know what to think now:eek:

[Ltvscout]

hi read your review sounds good but then i read another long review really makes me scared to keep reservations ... don.t know what to think now:eek:

It's more than likely too late in the game now to find a different hotel at a fair price. You could try to get the Renaissance through Priceline. You could probably get that in the $100-$125 range through them. You'd need to take taxis though from the airport and to the port.

 

If you do stay at the Sleep Inn, make sure you pull the covers down as soon as you get in the room and check out those sheets! ;)

[Bequia]

Interesting. I'm looking forward to reading reviews from other cruisers staying at the Sleep Inn since your stay. Curious to see if they had a similar experience.

[Ltvscout]

Interesting. I'm looking forward to reading reviews from other cruisers staying at the Sleep Inn since your stay. Curious to see if they had a similar experience.

As I said in other replies on this subject, this is the first time I had a bad experience following recommendations from others on CC. Either their quality control took a big nosedive in the past couple months, or, my idea of clean in an inexpensive hotel is completely different from others. :confused:

[Bequia]

It's all so bizarre though, every post on these boards raves about the Sleep Inn and then BAM it goes down the dumps in one stay.

At one time Amerisuites was the place to stay according to fellow cruisers then the posts started to mention slight deficiencies, then more and more cruisers were posting how the hotel had gone down hill or wasn't anything like their previous stays. Point being, you followed the hotels demise from being a top rated economical hotel to a second class hotel over a period of three or four months. (Amerisuites was purchased by Hyatt and will be remodeled and rebranded into a Hyatt Place, hence the downfall). For the Sleep Inn to go down the tubes overnight...what's up with that?

It will be interesting to see how this plays out. I'm hoping you post the response you get from corporate. I look forward to reading reports from our fellow cruisers who stick with their plans to stay there.

[airlink diva]

hi read your review sounds good but then i read another long review really makes me scared to keep reservations ... don.t know what to think now:eek:

I just read the other review also. I hate that his stay wasn't up to standard.

I can only speak for me and my stay at the Sleep Inn. With the exception of the car rental van driver, my stay was good. My room was clean, no dirty bathroom or bed. The staff was nice. I can't tell you about the breakfast since I didn't go downstairs.

My stay was good and I have no problem staying at this location again.

I think that the other reviewer had a bad time and I feel that management was unreasonable when his concerns was expressed.

As for reviews, if you notice that it's the same for the cruises. You have one person that love it and someone else that hate it.

My suggestion is to start from the very first posting about this hotel and rate the good reviews and bad reviews. Also, I check out my room when I first arrive and if I see anything that I don't like, I ask for a room change or an additional clean up. I had to do this with a hotel in Flint last year. I took shots of the bathroom and went to the front desk. The hotel was full, but housekeeping had to return to reclean.

Happy sailing!!