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Ft. Lauderdale - Favorite Hotel or Rental


melmar02

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Our first cruise was out of Ft. Lauderdale back in 2010, and we have sailed out of Galveston every cruise thereafter. Well today we booked a B2B from Port Everglades, and we'll be able to stay a couple days either before or after. Let the planning begin!

Do you have a favorite hotel or rental in FLL? We don't plan on renting a car, so something within walking distance to the beach and restaurants would be perfect. Looking for 2 bedrooms, 1 King and 2 twins/fulls/queens for the kids to sleep on - they're too old to share a bed. 

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Unfortunately, most hotels/motels have experienced far too many rate increases, all over, not just the Ft. Lauderdale area.  Even though gas is on the way up, very much on the way up, we have decided to drive to our cruise port locations, except to the Port of Seattle in May.  I live in Alabama.  So, we drive to the Port of Canaveral, Port Everglades, and/or Port of Miami.  Yes, if I lived in or near Dallas, I'd still drive.  But then, I'm an old truck driver and long distance driving doesn't bother me too much.  Well, old age does effect me a little(70).  We just drove from the San Antonio area to central Alabama nonstop.  13 hours not a problem.   Port Everglades/Ft. Lauderdale is just another 11 hours away.

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On 3/9/2022 at 8:21 PM, melmar02 said:

@jay1021 if it was just my husband and myself, we could make an adventure out of the drive (we're in Dallas). Our kids have about a 6 hour limit in the car or they run the chance of being left on the side of the road. 😆

Ahhhhh, I understand.  Good luck.  I'm from the Ft. Lauderdale area originally, grew up in a little suburb called Dania, right next (south) to the airport.  I really like the Harbor Beach Marriott.  But, it is very expensive but right on the Ocean and next to the inlet to Port Everglades.  

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Just stayed at the Hyatt House Fort Lauderdale Cruise Port (90 Southwest 18th Avenue, Dania Beach, FL 33004, USA) for the second time in less than six months.

Great location (~10 minute drive at the most to the terminal or airport).

They provide a free shuttle to/from FLL airport. 

Rooms are clean, has kitchens, and the suite set up (dining room table and chairs + living room) are a great value.

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8 hours ago, Matt said:

Just stayed at the Hyatt House Fort Lauderdale Cruise Port (90 Southwest 18th Avenue, Dania Beach, FL 33004, USA) for the second time in less than six months.

Great location (~10 minute drive at the most to the terminal or airport).

They provide a free shuttle to/from FLL airport. 

Rooms are clean, has kitchens, and the suite set up (dining room table and chairs + living room) are a great value.

I grew up in Dania, now Dania Beach (it became "Dania Beach well after I moved from there).  If you go to Dania, you have to go to Jaxson's Ice Cream Parlor, it's on US 1 just about in the middle of Dania.  Also, Grandpa's Bakery which is located next to the strip mall that Jaxson's  is in.  Matt, you have mentioned Los Olas (pronounced Ohlass) Blvd. a few times, that is also a great place to walk and shop and eat!  I love cruising out of Ft. Lauderdale but I really like the new terminal 1 in The Port of Miami but I don't like Miami (beach), so when we cruise out of Port Everglades or Port of Miami, we stay in Ft. Lauderdale/Dania.

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  • 4 weeks later...
On 3/12/2022 at 9:47 AM, Matt said:

Just stayed at the Hyatt House Fort Lauderdale Cruise Port (90 Southwest 18th Avenue, Dania Beach, FL 33004, USA) for the second time in less than six months.

Great location (~10 minute drive at the most to the terminal or airport).

They provide a free shuttle to/from FLL airport. 

Rooms are clean, has kitchens, and the suite set up (dining room table and chairs + living room) are a great value.

I actually prefer the location north of the airport. And there are a bunch of other hotels in the area as well - Matt I think you've reviewed at least 1 or 2 of them?

I really like the fact that the rooms are BIG. Even if you're only there for a night, it's nice for four people to be able to spread out and not feel like you're walking over each other - plenty of time for that when you're onboard and in the staterooms!

Plus the area has a lot of food and amenities in case you've forgotten anything, or need to buy wine.

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I have been doing a lot of research on this question as well.  I have found that quite a few properties offer only a king or double bed option so that is reducing our options.  I booked an oceanfront room at Margaritaville in Hollywood, approximately 8 miles from the cruise terminal. The reviews are good and we wanted a beachy type resort for our pre cruise stay.  Depending on your price point, they offer 1 and 2 bedroom suites.  It looks like a beautiful and fun resort.  

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21 hours ago, Jax said:

I have been doing a lot of research on this question as well.  I have found that quite a few properties offer only a king or double bed option so that is reducing our options.  I booked an oceanfront room at Margaritaville in Hollywood, approximately 8 miles from the cruise terminal. The reviews are good and we wanted a beachy type resort for our pre cruise stay.  Depending on your price point, they offer 1 and 2 bedroom suites.  It looks like a beautiful and fun resort.  

I have walked past it a couple of times on previous stays. The location is great. There were lots of people outside the fence watching guests on the flowrider! 😆

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  • 4 weeks later...

I’m a bit of an outlier….If I’m going to stay a few days before my cruise from Fort Lauderdale, I like to stay at the Deerfield Beach Wyndham. About thirty minutes away. Beautiful hotel pretty much on the beach, they have three restaurants, an outdoor heated pool with hot tub, patio bar, live performers each night (low key singers…not annoyingly loud…and they end by 10pm). Not a young, party going place. Beautiful neighborhood with many restaurants and bars within a block radius…all easygoing, calm and comfortable places. The hotel rooms are beautiful, standard sized with a mix of kings and two beds, many are connecting so good for a family. Floor to ceiling windows with sliders that open onto a French balcony. The Deerfield Beach fishing pier is right next door. Loungers and clamshells are available to rent on the beach.

However, if you’re looking for something close to the airport and the cruise terminal….this is not it. There is no shuttle. Taxis and Ubers are easy to get, but pricey. And the hotel itself is somewhat expensive. I go here when I want to spend a few days vegging out prior to going on a cruise to veg out. Wherever you decide to go, I hope you have a great time!

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  • 2 weeks later...

All I can say is stay away from the budget motels unless you know you won't spend any time there except to sleep and don't mind a bit of a run down look. Wife and i opted for the cheap cheap and went to red carpet inn, I've also stayed at rodeway next door in the past. If I had the chance to do it again, I'd spend the extra $100 a night to be more comfortable and feel a bit more safe. 

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  • 5 months later...
On 5/18/2022 at 5:06 PM, GunnerGuy said:

All I can say is stay away from the budget motels unless you know you won't spend any time there except to sleep and don't mind a bit of a run down look. Wife and i opted for the cheap cheap and went to red carpet inn, I've also stayed at rodeway next door in the past. If I had the chance to do it again, I'd spend the extra $100 a night to be more comfortable and feel a bit more safe. 

Yeah, both are horrible places and I agree with you. The good news is they are not long for this world. Fort Lauderdale is changing so rapidly that anything old is being sold off, knocked down and rebuilt. I suspect the Roadway & Red Carpet will be bull dozed in the near future (thankfully because I’m sick of looking at them every single day on my commute). 

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  • 4 weeks later...
3 hours ago, RCLblue10 said:

looking at a Marriott property for Jan. 20 stay (cruise on Harmony on 1/21)  - suggestions?  I will be using points.  thank you

I looked quite extensively for our upcoming stay in a couple weeks. The Marriott Harbour Beach Resort and Marriott Airport hotel (if you don’t have a preference for beachfront) were on my short list. Both had excellent reviews but as a party of 3 the bed options at Harbour Beach Resort were double beds which was a hard no. The airport hotel has an M Club lounge that may be of interest to you.  Ultimately we decided on the Hilton Beachfront Resort in a suite as we wanted more space for our 7 night pre cruise stay.  

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Jax   thank you for your advice   I looked quite extensively for our upcoming stay in a couple weeks. The Marriott Harbour Beach Resort and Marriott Airport hotel (if you don’t have a preference for beachfront) were on my short list. Both had excellent reviews but as a party of 3 the bed options at Harbour Beach Resort were double beds which was a hard no. The airport hotel has an M Club lounge that may be of interest to you.  Ultimately we decided on the Hilton Beachfront Resort in a suite as we wanted more space for our 7 night pre cruise stay.  

 

I will check our your suggestions.

 

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we love the hilton fort lauderdale beach resort!! it's our favorite! the rooms are open, spacious, have a mini fridge and little kitchenette, and the location is great.

the W next block over has a great mexican restaurant with $5 frozen margaritas during happy hour that are DELICIOUS and there is another mexican restaurant called Lona at the westin that has amazing tacos and food as well.

we've done full week long vacations there -- but pre cruise, we usually stay at one of the close by holiday inn express locations since we usually just want a comfortable bed and close proximity to the publix to stock up on a few things before we depart. 💚

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