Hotels near Port Canaveral...

[geoff99]

We are flying in from the uk and are looking at hotels either at the airport or near to the port . any info will be much appreciated .We are also looking at renting a car for a few days after the cruise ,which company do you recommend?

[katiel53]

We are flying in from the uk and are looking at hotels either at the airport or near to the port . any info will be much appreciated .We are also looking at renting a car for a few days after the cruise ,which company do you recommend?

 

I am enclosing a site that has more info than you can ever handle. (More than I can too, lol) If you look at post 5511, it gives you info re hotels etc. Enjoy Pt Canaveral as it is our favorite port.

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=436720&page=276

[CanucsonVacay]

We booked a room at the Radisson, on Astronaut Blvd, which is very close to the port. They also offer long term parking and a complimentary shuttle to your cruise terminal.

 

After the cruise we are also renting a car for a couple of days from Hertz. Hertz sends a complimentary shuttle every 20 minutes from the port to where the Hertz office is located (also on Astronaut Blvd) and where you can pick up your car.

 

Happy Cruising.

[Holly g]

We are flying in from the uk and are looking at hotels either at the airport or near to the port . any info will be much appreciated .We are also looking at renting a car for a few days after the cruise ,which company do you recommend?

 

Before our Disney cruise last year we stayed at the Marriott Residence Inn on Astronaut Blvd. Phone # 321-323-1100. I believe it's the newest hotel down there and was very nice. We spent one night before the cruise and we were going to stay 2 nights after the cruise until at the last minute we decided to drive over to Orlando and stay 3 nights at Disney World:). You'll find it clean, comfortable and staff were friendly and helpful. There is an Italian restaurant that is pretty good that you can walk to from the hotel. Hertz is right next door and they will take you over to the ship. The ship is very close but you can't walk there. Hope this helps you.

[Portcanaveler]

You're in luck. I have some great recommendations for hotels near Port Canaveral. A couple of my favorites are Fawlty Towers in Cocoa Beach, which is a hotel near Port Canaveral with airport shuttle and port shuttle packages and a nice Cocoa Beach oceanfront hotel near Port Canaveral is the Cocoa Beach LaQuinta Oceanside Inn. I thought you might get a kick out hearing there's a Fawlty Towers in Cocoa Beach. As for renting a car in Port Canaveral there are only six rental car companies I recommend because they all have free shuttle service to Port Canaveral cruise terminal, which are Avis, Budget, Hertz, Dollar, Thrifty and Enterprise. I hope you enjoy your cruise. By the way, if you do decide to stay at Fawlty Towers, you might want to try breakfast about a block away at Sunrise Diner. It's just a local hole in the wall, but it's a local favorite and the Brits seem to love it.

[reallyitsmema]

You're in luck. I have some great recommendations for hotels near Port Canaveral. A couple of my favorites are Fawlty Towers in Cocoa Beach, which is a hotel near Port Canaveral with airport shuttle and port shuttle packages and a nice Cocoa Beach oceanfront hotel near Port Canaveral is the Cocoa Beach LaQuinta Oceanside Inn. I thought you might get a kick out hearing there's a Fawlty Towers in Cocoa Beach. As for renting a car in Port Canaveral there are only six rental car companies I recommend because they all have free shuttle service to Port Canaveral cruise terminal, which are Avis, Budget, Hertz, Dollar, Thrifty and Enterprise. I hope you enjoy your cruise. By the way, if you do decide to stay at Fawlty Towers, you might want to try breakfast about a block away at Sunrise Diner. It's just a local hole in the wall, but it's a local favorite and the Brits seem to love it.

Interesting recommendations. You do not recommend any of the shuttle services that are frequently recommended by posters here. How old is this website? I have never seen it recommended by anyone and have never found in all of the research that I have done for multiple cruises from that port. Is this a TA site or a private site?

[Barbee524]

We actually stayed at Fawlty Towers before our cruise and I would not recommend staying there. It is a very old motel and the rooms do show their age. The only amenity is a really small bar of soap, the one I had actually crumbled when I used it to wash my hands. On the plus side it was a short walk to CVS to pick up soap and shampoo. However, the hotel staff is very friendly.

[golf43]

Our last time in Port Canaveral was in just a few months ago. We stayed at the Residence Inn. It was really nice. There is a Hertz rent a car right out front. Also a Burger King restaurant if you want some fast food out front too. They have a shuttle to the cruise terminal if you need it. We drove over and parked our vehicle at the pier. Its a very nice Residence Inn. Their swimming pool is nice. They also have a basketball court.

[cruiseapril]

We've stayed at the Radisson Resort three times and enjoyed each time. Good restaurant buffet breakfast, nice grounds and pool, comfortable rooms.

[Holly g]

Interesting recommendations. You do not recommend any of the shuttle services that are frequently recommended by posters here. How old is this website? I have never seen it recommended by anyone and have never found in all of the research that I have done for multiple cruises from that port. Is this a TA site or a private site?

 

 

I'm not a TA just recommending what I know to be true. However I can see your point when reading the other post about Fawlty Towers, etc, I got the same impression.

I didn't recommend the shuttle services because I never used them and they are expensive. We always rent a car at the airport and drive over to the port. That way we can stop at Walmart and pick up things like a case of water, sunscreen and whatever we didn't want to carry on the plane, and can drive around to see the beach, go to a restaurant of our choice, etc. It just works for us. We found that renting from Hertz was the most convenient because they are right next door to the Residence Inn and makes the car drop off easy. :)

[reallyitsmema]

I'm not a TA just recommending what I know to be true. However I can see your point when reading the other post about Fawlty Towers, etc, I got the same impression.

I didn't recommend the shuttle services because I never used them and they are expensive. We always rent a car at the airport and drive over to the port. That way we can stop at Walmart and pick up things like a case of water, sunscreen and whatever we didn't want to carry on the plane, and can drive around to see the beach, go to a restaurant of our choice, etc. It just works for us. We found that renting from Hertz was the most convenient because they are right next door to the Residence Inn and makes the car drop off easy. :)

We do the same, Hertz rental and Residence Inn, originally because of Marriott points and hertz gold but now because we have had great experiences. We did use a private towncar after our last cruise because of an early flight home but they have since merged with another company so I don't recommend them since I don't know anything about the new company. I was just curious about the site posted since I have never seen it recommended by anyone on the Florida board either.

[MAHA]

We just got off the FOS on Sunday and stayed 1 night before the cruise at Residence Inn. There were 5 of us and the 2 bedroom suuite worked out well, wlthough our 18 y.o said the sleeper sofa was uncomfortable. We stayed there because it was slightly less than the Radisson and had the breakfast buffet in the morning included. We rented a car from Budget and the rental car agency was less that 1/2 mile from the hotel. They had a good shuttle. It was quick both for getting to the port and geting back to Budget following the cruise. I would recommend both and use both again if we cruise from Port Canaveral again.

Mary Anne

[RNSANE]

We actually stayed at Fawlty Towers before our cruise and I would not recommend staying there. It is a very old motel and the rooms do show their age. The only amenity is a really small bar of soap, the one I had actually crumbled when I used it to wash my hands. On the plus side it was a short walk to CVS to pick up soap and shampoo. However, the hotel staff is very friendly.

 

 

 

I stayed at the Residence Inn in January and thought it was the nicest of the hotels I've used in the Canaveral/Cocoa Beach area.

[Paticakes]

There is an Italian restaurant that is pretty good that you can walk to from the hotel.

 

Do you remember the name of the Italian Restaurant?

[Holly g]

Do you remember the name of the Italian

Restaurant?

 

I think it's called Kelseys pizza. When you walk out of the Residence Inn it's 2 blocks to your right, on the other side of the go cart track. The hotel is set back off the road so you have to walk through the front parking lot, make a right when you get to the sidewalk and then past the go cart track and it's there on the corner.

[Loves_Dogs]

We stayed at Country Inn & Suites and I highly recommend it. Not only do they have a free continental breakfast which was very good, but they have a free shuttle in the evening that makes the rounds to area restaurants and shopping. We used the shuttle to go out and have dinner. This place was clean, comfortable and the folks who worked there were very helpful and friendly. For a small fee they also shuttle to the port on cruise day. Here is a link:

http://www.countryinns.com/hotels/flcape

[torpeedo]

We have sailed many many times out of Port Canaveral and for the OP, I would also have to go with the Residence Inn and renting a car from Hertz at the airport and driving to Port Canaveral. Very easy drive. Rooms at the Residence Inn have a small kitchenette with full refridge, stove, dishwasher, and all cooking utensils. Hotel has a poo and free breakfast as well. Hertz is almost literally in their parking lot so you can return your car and they will take you to the port, or you can do the shuttle from the hotel which is about $10 pp roundtrip. Pick you up when you disembark and bring you back to the hotel.

We have often passed Fawlty Towers and love the name. It does look a bit worn though!

[Rudi610]

I'll give a thumbs up to the Country Inn and Suites. We stayed there this past April before embarking on the Disney Magic. The hotel was clean and provided a nice continental breakfast buffet. They also have a shuttle that will take you to the port and back. I enjoyed waking up in the morning and seeing the ships in port (too bad the Carnival ship was blocking my view of the Magic).

[HB Cruiser]

I cannot disagree with anything posted on this thread. Kelsey's Pizza is a neat little place for dinner precruise. We really liked it.

 

The one thing I would recommend would be Budget for the rental car agency. We have used Avis, Budget, and Hertz. By far the most accomodating staff is at Budget. They bend over backwards to assist you. They are not as convenient (1/2 mile south of the Radisson) but their shuttle seems to run quicker than the others and they are most helpful.

 

http://www.mousesavers has some discount coded that might help you save some money on the car rental.

 

Tim

[MrsPete]

I don't think you can go wrong with either Country Inns & Suites or the Residence Inn. They're side-by-side, and they're the closest hotels to the port (though, as someone else said, you cannot walk -- they're right on interstate-type highways and there's a bridge in between). The location is perfect; there's even a gas station right there. Both were built in the last few years, Residence Inn being newer by just a tad. Both offer a hot breakfast, both have suites for larger families. Both offer shuttles to the port, and both offer week-long parking. Having priced a suite at both places just this week, I can tell you that the prices are within a couple dollars of one another.

 

Residence Inn has one small benefit: You get a kitchen in every room, and if you email them a grocery list ahead of time they'll have the food you reqest waiting in your refrigerator (no fee for the shopping, and they just add the grocery cost to your bill at check-out). If you're interested in "staying in" after a long drive, cooking something quick, and letting the kids swim, you can't beat this. On the other hand, if you're sure you'll go out to dinner anyway, this isn't really much of a benefit.

 

How to choose? I'd ask if you have any rewards points from your credit cards or business trips that might make either one free (or reduced in cost). With the two places being so close in every way, a price difference would tip me towards one or the other.

 

On the subject of dinner, I've eaten at that pizza place -- I guess it was called Kelsey's. It was the only pizza place right there by the hotels, and it's a good choice. Good food, decent prices, convenient.

[beej]

I've booked with the Comfort Inn and Suites in Cocoa Beach. The main reason being, we will NOT have a car and you can walk to stores, markets, restaurants etc. I would really like to know if you can walk to any stores like a supermarket and restaurants if we were to change to the Residence Inn or the Country Inn.

 

Thanx, Beej

[bigasufan]

We stayed at Fawlty Towers last September and it was very enjoyable. No, it's not the Hilton, etc., but is very nice, not expensive, and about a 2 minute walk to the beach. I highly recommend it.

[marci22]

We really liked Residence Inn but my teen found the sofabed VERY uncomfortable.

[cruise wizard]

Has anyone stayed at the Hilton on Cocoa beach? The rate was $97 - similar to the Country Inn and is right on the beach.

[Ashland]

We stayed at the Embassy Suites. The management was great, had our two rooms we booked ready for us for an early checkin (6:30 am) we had just flown in on a redeye from LAX. Great breakfast buffet and evening cocktails (comp). We also used Thrifty car rental they are just outside the Port gate. They also had shuttle service and were very courteous and priced well. Sailed on INDY.Jan 2009 Eastern Caribbean...