RAMADA INN FLL Airport/Cruisport

[LauBu]

Hi,

 

Has anyone stayed at the RAMADA INN Ft Lauderdale Airport / Cruise Port on

State Road 84 / Marina Mile Rd since they renovated in Aug 2004?

 

I have seen bad review of this hotel dating back before the renovation but would be interested to know if it has improved.

 

Is it in a good area? Much to do nearby?

 

Thanks!

Laurie

[LauBu]

We did stay at the RAMADA INN Ft Lauderdale Airport / Cruise Port and while I think it has improved since the negative reviews, it has a ways to go.

 

 

We arrived on a Friday morning and had no trouble with the airport shuttle or checking in but on Sunday when the post-cruisers were checking in and the pre-cruisers were checking out, there was mayhem. It was very disorganized. The hotel was under staffed and as a result employees were not very helpful. The safe in our room was locked and we asked for it to be reset but no one ever came to do it.

 

 

They were terribly understaffed in the dining room for the free breakfast buffet. There was one poor woman doing 90% of the work from what I could tell. Bartender also seemed stressed. Our room was OK but our friends had small bugs in the bathroom. We cancelled our post-cruise stay and booked the Marriott Marina.

There was nothing in the immediate area to do but a taxi ride to get to the intercoastal waterway area was only $12.

 

Lesson learned (again) – you get what you pay for.

[TrentS]

Take it from a local... STAY AWAY FROM THE STATE ROAD 84 MOTELS!!! THIS IS A BAD BAD AREA, and those places are of the calibur that have hourly rates!

 

Do yourself a favor and book one of the hotels on SE17th Street, you'll be much happier and MUCH safer!!!

[okko]

I stayed exactly 5 hrs. in this hotel on 2/26/05. The desk staff were terrible, check in was a disaster, guests in lobby all angry and waiting for transfer to pier. Someone screams the name of the ship in the lobby and everyone runs. The rooms were run down and dirty, the restaurant was dirty, the

pool area run down. There is nothing in the immediate area (walking distance).

 

The only bright spot is behind the hotel toward the water was a beautifu marina area with a very nice restaurant on a pier however walking down to it you had to walk through a very run down area.

 

Personally I would never stay in this hotel, irregardless of the transfers.

I left in 5 hrs because it was too filthy for me

[Bequia]

Thanks for your report. I've tried to advise cruisers to avoid that entire area (SR84) when it comes to lodging. ;)

[MyImagination]

Thanks for the heads up

[cruzzers]

We stayed there this last Feb. pre cruise and though it wasn't horrible, it would not be a place we would try to stay again. They did pick us up at the airport and deliver us to the cruise port the next morning but it was not a great part of town and on a very busy highway. The rooms looked old and very dated and the common areas were not my idea of clean. (I am very picky so may just be me) It was not worth the money. Pay a little more and stay in a nicer hotel. You will be more rested for your cruise.

[lbfluffy]

Boy you all are scaring me now. I have the Ramada Inn booked for December, but it sounds like we need to cancel.

[TrentS]

That would be a good move lbfluffy... There are far nicer, far safer places to stay for similar prices. State Road 84 is not a nice area and IMO that's not a nice place.

[lbfluffy]

Thanks Trent. Okay back to the drawing board now. I'll have to check around. You've been quite helpful on these boards.

[ado]

On SE 17th Street, nice area and very close to the Port are Embassy Suites, Renaissance and Marriott Marina right on the intercoastal. In just 8 days we are booked for a pre-cruise night at the Marriott Marina. Never stayed there before, but as per these wonderful threads have heard great things. Marriott will not pick you up at the airport (3 miles away) so you would have to get a taxi. They do, however, have a free shuttle to the port the next morning.

We have stayed at the Embassy Suites which provide a free buffet-style breakfast and a free shuttle to the Port. Nice place too!

You can bid 3* downtown Ft. L on Priceline.com, but read biddingfortravel.com before you do. Once you select and pay, you must take it.

Good Luck!

[soupercb]

That would be a good move lbfluffy... There are far nicer, far safer places to stay for similar prices. State Road 84 is not a nice area and IMO that's not a nice place.

 

I am trying to avoid this hotel, but can get a room there for 90 per night in january..I have been unable to find anything close to this price anywhere...can you tell me which hotels you think would be close in price but in a nicer area? I check amerisuites and they are $189/night. Holiday Inn was also $150/night.

 

Any suggestions will be appreciated. I will try priceline as well when the time gets closer, but would like a backup in case I can't get anything.

 

thanks

[TrentS]

Many report getting AmeriSuites for $50 or so on Priceline. It's 2.5-star "downtown".. Others have said they've gotten great prices there through Valuetrips... http://www.valuetrips.com/AMS/FL/F17.htm

 

Otherwise try Priceline 3-star "downtown" as many get the Marina Marriott for under $100 per night.

[petlover]

I agree, when I was reading up on hotels Ramada Inn has gotten very negative reviews. Amerisuites (even though it has some mixed reviews) sounds like a good deal for the $$ especially on priceline! The Holiday Inn Express gets excellent reviews but may cost a bit more (?) The hotels in this area (NE 17th) sound like where you want to be.

[momesu]

Yesterday I got Amerisuites on Priceline for $60. Abit more than the $50 being reported but it's for Dec 23 so not too surprised I had to pay abit more. I am very pleased with this win as I had made reservations for Comfort Inn Cruiseport for $104. And then I read all the really bad reports about it. :( So now I will cancel them and hopefully have a nicer start to my cruise. :)

[TrentS]

Roughly Christmas through Easter is the high season and it may cost a bit more then, but that's still a great price. The SE 17th Street area can't be beat, it's a safe location, very close to both the port and airport, and everything you could possibly want is within easy walking distance.

[DanJ]

Made the mistake of staying at that Ramada in Jan 2001. Sorry to see it appears to not have improved any. We did stay at the Comfort Inn on Stirling Rd, but that was almost 6 years ago. Was a fine hotel then, and people I referred to it over the next few years seemed to enjoy it as a pre/post cruise. Not any type of extended stay kind of hotel, but rarely any Comfort Inn's are.