Confused about FLL Hotels

[jrobinso]

We have our first Caribbean cruise planned for November. We are planning to stay 3 nights pre cruise and I currently have reservations at the Embassy Suites. The reviews I have read have been mixed, so now I am thinking about looking for a different place to stay. We will not have a car, so I would like a hotel with restaurants and shopping within walking distance. A beach location would be great if the hotel and the pool are nice. I don't mind spending $200-$300 a night, but no more than that. Since this is our first trip to Florida I would really like something nice. Any suggestions?

[coiran]

You cannot beat the Embassy - good breakfast, two hour free cocktails every night - large rooms with couch. I'ts about the best you can get, however it is not on the beach.

 

Ron

[bills blasters]

We have stayed at the Embassy suites twice, and it is a great hotel. You don't need to rent a car. Everything is very close. Plus, you can walk about 5 blocks and get on the water taxi and spend a day getting off and on. We love the water taxi and use that to visit the beach, go shopping or just ride and look at the houses. There is a trolley that stops also right at the front of the hotel.

You wont be disappointed with the Embassy.

[cruzkitty]

Love reading these good reports-six of us are booked at the Embassy in October. Happy Cruising.

[Hal from Ohio]

Within a block of the Embassy, on the same (north) side of 17th Street are two very good restaurants ..... Chusk's Steakhouse & Salad Buffet. The steaks were incredible and done to perfection. Reasonably priced and great service. Go before 7:00pm. About 2 blocks east of the Embassy is Bravo (Italian). We did not eat there, but several from our Cruise Critic group did, and highly recommended.

[jrobinso]

Thanks so much for the encouraging words and comments about Embassy Suites. I need to stop second guessing my decison and stay with my current reservations.I'll stop reading reviews!!! Anyone else have any ideas on what we can do for our 2 full days pre cruise that will be within walking or water taxi distance?

[royalcruz]

Just my humble opinion...The Embassy Suites is fine, but there is no night life in that area after about 9 PM. It's right in the middle of a few strip centers, and there is nothing special about the neighborhood except that it is close to the port entrance. It's very nice that they have free breakfast and happy hour, but I wouldn't spend more than a night or 2 there.

 

I love the new W Hotel across the street from Fort Lauderdale beach, which opened in May. They have a fun and cool pool/deck and lobby bar. I live in Fort Lauderdale and I am staying there for the second time in September. In November, you can get a room for less than $300 if you have a AAA card. It has a steakhouse that everyone in town is talking about, and is located right in the middle of the nice newer hotels, which all have restaurants too (Atlantic, Hilton, and Westin). It is walking distance (just over a half mile) from lots of fun casual restaurants and from a CVS that sells everything you need. It is about a mile from Galleria Mall. It's about 2.5 miles from the port entrance.

[fungirl28]

I'm also staying at the Embassy Suites and it's good to see so many postive posts.

 

Jrobinso- I've been doing the same thing, right now I have 4 different reservations at hotels in Ft. Lauderdale because I kept reading reviews and getting worried about the negative ones. But it seems to be a great hotels with plenty of stuff in the area to keep oneself occupied.:D

[jrobinso]

Tenisha (fungirl 28), I'm so glad to hear I'm not the only one stressing over this FLL hotel. I think I need to just stop reading the reviews. Since this will be our first visit and we'll be there 3 days without a car I want to make sure we will be happy with our choice. BTW I love the picture of your sweet baby!!!

[fungirl28]

Tenisha (fungirl 28), I'm so glad to hear I'm not the only one stressing over this FLL hotel. I think I need to just stop reading the reviews. Since this will be our first visit and we'll be there 3 days without a car I want to make sure we will be happy with our choice. BTW I love the picture of your sweet baby!!!

 

I understand...the last thing I want on a vacation is a crappy hotel with bugs(This happened on my first visit to Ft Lauderdale. I found a bug near my bed at 3am and spent the rest of the night in a chair before checking out for the cruise the next day) From what I hear on CC, the Embassy Suites is a great hotel and it's in the middle of everything and the water taxi will take you other places. That's my goddaughter on her first cruise:D

[BlueHerons]

I understand...the last thing I want on a vacation is a crappy hotel with bugs(This happened on my first visit to Ft Lauderdale. I found a bug near my bed at 3am and spent the rest of the night in a chair before checking out for the cruise the next day) From what I hear on CC, the Embassy Suites is a great hotel and it's in the middle of everything and the water taxi will take you other places. That's my goddaughter on her first cruise:D

 

It definitely is not in the middle of everything but is in a good location.

 

For the money, I'd rather stay at The Riverside on Las Olas or The Pillars on New River Sound. Both in much better locations. Las Olas is a beautiful street with much better dining, shopping, and attractions.

 

17th Street is okay with some great restaurants.

[LuvTheGoodLife]

We routinely come into FLL for 2 night stay pre-cruise BUT we always rent a car. Gives us lots of freedom to go where we want - we have found nice shopping, restaurants etc.

 

I would only stay near port/17th St area if coming in for 1 night - for 3 nights, I would choose a hotel on the beach - the new W sounds awesome, the new Westin, the Hilton on the beach, Courtyard FLL Beach - lots of options.

 

So I would rethink your hotel choice from Embassy Suites to something on the beach and consider renting a car....

[topcop]

The Sheraton Yankee Clipper is right on the beach but a little walk, about a mile, to restaurants. There is a Marriot closer to the restaurants and across from the beach.

 

The Riverside is nice, but book a tower room. It is not on the beach, but on the Riverwalk and on Los Olas Blvd where there are plenty of restaurants and nightlife.

 

you can walk along the river and take either the water taxi or a sightseeing excursion boat.

[bluefintuna]

There is a site for the water taxi, Ft. Lauderdale that gives schedules, restaurants, etc. If you stay at Embassy Suites, the water taxi stop is under the bridge at the Hyatt Regency. We loved the water taxi and Las Olas.

[royalcruz]

There is a site for the water taxi, Ft. Lauderdale that gives schedules, restaurants, etc. If you stay at Embassy Suites, the water taxi stop is under the bridge at the Hyatt Regency. We loved the water taxi and Las Olas.

 

I can only imagine that most of the people taking the water taxi TO 17th St are staying in the hotels and not going there to see anything.:D

[royalcruz]

The Sheraton Yankee Clipper is right on the beach but a little walk, about a mile, to restaurants. There is a Marriot closer to the restaurants and across from the beach.

 

The Riverside is nice, but book a tower room. It is not on the beach, but on the Riverwalk and on Los Olas Blvd where there are plenty of restaurants and nightlife.

 

you can walk along the river and take either the water taxi or a sightseeing excursion boat.

 

Just for more clarification:

Yankee Clipper is closed until the end of January 2010.

There are 2 Marriots across from the beach: Courtyard and Beach Place (Marriott Harbor Beach is on the beach but not near other restaurants).

[Esmerelda]

We are cruising in 14 days out of Miami but we ALL 4 wanted to stay again at the Embassy Suites in Ft Lauderdale. It's a fabulous hotel and it's close to almost everything. There is shopping...the cruise port view from your balcony..the beach is about a 1-2 mile walk that's not bad at all! The huge rooms, the breakfast buffet, the drinks in the evening..etc. The staff were fabulous when we stayed there before also and the hotel was very busy but our needs were met quickly.

 

Go to tripadvisor.com and search on this hotel. The majority of the reviews are very good. I think I will even post one. There are about 60+ photos on the site also.

 

Best of luck and have a great time!

E..:)

[Nanatravel]

Roylcruz, having enjoyed the convenience of the water taxi (before the sun trolley), I find it an economical and relaxing way to see alot of Ft. Lauderdale for a minimum cost. We stayed at the then Amerisuites, took a nice walk to the Hyatt got on there, stopped at several places including the Las Olas area, and got off for dinner at the 15th street Fisheries. Doesn't the Water taxi also still stop at the now named Hilton Grand Hotel (former Marriott)?

 

Jrobinso, you can always take a taxi to or back from a restuarant or lounge in the evening if you feel like it. There are many restaurant choices within a short walk or taxi ride from your hotel. I think you have made a great choice IMHO.

 

Bon Voyage,

Nanatravel

[mommyto2girls]

We have stayed at Embassy Suites on all our cruises out of Fort Lauderdale, but only for one night. I love the location because I buy all my shampoo, lotions etc at the shopping center behind the hotel rather than fly with everything. I could not spend more than one night there. It very nice for a one night pre-cruise stay. 3 days I could not do. I would certainly chose alot of hotels over Embassy Suites for more than 1 night. You should try hiltonfamilymvp.com and see the other hotels along the beach with some great rates.

[stargate fan]

We have stayed at the Embassy suites twice, and it is a great hotel. You don't need to rent a car. Everything is very close. Plus, you can walk about 5 blocks and get on the water taxi and spend a day getting off and on. We love the water taxi and use that to visit the beach, go shopping or just ride and look at the houses. There is a trolley that stops also right at the front of the hotel.

You wont be disappointed with the Embassy.

 

I am really leaning towards the Embassy Suites in Fort Lauderdale. We have stayed at Embassy Suites in other states and have been happy with the properties. Can you tell me if we would be able to see the ships at port from a room?

[bills blasters]

Get a room facing the east and you will have a great view of the ships. We did not have an east room, but on each floor there are small balconies you can walk to and view the ships. We got some great pictures. On my next reservation, i requested an east facing room, one of the high floors.

We love this hotel. Spent 2 days there, and had plenty to keep us busy. Plus the kids loved the pool. It was January and a little cool, but the pool was heated.

[stargate fan]

Get a room facing the east and you will have a great view of the ships. We did not have an east room, but on each floor there are small balconies you can walk to and view the ships. We got some great pictures. On my next reservation, i requested an east facing room, one of the high floors.

We love this hotel. Spent 2 days there, and had plenty to keep us busy. Plus the kids loved the pool. It was January and a little cool, but the pool was heated.

 

Fantastic! Thanks. I'm convinced.

In your post that I replied to originally, you wrote that we won't need to rent a car. Really? That would save a bunch of money; more Kiss on the Lips for us!

[stargate fan]

We have stayed at Embassy Suites on all our cruises out of Fort Lauderdale, but only for one night. I love the location because I buy all my shampoo, lotions etc at the shopping center behind the hotel rather than fly with everything. I could not spend more than one night there. It very nice for a one night pre-cruise stay. 3 days I could not do. I would certainly chose alot of hotels over Embassy Suites for more than 1 night. You should try hiltonfamilymvp.com and see the other hotels along the beach with some great rates.

 

Thank you! I just booked Embassy Suites in FLL for $30 less per night than any other website/travel site.

[royalcruz]

Roylcruz, having enjoyed the convenience of the water taxi (before the sun trolley), I find it an economical and relaxing way to see alot of Ft. Lauderdale for a minimum cost. Doesn't the Water taxi also still stop at the now named Hilton Grand Hotel (former Marriott)?

 

Nanatravel

 

Yes, it does! That would be the closest stop for the 17th St hotels. I believe it also stops at Hyatt Pier 66.