Hotels at Port Ft Lauderdale

[MeghanNRileysMom]

Hello! This is my first post. We're planning a cruise for next Jan on the Caribbean Princess and were hoping to come in the day before and find a nice, clean, reasonable hotel near the port. Perhaps shuttle transfer and a grocery store nearby?

 

A little about us, we're a family of four... me, DH, DDs 7 and 4. We'll be traveling with my mom, who will be needing oxygen at night onboard as well as that night at the hotel. We've cruised on the Grand Princess in Feb 02, but without Mom. We usually stay in Residence Inn by Marriott when traveling, or comparable.

 

Thanks in advance for any tips or recommendations! These boards are great!

 

~Cebi

[chrysalis]

you will find a ton if info here......

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/forumdisplay.php?f=92

[balanceok]

You have several good options. From experience, I can recommend the Marriott, Renaissance, Embassy Suites and Amerisuites.

 

Our preference is the Marriott because it is right on the water, so its close to the water taxi. Amerisuites is the most reasonably priced, but we book the hotels through Priceline, so we've had good pricing at the other hotels.

 

All of these hotels are within easy walking distance of grocery stores and restaurants. All have shuttles to the pier, but I recommend just taking a cab. The line and wait for the shuttles isn't worth it, imho.

[TrentS]

You'll want one of the SE 17th Street hotels. They're less than 10 minutes from FLL, just outside the entrance to the port, and are surrounded by dozens of restaurants, shops, grocery, drug & liquor stores as well as the very popular Water Taxi.

 

Extended Stay America and Holiday Inn Express "Convention Center" are the nicest of the "budget" hotels. Marina Marriott will no longer be a Marriott after February 25, it's been sold and is going independant. As stated above, don't worry about shuttles, they're more trouble than they're worth - Just grab a cab, these are very close to both the airport and port making a cab very inexpensive!

 

Renaissance... http://marriott.com/property/propertypage/FLLBR

 

Embassy Suites... http://www.embassysuites.com/en/es/hotels/index.jhtml?ctyhocn=FLLSOES

 

Marina Marriott... http://marriott.com/property/propertypage/FLLFL

 

Holiday Inn Express "Convention Center"... http://www.ichotelsgroup.com/h/d/ex/1/en/hd/fllcc

 

Extended Stay America... http://www.extendedstayamerica.com/hotels/fort-lauderdale-convention-center-marina.html

 

AmeriSuites... http://amerisuites.com/reservations/locationdetail.asp?facid=3929

AmeriSuites is cheaper on Valuetrips... http://www.valuetrips.com/AMS/FL/F17.htm

[Katrinamp]

We just booked The Sleep Inn for a night before our cruise in April. It got the best ratings on Trip Advisor and Yahoo Travel, yet stayed within our price range. Place is rather new and people say it is very clean. Nice continental breakfast in the morning and I'm pretty sure there is a grocery store across the street (I sort of remember that from my readings) but I can't verify that for sure.

[MeghanNRileysMom]

Wow, thank you all for the informative replies! I will check out these hotels, I appreciate it!

 

~Cebi

[KKB]

booked on priceline for $110/nt (it was listed as an all suite hotel)

 

Very nice,hot breakfast, right across street from grocery, free shuttle. We were very pleased!

Kris

[TrentS]

We just booked The Sleep Inn for a night before our cruise in April. It got the best ratings on Trip Advisor and Yahoo Travel, yet stayed within our price range. Place is rather new and people say it is very clean. Nice continental breakfast in the morning and I'm pretty sure there is a grocery store across the street (I sort of remember that from my readings) but I can't verify that for sure.

I assume you mean the Sleep Inn in Dania? It seems to be okay, but it's in a rather isolated area. Yes, there's a Publix across the street, and a Walgreens next door, but the only restaurants in the area are take away Chinese or Pizza - You'll need a cab for anything else if you don't have a car.

 

The SE 17th Street hotels have much MUCH more around them. The Extended Stay America on SE 17th Street and Holiday Inn Express "Convention Center" are IMO the nicest of the "budget" hotels in Fort Lauderdale and the location simply can't be beaten!

[merela]

I assume you mean the Sleep Inn in Dania? It seems to be okay, but it's in a rather isolated area. Yes, there's a Publix across the street, and a Walgreens next door, but the only restaurants in the area are take away Chinese or Pizza - You'll need a cab for anything else if you don't have a car.

 

 

As long as your hotel is close to Publix grocery store, you won't really need to go to any restaurants pre-cruise. When you are travelling with very young and very old, it's a hassle to get everyone ready and walk to a nearby restaurant.

 

We were staying at the Renaissance Hotel which is close to the ship's terminal, but about 15 minutes (walking) from Publix. We ended up buying some fried chicken and roast chicken, some bread, soft drinks, fresh fruits, and juices from Publix and just had a dinner picnic in our room. Since we were from the west coast, everyone was tired and had a nap after we checked-into our hotel rooms around 3pm. Everyone had dinner around 9pm local time....most restaurants would have been closed for dinner by then. My kids (3 and 5) had fun eating the fried chicken picnic. The Renaissance hotel did not have a fridge in the room, so we couldn't buy milk and juice and keep in the room for the next morning. We had to buy the right amount and finish everything up so no leftovers need to be refrigerated.

 

Breakfast was easy. There was a bagel place on the 17th street. It's about 30% pricier than the bagel place back home, but it was OK. It wasn't necessary to eat too much pre-cruise.

 

There was a thread (Dec. 2004/Jan. 2005) talking about where to find affordable restaurants for dinner and breakfast along 17th street in FLL. Check out the US port of call thread and search for Fort Lauderdale.

 

BTW, we got our hotel room via Priceline for $105+tax/fees a couple of weeks before our cruise, but others have booked around $70 for the same hotel via Priceline by booking 6 months prior to their arrival date.

 

Since the Renaissance does not have free shuttles anywhere, we were going to get a taxi to the port. We would need 2 taxis since we had 10 people travelling together. But the porter of Renaissance told us just to walk to the ship's terminal if we didn't have a lot of luggage because a taxi will take 10 minutes (it needed to drive down the street for a u-turn back to the ship's terminal which is really just across the street from the hotel). So we did. If your mother requires Oxygen, then it's probably not a good idea for you to walk. Amerisuites and Holiday Inn are the best places if you can get a good price there. The free breakfast (Amerisuites) and free shuttle to the terminal are worth it.

 

The taxi from the airport to the Renaissance Hotel would have cost around $9 (no traffic), but when our taxi driver saw the meter was only around $8 as we approached the hotel, he turned into one of the side streets off the 17th and pretended to get lost. When I showed him the address again, he said "oh, the Renaissance!", he got back on 17th street and when we got to the hotel, the meter was showing $14! We had no choice but to pay him, but he certainly didn't get as much tip as he would have received!

 

 

 

HTH.

[TrentS]

One comment about a taxi taking 10 minutes from the Renaissance and having to drive down the street and turn around... THAT'S BULL!!! All a taxi has to do it drive AROUND the Renaissance Hotel, from the hotel's front door north, then east, then south and directly INTO Port Everglades. In most cases it takes about TWO or THREE minutes to get to the Princess Terminal!

 

And YES you DID have a choice regarding being overcharged by the cab driver... CALL THE POLICE!!! They pull those asinine stunts all the time, YOU have to know the best way to get where you're going and YOU TELL THEM the way to go! It's very easy these days with Mapquest or even better... http://maps.google.com/

 

MANY restaurants are open well past 9pm, especially on weekends. ;)

 

 

SE 17th Street Restaurants...

 

Tara Steak & Lobster is right next door to Extended Stay America... http://www.tarasteakandlobsterhouse.com/

 

Carlos and Pepe's (Mexican) & Durty Harry's (bar with food) are in the same shopping center as Tara. There's also a small diner in that strip mall that I've been told has an excellent breakfast.

 

Giorgio's (Italian), and Einstein Bros. Bagels are across the street from Holiday Inn Express/Extended Stay America... http://www.einsteinbros.com/

 

Bimini Boatyard and Bravo (excellent Italian) are both across the street from Holiday Inn Express/Extended Stay America, and about a block east, opposite the Renaissance Hotel... http://www.bravoitaliano.com/

 

Jack Jackson's new restaurant FISH is across the street from the Renaissance hotel, attached to the Convention Center complex at the entrance to Port Everglades... http://www.fish-fl.com/

 

Chuck's Steakhouse... http://www.chucksflorida.com/

 

And Waxy O'Connors are both across the street from Embassy Suites, a long block west of Holiday Inn Express/Extended Stay America... http://www.waxys.com/

 

Outback Steakhouse and Del Rio Tex Mex are just west of Embassy Suites, and Quarterdeck is across the street and a block north of Embassy Suites on Cordova Road, just beyond Winn-Dixie... http://www.quarterdeckrestaurant.com/

 

Kelly's Landing is a great New England style seafood place in a strip mall on Cordova Road, across the street from Winn-Dixie.

 

If you want some excellent ice cream, Aspen Ice Cream is next door to Office Depot, in the large yellow strip mall across the street from Tara and Carlos and Pepe's... http://www.aspenicecream.com/

 

There are 3 large strip malls around Holiday Inn Express/Extended Stay America - More or less across the street, next door, and behind, as well as several smaller ones. There are at least a dozen other small restaurants scattered throughout those strip malls, plus a number of fast food and carry-out places in the area as well... You'll never go hungry along that section of SE 17th Street, there's something for every taste and budget.

 

Publix grocery store is in the large strip mall a block south on Cordova Road, behind Embassy Suites. Publix sell beer & wine as well as being very large, very nice grocery stores.

 

Barnie's Coffee & Tea is in the same strip mall as Publix, a few stores to the west, next to Carvel Ice Cream... http://www.barniescoffee.com/

 

Crown Wine and Spirits is across the street from Embassy Suites, behind the Chevron station, and 67 Wine & Spirits is across the street from Crown.

 

Winn-Dixie grocery store is next door to Crown, and there's a CVS drug store in the same strip mall as 67 Wine & Spirits.

 

Walgreens drug store is a block east of Holiday Inn Express/Extended Stay America, across the street from the Renaissance hotel.

 

The restaurants above are just those that you can easily walk to. If you take the Water Taxi you can easily get to dozens more. The nearest Water Taxi stop is 2 long blocks east, under the SE 17th Street Bridge, in front of the Marina Marriott hotel... http://www.watertaxi.com/FortLauderdale/FLLHome.Asp

 

Some popular places easily accessible by Water Taxi are...

 

15th Street Fisheries... http://www.15streetfisheries.com/

 

Jackson's Steakhouse... http://www.jacksonssteakhouse.com/

 

Shirttail Charlie's... http://www.shirttailcharlies.com/

 

Fort Lauderdale Riverhouse... http://www.ftlauderdaleriverhouse.com/

 

Downtowner Saloon... http://www.downtownersaloon.com/

 

Shooter's Waterfront Cafe, and at the same stop Taverna Opa... http://tavernaoparestaurant.com/

 

Charlie's Crab... http://www.muer.com/locations/chcrab-ftlaud/chcrab-ftlaud.html

 

The many many restaurants and shops along beautiful Las Olas Blvd... http://www.lasolasboulevard.com/

 

And Las Olas Riverfront... http://www.riverfrontfl.com/

[Polar Bear]

TrentS... I have alot of questions...hope that you can help?????!!!have you been to the "Floridian"...if so is it any good...is it easy to get to from the Holiday Inn Express...about the water taxis???

 

Copied your reply #10...put it on our roll call...we have planned alot for this cruise...with many going to meet up for dinner pre-cruise and the Museum..to see "Tutankhamen and the Golden Age of Pharaohs"(we have our tickets for this)

 

We are going on the Sea Princess April 8,2006...we are the "S.P.I.C.E.S."

 

Thank you for your help.

[sunnyv]

TrentS: You are a wealth of information! Thanks

 

We are staying pre-cruise at the AmeriSuites. Is the Publix or any of the restaurants you mention within walking distance of the AmeriSuites? If so which one would you say is your personal favorite?

[aaerobear]

We just returned from the Regal trip from FTL to Rio. A word of warning about Fort Lauderdale. Many of the hotels are now NOT offering shuttle pickup from the airport, you have to take a cab, they do offer return shuttles to the airport though. Embassey Suites also does NOT offer a free shuttle to the port, even though it is only about a 5 minute drive.

 

The check-in for Princess at Port Everglades is a mess, I mean a real mess, be prepared to wait a long time to get checked in and onboard. Even with everything done in advance online etc.

[dennbr9]

We stayed at the Embassy Suites( used Hilton Honors points so price was right) You get a large suite, cocktail hour and breakfast buffet. Just make sure you sign up for the shuttle( which was offered on 12/28/05) to the pier as soon as you check in. We ended up taking a cab because the shuttles were full until 1:20.

 

If you want to look around FLL, than I would opt for something near the water taxi stops as mentioned above.

 

Dennis

[TrentS]

TrentS... I have alot of questions...hope that you can help?????!!!have you been to the "Floridian"...if so is it any good...is it easy to get to from the Holiday Inn Express...about the water taxis???

 

Copied your reply #10...put it on our roll call...we have planned alot for this cruise...with many going to meet up for dinner pre-cruise and the Museum..to see "Tutankhamen and the Golden Age of Pharaohs"(we have our tickets for this)

 

We are going on the Sea Princess April 8,2006...we are the "S.P.I.C.E.S."

 

Thank you for your help.

The Floridian on East Las Olas is a landmark! It's a favorite of locals, with good food and cheap prices. Go, you'll love it! It's about a 10 minute drive from Holiday Inn Express on SE 17th Street, or you can also take the Water Taxi - It would be about a 6 block walk from the nearest Water Taxi stop (stop #12).

 

Okay, I have to ask... What are the "S.P.I.C.E.S."???

[TrentS]

TrentS: You are a wealth of information! Thanks

 

We are staying pre-cruise at the AmeriSuites. Is the Publix or any of the restaurants you mention within walking distance of the AmeriSuites? If so which one would you say is your personal favorite?

ALL of the SE 17th Street restaurants and stores on that list are within easy walking distance to AmeriSuites.

 

The new Publix is just across the street to the east of AmeriSuites. There's a side entrance to the strip mall Publix is in just across from AmeriSuites and about a half block south - You can't miss it!

 

Of the SE 17th Street restaurants my personal favorite is Bravo. Tara Steak & Lobster is also excellent.

[Polar Bear]

The Floridian on East Las Olas is a landmark! It's a favorite of locals, with good food and cheap prices. Go, you'll love it! It's about a 10 minute drive from Holiday Inn Express on SE 17th Street, or you can also take the Water Taxi - It would be about a 6 block walk from the nearest Water Taxi stop (stop #12).

 

Okay, I have to ask... What are the "S.P.I.C.E.S."???

 

 

"Sea Princess Island Cruise Easter Season"

 

Again thank you for your advice.:)

[Katrinamp]

I assume you mean the Sleep Inn in Dania? It seems to be okay, but it's in a rather isolated area. Yes, there's a Publix across the street, and a Walgreens next door, but the only restaurants in the area are take away Chinese or Pizza - You'll need a cab for anything else if you don't have a car.

 

The SE 17th Street hotels have much MUCH more around them. The Extended Stay America on SE 17th Street and Holiday Inn Express "Convention Center" are IMO the nicest of the "budget" hotels in Fort Lauderdale and the location simply can't be beaten!

 

Yup, thats the one. Location wasn't a consideration for us because we are only coming in at 8:30 at night so will only be using it for sleeping and no sightseeing. I looked at the holiday inn express but trip advisor ratings swayed me. It didn't do nearly as well.

[TrentS]

Yup, thats the one. Location wasn't a consideration for us because we are only coming in at 8:30 at night so will only be using it for sleeping and no sightseeing. I looked at the holiday inn express but trip advisor ratings swayed me. It didn't do nearly as well.

Well IMO the Holiday Inn Express "Convention Center" is a nicer hotel in a much MUCH nicer location.

 

Coming in so late though it doesn't matter much as you won't have time to really do anything. You'll be fine at Sleep Inn.

 

Reading the Trip Advisor reviews of both of them though the Sleep Inn has a couple of pretty bad ones. The one consistent complaint about the HIX is the mattresses, and those have just been replaced with new ones. I've been in the Holiday Inn Express a few times, it's clean and is a very nice place for the money. Having said that though the Extended Stay America next door is a NICER budget hotel, and usually less money. Extended Stay would be MY first choice in a budget hotel.

[TrentS]

"Sea Princess Island Cruise Easter Season"

 

Again thank you for your advice.:)

Ah I see... Well I hope you have a great time! :)